Originally Posted by Neapolitan

I think Donna Summer is more of a legitimate artist than Kiss. At least Donna Summer could sing where Kiss couldn't play their instruments all that well.

There is a difference between the "music industry" and the Rock and Roll HOF. The "music industry" care only about turning the gears of the money machine, it doesn't care about how good or bad the music is. The music industry doesn't care about art for art sake, just sales - album and concerts sale. On the other hand the Rock and Roll HOF is non-profit and is about preserving the history of Rock. It recognizes pre-Rock and Roll artist that contributed to the formation of Rock and Roll. So in some small sense it recognizes art for art sake, by recognizing those past artist for their contribution toward the formation of Rock and Roll.

Kiss wasn't a band all that concerned about their musicianship, it was about gimmicky entertainment. The music industry didn't care how gimmicky Kiss was, as long as they sold concert tickets, and made album sales.

The RnRHOF were absolutely right to keep that junk band out, but it buckled under the pressure and by doing so lost all credibility as institution that should exist to promote Rock as a art-form.