Iron Maiden fans have wondered for years why the legendary metal act has not been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, let alone nominated. And now the iconic band’s singer, Bruce Dickinson, has lambasted the institution and its organizers, calling the Rock Hall a “complete load of bollocks.”
Music acts are eligible for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction 25 years after their first significant release, and with Iron Maiden releasing their debut album in 1980, they’ve been eligible since 2005. They’re on a long list of snubbed metal bands that also includes Judas Priest, Slayer, Motörhead and more.
In fact, in terms of metal, only Black Sabbath and Metallica have been inducted into the Rock Hall, with hard rock acts like Deep Purple and KISS only recently being inducted after years and years of eligibility.
While at a recent stop on his spoken word tour in Melbourne, Australia, Dickinson was asked if he thought Maiden should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, to which he replied, “Absolutely.” He then added, “I actually think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an utter and complete load of bollocks, to be honest with you.”
He went on to say, “It’s run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn’t know rock ‘n’ roll if it hit them in the face. They need to stop taking Prozac and start drinking fucking beer.”
Iron Maiden’s omission from the Rock Hall puts them in legendary company, as evidenced by this list of the 20 Worst Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Snubs.
Nominees for the 2019 class were recently announced, with such acts as Rage Against the Machine, Def Leppard, Radiohead, Janet Jackson and The Cure vying for induction. The inductees will be revealed in December, with the ceremony taking place March 29th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
