Our first act from South America may not be the place where you would find a brilliant Metal act, but Brazil’s Sepultura not only created some of the hardest Metal made but also some of the most innovative. They cut their teeth as one of the premier Death Metal acts in the world and experimented often to carve new paths (mainly Groove Metal) in the Metal world. That being said, they are long in a line of Metal artists who have been waiting a long time for induction.

An artist who may have had more nicknames than albums, Albert Collins was an Electric Blues star who despite his high level of acclaim in the music world, really didn’t receive any real level of fame until his 50’s. The master of the Stratocaster, Collins was a huge source of influence for other who incorporated Blues Rock in their sound and with the Blues revival in the 80’s, he was able to find an audience that eclipsed him during his first twenty years of recording. Collins died prematurely in 1993 and sadly was unable to enjoy the career that he had deserved.

Before she became a punch line due to her “Psychic Friends”, Dionne Warwick was known for her distinctive sophisticated singing voice that may have defined what Adult Contemporary music. That may prove to her main obstacle for induction as there is no doubt that she had an impact with her multiple chart hits, she may not have been a huge influence and her “Rock” credibility is limited at best. A shelf full of Grammies may have to do for now.

As one of the great Funk bands of the 70’s, the Ohio Players put their stamp on the R&B charts (and the Pop charts too) with a powerful horn section and a not so subtle sexual imagery. Their brand of Funk translated well into the Disco era and they had a run that was only matched by a handful of other Funk groups. They probably won’t be the next Funk band in, but they may have done enough to be considered for it.