Dennis DeYoung Calls Out The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

11-19-2025

Former Styx star Dennis DeYoung has called out the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame for snubbing deserving rock acts, to finally induct them decades after they became eligible.

One the biggest criticisms of the Rock Hall has been their practice of inducting pop and rap stars soon after they met the 25 years since their first release criteria to be eligible, while taking almost twice that long to induct legitimate rock stars like this year's Bad Company and the previous year's Ozzy Osbourne and Foreigner.

Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers had to skip the induction ceremony this year for health reasons. Last year, Ozzy Osbourne attended but was unable to perform because of his health. Both had been eligible for induction for decades before finally receiving the honor.

DeYoung took exception to that in a social media post. While speaking about a visit from principles of Primary Wave, how he their founder Larry Mestel asked him about how he saw the future and Dennis responded, "I explained that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame would sure be nice. They agreed. One last Styx tour would also be great for our fans. They are acutely aware of that and naturally in favor of one. Raise your hand if you're in agreement. Ooh that's a lotta hands."

Dennis then took at the Rock Hall, "Speaking of the Rock Hall it's a shame that Bad Company had to wait so long to get in that it rendered Paul Rodgers unable to perform due to health concerns. Bollocks!! I would have liked to have seen him perform years ago to demonstrate how one of rock's premiere singers ACTUALLY ROCKS. You know, like the name on their institution's logo. I have said this repeatedly for decades, just change the damn name.

"The induction ceremony clearly pointed out the tragic manner in which this joint operates. Making so many musicians wait until they either incapacitated or dead is shameful. Joe Cocker, Warren Zevon et al are suddenly eligible decades after their success? Explain that, what's changed except the Hall's inability to let go of their clear prejudices and induct them?

"They now admit, when it's far too late that they have erred. Have Joe, Warren and others recently become more popular? ...no. The Hall's initial mission statement about who qualifies was always a ruse and a joke concocted to protect their own personal choices. I'll stop now before I need BP meds. I have said this before - as someone whose band has never been considered, whatever I write ends up sounding like sour grapes. ''Sour Grapes' would be a good name for a band."