The ballots are in — and Nirvana and Kiss are headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The inclusion of Nirvana is no surprise; they were odds-on favorites since their nomination was announced in October. The band, which was accepted into the Hall in its first year of eligibility, and its surviving members will receive the honor 20 years after frontman Kurt Cobain committed suicide.
For Kiss, however, it's been a long time coming — as Kiss fans have loudly lamented for years. Kiss have been eligible since 1999, but they've been nominated only once, in 2003.
In 2006, about 200 irate Kiss fans protested outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum building, which is in Cleveland.
Other artists being inducted in the 29th annual ceremony, which will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, April 10, are Hall and Oates, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens and Peter Gabriel, who already has been inducted into the Hall as part of Genesis.
Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager, and Andrew Loog Oldham, who worked closely with the Rolling Stones, will receive Ahmet Ertegun Awards, an award given to for nonperformers. Bruce Springsteen’s E Street band will receive the Award for Musical Excellence, formerly known as the sidemen prize.
Nominees who did not make the cut this year include the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, guitarist Link Wray, Deep Purple, the Replacements, Yes and the Zombies.
Inductions are chosen by more than 700 voters, including critics, music-industry figures and previous inductees; members of the public were able to cast online votes. Their top five choices made up a single “fans’ ballot.”
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