Is It Too Soon To Put Eminem in the Rock Hall of Fame?

Does Eminem deserve to get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Obviously! But his inclusion among the nominees for the class of 2022 has raised equally obvious questions about whether it’s right for him to be inducted before rap legends and pioneers who preceded him, from Rakim to Snoop Dogg.

The new episode of IndieLand Music Now dives into that controversy, with veteran journalist Keith Murphy — who previously wrote about Eminem and the Hall’s “hip-hop problem” — joining host Brian Hiatt for the discussion. To hear the whole episode, press play above, or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Also in the episode, Andy Greene joins Hiatt to discuss the larger state of the Hall of Fame as they continue to broaden their focus — in addition to Eminem, this year’s nominees are Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, Beck, Pat Benatar, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest, Kate Bush, Devo, Judas Priest, Eurythmics, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, and Dionne Warwick.

Should the Hall change its name for a post-rock era? Should Beck get in before alt-rock pioneers like Jane’s Addiction? Why wasn’t Parton inducted long ago? And what do the long-ago inducted acts who get to vote on the inductees — for example, Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five — make of Kate Bush and Rage?

Download and subscribe to our weekly podcast, IndieLand Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts), and check out three years’ worth of episodes in the archive, including in-depth, career-spanning interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Halsey, Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, Brandi Carlile, Phoebe Bridgers, Rick Ross, Alicia Keys, the National, Ice Cube, Robert Plant, Dua Lipa, Questlove, Killer Mike, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Liam Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Donald Fagen, Phil Collins, Justin Townes Earle, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, the Zombies, Gary Clark Jr., and many others — plus dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates, and explainers with IndieLand’s critics and reporters. Tune in every Friday at 1 p.m. ET to hear IndieLand Music Now broadcast on SiriusXM’s Volume, channel 106.