Not Inducted In The Country Music Hall of Fame (Updated 2026 Inductees)

The 2026 Country Hall inductees were announced today: Tim McGraw  (Modern Era),  Stanley Brothers  (Veterans Era),  Paul Overstreet  (Songwriter).  

Voting process (as I know it in 2026), is described below: (credit: Saving Country Music)

The Country Music Hall of Fame inductees are selected through a committee process appointed by the Country Music Association (CMA). The selection process has been split up into three categories:

1) Modern Era – Eligible for induction 20 years after they first achieve “national prominence.” 2) Veterans Era – Eligible for induction 45 years after they first achieve “national prominence.” 3) Non-Performer, Songwriter, and Recording and/or Touring Musician active prior to 1980 – Rotates every 3 years. If there is a tie in voting in any category, two names can be selected, as we saw in 2021.

Below are a list of artists, session musicians, songwriters, producers, etc., that are eligible as of 2025.

Asleep At The Wheel

Billy Joe Shaver

Blake Shelton

Bob Moore

Brad Paisley
Buddy Emmons
Buddy Killen
Carter Sisters

Charlie Rich

Chicks (Dixie Chicks)

Clint Black
Crystal Gayle
Curly Putnam
Dallas Frazier

Don Rich
Doug Sahm
Dwight Yoakam

Earl Thomas Conley
Eddie Rabbitt

Freddy Fender
Garth Fundis
Gary Stewart
Gene Watson
Gram Parsons
Guy Clark
Hank Garland

Jeannie Seely

Jerry Chesnutt
Jerry Douglas

Jerry Kennedy
Jerry Jeff Walker

Jim Owens
Jimmy Capps
Jimmy Martin
Johnny Horton
Johnny Paycheck

Johnny Rodriguez

Keith Urban

Larry Gatlin

Lesley Riddle
Linda Martell
Linda Ronstadt
Lloyd Green

Lorrie Morgan

Lynn Anderson
Maddox Brothers and Rose
Mark O'Connor
Martina McBride
Mickey Gilley

Miranda Lambert
Milton Brown

Moon Mullican

Paul Franklin

Ralph Mooney

Reggie Young

Rodney Crowell
Rosanne Cash

Shania Twain

Skeeter Davis

Taylor Swift 

Townes Van Zandt
Travis Tritt
Trisha Yearwood
Vern Gosdin

Personal Picks: 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Below are my Personal picks for the 2026 Rock Hall, listed in alphabetical order.  Most of the 17 nominees could get a "Yes" vote from me in other years. 

Some things to consider:

There were 14 nominees last year.  This year 17.

There are 7 women nominated.

There are no first year eligible nominees.

There are 10 first time nominees. 

There are no acts nominated who started in the 50's/60's.  Expect side category inductees to correct that. 

5 acts were nominated last year: Idol, Carey, Crowes, JD/NO,  Oasis.

The most nominated artists this year yet to get in all have 3 nominations: Carey, JD/NO, Iron Maiden. Oasis. 

This is a dominant 80’s and forward ballot. A handful of these artists started in the 70’s. But none became a star until the 80’s (Phil Collins solo, Vandross, Idol). It remains to be seen if the Hall makes up for no pre-80’s names, with Side Category picks. 

This is the first year voters have to pick 7 names.  They can't vote for less than 7.  This could have an impact on who gets in. 

Were you surprised by some of the picks this year?  Let alone a 17 nominee ballot?  Well, for the first time the Hall implemented term limits for NomCom members.

As Future Rock Legends wrote:

"We're assuming they will go with some sort of three-year rotation, similar to what the Country Music Hall of Fame does. Every year, one third of the committee steps off, but can come back on after a 3-year break."

Term limits are something long time Hall watchers have wanted for years.  It seems like there was a big shakeup on the NomCom this year, resulting in some wild nominees and maybe in a bigger ballot.  

With each of my picks, I recommend some of their best recordings.

Again, these are my Personal picks, not predictions. 

Top 7

INXS - Save for one album, what really made their 80's run so much fun is that they were a great singles band.  1st nomination

1.  Kick

2.  Shine Like It Does: The Anthology 

Mariah Carey - We all know she can sing, but she can also write a good song. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall in 2022.  3rd nomination

1.  Emancipation of Mimi

2.  Essential

Luther Vandross - One of the greatest R&B singers of his generation.   1st nomination

1.  The Night I Fell In Love

2.  Essential

New Edition - Early days were teen Pop/R&B then matured into Adult/R&B.  Blueprint forr many 90's R&B/Pop bands of the 90's. 1st nomination

1.  Hits

2.  Heart Break 

Oasis - It's really all about those first two albums, which I love.  3rd nominaiton

1.  Definitely Maybe

2.  (What's the Story) Morning Glory

Phil Collins - For those of you too young to remember, he was one of the best solo Pop stars of the 80's.  1st nomination

1.  No Jacket Required

2.  The Singles

Sade - As a lover of the Quiet Storm format, I’ve got to support one of the pioneers of the genre. 2nd nomination 

1. Diamond Life

2. Essential 

The Rest

Billy Idol - 2nd nomination

Black Crowes - 2nd nomination

Iron Maiden - 3rd nomination

Jeff Buckley - 1st nomination

Joy Division/New Order - 3rd nomination

Lauryn Hill - 1st nomination

Melissa Etheridge - 1st nomination

Pink - 1st nomination

Shakira - 1st nomination

Wu-Tang Clan - 1st nomination

Ranking: The Original Songs from Saturday Night Fever

   Writing the songs in a single weekend, the Bee Gees reached a creative zenith with the original songs featured in Saturday Night Fever.  By the way, the movie is in my personal top 10 films of all time.  Hard to think of John Travolta's star turn without the Bee Gees music carrying him along to such heights.  For this ranking I'm only going to include the original songs from the soundtrack.  So, no KC & The Sunshine Band, Trammps or Kool & The Gang, two previous Bee Gees hits,  regardless of how much I love those songs.  

1.  Stayin' Alive

2.  How Deep Is Your Love

3.  Night Fever

4.  More Than A Woman

5.  If I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman)

6.  More Than A Woman (Tavares)

7.  Manhattan Skyline (David Shire)

8.  Night On Disco Mountain (David Shire)

9.  Salsation

Playlist for 3/7

Lucinda Williams - World's Gone Wrong

U2 - Days of Ash

James Hunter Six - Off the Fence

Zach Bryan - With Heaven On Top 

Robbie Williams - Britpop

Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern 

Santana - Caravanserai

Pat Metheny - Bright Sized Life

Paul McCartney: Man on the Run (Documentary) 

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025 film) 

RIP Neil Sedaka

  Neil Sedaka first became a star in the post-Elvis Army/pre-Beatles era of the early 1960's.  It's a part of Rock history that often gets dismissed by music critics.  Despite the fact that some incredible records came out during that time.  Sedaka often gets lumped in with the teen idols of the era, usually the most scorned by critics.  But Sedaka was more of a Pop professional than those idols.   For one he played piano and co-wrote his own songs.  His songs became hits for Connie Francis and Gene Pitney. Still, if you're looking for a reason that Sedaka was never nominated, let alone put in under Musical Excellence or Influence, consider the era he first had hits.  

  The British Invasion put an end to Sedaka's 60's chart run.  His hits would be ones that others covered.  Which gives me the chance to bring up another early 60's institution that deserves more respect: the Brill Building.  The NYC building that was home to a bunch of the greatest songwriters who crafted future classic songs: Goffin/King, Bacharach/David, Mann/Weil, Barry/Greenwich, Leiber/Stoller, Neil Diamond and Sedaka/Greenfield.  

  Sedaka's 70's comeback didn't begin in United States, but in the UK.  There he recorded three albums of varying success.  But the recordings caught the attention of Elton John who signed him to his new Rocket Records in 1974.  A compilation album, Sedaka's Back, containing tracks from those three albums was released to acclaim in the U.S.  And one of its tracks, 1975's "Laughter In the Rain" became Sedaka's first number one since the early 60's. Sedaka's Back is a great album.  Even though a compilation, its still his best album, outside of greatest hits sets.  Sedaka quickly followed it up with 75's The Hungry Years, and had another one with "Bad Blood" that featured Elton on vocals.  But things began to slow down in 1976.  The hits dried up again.  After 1976 Sedaka only had one other Top 40 hit, a duet in 1980 with his daughter.  

  But he never stopped recording or touring.  Most of us that hadn't followed him in years caught up with him again during the 2020 COVID shutdown.  Sedaka took to social media to do mini concerts consisting of his hits, deep tracks and covers.  The ultimate professional, he never let up on his posts up until his death.  Because Neil Sedaka loved to please.  His passion was performing and pleasing his audience.  Nearly 68 years since his first Top 40 hit, he accomplished that and more. 

Latest Podcast Appearance (Rock in Retrospect Podcast)

 I joined host Nick Bambach's the Rock in Retrospect podcast, with some others, to talk about the 2026 Rock Hall nominees.  

Rock in Retrospect

Poll: February 1986 Songs

  Latest poll I voted in was for songs from February 1986.   Not the greatest list of songs to be honest.  But I've always loved my top pick.

Pop Radio Gold

"How Will I Know", Whitney Houston : 1
"My Hometown", Bruce Springsteen : 2
"I'm Your Man", Wham! : 3
"That's What Friends Are For", Dionne & Friends (with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) : 4
"A Love Bizarre", Sheila E. : 5
"Tender Love", Force M.D.'s : 6
"These Dreams", Heart : 7
"I Miss You", Klymaxx : 8
"When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going", Billy Ocean : 9
"Broken Wings", Mr. Mister : 10
"Life In A Northern Town", Dream Academy : 11
"Do Me Baby", Meli'sa Morgan : 12
"Secret Lovers", Atlantic Starr : 13
"Conga", Miami Sound Machine : 14
"Silent Running", Mike + the Mechanics : 15
"Alive And Kicking", Simple Minds : 16
"I Like You", Phyllis Nelson : 17
"Can You Feel The Beat", Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force : 18
"You're A Friend Of Mine", Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne : 19
"Walk Of Life", Dire Straits : 20
"Tonight She Comes", Cars : 21
"It's Only Love", Bryan Adams & Tina Turner : 22
"Tarzan Boy", Baltimora : 23
"The Sweetest Taboo", Sade : 24
"Party All The Time", Eddie Murphy : 25
"Day By Day", Hooters : 26
"Sara", Starship : 27
"Living In America", James Brown : 28
"Russians", Sting : 29
"Goodbye", Night Ranger : 30
"Say You, Say Me", Lionel Richie : 31
"Talk To Me", Stevie Nicks : 32
"Go Home", Stevie Wonder : 33
"Kyrie", Mr. Mister : 34
"King For A Day", Thompson Twins : 35
"Sidewalk Talk", Jellybean  : 36
"The Sun Always Shines On TV", A-Ha : 37
"Separate Lives", Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin : 38
"Burning Heart", Survivor : 39
"Spies Like Us", Paul McCartney : 40

Playlist for 2/20

Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out

Cecile McLorin Salvant - Oh Snap

Thelonious Monk - Standards 

Doc Pomus - Songs for Elvis (the Demos)

Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately (Documentary) 

I’m Chevy Chase and You're Not (Documentary) 

Happy and You Know It (Documentary)