Presenting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Most Egregious Snubs

Kraftwerk (Eligible since 1995)
Few bands can lay claim to pioneering a single musical genre. Only a handful can say they influenced virtually EVERY genre of music that succeeded them. Listening to German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk, you can hear the roots of electro, synth-pop, techno, Krautrock, house, New Wave and hip-hop (the group's "Trans-Europe Express" and "Numbers" were famously sampled by Afrika Bambaataa for "Planet Rock," one of hip-hop's earliest and most successful singles.) The Hall has long been biased against electronic music, but inducting these guys would be akin to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five getting in for hip-hop. It's time to expand. (On a side note, maybe instead of bemoaning pioneering groups as "not rock," it's time to drop the "Rock and Roll" from the name and think of something more inclusive of all contemporary music.)

'Trans-Europe Express'


Hall and Oates (Eligible since 1997)
Many critics hated them, dismissing the Philly group as bland, blue-eyed soul. They were never the cool band to impress your friends with, but no other vocal duo dominated the 1980s so consistently, with five albums from 1980-1988 all going platinum (at least) and spawning five number one songs. Even after their heyday, the group unwittingly found a second career as sampling material for everyone from Kanye West to De La Soul. Drop the veneer of coolness so we can hear a supergroup cover of "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" at the ceremony.

'I Can't Go For That'


Kiss (Eligible since 1999)
The most polarizing band on the list, Kiss is either a prime example of classic theatrical metal and glam rock defined as much by their off-field excesses and make-up as their music or everything that was bloated and over-the-top about rock and roll both aesthetically and musically. Still, even detractors can't deny the power and devotion of the Kiss Army and at their apex, no band was doing it bigger or gaudier. The band's stage show -- complete with fire-breathing, blood-spitting and ridiculous pyrotechnics -- was considered extravagant even for the 1970s and it's time to stop ignoring the group's massive influence on a generation of kids. The group received its first nomination last year, but If Alice Cooper gets inducted this year, look for the yells of the Kiss Army to grow even louder.

'Rock and Roll All Nite'


Rush (Eligible since 1999)
If Kiss is the most controversial name on the list, Canadian progressive rock group Rush comes in a tight second. Despite hits such as "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and "Subdivisions," the group has always staunchly remained on the fringes of the mainstream, relying instead on a more independent approach to their careers. To his credit, founding member Alex Lifeson doesn't seem to mind the snub, once saying, "I couldn't care less. Look who's up for induction; it's a joke." Still, good luck meeting a casual Rush fan. More likely, mention you like the drums to "Tom Sawyer" and they'll pontificate on their favorite bootleg until you walk away.

'Tom Sawyer'


Joy Division (Eligible since 2004)
The UK post-punk group only released two albums in their brief career before the tragic suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis at the age of 23. But at the time, nothing sounded like Joy Division's icy mix of detached vocals, ominous synths and thunderous, tribal drums. After Curtis's death, the remaining members would go on to form the decidedly more upbeat, but no less influential, synth-pop group New Order, but it's Curtis's lyrics, inspired by the singer's devastating battle with epilepsy, and the band's bleak, yet hypnotic, music that inspired countless bands. Also induct: New Order

'Love Will Tear Us Apart'


Iron Maiden (Eligible since 2005)
So British metal act Iron Maiden sells over 100 million albums worldwide and become pioneers in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, with virtually no love from radio or television, and they're still not worthy? Having set the template for 1980s metal, the group has been consistently selling out arenas around the world for nearly 30 years. And Eddie, the group's mascot since the beginning, has long been a graphic -- in both senses of the word -- icon in rock. If Metallica is in, so should these guys. Also induct: Judas Priest

'Fear of the Dark'


Depeche Mode (Eligible since 2006)
There is, admittedly, a lot to make fun of in synth-pop and electro-pop. Much of the classic material sounds woefully dated, a sonic time capsule of what was once technologically cutting edge and now about as current as an Atari. But UK quartet Depeche Mode has steadfastly transcended and bucked the stereotypes (well, after the few first albums at least). Tracks like "Behind the Wheel," "I Feel You," "Policy of Truth," and "It's No Good" combined dark, driving rhythms, gritty rock and upbeat pop into an unprecedented formula and the group has managed to stay diverse without compromising their sound over 12 albums.

'Personal Jesus'


Motley Crue (Eligible since 2006)
Putting aside the fact that albums like 1983's "Shout at the Devil" and 1985's "Theatre of Pain" are glam-metal classics, no other group epitomized the rock and roll lifestyle of the 1980s more than this sleazy Los Angeles quartet. Taking the torch from Zeppelin, the Crue lived out virtually every alcohol, drug and sex cliché endemic to rock and roll, as stories of their early years on the Sunset Strip (told in brilliant detail in the 2001 autobiography "The Dirt") became immediate fodder for legendary status. That all four members are still alive is nothing short of a miracle.

'Home Sweet Home'


"Weird" Al Yankovic (Eligible since 2008)
On the surface, this may seem like an odd choice. All Al Yankovic has done is parody other, more popular, songs, right? But how many other musicians can say they've been consistently popular for over 25 years? Watching a "Weird" Al video on MTV was a rite of passage growing up and his best tracks have become permanently embedded into the collective consciousness (I still can't watch the "Beat It" video without thinking of this). And unlike many bands we could name that are either rehashing the same songs from the 1970s and 80s or churning out sub-par, legacy-hurting new music, Yankovic remains current and hysterical, lampooning R. Kelly, Chamillionaire and Green Day on his last album.

'Fat'

The Smiths (Eligible since 2009)
Always considered a cult act stateside, UK indie rock/jangle pop group The Smiths, and lead singer Morrissey in particular, are worshipped around the world for their fusion of insanely catchy melodies and Morrissey's reflective, cynical lyrics. Every decade or so, a new crop of teenagers discovers The Smiths and wonders how Morrissey could reflect back their growing sense of malaise, ennui and despair so perfectly. Granted, the group has only been eligible for two years, but this one's a no-brainer. Also induct: The Cure


'How Soon Is Now'


These are far from the only oversights. Here are 20 more that deserve serious consideration into the Hall: ELO, Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, Roxy Music, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Grand Funk Railroad, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Ben E. King, The Ohio Players, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Kool & the Gang, Brian Eno, The Damned, Peter Tosh, Gang of Four, Rick James, Afrika Bambaataa, T. Rex.

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