Top rock bands not in the rock and roll hall of fame

It is time once again for my annual rant against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Granted this year, I was pleasantly surprised when the nominees were announced, to an extent. But that doesn't meant I didn't still find plenty to gripe about.

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Don't get me wrong, as a long-time fan of bands like Rush and Deep Purple, it was great to see them on the ballot as well as rockers Heart, 2012 Wingstock Headliner Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and ZZ Top as well. But conversely, if you look closer at the entire lineup of nominees, you'll see that the Hall of Fame still doesn't get it. Here is the full list:

The Meters
Rush
Randy Newman
Public Enemy
Procol Harum
N.W.A.
The Marvelettes
Kraftwerk
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Heart
Donna Summer
Deep Purple
CHIC
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Albert King

NWA? Public Enemy? Donna Summer? CHIC? What bizarro world did we land in here, people? While some of those groups or performers may be great in their own right, they have no business being on the ROCK & ROLL Hall of Fame ballot. How does a rap group like NWA or a disco band like CHIC make it on the ballot before legendary rock acts bands like Kiss, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ted Nugent, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi or Motley Crue?

Just because Rush, Deep Purple, Heart, Joan Jett and ZZ Top are on the ballot doesn't guarantee they'll actually get in. If Public Enemy (who at least collaborated with a rock band in Anthrax for the hit 'Bring the Noize') get in to the hall before anyone of the aforementioned bands, it would be a travesty of epic proportions folks. How is Madonna in the Hall of Fame but female acts like Heart and Joan Jett are not?

It is one of the great mysteries of the universe folks. The only thing we can do is hold out hope that some of these real rock acts get inducted this year to give a glimmer of hope that other great bands that have been snubbed in the past, make it on the ballot in the future.