Kylie Minogue should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Netflix documentary series “Kylie” provides compelling evidence that Australian pop music superstar Kylie Minogue needs to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The fact that she has never been nominated is a disgrace. The longevity of her career, her reinventions, her chart-topping hits and sold-out concerts to this day are all factors in her favor. The three-part Netflix series also shows the personal and professional challenges she has faced and overcome.
Australia has been a noticeable blind spot for the Rock Hall. The only Aussie acts in the hall are AC/DC and the Bee Gees.
Aussie snubs include Minogue, INXS (nominated for the first time this year), Midnight Oil, Crowded House and Nick Cave.
Next year would be a perfect time to induct Minogue as she reportedly will be on another world tour.
Kylie is an icon who deserves to be in the Rock Hall before a raft of other female solo artists.
The 2026 Netflix docuseries “Kylie” and concert film from her Tension tour “Kylie: Tension Tour Live” hopefully will give Minogue an exposure lift to hall voters.
Put her name on the nomination ballot and she will lead the fan poll. I’m sure of it.

Related articles:

Kylie Minogue and the Art of Staying a Mega-Famous Pop Star Forever (Rolling Stone; June 5, 2026)

Kylie Minogue Confirms 40th Anniversary Tour Plans: ‘I’m Probably Not Meant to Say This, But Yes’ (Billboard; May 17, 2026)

Photos: “Kylie” docuseries poster and photos from the premiere. (Netflix)

Joy Division/New Order finally recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2026 class of inductees on April 13 and I’m generally pleased with the outcome. I’m thrilled the hall’s voters selected my top pick: Joy Division/New Order.
They’re my all-time favorite band and got me into the EDM scene, starting with “Blue Monday” (1983).
Four of my seven picks from the fan ballot made it into the hall this year. The others are Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Iron Maiden.
The 2026 class of performer inductees also includes Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.
Plus, the hall added 10 more individuals through side categories like early influence and musical excellence. Notables in that group include Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons.
All told, the 2026 class includes approximately 46 individuals thanks to large groups like Wu-Tang Clan and Iron Maiden. The final number depends on how many members past and present the hall plans to officially induct at its ceremony on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.
The 2026 class is notable for having 18 induction slots (the most since 1987). I guess this is a catch-up year, designed to put a dent in the hall’s sizable backlog of worthy performers who have yet to make the cut. That includes Australian rock band INXS, who I pushed for this year.
While the 1987 class holds the record for the most “induction acts” with 22 distinct slots, the 2012 class is the winner by total headcount, with a staggering 63 individuals inducted. That year, the hall inducted a roster of “backing groups” alongside their previously inducted frontmen to correct historical omissions.

Related articles:

John Sykes on 2026 Rock Hall Inductions, Why Voters Embraced So Many Acts From the 1980s & Their Curious Snub of Mariah Carey (Billboard; April 16, 2026)

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2026 Inductees: Oasis, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Sade, Billy Idol, Wu-Tang Clan and More (Variety; April 13, 2026)

Will New Edition join Phish and Dave Matthews Band in this distinction?

New Edition currently leads the fan vote for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by a comfortable margin, having surpassed early No. 1 Phil Collins. Does that make the group a lock for induction into the music hall this year? Not necessarily.
Since the Rock Hall introduced the fan vote, the winner of the top spot has failed to be inducted in the same year only two times.
Dave Matthews Band topped the fan vote in 2020 but was not inducted that year. They topped the fan vote again in 2024 and got in that year.
Phish was No. 1 in the fan vote in 2025 but was snubbed by the hall.
However, 11 of the 13 artists who have won the fan vote were inducted in their respective years. The other inductees include Rush (2013), KISS (2014), Stevie Ray Vaughan (2015), Chicago (2016), Journey (2017), Bon Jovi (2018), Def Leppard (2019), Tina Turner (2021), Duran Duran (2022) and George Michael (2023).
Frankly I’m surprised by the fan support for New Edition. I guess they’re a nostalgia favorite for the younger crowd.

Photo: Fan vote leaderboard for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as of a.m. March 28, 2026.

New physical halls of fame for Tejano music, New Jersey greats, Cleveland sports

Tech-media-tainment currently counts about 600 halls of fame that you can visit in North America. Some stand the test of time while others disappear.
What follows are some of the latest physical halls of fame in the U.S.

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame & Museum

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame & Museum in San Antonio, Texas, opened on Dec. 6, 2025. The museum honors the legends of Tejano music and culture in Texas.
Tejano (Spanish for “Texan”) music is a genre that fuses Mexican vocal traditions with various global styles, including European polkas and American pop, rock and country.
The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame & Museum includes exhibits celebrating Tejano icons and Grammy Award winners such as Little Joe Hernández and Flaco Jiménez, along with rare memorabilia.
It is the second Tejano music hall of fame. The other is the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame in Alice, Texas.
On Jan. 3, the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame inducted its 2025 class in a ceremony at the County Fairgrounds in Alice, Texas, according to Tejano Nation.
There’s also the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum in San Benito, Texas.
Texas conjunto (Spanish for “ensemble” or “group”) is a musical genre born in South Texas and Northern Mexico in the late 19th century. Often called the “heartbeat of South Texas,” it is a lively, danceable fusion of Mexican vocal traditions and European folk instruments brought by German, Czech and Polish immigrants.

New Jersey Hall of Fame

The New Jersey Hall of Fame found a physical home at the American Dream entertainment complex and shopping mall in East Rutherford, N.J., in June 2024.
At its most recent induction ceremony on Nov. 21, the hall inducted the Jonas Brothers and the Isley Brothers music groups, among others.

Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame

The Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame found a physical home and museum at the Urban Community School’s Roundstone Athletic Center in Cleveland, Ohio, in December 2025. The hall honors the talented athletes who have come from Northeast Ohio.
(See articles by Cleveland.com and Cleveland Magazine.)

My 2026 picks for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation on Feb. 25 announced a list of 17 performer nominees to be considered for 2026 induction into the Rock Hall. And fan voting is now open.
Fans can choose up to seven artists for the eventual fan ballot. And like Chicago politics, people should vote early and vote often. But a warning: the voting website was down when I tried it today.
The inductees will be announced in late April.
Here are my seven picks for induction this year:

• Phil Collins
• INXS
• Joy Division + New Order
• Billy Idol
• Mariah Carey
• Melissa Etheridge
• Iron Maiden

Some thoughts on my picks:
Phil Collins is currently leading the fan voting by a wide margin and for good reason. The beloved music icon has a fantastic solo catalog and deserves to be a double inductee like his Genesis bandmate Peter Gabriel. Shockingly, he's a first-time nominee this year. In fact, 10 of the 17 nominees are first-timers.
In my Jan. 27 blog post, I urged the Rock Hall to get back to basics and choose some true rockers this year. In that spirit, I am backing rockers Billy Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden and Melissa Etheridge.
I also hope this finally will be the year New Order (and its predecessor Joy Division) gets in. They're an amazingly influential electronic band with great music.
And finally, there's Mariah Carey. She's an extraordinarily successful pop singer and a legendary diva. She needs to get in the Rock Hall before fellow nominees and female singers Pink, Sade, Shakira and Lauryn Hill.

Note to Rock Hall: Get back to basics

With the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame preparing nominations for this year’s induction ceremony, it is important that the body pick an exciting, back-to-basics slate of candidates.
I won’t quarrel with the hall’s recent choices, but I wish they rocked a little harder.
Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of what’s considered the first major rock concert, the Moondog Coronation Ball. It was held in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 21, 1952.
So, the voters should keep that milestone event in mind when picking acts from their embarrassingly large backlog of artists.
Rockers who have been previously nominated but not inducted include Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Steppenwolf and Thin Lizzy.
Some other rockers I’d like to see nominated include INXS, No Doubt, Phil Collins, Scorpions and Smashing Pumpkins.
Other people have suggested Boston, Mötley Crüe, Melissa Etheridge, Styx and REO Speedwagon.
Come on, Rock Hall, focus more on rock music this year.

Photo: No Doubt promotional art for their residency at the Las Vegas Sphere.

Rock Hall too concerned with checking boxes

There’s no shortage of criticism about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Much of that criticism comes from people who like the hall but want to see it change how it chooses artists for induction. I’m in that camp.
Looking at this year’s induction class, I can only think that the voting committee was overly concerned with checking boxes. And in an effort to please everyone, they pleased practically no one.
The performer and musical influence inductees for 2025 include Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Salt-N-Pepa, Soundgarden, The White Stripes and Warren Zevon.
The hall also is inducting musicians Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye in the musical excellence category and music industry executive Lenny Waronker in the Ahmet Ertegun Award category.
As I’ve said before, by having one all-encompassing induction ceremony, the hall limits the size of its annual induction class. I’d love to see a two-night blowout with double the number of inductees, just to put a dent in the massive backlog of worthy artists. They could have ceremonies in two locations: Los Angeles and New York City (or maybe Las Vegas and Cleveland).
It would be interesting to be in the papal conclave where the artists are inducted, just to see the process. But based on this year’s induction class, it looks like the voting body is overly focused on balance. Heaven forbid the class is too rock focused or pop focused. And they have to consider diversity in this day and age.
As they’re horse-trading, the voters are checking boxes: classic rock act (Bad Company), more recent rockers (Soundgarden and The White Stripes), outrageous snubs rectified (Chubby Checker. Joe Cocker and Warren Zevon), MTV-era acts (Cyndi Lauper and Salt-N-Pepa) and well-regarded modern act (Outkast).
Unfortunately, to me, nobody stands out as a headliner for this year’s induction class. It might make a great awards ceremony, thanks to guest performers. But overlooked nominees such as Mariah Carey, Billy Idol and Joy Division/New Order would have made for a better show.
That’s my two cents.

Related articles:

Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Bad Company, Cyndi Lauper and Outkast get into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (AP; April 27, 2025)

Rock Hall of Fame Inductees Unveiled: Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Warren Zevon and More to Join Class of 2025 (Variety; April 27, 2025)

The 10 Worst Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Snubs (Ultimate Classic Rock; May 2, 2025)

How hip-hop came to dominate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Axios Cleveland; May 12, 2025)

Website attempts to make ‘sports hall of fame directory’

I like websites that specialize on a particular subject and become experts on that area.
That’s not the case with Tech-media-tainment but I have devoted a lot of time to several specific topics such as halls of fame.
I even created a Google map that features 564 (and counting) physical halls of fame that you can visit across sports, music, aviation and other endeavors in North America.
Plus, I have documented more than 180 interesting virtual halls of fame for business and industry, occupations, media and entertainment, food and drink, music, sports and other areas.
I recently came across a website called The Sports Fan Project that is attempting to compile a directory of sports halls of fame.
The Sports Fan Project Hall of Fame Directory is organized by location. It lists a total of 59 U.S. sports halls of fame and museums. Some 24 states and Puerto Rico are covered. It also names 10 international sports halls of fame and museums (in Australia, Canada, England, France, Israel, Japan and Malaysia).
It’s not an exhaustive list, but it covers the major sports pretty well.
However, it includes at least eight halls of fame that don’t have a physical location:

• Eastern States Exposition Equestrian Hall of Fame
• Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame
• National Powerboat Hall of Fame
• USA Bobsled & Skeleton Hall of Fame
• USA Curling Hall of Fame
• U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame
• U.S. Squash Hall of Fame
• World Wiffle Ball Championship Hall of Fame.

As someone who has researched halls of fame, it can be difficult to draw the line on which halls to include in a list. If there’s an exhibit of hall of famers within a larger museum, I’ll include it. But I won’t include a hall that just has a physical location for its sponsoring organization. Chances are there’s nothing to see there.
I decided to include college sports halls of fame on my list, but not high school halls of fame. The latter is at best a display case in a school that only students, teachers and parents can visit anyway.
The Sports Fan Project website is edited by lifelong sports fan Doug Hill.

No whites allowed in these halls of fame

As the number of halls of fame has grown, so has the specificity of those halls. In sports, for instance, there are halls of fame for professional leagues, colleges, regions, and even team specific halls.
Another subset of halls of fame are those for black or African Americans.
To date, I have tallied 24 black halls of fame or walks of fame in the U.S., including nine with physical locations that people can visit. The rest are virtual halls that exist only online.
Here’s a summary of those halls.
Let’s start with the nine physical halls or walks of fame for African Americans.

Black College Football Hall of Fame

The Black College Football Hall of Fame honors the greatest football players, coaches and contributors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The Black College Football Hall of Fame is located in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

African American Hall of Fame, Alexandria, Va.

The African American Hall of Fame in Alexandria, Va., tells the story of black residents who have succeeded in education, business, religion, sports, medicine, literature, and politics.
The hall is located in the Charles Houston Recreation Center.

African American Hall of Fame, Peoria, Ill.

The African American Hall of Fame in Peoria, Ill., preserves the history of local black residents and provides educational scholarships for deserving students.
The hall resides within the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

Black Cowboy Hall of Fame

The Black Cowboy Hall of Fame is located at the Black Cowboy Museum in Rosenberg, Texas. The museum preserves the legacy of America’s black cowboys, including Bass Reeves, Nat Love, and Bill Pickett.

National Black Radio Hall of Fame

The National Black Radio Hall of Fame is located in St. Louis, Mo. Artifacts, memorabilia and exhibits are at Harris-Stowe State University.
The hall of fame recognizes the contributions of personalities and pioneers to black radio nationally.

Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame

The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame is located in Atlanta, Ga. It honors African Americans, and black people internationally, for their achievements in entertainment.

Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame

The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame opened in July 2023 near the Ohio River.
It celebrates the music artists, songwriters, producers, and musicians from Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and Southwest Ohio.

Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame

The Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame preserves the history of African American professional, college, city and high school athletes from the Flint, Mich., area. Exhibits are located at the Flint Public Library.

Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame

The Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame celebrates the contributions African American Texans have made to the history of sports.
It has an exhibit at the African American Museum of Dallas.

Two additional black halls of fame have plans for physical museums.

Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame

The Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame preserves the history of black Americans in the state of Louisiana.
The hall plans to have a permanent home at the Lincoln Theater in Baton Rouge, La. The Lincoln Theater is a historical national landmark that is being renovated to serve as a performing arts theater and museum.

Illinois Black Hall of Fame

The Illinois Black Hall of Fame commemorates the accomplishments of African Americans with Illinois connections.
A physical hall is planned at Governors State University in University Park, Ill.

Now let’s turn to the many virtual halls of fame for black Americans.

African American Golfers Hall of Fame

The African American Golfers Hall of Fame (AAGHOF) is one of two halls of fame devoted to black golfers in the U.S.
The AAGHOF hopes to one day have a physical museum to showcase the history of African Americans playing golf. It is mulling a facility in Riviera Beach, Fla.
The AAGHOF is affiliated with Inner City Youth Golfers and the African American Collegiate & Youth Golfers Hall of Fame.
However, it is not affiliated with the National Black Golf Hall of Fame.

National Black Golf Hall of Fame

The National Black Golf Hall of Fame is based in Atlanta, Ga.
The hall celebrates and honors exemplary achievements of blacks in the golf industry.

National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame

The National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame honors alumni leaders, alumni chapters and national alumni associations who make tremendous contributions to their institutions.
The foundation behind the hall of fame seeks to ensure the “stability, strength and excellence of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

Black Inventors Hall of Fame

The Black Inventors Hall of Fame is based in Wharton, N.J. It has hosted a number of traveling exhibits showing the contributions of African American inventors.
The hall highlights notable innovations and projects from academia, manufacturing and agriculture to advancements in medicine and the sciences.

Black Authors Hall of Fame

The Black Authors Hall of Fame honors black authors, poets and playwrights.

NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) holds an annual awards ceremony called the NAACP Image Awards. It honors outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature by people of color.
Since 1983, the NAACP Image Awards have bestowed its Hall of Fame Award on prestigious people such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Sidney Poitier, Little Richard, and Spike Lee.
In February, the NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award went to the Wayans Family. (See article by People.)

Arkansas Black Hall of Fame

The Arkansas Black Hall of Fame honors accomplished African Americans with Arkansas roots. The foundation behind the hall of fame works to improve the education, health, and social wellbeing of marginalized populations throughout Arkansas.

Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame

The Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists announced the inaugural class of inductees into its newly established Hall of Fame on Jan. 18, 2025.
A ceremony honoring the inductees was held on Feb. 22, 2025, at the Cleveland History Center.

There also are three inactive halls of fame for black or African Americans.

Massachusetts Hall of Black Achievement

The Massachusetts Hall of Black Achievement spotlighted the significant contributions of African Americans, Cape Verdeans, and Hispanics of African descent who made significant contributions to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The yearly HOBA celebration was discontinued after 2011.

Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame

The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame honored black filmmakers at an annual awards ceremony from 1974 to 1993.
In 2014, its archives were given to the Black Film Center/Archive within the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.

National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame

The National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame inducted its first 24 members, half from sports and half from entertainment, at a ceremony in Harlem, N.Y., in August 2001.
But the effort went silent after that.
(See articles by the New York Times, UPI and Celebrity Access.)

Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame

Three legendary black sportswriters were honored in the inaugural class of the Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame on April 12 in Greensboro, N.C.
The 2025 inductees are William C. Rhoden, Claire Smith and Mike Wilbon.
(See article by Andscape and the Charlotte Observer.)

Updated April 12, 2025.

Sports fan halls of fame for Green Bay Packers, New York Jets

Two professional sports teams now have halls of fame honoring their most dedicated fans.
The Green Bay Packers Fan Hall of Fame was first, starting in 1998. The Packers named the 27th member of its fan hall of fame in February.
The New York Jets Fan Hall of Fame followed in 2017. This year, the team inducted four people, including Grammy Award-winning rapper, music producer and actor Method Man.
If I’ve learned anything about halls of fame in my years of documenting the trend, it’s that those two sports fan halls of fame won’t be the last.
On a related note, sports broadcaster ESPN created the ESPN Fan Hall of Fame in 2012 to celebrate die-hard fans from across sports. But it appears to have gone dormant after its 2014 induction ceremony.

Virtual halls of fame for storm chasing, podcasting and craft beer making

Name a passion, pursuit or profession and there’s going to be a hall of fame for it. In the internet age, these halls of fame can be virtual.
What follows is the latest bunch of virtual halls of fame that I’ve come across.

Storm Chaser Hall of Fame

The National Storm Chasing Hall of Fame (NSCHoF) is a program designed to honor individuals whose work has had a positive and lasting impact on storm chasing.
An inductee to the NSCHoF should have a minimum of 20 years of field experience “unless extenuating circumstances (injury or death) prevail,” the website says.
The inaugural class of the Storm Chaser Hall of Fame was honored during the National Storm Chaser Summit on Feb. 15 in Overland Park, Kansas.

Podcast Hall of Fame

The Podcast Hall of Fame celebrates podcasters who have had mainstream popularity and/or are considered a great podcaster or contributor to the industry by their peers.
Inductees include Adam Carolla, Adam Curry, Marc Maron and more. The first class of inductees was honored in 2015.

American Craft Beer Hall of Fame

The American Craft Beer Hall of Fame inducted its inaugural class on Feb. 15. The inductees came from several facets of the industry – brewery owners, brewers, writers and educators – each having contributed greatly to the growth and development of craft beer.
(See article by Craft Brewing Business.)

Swine Hall of Fame

The Swine Hall of Fame is an annual tradition to celebrate and recognize distinguished leaders in the pork production industry. The inaugural class was inducted in 2023.

Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame

The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame was established to recognize the contributions of individuals who have had a significant impact on the meat industry of Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame resides at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science Laboratory.

Government Hall of Fame

Government Executive magazine and website created the Government Hall of Fame to honor individuals who have profoundly shaped the federal government for the betterment of the American people.
Government Executive has been inducting individuals into the Government Hall of Fame since 2019, the publication said.

Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) honors persons in its industry with its Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame.
The NGA is currently reviewing nominations for its 2025 GEOINT Hall of Fame class, according to a news release.

American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame

The American Baseball Coaches Association has been inducting coaches into its ABCA Hall of Fame since 1966. Since then, more than 350 individuals have been inducted.

U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 to serve the interests of journalists who cover college basketball. The USBWA Hall of Fame honors members who have made outstanding contributions.
The 2025 class of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame honored seven reporters and columnists who have covered men’s and women’s basketball, according to a news release.

Country Radio Hall of Fame

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB), an organization that stages the annual Country Radio Seminar educational event, has been inducting individuals into its Country Radio Hall of Fame since 1975.
It announced its 2025 class of inductees on Feb. 19.

People’s Music Hall of Fame

The Sound Support Foundation and Adam Reader – aka the Professor of Rock, who has built a rock and pop music history channel on YouTube with over 1.2 million subscribers – launched the People’s Music Hall of Fame in February.
The People’s Music Hall of Fame honors musicians who have shaped music throughout the generations and haven’t been recognized yet by the likes of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The first inductee was Huey Lewis.
(See articles by the Park Record and KSL News Radio.)

WWE Hall of Fame

Professional wrestling entertainment company WWE has been inducting industry greats into the WWE Hall of Fame since 1993.
The 2025 class will be inducted in a ceremony on April 18, 2025, in Las Vegas.

The 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations ballot is ridiculous

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame issued its annual slate of nominees on Feb. 12. This year’s ballot includes 14 artists, which I find ridiculous. To me, this seems like a reasonable number for an induction class.
Last year’s ballot included 15 artists. And the hall ended up inducting 16 people and groups, when including special categories. However, one of those was a music industry executive.
I get that the Rock Hall is stingy about inductions because it also has to think about producing an induction ceremony. But the hall also has an epic backlog of worthy artists to induct.
The recent Grammy Awards handed out prizes in 94 categories. The broadcast lasted for three-and-a-half hours, though most awards were presented off camera.
Everyone on the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot arguably deserves to be enshrined in the hall. The nominees include: Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Maná, Oasis, Outkast, Phish, Soundgarden and The White Stripes.
Fans are able to provide their input by voting online and can choose up to seven artists. I chose Bad Company, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden and The White Stripes.
Those are my choices for the “performer” category of inductees. I think Chubby Checker should get in as a “musical influence” inductee and Joe Cocker is a cinch for the “musical excellence” category.
I think future Rock Hall ballots should have a minimum of 20 artists to consider. Let’s get some more names in the conversation.
Consider that the Baseball Hall of Fame nominee list this year included 28 players under consideration. (But only three got enough votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to be inducted.)

Kylie Minogue needs to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

As the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame expanded beyond the roots of rock and roll music to celebrating the soundtracks of youth culture, it has compounded its backlog of worthy candidates. It also exposed some blind spots.
One of those blind spots is dance music and another is international artists (beyond the U.S. and U.K.).
Kylie Minogue falls into both of those categories and would be a great addition to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Australian dance music diva has been a chart-topping artist since her debut album “Kylie” in 1988. She has won two Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards and eighteen ARIA Music Awards.
Often called the “Princess of Pop,” she is also a major style icon in the fashion world. Mattel even made a Barbie doll featuring her likeness last year. (See press release.)
She is a bigger artist in her native Australia and the U.K., as well as the rest of Europe, than she is in the U.S. But America has finally come around, especially after the release of her smash-hit song “Padam Padam” in 2023.
Minogue will kick off the North American leg of her international Tension Tour on March 29 in Toronto. The tour starts in Australia on Feb. 15.
Meanwhile, the Rock Hall is due to release its nominations for this year’s class of inductees in early February.
I doubt Kylie will be on the list as she has never been nominated and there’s a ridiculous backlog of great artists. But the hall should consider putting her into the hall through a side category like “musical excellence.”
After all, the hall could use some exciting current artists.

Related articles:

These music acts should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025 (Nov. 9, 2024)

Rock Hall adds more fossils to its collection, needs more ‘modern era’ acts (Nov. 3, 2024)

Physical halls of fame for sports gambling, poker, 16-inch softball

Here’s a look at some of the latest physical halls of fame I’ve found that you can visit. Some are just plaques on walls but that’s still a shrine to the best of the best in whatever field.
In North America, there are at least 550 halls and walks of fame that you can see in person.

Sports Gambling Hall of Fame

The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame honors individuals who have notably transformed the sports gambling industry.
The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame is located in the sportsbook of the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. It opened in August 2023.
Each inductee receives a plaque featuring their name, induction class year, and biography. The hall has had two induction classes so far – in 2023 and 2024.
The SGHOF induction ceremony takes place every August at Circa Las Vegas as the capstone event of Bet Bash.

Poker Hall of Fame

Elsewhere in Las Vegas is the Poker Hall of Fame. It is located in the Horseshoe Las Vegas, owned by Caesar’s Entertainment.
The current Poker Hall of Fame exhibit opened in July 2023 and features displays on inductees along with World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and rings. WSOP manages the hall of fame.
The hall of fame exhibit previously was in the former Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel in Las Vegas.

16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame

The 16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame is located in Forest Park, Ill. The hall-of-fame museum tells the history of the Chicago-created sport of 16-inch softball and honors the best players, umpires, managers, organizers and teams. The museum opened in July 2014.
The sport is traditionally played without fielder’s gloves.

Space Camp Hall of Fame

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center education foundation established the Space Camp Hall of Fame to recognize the accomplishments of its Space Camp graduates and former employees.
The inductees are honored at the Hall of Fame Dinner, which marks the beginning of Space Camp Alumni Reunion Weekend.
Plaques featuring the inductees and their accomplishments are located in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame

The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1991 to honor sports greats from the western New York region. Recent inductees include NFL football player Rob Gronkowski and NHL hockey player Richard Brooks Orpik.
The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame collection is located inside Dave & Adam’s Card World retail store in Williamsville, N.Y.

Related resources:

Halls of Fame in North America

Mascot Hall of Fame closing its doors (July 28, 2024)

Halls of fame for rhythm and blues, gospel music and more still hoping for physical homes (July 8, 2024)

Virtual halls of fame: A roundup

The following is a roundup of virtual halls of fame, some of which I’ve covered on Tech-media-tainment. The list includes halls for business and industry, occupations, media and entertainment, sports, food and other endeavors.
These halls of fame don’t have a physical location and exist only online. Some of these halls have plans for physical locations, but they have yet to be realized.
This list excludes most U.S. regional halls of fame.

Business and industry

3D Printing Hall of Fame
Accounting Hall of Fame
Advertising Hall of Fame
Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame
American National Business Hall of Fame
Association of Equipment Manufacturers Hall of Fame
Business Travel Hall of Fame
Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame
Computer Hall of Fame
Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame
Consumer Technology Hall of Fame
Convenience Store Hall of Fame
Cyber Security Hall of Fame
Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame
Fluid Power Hall of Fame
Franchise Hall of Fame
Gaming Hall of Fame
Geospatial Intelligence Hall of Fame
Global Business Hall of Fame
High-Performance Computer Architecture Hall of Fame
Hydro Hall of Fame
Interior Design Hall of Fame
International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame
Internet Hall of Fame
IP Hall of Fame
IT Hall of Fame
Jacuzzi Hall of Fame
Jewelry Retailer Hall of Fame
Kiosk Hall of Fame
Lighting Hall of Fame
Logistics Hall of Fame
Lottery Industry Hall of Fame
Marketing Hall of Fame
Meat Industry Hall of Fame
Military Intelligence Hall of Fame
National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame
National Optometry Hall of Fame
National Pork Producers Council Hall of Fame
Paper Industry International Hall of Fame
Plastics Hall of Fame
Process Automation Hall of Fame
Promotional Products Hall of Fame
PRWeek Hall of Fame
Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame
Rental Hall of Fame
Self Storage Hall of Fame
Space Technology Hall of Fame
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame
Specialty Food Industry Hall of Fame
Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame
Sports Betting Hall of Fame
Sports Technology Hall of Fame
Swine Hall of Fame
Tire Industry Hall of Fame
Toy Industry Hall of Fame
Visual Effects Society Hall of Fame
Water Industry Hall of Fame
Wireless Hall of Fame
World Floor Covering Association Hall of Fame
World Waterpark Association Hall of Fame
XR Hall of Fame

Occupations

American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame
American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame
Caddie Hall of Fame
Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame
Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame
Christmas Tree Growers Hall of Fame
Dermatology Hall of Fame
Evidence-Based Policing Hall of Fame
International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) Truck Driver Hall of Fame
International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame
Major League Baseball Groundskeepers Hall of Fame
National Private Truck Council (NPTC) Driver Hall of Fame.
Personal Managers Hall of Fame
Piano Teachers Hall of Fame
Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame
Truck Driver Hall of Fame
U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame
Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame

Food and drink

American Craft Beer Hall of Fame
Barbecue Hall of Fame
Candy Hall of Fame
Hot Sauce Hall of Fame
International Hamburger Hall of Fame
Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame
Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame
Pizza Hall of Fame
Salami Hall of Fame
Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame
Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame

Media and entertainment

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame
American TV Game Show Hall of Fame
AVN (Adult Video News) Hall of Fame
Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame
Character Actor Hall of Fame
Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame
Country Radio Hall of Fame
Fangoria Hall of Fame
Esports Insider Hall of Fame
Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame
Final Draft Hall of Fame
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Hall of Fame
National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame
People’s Music Hall of Fame
Podcast Hall of Fame
XRCO (X-Rated Critics Organization) Hall of Fame

Music

Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame
Dance Music Hall of Fame
Decibel Hall of Fame
DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame
Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Funk Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Grammy Hall of Fame
Heavy Metal Hall of Fame
Hip Hop Hall of Fame
International Gospel Music Hall of Fame
International Latin Music Hall of Fame
International Polka Music Hall of Fame
Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame
Metal Hall of Fame
Music Business Hall of Fame
National Fiddler Hall of Fame
National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
Opera Hall of Fame
Reggae Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
SoundExchange Hall of Fame
Steel Guitar Hall of Fame
Ukulele Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Women Songwriters Hall of Fame

Sports

African American Golfers Hall of Fame
Canadian Curling Hall of Fame
Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame
Canadian Ski Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers Fan Hall of Fame
International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame
International Sports Hall of Fame
Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame
National Black Golf Hall of Fame
National Powerboat Hall of Fame
New York Jets Fan Hall of Fame
North American Flyball Association (NAFA) Hall of Fame
Rose Bowl Hall of Fame
Ultimate Hall of Fame
USA Bobsled & Skeleton Hall of Fame
USA Curling Hall of Fame
U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame
U.S. Squash Hall of Fame
Wakeboarding Hall of Fame
Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame
Women Superstars Uncensored Hall of Fame
WWE Hall of Fame

Miscellaneous

Adoption Hall of Fame
Affordable Housing Hall of Fame
America’s Clogging Hall of Fame
American Border Collie Association Hall of Fame
American Brace Beagling Hall of Fame
Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame
Asian Hall of Fame
Black Authors Hall of Fame
Black Inventors Hall of Fame
Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame
Boating Safety Hall of Fame
Brand Hall of Fame
Clean Cities Hall of Fame
Clydesdale Hall of Fame
Combat Robot Hall of Fame
Foosball Hall of Fame
Government Hall of Fame
Hooters Girl Hall of Fame
Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Fame
Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
International Gladiolus Hall of Fame
Irish American Hall of Fame
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame
Mascot Hall of Fame
Model Car Hall of Fame
Mustache Hall of Fame
National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Hall of Fame
National Railroad Hall of Fame
National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame
Rail-Trail Hall of Fame
Sports Travel and Tours (STAT) Baseball Stadium Hall of Fame
Storm Chaser Hall of Fame
Trivia Hall of Fame
U.S. Army Acquisition Hall of Fame
U.S. Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame
Waterfowlers Hall of Fame
Women in Poker Hall of Fame

Photo: Miranda Lambert receives the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award in September 2024. (SoundExchange)

Related articles:

List of halls and walks of fame (Wikipedia)

Updated: April 12, 2025.

Halls of fame for hot dog eating, salami and character actors

Here are a few more unusual halls of fame that exist only online.

Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Fame

Nathan’s Famous has an online hall of fame for winners of its annual hot dog eating contest held on July 4 in Coney Island, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Fame has only seven inductees because of repeat champions. Joey Chestnut has won the male competition 16 times. Miki Sudo has won the female competition 11 times.

Salami Hall of Fame

Oceanside, Calif.-based Olli Salumeria, a maker of authentic Italian-style salami, announced the Salami Hall of Fame in September 2023.
The salami maker described the hall of fame as “a digital celebration of iconic restaurants, delicatessens and specialty grocers around the country that are elevating the status of salami through creative menu items and retail offerings.”

Character Actor Hall of Fame

The Carney Awards honor those actors who disappear into their characters. Carney Award recipients are entered into the Character Actor Hall of Fame.
The most recent inductees included Jessica Walter, Joe Pantoliano, James Cromwell, Joe Morton and Bruce Greenwood.

Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame

The Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame is a website that celebrates our favorite athletes from the world of movies and television, but only those who do not exist in the “real world.”
Inductees include Rocky Balboa, Crash Davis and Happy Gilmore. (See also Wikipedia article.)
Podcaster Kirk Buchner created the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame in 2013.

Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a sister site to the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame, also created by Kirk Buchner.
Inductees include Spinal Tap, the Blues Brothers and the Monkees.

Photo: Nathan’s Famous hot dog display (Nathan’s Famous)

Virtual halls of fame for sports betting, franchises and brands

As I’ve written many times, there are halls of fame for just about any industry, occupation, passion or pursuit. Many of these halls don’t have physical locations you can visit. What follows are some of the latest virtual halls of fame I’ve stumbled upon online.

Sports Betting Hall of Fame

SBC launched the Sports Betting Hall of Fame in 2016 to recognize individuals who have contributed a great deal to the industry over the course of their careers with a lasting legacy.
SBC is an events company that organizes global conferences and exhibitions, as well as operates the largest business-to-business news publisher for the sports betting and igaming industry.
However, there is also a Sports Gambling Hall of Fame. It honors individuals who have notably transformed the sports gambling industry. The Sports Gambling Hall of Fame exhibit is located in the Circa Las Vegas sportsbook of the Circa Resort & Casino.

International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame

Launched in 2023, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Hall of Fame celebrates North American sports car racing excellence.
The IMSA Hall of Fame recognizes not only the personalities and competitors who achieved greatness in the sport, but also includes iconic race cars.

NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame

The National Association of Broadcasters recognizes radio and television personalities and programs that have earned a place in broadcasting history with induction into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Recent honorees include Donnie Simpson, “America’s Most Wanted,” Lester Holt and “The Price Is Right.”

Franchise Hall of Fame

Franchise Business Review’s Franchise Hall of Fame celebrates franchises that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to creating a positive and rewarding experience for their franchisees.
Frequent honorees include Nothing Bundt Cakes, Wild Birds Unlimited and Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

Brand Hall of Fame

Marketing conference The Gathering this year launched the Brand Hall of Fame.
The inaugural inductees were Coca-Cola, Levi’s, McDonalds, MTV and NFL. (See article by Adweek.)

Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame

Professional services firm EY, parent company of accounting giant Ernst & Young, celebrates men and women for their exceptional entrepreneurial achievements with the Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame.
The program has recognized more than 10,000 entrepreneurs over the last 35 years plus.

Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

The Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame has recognized successful Kentucky businesspeople since 2010. Well-known inductees include Papa John’s Pizza founder John Schnatter and Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland David Sanders.

PRWeek Hall of Fame

The PRWeek Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the public relations and communications industry.

National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Hall of Fame

The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) operates the NCHA Hall of Fame. The hall honors riders, horses and others in the field.
The National Cutting Horse Association is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

Grammy Hall of Fame

The Grammy Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy’s National Trustees in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts.
This year’s inductees included the albums “Appetite for Destruction” (1987) by Guns N' Roses and “I Feel Love” (1977) by Donna Summer and single “What a Fool Believes” (1978) by the Doobie Brothers.

SoundExchange Hall of Fame

Music tech organization SoundExchange awards music artists with its SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award for being among leaders in receiving royalty rights payments.
This year’s award winners included OneRepublic, the Jonas Brothers, the Black Keys, Mariah Carey, the Killers, Matchbox Twenty, Billy Joel and Miranda Lambert.

XR Hall of Fame

Conference organizers behind the Augmented World Expo announced the creation of the XR Hall of Fame in April 2024. XR is an acronym for “extended reality” technology, which includes virtual and augmented reality.
AWE honored 101 XR pioneers into the XR Hall of Fame with its initial induction class.

Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) inducts industry professionals into its SEMA Hall of Fame. SEMA represents over 7,000 companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles “more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again.”

IFDA Truck Driver Hall of Fame

The International Foodservice Distributors Association honors lifetime achievement by its transportation workers with the IFDA Truck Driver Hall of Fame.
Drivers must have at least 25 years of continuous employment with an IFDA member company. They also must have no chargeable accidents for the 25 years prior to the nomination and a clean driving record with no moving violations in the past five years.

U.S. Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame

The U.S. Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame, established in 2012, honors those soldiers and civilians who have made significant and enduring contributions to AMC and the Army. The Hall of Fame preserves the command’s history and recognizes the exceptional leadership, service and dedication of former AMC members for their remarkable efforts.

Army Acquisition Hall of Fame

The Army Acquisition Hall of Fame award recognizes and honors former members of the Army Acquisition Workforce who have made significant and enduring contributions in support of the Army Acquisition Community.

Global Cyber Security Hall of Fame

The Global Cyber Security Hall of Fame was established in 2012 to recognize the contributions of key individuals in the field of cybersecurity.

Insurance Business Hall of Fame

Insurance Business America magazine recognizes top-notch insurance professionals annually with induction into the Insurance Business Hall of Fame.
A panel of judges considers an individual’s distinguished service to the insurance profession, the leadership and inspiration they provided to others in the sector, their role in guiding future generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders, their contributions to the leadership and direction of industry associations, and any visionary strategies and innovations that have made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole.

Photo: Mariah Carey receives the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award in March 2024. (SoundExchange)

Related articles:

Virtual halls of fame for metal rock music, Texas songwriters, sports technology and more (May 28, 2023)

Halls of fame for sports media pros, political consultants, jewelry retailers (June 20, 2022)

Halls of fame for boating, lighting, space technology and female songwriters (Oct. 10, 2021)