Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame: The Top-10 Snubs

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A band is eligible for induction into Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after they release their first record. This year's finalists were announced Sept. 24 — giving new hope to fans of two long-suffering bands — but the gala will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of fans of many bands whose idols haven't yet made the cut. Here are 10 of the Hall's most notable snubs.

KISS
Could this be the year? When the list of 2010 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced Sept. 24, KISS made the list, despite the fact that they might have been a greater gimmick than a band. Despite the recent surge of nostalgia for the rockers and talk of (God forbid) a new album, the Hall of Fame has never seemed inclined to let Gene Simmons and his posse of masked hell-raisers gatecrash. Maybe 1978's four simultaneously released (and equally awful) solo albums doomed KISS chances, but no matter. Hell hath no fury like an aging KISS fan scorned, and the Hall learned that in 2006 when nearly 200 of them protested the band's snub, many dressed in full KISS regalia.

Their enshrinement in 2010 is no sure thing: only five of the 12 bands nominated will make it into the Hall, based on the decision of 500 voters. Protesters shouldn't stow away those masks just yet.


Def Leppard
If lyric writing and making sense were not part of the job description for a great band, you could argue that Def Leppard is the greatest band of all time. "Pour Some Sugar on Me," "Animal," "Armageddon It" — these monster hits off the band's 12-million selling Hysteria album (1987) aren't just favorites of the exotic dance industry, they're unbeatable for singing along with at the top of your lungs. They are also so devoid of meaning that it's possible they were written with an R-rated version of Refrigerator Magnet Poetry. Oh, and if that's not enough for you, remember that Def Leppard has the world's greatest one-armed drummer.


Boston
Bands named after cities just can't get any love. Boston was never a critical darling, but their songs were woven into the fabric of the '70s. Lead singer Brad Delp had a soaring range, which he put to heavy use during days spent slaving in the studio overdubbing and harmonizing with himself. Boston's first album, 1976's self-titled release, went platinum 17 times, but Boston could not parlay that success into long-term relevance.


Rush
Rolling Stone has called Rush fans the "Trekkies" of rock — they defend their Canadian rock heroes vehemently. The band certainly has carved out a place in rock history. With 24 consecutive gold or platinum albums, they trail only The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. But commercial success belies a career that took the occasional wrong turn. Critics cite the band's over-fascination with synthesizers in the 1980s, but fans say the period is simply proof that Rush doesn't care about convention. That independent streak might keep Rush from the Hall, but it doesn't seem to bother them in the slightest — guitarist Alex Lifeson called the Hall selection process a "joke."

Continue on to the rest of the article, and the other 6 snubs..

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