Judas Priest, Eminem and Dolly Parton are among the acts chosen to be honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.
"We are thrilled and honoured to be inducted," read a message on Judas Priest's social media. (In fact, the band is receiving the Award for Musical Excellence.) "This is also a great moment for British Heavy Metal, Metal worldwide and our amazing fans who support us and keep flying the flag for Metal and Judas Priest!"
Going in along withi Eminem and Parton are Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Pat Benatar with Neil Giraldo and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.
This year’s inductees, selected in a vote by about 1,100 music industry insiders, will be honoured on Nov. 5 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
“This diverse group of inductees each had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock & roll,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in a release. "Their music moved generations and influenced so many artists that followed."
Eminem, Parton, Simon and Richie were all first-time nominees on the list of 17 finalists that was released in February. To be eligible for consideration, acts have to have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years earlier – and this was the first year Eminem was eligible.
Harry Belafonte, Elizabeth Cotten, Allen Grubman, Jimmy Iovine and Sylvia Robinson are being recognized this year with awards.
"We're all in a little bit of a daze about this," said Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon, in a release. "It's one thing to be nominated but a totally different thing altogether to be actually voted up for induction into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, which is to my mind the closest thing you'll ever get to a rock & roll knighthood."
Bandmate John Taylor added: "We have never thought of ourselves as a Rock n’ Roll band, more of an 'ongoing Art Project', however, I feel a profound sense of gratitude for the acknowledgement this award represents."
In March, Parton said she was taking her name out of consideration but Rock Hall officials said it was too late to change the ballot. Last week, the country legend said she will “gracefully” accept if chosen.
“It was always my belief that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was for people in rock music. I have found out lately it’s not necessarily that,” Parton explained. “But, if they can’t go there to be recognized, where do they go? So I just felt like I would be taking away from someone that maybe deserved it, certainly more than me since I never considered myself a rock artist. But obviously, there’s more to it than that.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been criticized for recognizing artists from other genres.
In an interview earlier this year, Ted Nugent fumed: "The authenticity of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame has been so tainted by the inclusion of not just non-rockers but anti-rockers. Madonna? Really? So I find it offensive on that level.
“I don’t take this stuff personally but I find it offensive to real rockers, to real rock artists and to real rock and roll fans.”
Last year, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider called Rock Hall committee members "arrogant elitist a**holes who look down on metal & other bands that sell millions because we’re not their definition of cool." He added: “The fact is the RnR Hall of Fame is struggling.”
This article has been updated since it was first published.