Whitney Houston and Notorious BIG may be added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.
Houston and Biggie Smalls, whose real name is Christopher Wallace, are among nine first-time nominees and 16 overall under consideration for induction for the 35th annual Hall of Fame ceremony in Cleveland in May, the Rock Hall announced Tuesday.
Along with Wallace and Houston, joining as first-time nominees are the Dave Matthews Band, the Doobie Brothers, EMotörhead, Pat Benatar, Soundgarden, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy. Returning nominees include Depeche Mode, Judas Priest, Kraftwerk, MC5, Nine Inch Nails, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, and Todd Rundgren, USA Today reports. In order to be eligible for nomination, an artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 2 years before the year of nomination.
After the nominees are announced, ballots will be sent to more than 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry, who will decide the act’s career, creativity, and impact on other artists. RockHall.com allows fans to vote through Jan. 10. The top five choices will comprise a “fans’ ballot” that will be counted with the other ballots. The new inductees will be announced in January, and the induction ceremony will be May 2 at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium.
