I like to close out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame weeks by highlighting artists I love who haven’t (yet) been inducted.
I’ve named The Smiths as the most egregious oversight before and I see no reason not to continue beating that drum today. The English rock band has been eligible since 2009 and nominated twice (in 2015 and 2016) but has yet to make the cut.
Presumably the reasons for their exclusion include Morrissey’s frequent controversial (and racist) comments and the unlikelihood that the band would ever take the stage together at the celebration concert. But those public relations concerns shouldn’t get in the way of what’s right.
Sadly, if The Smiths ever do join the Hall, they will do so without bassist Andy Rourke, who died in 2023.
From the ice age to the dole age
There is but one concern
I have just discovered
[Chorus]
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls’ mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls’ mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers
[Verse 2]
As Anthony said to Cleopatra
As he opened a crate of ale
Oh, I say
[Chorus]
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls’ mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls’ mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers
[Outro]
Send me the pillow (Pillow)
The one that you dream on
Send me the pillow (Pillow)
The one that you dream on
And I’ll send you mine
Meet Me In Montauk 
It will come as no surprise to you or your other blog readers that I sleep quite well at night without The Smiths being inducted into the Rock Hall. While the racism of their off-putting leader doesn’t help, I also don’t think they were ever sufficiently commercially successful, popular or influential to merit inclusion.
I fall in between. While I believe that The Smith’s are very far from “the most egregious oversight” by the R&RHoF, I don’t necessarily agree with Dana about them not meriting inclusion. I think indie rock may not be as well represented in the R&RHoF as it could be… and certainly the Smiths have had a significant impact within that subgenre.