The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan voting ends on Monday.
Here’s where we are:
Phish is the leader of all nominees with 322,926. It’s unclear if they’ll clear the nominating committee but you never know.
The next six lined up with my personal choices. Billy Idol, Bad Company, Soundgarden, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, and Chubby Checker.
There have been some campaigns to attract votes. Joe Cocker has been endorsed by everyone but the Pope. The Black Crowes have been more visible than in years. Bad Company also has a big following on social media. But Chubby Checker has refused every interview. His manager told me it’s either going to happen or it’s not.
The rest of the nominees are probably out of the running. That includes Mariah Carey, who shouldn’t even be there. She’s second Also, Oasis, who will never get in even if they pull off their 2026 tour without killing each other. Outkast really has just two albums. The White Stripes are complicated because it’s really Jack White.
The committee meets soon, looks at these numbers, and then does its own voting. I do hope they end this misery with Chubby Checker and just put him in. Cyndi Lauper is my first choice of all these people. The rest of is a mystery. If anyone has seen Edgar Winter play with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band, it’s criminal that he’s not in at least under Side Men.
For Early Influencers — where Chubby may wind up — I’d love the Hall to include Stax Records stars Rufus and Carla Thomas (Carla is very much alive), also the late Mary Wells from Motown.
