Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2021: Tina Turner, Kate Bush, Mary J. Blige and Carole King among record 7 women artist nominees
- Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan and The Go-Go’s also among the female performers nominated, the most on one ballot since hall was founded
- Other 2021 nominees include Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden and Rage Against the Machine
After years of often slighting female artists, the US Rock & Roll Hall of Fame executed a major and welcome about-face with Wednesday’s announcement of its 2021 nominees for induction.
The ballot includes Tina Turner, Carole King, Mary J. Blige, female punk rock group The Go-Go’s, Dionne Warwick, Kate Bush and Chaka Khan. Together, these veteran performers represent the highest number of female nominees on one ballot in the history of the hall, which has been criticised in the past for the almost constant dominance of male artists over women as both nominees and inductees.
Since the hall’s first induction ceremony was held in 1986, it has inducted 819 male artists and only 69 women, according to a study conducted in early 2020.
This year’s ballot suggests the hall is seeking to start making amends, although being nominated is no guarantee of earning enough votes for induction. (The pioneering disco group Chic were nominated 11 times between 2003 and 2017, the last year their name appeared on the ballot.)
The other 2021 nominees include Jay-Z, Rage Against the Machine, Afro-Beat pioneer Fela Kuti (who died in 1997), Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden, Devo, LL Cool J (who has been nominated five times before), the New York Dolls and Todd Rundgren.
“This remarkable ballot reflects the diversity and depth of the artists and music the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.