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BRUCE DICKINSON Has Some Harsh Words For The Music Business Over Rock Hall Snub

"Pop music is disposable, darling. Well, we don't make disposable pop music."

Greg Kennelty

Published

June 23, 2023

Despite coming in the top five of the fan vote, Iron Maiden was not nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2023. One anonymous voter posited that the snub might be because the mainstream still doesn't take metal seriously, while CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Greg Harris pretty much said "better luck next time."

Now Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson has weighed in on the snub. In an interview with Telegraph, Dickinson said he has no interest in being in the hall and that it's all run by "the music business establishment," which is "is largely run by people that can't make a living doing anything else." Ouch, dude.

"We don't give a monkey's. Because the people that get us are not the people that run the music business establishment, whatever that is. Because that is largely run by people that can't make a living doing anything else."

"I don't want to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Because we're not dead yet! Some people feel almost actively threatened by metal. Not by the nature of the music. But by the fact that it doesn't conform to their worldview of what pop music should be, which is: pop music is disposable, darling. Well, we don't make disposable pop music."

Bassist Steve Harris also spoke to Metal Hammer about the same issue, saying "We've never done music to be in some Hall Of Fame or whatever. And also if it was a thing that was voted by fans, that'd be okay. But the way it works, it doesn't matter how many fans vote, it only counts as one vote. So it doesn't really represent anything. I don't know how I'd feel about it if we did actually get [inducted]."

The Class of 2023 will include Rage Against The Machine (who did not make the Top 5 of the fan vote, but still deserve to be in there) alongside musicians like Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, and Willie Nelson, as well as folks like Link Wray getting in on the Musical Influence Award. The full list of inductees are: