Among the 17 nominees eligible for inclusion along with Parton were others who broaden the traditional definition of rock music: Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Dionne Warwick and Kate Bush were chosen to vote along with such groups. like Judas Priest, MC5, Rage Against the Machine and New York Dolls.
In February, ballots were sent out to more than 1,000 artists, historians, and music industry professionals who choose the top five inductees each year, with the winners—usually five to seven—scheduled to be announced in May. The induction ceremony this year was scheduled for autumn.
Rock Hall asks its constituents to consider the artist’s musical influence and the “length and depth” of his career, as well as “innovation and excellence in style and technique.” After complaining about how women and black musicians have been treated over the years, Rock Hall recently expanded its tent to include artists from rap, pop, R&B and more, including Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z and Notorious BIG Artists in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock Hall include Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Brenda Lee, among others. Parton was inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1999.
On its website, Rock Hall praised Parton as “a living legend and exemplar of female empowerment”, adding that her “unapologetic femininity belies her shrewd business acumen, an asset in the male-dominated music industry.”
An analysis of the organization’s nearly 900 recruits in 2019 found that only 7.7 percent were women.
Other artists have turned down club memberships before: John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, criticized the group’s introduction in 2006 when the group decided not to perform. In 2012, when Guns ‘n Roses did it, Axl Rose said he would pull out and asked not to be inducted in absentia. Both acts were inducted anyway.