Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2016

It’s all legitimised in a way because the whole music industry has to honour the group. And that despite finishing second in the Rock Hall’s own fan poll (and fourth in our nominated-for-hall-of-fame-honor-1831/”>Cleveland.com poll). Notable acts that were on the shortlist (revealed in October) included The Smiths, Nine Inch Nails, Janet Jackson and Chic.

Seminal rap outfit N.W.A and a trinket cabinet’s worth of classic ’70s dad-rock bands comprise next year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

Ballots are cast by more than 800 voters, including past victor, s music business executives, critics (including this writer) and experts. Fans have one fan’s ballot, available for them to express their opinions through their votes.

Sure, everybody loves singing along to Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” or playing air-guitar to Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”, but they’re relics in comparison.

“Frankly, I was very surprised that we’d been nominated since we’ve been eligible for so long”, Lamm told Rolling Stone.

“With over 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive No. 1 albums, 11 No. 1 singles – fans that stretch across the globe and countless bands that have followed in their wake, Chicago’s legacy is unquestionable”, said the Hall of Fame statement. Before that transition, though, Chicago had churned out a number of hits combining the genres of prog rock, jazz, and pop.

Cheap Trick are beloved around the globe since 1973 for their instantly identifiable, hugely influential, brand of pop rock’n’roll. They had been eligible for 14 years, and have been together as a band for almost 40 years.

N.W.A. performed together in June in Los Angeles, but Dr. Dre did not join.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2016 inductees Thursday morning, reports Entertainment Weekly, the list honouring Steve Miller, Cheap Trick, N.W.A., Chicago and Deep Purple.

N.W.A will be the fifth hip-hop act to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, in that order.

Chicago has produced such hits as “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” and “Make Me Smile”. Sound off in the comments!