The Controversial History Of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

May 2024 · 2 minute read

Some people call him Maurice, but as of the 2016 ceremony, Steve Miller can also be called a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Miller gave an induction speech mildly critical of the institution that was currently honoring him. "I encourage you to keep expanding your vision, to be more inclusive of women," he said, and he also suggested that the Hall could support more music education programs. Then Miller went backstage, and that's when he really let the Hall have it. For one, he called for the "unpleasant" induction process be "changed from the top to the bottom." But what really upset the erstwhile space cowboy were the procedures surrounding the ceremony itself, which seemed to him built to gouge inductees. 

"When they told me I was inducted they said, 'You have two tickets — one for your wife and one for yourself. Want another one? It's $10,000. Sorry, that's the way it goes,'" Miller revealed. "What about my band? What about their wives?" At that point, a Rock Hall publicist tried to get Miller to quit talking and move along, but he refused. "No, we're not going to wrap this up — I'm going to wrap you up." Miller aired a few more grievances, to which the Rock and Roll Hall of fame non-addressed in a written statement, saying, "Rock 'n' roll can ignite many opinions. It's what makes it so great." However, years later, the members of the Black Keys would say inducting Miller into the Hall was one of their biggest regrets.

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