Is Pat Benatar in the Rock Hall of Fame?

When Was Pat Benatar Inducted Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Despite being nominated in 2020, 16 years after being eligible, Pat Benatar is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She is nominated this year for the Rock Hall after not scoring a nom last year.

Pat Benatar a Rock Hero For all ‘80s Girls

I loved Pat Benatar. It was so cool seeing a woman rocking, singing, belting out tunes. And they were great songs. “Invincible” “We Belong” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” the latter was one we begged our gym teacher to play over and over as we participated in Jump Rope for Heart (now called the Kids Health Challenge). “Hell is For Children” was a bit scandalous at my school, we didn’t understand what that was all about. We were children, we were going to hell?!

Then MTV came around and the video for “Love is a Battlefield” was one I imitated as I danced around, shimmying my shoulders to the beat (still do). “Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoaaaaa…we are strong.” Such. a. good. song.

Pat Benatar Hits

Pat Benatar has been nominated for eight and won four Grammys in the Best Female Rock Performance Category: Crimes of Passion, Fire & Ice, Shadows of the Night, Love is a Battlefield.

She has 15 Top 40 Singles.

Surely she has walked the stage in Cleveland to accept her induction into the H of F?

Is This Rock Goddess in the Rock Hall of Fame?

Releasing her first album in 1979, Pat Benatar has been eligible for the Rock Hall of Fame since 2004 (25 years after your first record is the eligibiity requirement).

She was finally nominated in October 2019 for the 2020 class. Pat Benatar received the 2nd most votes for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Fan Vote.

BUT NO, SHE IS NOT IN THE ROCK HALL OF FAME!

Depeche Mode, Whitney Houston, Doobie Brothers. But no Pat Benatar.

A trailblazer for female singers and she gets the snub?

Besides the qualification that an artist be 25 years out from their debut album, criteria also includes influence in the musical world and significance to what they have contributed. This clearly includes Pat Benatar who was a groundbreaking female performer. I don’t want to point out musicians who have been inducted who I think are less deserving than PB, but there are definitely a few that raise some eyebrows. But then again, Madonna won a Golden Globe for acting, so some things are a mystery (I like Madonna, but c’mon now).

They do say art should be enjoyed, not judged. Maybe Pat Benatar (and all those many fabulous actors who never got an Oscar) can take pride in the accomplishments provided by the fans and not some arbitrary group of people who make up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.