Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

From this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

The 2015 nominees are (in alphabetical order): The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Green Day, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Kraftwerk, The Marvelettes, N.W.A., Nine Inch Nails, Lou Reed, The Smiths, The Spinners, Sting, Stevie Ray Vaughan, War and Bill Withers. Please note that Sting and Lou Reed are already enshrined in the Rock Hall as members of a group -- Sting with The Police and Reed for his work with the Velvet Underground. Others, like Chic, Butterfield and N.W.A. have been nominated multiple times in the past without yet gaining entrance.

The Foundation's nominating committee selects nominees each year in the Performer category. Ballots are then sent to an international voting body of more than 600 artists, historians and members of the music industry. Those performers who receive the highest number of votes are inducted. The Foundation generally inducts five to seven performers each year. Starting in 2012, the Rock Hall opened up Nominee voting to fans around the world. The Top Five Nominees, as voted by the fans count for one ballot entry, which is weighted the same as individual ballot entries submitted by members of the international voting body. Fan voting is open until December 9. The 30th annual induction ceremony will be held at Cleveland's Public Hall on April 18, 2015.