Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum that is often subjected to criticism when it comes to its marble busts in association with rock. Historically, the busts were considered to be very homogenous, and that the insiders who created the ballots showed controversial patterns of excluding women from the list of inductees. But this year, it seems that the voters have made efforts to broaden its acceptance of genre and honor more artists who aren’t white men.

Also read | Billboard Music Awards 2021: Drake to be honoured as Artist of the Decade

This year, the Fame class of 15 includes Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, the Go-Go’s, Carole King, Tina Turner, Todd Rundgren. The list has seven women.

In past years, the ratios of women inductees to men inductees were far lower compared to what it is this year. Janet Jackson, in 2019, in her speech said “Please induct more women”, and her wait did not last long.

This year’s collection of inductees deservedly has a balance of genres, generations and genders, which has been Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s feature, in recent times. 

Also read | ‘Global Icon’. Taylor Swift to be honoured at Brit Awards in front of 4,000 people

“This diverse class of talented inductees reflects the Rock Hall’s ongoing commitment to honor artists whose music created the sound of youth culture,” said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, in a statement.

The 2021 class diversity in generation and genre should make for an eventful induction ceremony concert, which was forced to go virtual in its 35th edition that added The Notorious B.I.G. and Whitney Houston to the organization’s ranks.

The 36th annual ceremony is planned for October 30 in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Hall of Fame is based.

Also read | Forty years on, Bob Marley’s rich legacy thrives