Judas Priest recently learned that despite their long career as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, they've been passed over for inclusion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.
"Personally, I would love it," frontman Rob Halford told a Phoenix, AZ, radio station on getting into the Hall of Fame. "I think we deserve it. We've put our 10,000 hours in and more.
“Beyond that we just feel that heavy metal music deserves more space on the shelf at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
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Halford recently shared the email the band received from the organization notifying Judas Priest of its rejection:
Thank you for embracing your nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While you didn’t garner enough votes for induction this year, you were part of a very select group of Hall of Fame nominees. Artists are frequently on the ballot multiple times before they are inducted. For example, Black Sabbath were nominated eight times before their induction, Patti Smith seven times, Solomon Burke nine times, and both the Beastie Boys and The Yardbirds were on the ballot three times before their respective inductions.
If you are touring or simply traveling nearby, please visit our museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Our six floors of exhibitions tell the remarkable history of rock and roll and how it changed the world. You’re part of that story and we’d love to share it with you. Again, congratulations on your nomination.
My best,
Greg Harris, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Halford added that the band was happy to be nominated because of the "recognition," but he also suggested that Judas Priest getting inducted will lead the way for the inclusion of more heavy metal in the future.
Judas Priest is planning to release its 18th studio album next year with a tour scheduled to start in March of 2018 not too far from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The only Canadian dates are four stops in Ontario.
Original article by Andrew Magnotta at iHeartRadio