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‘Nevermind’ No-Brainer: Nirvana Nominated to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Nirvana, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Nirvana, the Replacements, NWA, Chic, LL Cool J, Class of 2014, Cleveland

Plenty of people might be surprised to learn that Nirvana aren’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Like, what was all the to-do about the In Utero reissue, then? But to be eligible for the Cleveland museum, an artist or band must’ve put out its first single or album at least 25 years before nomination, and the alternative rock legends‘ cover of Shocking Blue’s “Love Buzz” is finally old enough to rent a car. Nirvana lead a stacked Class of 2014 nominees list that also includes the Replacements, N.W.A., Chic, and more.

Nirvana and the Replacements are both on the ballot for the first time. Other first-time nominees this year are Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Linda Ronstadt, Link Wray, Cat Stevens, Yes, and the Zombies. Joining N.W.A. and Chic among the returning nod recipients are LL Cool J, KISS, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Deep Purple, and the Meters. Nirvana were the only ones nominated this year in their first year of eligibility.

Unlike last year, no exact date has been announced for the induction ceremony, but it will take place in April in New York City, with a broadcast following on HBO in May. The inductees will be the top vote-getters from a panel of more than 600 voters, including all past Rock Hall inductees plus musicians, historians, critics, and people who work in the music business. Spoiler alert: Nirvana will be inducted.

The Rock Hall’s 2013 inductees were Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Heart, Rush, Albert King, and Randy Newman. Of those snubbed, N.W.A. and Chic are both getting a second chance this year — Nile Rodgers’ Daft Punk-boosted ubiquity can’t hurt his disco group’s chances — but Kraftwerk have mysteriously failed to be renominated. (The German electronic overlords weren’t, you know, influential or anything.)

For the second straight year, fans can cast their token votes, which combined will add up to just one of those 600-plus ballots — head over to the Rock Hall’s website. Voting closes December 10. 

And in the meantime, Nirvana fans can feast on SPIN’s in-depth coverage of the grunge game-changers, including SPIN’s 1993 cover story on Nirvana, our analysis of the “Super Deluxe” In Utero reissue, and video footage of the band performing “Scentless Apprentice.”