Def Leppard moved one step closer to induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame after a convincing win in the fan vote, which closed last night.
The British band secured 547,647 votes, ahead of Stevie Nicks (427,844), Todd Rundgren (365,370), the Zombies (329,052) and the Cure (264,443).
All five of the top-polling acts receive an additional vote in the final ballot, beyond the support given by members of the Hall, which includes artists, industry executives and others. While winning the fan vote doesn’t guarantee induction, all of the artists who have won it since its introduction in 2012 have gone on to receive the honor.
“Let’s not get too excited,” Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott told Ultimate Classic Rock recently. “The nomination in one thing, being inducted is another. Essentially, it’s worth one-thousandth of the entire vote, so it’s not worth a great deal numerically speaking. … The other 999 [voters] have got no option but to take notice of it.”
additional source: ultimateclassicrock.com
32 Responses
Not sure how much the popular vote maters to the head dick’s at the hall. They sure hell of should’ve been in before Metallica ever got in. That and many more….dead horse…beaten.
Well, it helped to get Bon Jovi inducted.
Good for them, I guess. At least the middle guy started wearing a shirt. He can be in the shirtless guy hall of fame along with all the other armpit exhibitionists. Ironically these guys sell tee shirts for $45 and walk around various venues like their at the beach.The two on the end look like THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF PILOT TRUCK STOP PURVEYORS. I love their first 3 albums but not much since. The Union Jack shorts definitely deserve to be immortalized.
Funny – but true
Just on the strength of Pyromania and Hysteria alone, Def Leppard should have been inducted a long time ago – definitely before Bon Jovi. What Leppard has achieved in the ever evolving music business is nothing short of incredible. They have continued to tour through their career, increasing venue sizes as they continue to add to their fan base. They continue to put out quality songs – their last album is one of their best and is competitive to the new bands now. When they released their catalog digitally on iTunes and Spotify, I believe at least two or three of their releases were in the top ten! What other band can do that? And don’t short change their later releases Sparkle Lounge, X, Yeah, Euphoria, and Slang. At some point, the HOF committee has to do research and take into account sales and cultural popularity. This would put Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Pat Benetar, and Foreigner in the Hall.
Question for you Music Fans: when Leppard gets into the Hall, what 80’s metal band gets in next as a token gesture by the Hall to appear to be “objective”?
Although they are technically a 70’s band, JUDAS PRIEST!!!!
I agree with Dana that Judas Priest should be the next 80’s metal band to be inducted in the RRHOF. They were there at the beginning of the metal movement and some consider (me included) them the first heavy metal band. They not only were influential in their music, but also in their appearance. They’ve been a commercially successful band and garnished much radio and MTV attention.
Glad that a rock band won out….though Stevie Nicks is one hell of a songwriter….too bad her voice has gone the way of Paul Stanley.
Well, she is 70 years old now.
dana , i wrote you a while ago about someone who is deserving even though he is far from rock.. still no yes votes for barry manilow but yes votes for rappers? …. before you ppl jump down my throat, cpl of yrs ago i wrote his name because the criteria fits. now a 40-50 yr career, many top 10s and #1’s.. .. did many commercial music of things we all have used and loved ( bandaids, mcdonalds etc.) plus when bon jovi , slade, eric martin, and other rockers ,plus the junkyard dog went on american bandstand, whose music was the opening? yup him… tell me he isnt less deserving than 3/4ths of the ppl in there now.