Janet Jackson, Chicago, Steve Miller, and NIN among Rock Hall nominees

Finally, classic rock fans can rejoice that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is paying attention to Cheap Trick, the Cars, Steve Miller and Chicago. To be eligible for nomination, an artist or band must have released its first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination, so the cut off this was 1990.

According to Rolling Stone, this is the first time Jackson, Khan, Miller, Chicago, Cheap Trick, the Cars, Los Lobos (“La Bamba”) and The J.B.’s (James Brown’s backing band) have been nominated.

The other nine nominees are Los Lobos, Nine Inch Nails, Janet Jackson, N.W.A, the Smiths, Chaka Khan, Chic, the J.B.’s and the Spinners.

This year’s slate also includes four-time nominees N.W.A., which might gain momentum because of the current hit biopic “Straight Outta Compton”, and 10-time nominees Chic.

The top five vote-getters earn a “fan ballot” addition of one vote apiece to the total cast by the hall’s 700-odd voting members.

As it has in recent years, the hall will allow fans to vote on their choices for induction at its website, www.rockhall.org, through December 9.

Earlier this year Green Day, Lou Reed, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Ringo Starr were among those inducted into the Hall of Fame as the class of 2015.

The 2016 inductees are expected to be announced in December, so stay tuned to see which acts will make the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be in New York in April, at a venue and date to be announced later, and HBO will televise it at a later date.