In 1983, the Rock and Roll hall of fame was founded by Ahmet Ertegun, founder and chairman of Atlantic Records in Cleveland, Ohio.

It is dedicated to celebrating the history some of the most influential musicians, bands, producers, and others, particularly in the area of Rock and Roll.

However, a lot of the inductees in recent years have not been as associated with traditional Rock and Roll. A lot of the inductees are known for their involvement with predominant genres like Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop or even Country.

Originally, there were four categories of induction: performers, non-performers, early influences, and lifetime achievement. But in 2000, but the sidemen category was introduced. The only category that has seen new inductees every single year is the performers category.

How do you get eligible for nomination into the rock and roll hall of fame?

Artists become eligible for induction in that category 25 years after the release of their first record. Nominees are selected by an independent committee without a set limitation on potential nominees. 2020 saw the highest number of nominees

How can artists get inducted?

Inductees are chosen by an international voting body of more than 1,000 artists, historians, members and rock experts of the music industry. Starting in 2012, fans were given the privilege of participation.

Until April 30, 2021, fans can cast their votes for who they think should be inducted from the 2020 class. The top five artists in the fans' ballot then get counted as a single vote alongside the 1,000-plus other ballots.

There is no definitive number of inductees. 2019 saw the highest number of inductees yet, with seven.

Since inception, no Africans have been inducted into the hall of fame. If Fela Kuti wins in 2020, he will be the first Africa to do so.

The 16 artists nominated for 2020 are;

• Mary J. Blige
• Kate Bush
• Devo
• Foo Fighters
• The Go-Go's
• Iron Maiden
• Jay-Z
• Chaka Khan
• Carole King
• Fela Kuti
• LL Cool J
• New York Dolls
• Rage Against The Machine
• Todd Rundgren
• Tina Turner
• Dionne Warwick

The competition for 2020 is particularly tight. Voting closes on April 30, 2021 and the inductees will be announced in May 2021.