Why Judas Priest Deserves To Be Inducted Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

JUDAS PRIEST has uploaded a new video touting the band’s nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. The 95-second clip contains some of PRIEST‘s best-known songs and includes facts about the group’s 50-year career, such as crediting the British heavy metal legends with “revolutionaliz[ing] heavy metal fashion and cultural dress by introducing the leather-and-studs look” and “pioneer[ing] modern metal and continu[ing] to reshape heavy metal today.”

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, JUDAS PRIEST was on the ballot for last year’s class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but ultimately didn’t clinch the nomination.

This past October, it was announced that JUDAS PRIESTis among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame‘s class of 2020. The top vote-getters will be announced in January and inducted May 2, 2020 at a ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Hall.

A voter pool of more than 1,000 artists, historians, journalists and members of the music industry will select the new class. Fans will also have a chance to take part in the process by voting at RockHall.com or an interactive kiosk at the museum in Cleveland.

Rob Halford, Les Binks, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill, Dave Holland, Glenn Tipton and Scott Travis are on the ballot for JUDAS PRIEST.

Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock, Halford said about the prospect of PRIEST finally getting the nod: “It would be wonderful [to be inducted]. I think it’s one of the greatest accolades you can be given, because you’re in the company of musical giants.

“When we were first nominated, I kind of went crazy and I was texting my friends and [sending] e-mails and going, ‘You’ve got to vote! You’ve got to vote!” he recalled. “And then we didn’t get in. I was disappointed. But it is what it is. This time, I haven’t really been checking the voting that much, but apparently, we’re in the Top 5 right now, for the fan votes. Which speaks volumes about our wonderful fans around the world that are voting every day.”

Downing, who left the band acrimoniously eight years ago, told BlastEcho in a 2016 interview that he “would be fine” with performing with his former bandmates at the Rock Hall induction ceremony if they were to ever receive the honor. Halford was also open to the idea of reuniting with Downing on the night, telling Billboard in 2017: “Everything’s on the table for anyone that’s been associated with PRIEST in and out of the band.” 

To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to be released in 1994 or earlier.