Back in 2000, VH1 compiled a list of the “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.” Although the exact methodology is unknown, the list was “selected by a panel of rock artists that included Pat Benatar, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Ozzy Osbourne, Scott Ian and John Bush of Anthrax, Korn's Dave Silveria, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Dave Grohl of Nirvana/Foo Fighters, Mike Bordin of Faith No More, Skid Row's Sebastian Bach, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Yngwie Malmsteen, Lita Ford, and Geddy Lee of Rush.”

Because the “hard rock” genre definition seems pretty loose here, 34 of the 100 are Rock & Roll Hall of Famers (Update: As of 2017, 36 have been inducted). Apparently, the difficulty for the remaining artists is just getting on the ballot. Only five of the remaining 66 artists have ever been nominated: Nine Inch Nails, MC5, New York Dolls, Bon Jovi and Yes (Update: Yes was inducted in 2017).

Although the Rock Hall doesn’t primarily focus on hard rock, in the last four induction years Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Green Day, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, KISS, Nirvana, Rush and Heart have all been inducted. Just give them another 30 years to induct the rest.

Here is the full list (linked artists are not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame):

1. Led Zeppelin
2. Black Sabbath
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. AC/DC
5. Metallica
6. Nirvana
7. Van Halen
8. The Who
9. Gun N' Roses
10. KISS
11. Aerosmith
12. The Sex Pistols
13. Queen
14. Soundgarden
15. Pink Floyd
16. Cream
17. Ramones
18. Ozzy Osbourne
19. The Clash
20. Alice Cooper
21. Pearl Jam 
22. Deep Purple
23. Judas Priest
24. Iron Maiden
25. Cheap Trick
26. Motörhead
27. Iggy Pop
28. Rush
29. Mötley Crüe
30. Red Hot Chili Peppers
31. Def Leppard
32. The Doors
33. Rage Against The Machine
34. Alice In Chains
35. Jane's Addiction
36. Frank Zappa
37. The Yardbirds
38. MC5
39. Neil Young & Crazy Horse
40. Stone Temple Pilots
41. Ted Nugent
42. The Kinks
43. Nine Inch Nails
44. ZZ Top
45. Pantera
46. Scorpions
47. Rollins Band
48. Janis Joplin
49. Smashing Pumpkins
50. Slayer
51. Thin Lizzy
52. Faith No More
53. Korn
54. Sonic Youth
55. Blue Öyster Cult
56. White Zombie
57. Heart
58. Anthrax
59. Bad Company
60. New York Dolls
61. Jethro Tull
62. Ministry
63. Boston
64. Steppenwolf
65. The Cult
66. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 
67. The Rolling Stones
68. Hüsker Dü
69. Megadeth
70. Living Colour
71. Lynyrd Skynyrd
72. Foo Fighters
73. Twisted Sister
74. Pat Benatar
75. Spinal Tap 
76. Bon Jovi
77. Hole
78. Marilyn Manson
79. Ratt
80. Green Day
81. Pixies
82. Queensrÿche
83. King's X
84. UFO
85. Whitesnake
86. Foreigner
87. King Crimson
88. Tool
89. Lita Ford
90. Rainbow
91. Danzig
92. The Black Crowes
93. Lenny Kravitz
94. Yes
95. Fugazi
96. Meat Loaf
97. Primus
98. Mountain
99. Bad Brains
100. Quiet Riot