George Michael Wins Rock Hall Fan Vote

The late George Michael tops the list of nominees chosen by fans this year to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The win does not mean the one-time Wham! singer will be inducted since the results of the public poll count along with ballots from Rock Hall voters, but it is a good predictor. Since fan voting was introduced in 2012, all but one of the winners – Dave Matthews Band in 2020 – has been inducted.

Members of the public were able to vote once per day online or in person at the Rock Hall in Cleveland.

Michael, who died on Christmas Day in 2016, earned 1,040,072 votes, followed by Cyndi Lauper (928,113), Warren Devon (634,130), Iron Maiden (449,682) and Soundgarden (427.040).

The other contenders for induction later this year are Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Kate Bush, A Tribe Called Quest, Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, The White Stripes and Joy Division/New Order.

The list of 2023 inductees will be announced on Wednesday.

To be eligible, an act’s first commercial release must have come out at least 25 years earlier. Missy Elliott and The White Stripes became eligible this year. Michael, Lauper, Zevon, Nelson, Crow and Joy Division/New Order are first-time nominees.