Both The Smiths and N.W.A. were left off the list of new inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as Hall voters instead chose acts such as Lou Reed, Bill Withers, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. They'll be welcomed to the Hall in April.
"About 700 music journalists, performers and other industry insiders spent two months deciding on the six inductees," David C. Barnett of member station WCPN in Cleveland reports.
Barnett adds, "Artists are eligible for induction 25 years after their first recording. Los Angeles soul singer Bill Withers' first album came out in 1971, but this is his first time on the ballot."
Here's the full list of 2015 inductees:
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
While the list reflects a swath of musical traditions, we'll also note that the induction ceremony will only be attended by half of the central inductees: Paul Butterfield died in 1987, Stevie Ray Vaughan died in 1990, and Lou Reed died last year.
The Hall of Fame voters decided not to induct nine other nominees: Sting, The Spinners, The Smiths, War, Kraftwerk, Chic, The Marvelettes, Nine Inch Nails and N.W.A.
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