First Rock Act of Each Decade to Be Inducted Into the Rock Hall

Who were the first rock acts from each decade to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

As the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame didn’t exist until the inaugural 1986 induction class, there was plenty of rock history to catch up on. That said, the Rock Hall has taken lengthy breaks before starting new eras despite having a rule that artists can first be eligible at 25 years from their first commercial recording.

It all started in 1986, with the Rock Hall voting body starting with only acts from the 1950s at the very start of the rock ‘n’ roll era. As you might expect, that meant inducting some of the true rock era pioneers, from Elvis and Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles.

While you might think the Beatles would immediately go in, they actually had to wait a couple years. And they weren’t the only ’60s act to go in during the first year that 1960s-era bands were inducted.

How long before the Rock Hall started to catch up? Well the first 1970s act would wait a full decade before someone from that era got the call? This band were inducted in 1998, a year after they would have initially been eligible.

Meanwhile, ’80s and ’90s acts had to wait until 2005 and 2015 respectively.

READ MORE: Rock Hall Issues New Statement Defining What Rock Music Means

Who were the first rock acts from each decade to get inducted into the Rock Hall? Check out the gallery below.