Why is Jethro Tull not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
(Answered by Sandro Kovalev)
Mostly it’s because of politics…the nominating commitee (or inner circle, if you will) of this institution doesn’t like Jethro Tull, or any other band who went above and beyond what they consider to be rock and roll. That weirdo Jann Wenner (who I believe is the president of the HOF, or chairman or whatever), has made his bias against certain genres quite clear…him and his HOF committee generally do not like the more complex, esoteric rock offshoots such as prog rock, electronic, or heavy metal.
Most rock journalists like Wenner and Robert Christgau believe those styles are a betrayal of what true rock and roll is meant to be, which in their minds means working-class, rebellious, danceable, and unintellectual. With that said, Genesis, Yes, Rush, and the Moody Blues have all been inducted in recent years – probably not because Wenner and his cronies have newfound respect for prog, more likely it’s because these bands have topped fan polls year after year, to the point where the committee realized how out-of-touch they were by continuing to weaponize their personal biases in order to keep these groups from being inducted.
Tull have been eligible for decades and haven’t even ever been nominated, but along with King Crimson and possibly Kansas, they are the only other big name holdovers from the prog era that still has an outside shot (unfortunately I don’t see ELP getting the nod even though they deserve it, and most of the other acts like Gentle Giant and Van Der Graaf Generator are not well-known outside of prog circles).
Anyway, while I’m sure Ian, Martin and Co would appreciate the temporary boost in interest that comes from being inducted, and many fans want their favorite band to be recognized, does it really matter if Tull has the seal of approval from that group of dunces over at the HOF? With some of the nonsense they’ve been inducting in recent years, it might be better to not be inducted.
Every Moment Has A Song 
Jun 11, 2023 @ 13:30:32
It’s a shame , when Dolly Parton a well know country singer is in and Tull isn’t ,
Jun 11, 2023 @ 13:43:43
Agreed. Thanks for reading.
Jun 18, 2023 @ 13:18:41
The Spinners? Missy Elliott? Dolly Parton?
Give me a break— these choices in 2023 and many other non rockers over the past 20 years is why the Hall is a fucking joke and will never represent a true rock & roll HOF for me. 🙄
Jun 23, 2023 @ 16:48:07
A group called The Stooges is in the HOF and not JT. Those people can’t be taken serious.
Aug 10, 2023 @ 17:38:45
The Stooges very, very much belong there though.
Jun 26, 2023 @ 10:55:09
what about canned heat
Jul 05, 2023 @ 10:18:20
Ridiculous. One of the greatest bands of all time. Tull and Crimson are still not in? What a shame!!
Jul 09, 2023 @ 23:02:15
Jethro ( Ian and Martin ) have been so prolific over many years AND are still creating . Grand musicians and people . They’re in my hall of memories . Turning points in my life . I’m 70 . Cheers
Aug 18, 2023 @ 16:23:46
So just douchebag winner has a problem with progressive bands and other genres how come Tupac’s in there ice cube are you kidding me give me a break we have someone just start a movement to get Jethro Tull and docked it into the Rock and roll Hall of Fame it’s just travesty
Jul 26, 2023 @ 21:34:41
I partially agree with your well written, enjoyable post. It is clearly political and a personal bias of ‘leadership’ as you mentioned. I think they just can’t follow and therefore don’t like Prog. If it were merely that it was outside the confines of R&R, Donna Summer would not have been in for years.
Still, as I said, you are basically correct in my view. When the Hall was first announced I thought it was great! Made a plan to go there. When Ms. Summer was inducted, I pulled my Death Before Disco sweatshirt out of storage and scratched it from my bucket list. Now THAT’S Rock and Roll! At least it is in the eyes of this product of the 70’s.
Aug 10, 2023 @ 23:20:05
Sandro has hit it right on his the nose with most of the commits ! Tull has sold over 60 million albums 11 gold and 5 platinum. If you want to discuss the longevity of the band and the live concerts sold out over the years, it’s unexplainable why the they aren’t in the ROCK & ROLL HOF. Additional ELP has sold over 48 million albums, nominated for 3 Grammy’s and countless sold out concerts over the years they were together. They are way past due to be an inducted in HOF. King Crimson has only sold just over a million albums and have had a consistent change of personal in the band not including the presence of Robert Fripp on ever album. He himself has been involved with so many other artist success and is brilliant as an artist. But once again they have a huge following and a strong concert success. But probably will never get in the HOF. Kansas on the other hand deserves to be in the HOF with over 15 million album sales. Ever real Rock & Roller owns a copy of Leftoverture !
There are a few more bands left off the HOF induction list. Foreigner should be in with over 37 million albums sold for sure should be in HOF.
Hopefully these bands get in before all the members are dead.
Craig Roloff
A total ROCK & ROLLER
Nov 24, 2025 @ 19:42:27
it isn’t about album sales Craig!! It’s about influence and originality so yes I agree it is very wrong that JT havent gotten the nod yet, but I’m sure their time will come. But ELP who blew my mind when I was 17, have not aged well and can’t hold a candle to the lesser selling KING CRIMSON… revolving line-up notwithstanding. KANSAS ??? You kidding? I think I’d even put MOR posterboy BON JOVI (who never heard of THE REPLACEMENTS, huh???) ahead of Kansas and their ilk like FOREIGNER and STYX all just bad despite selling tens of millions albums
Sep 03, 2023 @ 08:44:14
The HOF is a business. We don’t have to support it. I suggest the creation of a “people’s “ hall of fame, populated by every rock artist that had an influence, or was popular. It doesn’t have to be a museum. Why buy into the myth of the current hof ?
Nov 02, 2023 @ 20:25:16
J Giles, JT, Satriani, Canned Heat, Foghat, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, America, BTO, Ted Nugent, Bad Company, Korn, EL&P, Huey Lewis/news, Poison, Weezer…all not in and I could go on and on….but Dolly Parton…WTF??
Nov 02, 2023 @ 20:52:04
The HOF is a joke!!!
Doug Shouse Marketing
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Oct 02, 2024 @ 14:05:39
I think HOF as trend setting, far from out of the box sounds. Lyrics that force you to listen more than once to understand them. And finally, a sound unlike no other. No offense to some but Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Nirvanna, are in the HOF. Tull was a unique sound and not just because of the flute. From post war tracks to a renaissance sound of Songs from the Wood. Tull is pure listening Gold. And concerts were flawless sounds that were brought to life by Anderson’s story telling. I think it’s a tragedy that Jethro Tull is no in the HOF.