While fans of Mariah Carey, Cher, Mary J. Blige, and Sade are overjoyed at news their favorite divas are getting their overdue shot of joining Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, and more in the hallowed Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, some supporters of music history’s biggest divas can’t exactly share their elation.
On Saturday (February 10), officials at the Rock Hall of Fame announced the 2024 class of nominees – a tally lined with legendary talents like Carey, Blige, Sade, and Cher as well as Sinead O’Connor, Oasis, Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, and more.
Noticeably absent were names who have long met the organization’s 25-year requirement for consideration: Diana Ross (who was previously inducted as part of The Supremes but not as a solo act), Dionne Warwick (who has been nominated in the past but never inducted), Celine Dion, Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker, Barbra Streisand, and Toni Braxton.
And while it’s a common occurrence for fan groups to cry foul when their faves don’t get shortlisted for induction, the aforementioned group of ladies see their supporters launch petitions and campaigns annually only to see their efforts ignored.
Much like with the Recording Academy and GRAMMYs, the omission of some of music’s biggest names has even led some to call for more transparency about the voting process of who makes the cut and doesn’t.
Either way, what’s true for now is that the 2024 inductees will be announced in May and their celebratory ceremony will be filmed and televised in the Fall.
Why couldn’t they expand the field by a few spots every year to include people who are 75 and older who will legit eventually get in. The big question about these mature artists with the current system is will they gey in before they die? Will they be alive to see it? I don’t think that it’s very fair to exclude them in favor of folks still in their early 50’s.
Wish people would grow up – they can’t include every singer known to man at the same time. And who days these artists even care or want to be inducted?
The biggest snub was Normani. I don’t even see her name anywhere.
My Queen Anita Baker will be in the. Hall of Fame
They can’t get everyone but the omission of Diana Ross (in the solo category) and Streisand is seriously undermining their credibility. You don’t even have like theses two to understand their contributions to the music industry as a whole. Diana Ross for sure has pretty much influenced and paved the way for every popular singer both Black and White since the 70’s (including some on their current list: Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Sade). It’s baffling.