Graph showing the first ballot Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees since 1986

First Ballot Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

There are a certain class of artists who meet and exceed every criteria of a Hall of Fame career and are ushered into the institution in the first year in which they are able to appear on a ballot (typically 25 years after their first recording). Since induction is voted on by living Hall of Famers, to be welcomed into the institution immediately upon becoming eligible is arguably the highest honor in the music industry.

See also our list of artists who were inducted the first time they were nominated.


The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility (aka, FYE). Also included are all of the artists inducted in the first Rock Hall Class of 1986.

ArtistYear Inducted
Missy Elliott 2023
Eminem 2022
Foo Fighters 2021
Jay-Z 2021
Notorious B.I.G. 2020
2Pac 2017
Pearl Jam 2017
Green Day 2015
Nirvana 2014
Public Enemy 2013
Guns N' Roses 2012
Run DMC 2009
Madonna 2008
R.E.M. 2007
The Pretenders 2005
U2 2005
Prince 2004
The Clash 2003
Elvis Costello & the Attractions 2003
The Police 2003
Ramones 2002
Talking Heads 2002
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers 2002
Bruce Springsteen 1999
The Eagles 1998
The Allman Brothers Band 1995
Janis Joplin 1995
Led Zeppelin 1995
Neil Young 1995
The Band 1994
Elton John 1994
John Lennon 1994
Creedence Clearwater Revival 1993
The Doors 1993
Sly and the Family Stone 1993
Van Morrison 1993
The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1992
Sam & Dave 1992
The Byrds 1991
The Kinks 1990
Simon and Garfunkel 1990
The Who 1990
The Rolling Stones 1989
The Beach Boys 1988
The Beatles 1988
Bob Dylan 1988
Buddy Holly 1986
Chuck Berry 1986
Elvis Presley 1986
The Everly Brothers 1986
Fats Domino 1986
James Brown 1986
Jerry Lee Lewis 1986
Little Richard 1986
Ray Charles 1986
Sam Cooke 1986
(56 artists)

Second Year Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their second year of eligibility.
ArtistYear Inducted# of Years Nominated
Radiohead 20192
Metallica 20091
Parliament-Funkadelic 19973
The Grateful Dead 19942
Cream 19932
Stevie Wonder 19891
Aretha Franklin 19871
B. B. King 19872
Big Joe Turner 19872
Bill Haley 19872
Bo Diddley 19872
Carl Perkins 19871
Clyde McPhatter 19872
The Coasters 19872
Eddie Cochran 19872
Jackie Wilson 19872
Marvin Gaye 19872
Muddy Waters 19872
Ricky Nelson 19872
Roy Orbison 19872
Smokey Robinson 19872
(21 artists)

Third Year Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their third year of eligibility.
ArtistYear Inducted# of Years Nominated
Red Hot Chili Peppers 20122
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five 20073
AC/DC 20033
Aerosmith 20012
Queen 20012
Billy Joel 19992
Crosby, Stills and Nash 19971
Al Green 19951
The Yardbirds 19923
The Impressions 19913
Wilson Pickett 19913
The Four Seasons 19903
Otis Redding 19891
The Temptations 19891
The Drifters 19882
The Supremes 19882
(16 artists)

Fourth Year Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their fourth year of eligibility.
ArtistYear Inducted# of Years Nominated
N.W.A 20164
Van Halen 20071
Michael Jackson 20011
Steely Dan 20013
Bonnie Raitt 20001
Curtis Mayfield 19991
Santana 19981
The Jackson Five 19974
Joni Mitchell 19973
Pink Floyd 19962
Frank Zappa 19953
Bob Marley 19942
Dion 19894
(13 artists)

Fifth Year Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their fifth year of eligibility.
ArtistYear Inducted# of Years Nominated
Sheryl Crow 20231
Beastie Boys 20123
Blondie 20061
Sex Pistols 20065
Earth, Wind & Fire 20002
Eric Clapton 20001
Fleetwood Mac 19981
Buffalo Springfield 19975
David Bowie 19962
Jefferson Airplane 19962
The Velvet Underground 19965
The Animals 19943
Rod Stewart 19942
Booker T. and the M.G.'s 19923
Bobby Darin 19905
The Four Tops 19902
Hank Ballard 19905
The Platters 19903
(18 artists)

Sixth Year Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their sixth year of eligibility.
ArtistYear Inducted# of Years Nominated
Rage Against the Machine 20235
Nine Inch Nails 20203
The (Young) Rascals 19974
Ike and Tina Turner 19913
Jimmy Reed 19916
John Lee Hooker 19911
LaVern Baker 19916
(7 artists)

Seventh Year Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

The following artists were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their seventh year of eligibility.
ArtistYear Inducted# of Years Nominated
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble 20151
John Mellencamp 20083
Patti Smith 20077
Jackson Browne 20042
James Taylor 20001
Paul McCartney 19991
The Mamas and the Papas 19982
The Bee Gees 19972
Martha and the Vandellas 19953
Bobby "Blue" Bland 19926
The Isley Brothers 19921
Johnny Cash 19923
(12 artists)


First Year Nominated Rock & Roll Hall of Famers

Although the following artists were not inducted in their first year of eligibility, they were inducted the first year they were nominated (aka, FYN).

ArtistYear InductedYears Waited
George Michael 202313
Sheryl Crow 20234
Willie Nelson 202337
Carly Simon 202225
Duran Duran 202215
Lionel Richie 202215
Dolly Parton 202236
The Go-Go's 202115
The Doobie Brothers 202023
T. Rex 202026
Whitney Houston 202010
Def Leppard 201914
Roxy Music 201921
Stevie Nicks 201912
Dire Straits 201814
The Moody Blues 201828
Nina Simone 201832
Electric Light Orchestra 201720
Journey 201716
Joan Baez 201731
Cheap Trick 201613
Chicago 201621
Steve Miller 201622
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble 20156
Bill Withers 201518
Hall & Oates 201416
Linda Ronstadt 201419
Peter Gabriel 201411
Rush 201314
Albert King 201325
The Small Faces/The Faces 201220
Neil Diamond 201122
Tom Waits 201112
Alice Cooper 201116
Dr. John 201117
Genesis 201016
Jimmy Cliff 201017
The Hollies 201020
Jeff Beck 200916
Metallica 20091
Bobby Womack 200916
Little Anthony & the Imperials 200923
Leonard Cohen 200815
The Ventures 200822
Van Halen 20073
The Ronettes 200718
Blondie 20064
Miles Davis 200620
Buddy Guy 200512
Percy Sledge 200513
George Harrison 200410
Traffic 200411
ZZ Top 20048
Righteous Brothers 200314
Isaac Hayes 20029
Michael Jackson 20013
Paul Simon 200110
Bonnie Raitt 20003
Eric Clapton 20004
James Taylor 20006
Lovin' Spoonful 20009
Curtis Mayfield 19993
Paul McCartney 19996
The Staple Singers 199913
Fleetwood Mac 19984
Santana 19983
Crosby, Stills and Nash 19972
Al Green 19952
The Isley Brothers 19926
John Lee Hooker 19915
Otis Redding 19892
Stevie Wonder 19891
The Temptations 19892
Aretha Franklin 19871
Carl Perkins 19871
(75 artists)
For the complete list of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, including their presenters, click here.

This site is not affiliated with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.