JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford says that it would be “wonderful” for his band to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
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.
Earlier in the month, it was announced that JUDAS PRIEST is 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.
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.”
To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to be released in 1994 or earlier.
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.
Original JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing recently said that he is hopeful that he will reunite with his former bandmates for a one-off performance at a Rock Hall induction ceremony.
Halford, Downing, Les Binks, Dave Holland, Ian Hill, Glenn Tipton and Scott Travis are on the ballot for JUDAS PRIEST.
Halford told Billboard in 2017 that he was not opposed to the idea of reuniting with Downing at the Rock Hall induction ceremony if they were to ever receive the honor. “Everything’s on the table for anyone that’s been associated with PRIEST in and out of the band,” the singer said.