Posted on 02/12/2026 8:32:09 AM PST by Libloather
Gene Simmons is again sticking his tongue out at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for allowing hip-hop artists to snag a spot in rock’s most exclusive club.
The 76-year-old KISS co-founder — who was inducted into the Cleveland shrine for rock with the band in 2014 — appeared on the “LegendsNLeaders” podcast last week, where he flipped the script on host Ben Weiss and asked which band shaped him most growing up.
When the 25-year-old host revealed he gravitated toward more “hip-hop adjacent stuff” in his youth, Simmons blasted the genre and seethed that rap stars have scored spots in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“It’s not my music,” said the rocker, whose on-stage persona is “The Demon.” “I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language. And as I said in print many times, hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera or symphony orchestras.
“How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?” he snarked.
Simmons doubled down, fuming that metal giants Iron Maiden still haven’t snagged a Hall of Fame nod while hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash has been.
“Iron Maiden is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when they can sell out stadiums,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at pagesix.com ...
The fact that The Guess Who are not in RRHOF makes the whole enterprise IRRELAVENT to me.
These Eyes
Laughing
Undun
No Time
American Woman
No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature
Share the Land
Hand Me Down World
Stand Tall - Burton Cummins
And the J. Geils band has been nominated 5 times and still not in. They were the hardest working band in the world back in the 70s.
Led Zeplin no thanks
Black Sabbath no thanks
The Stones were great from ‘64 to ‘71 and stopped being great at that point
Gimme early Who,the Yardbirds,early Stones,early Byrds,early Dylan,early Motown...
Wow. What a list! I believe Jimmy Buffet was installed to the hall after he died.
I am so glad the world disagreed with you on this.
It kept some of my favorite bands employed and productive.
The man is a bona fide musical genius across multiple genres, including rock. He's consistently been a solid performer for more than four decades and still sells out venues when he goes on tour.
But I doubt it will happen. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has lost its way too much.
He was a boot licking NAZI during covid, but he is better now.
Alls I can remember is flashing strobes on a 4-square background and Peter Wolf cracking a 20’ bull whip like a pro.
Winner
Hey Mr. Genius, Hip hop has nothing to do with Rock.
Hey Mr Needs to Lead With and Insult - it actually does. Exactly the path I said. Sorry you find that so personally offensive, but not my problem. I only deal with reality, not whatever is in your head. And reality has spoken. Hip Hop comes from Rock.
I see what you did there…..
Should go into the one they are known for. Johnny Cash? Country. Dolly Parton? Country.
Any Hip-Hop group? Make your own HOF.
Go home with Bonnie Jean.
Bring it
More like
1950s - The roots of the next decades
1960s - Lots of amazing music and memorable stuff
1970s - The Greatest decade for music in human history
1980s - Lots of amazing music and memorable stuff
1990s - Some amazing music and memorable stuff
2000s - A catchy tune here or there
2010s - Nothing but crap and more crap.
2020s - Nothing but crap and more crap.
Awesome. I saw K.Geils in an afternoon show in Tampa and again later that evening in Orlando! 1975ish.
Ray EARNED it.
It was about 1970 I switched over to talk radio and never went back, so unless I heard it in a bar or club (I was working as a bartender) or as part of a TV show, it wasn't familiar to me. I'm discovering it on the oldies stations now.
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