Five Famous ’80s Acts That Have Been Snubbed by the Hall of Fame

The ‘80s delivered a wide array of legendary rock acts, many of whom changed the history of music with their thunderous, innovative and distinctive styles.

Despite this, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has struggled with how to recognize ‘80s stars. Yes, acts like Bon Jovi, U2, the Cure, the Police, Depeche Mode and Duran Duran have received their Hall call, but many other worthy ‘80s artists remain on the outside looking in.

READ MORE: Five Famous '70s Acts That Have Been Snubbed by the Hall of Fame

After previously offering up notable omissions from the ‘60s and ‘70s, below we present five famous ‘80s acts that have been snubbed by the Hall of Fame. Each of them is iconic, spanning hair metal, new wave, hard rock and more.

Sting

Like Stevie Nicks, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon and each of the Beatles, Sting has enjoyed a long and successful career outside of the band that made him famous. Unlike the other acts mentioned, he has never been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. When the Police broke up in 1984, Sting could have tried to form a new band, or even release solo material that sounded the same as his famous trio. Instead, he delved deep into some of his other musical influences, mixing in jazz and pop into his solo material. The move was a resounding success, as the rocker went on to sell more than 40 million albums in his post-Police career. The celebrated singer and bassist has won 10 Grammys across his solo years, not all of them in the categories you’d expect. Yes, hits like "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" and “Brand New Day” took home honors in the pop categories, but Sting also scored Grammys for his collaborations with Mary J. Blige and Shaggy, once again showcasing his genre-bending abilities. Sting was nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, but hasn’t appeared on the ballot since then. His solo career is worthy of induction, making him the next clear favorite to become a two-time inductee.

Motley Crue

Motley Crue has never appeared on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ballot. Let that statement sink in. The band that delivered such iconic tracks as “Kickstart My Heart” and “Shout at the Devil,” the band that personified the wild decadence of ‘80s hair metal, the band that sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, has somehow never so much as sniffed a Hall of Fame induction. Nikki Sixx has referred to the Hall as a “fixed old-boy network that has lost touch with art, songwriting craft, lyrics and influential music,” adding that “people get too worked up” about which artists get in. It’s possible the Crue wouldn’t even show up if they finally got their overdue call, but we’d still love to see it happen.

The Smiths

When you think of ‘80s acts who not only enjoyed commercial success, but also left an indelible impact on the artists who followed them, few rank higher than the Smiths. The British group was hugely influential on the alternative rock movement, blending art rock, post-punk and their own brand of indie rock. Their list of classic tunes is extensive, including “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”,” Bigmouth Strikes Again,” “How Soon Is Now?” and “Girlfriend In a Coma.” Though their career was short – they formed in 1982 and broke up in 1987 – their impact is still being felt today. So why aren’t they in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Well, like most things surrounding the Smiths, the answer is complicated. Frontman Morrissey is a polarizing and famously mercurial character who has never gotten along with the press. These same traits have made the relationship between Morrissey and his former bandmates toxic – they’ve reportedly turned down millions of dollars to reunite. Would a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction bring them back together? The answer is most likely no, but that shouldn’t stop the Smiths from taking their rightful place among rock’s great acts.

Devo

We’re guessing a lack of traditional metrics is what’s holding Devo out of the Hall of Fame. The band only had one major commercial hit, "Whip It," which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. Yet Devo’s impact goes far beyond radio airplay and album sales (though, to be clear, they’ve still had plenty of both). Blurring the lines between new wave, art rock, punk and synth pop, Devo was truly a band without definition. Their artistic awareness was felt in every aspect of the group, from the distinctive yellow hazmat suits and energy dome hats, to the short film-style music videos that showcased the band’s songs. Most importantly, Devo’s impact continues to resonate today, influencing such bands as Nirvana, Arcade Fire, Pearl Jam, Weezer, Beck and LCD Soundsystem.

INXS

As one of the biggest bands of the ‘80s, INXS boldly linked the world of new wave, pop, dance and rock. From a commercial standpoint, their Hall of Fame case is very similar to another of the era’s icons, George Michael. In the U.S., Michael scored 15 Top 20 hits. INXS had 17, including such classic tracks as “New Sensation” and “Need You Tonight.” And while Michael has the edge on total album sales, INXS’ 60 million mark is still impressive. Despite their similarities, INXS has seemingly garnered little-to-no support for a Hall of Fame induction, while Michael earned enshrinement in 2023, his first appearance on the ballot. We supported the “Faith” singer’s induction back then, and we absolutely believe INXS should follow in his footsteps now.