Phish Wins Fan Vote But Misses Rock Hall Induction

LOS ANGELES — Phish fans will have to wait until April 27 to see if their favorite jam band gets inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on its first try. The veteran band won the fan vote, garnering over 329,000 votes — 50,000 more than the second-place band, Bad Company, which received 280,725 votes.

The top five finishers in the Hall’s Fan Vote will have their results factored in alongside ballots from more than 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals for the Class of 2025. Phish, along with Bad Company, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, and Soundgarden, were the top five fan vote earners, with Soundgarden just shy of being included, finishing with about 300 fewer votes than Cocker.

Phish has enjoyed a celebrated but unconventional career. The band has not released a single but boasts a discography of 38 albums, with three making it into the top 10 of Billboard’s charts: Billy Breathes (No. 7 in 1996), The Story of the Ghost (No. 8 in 1998), and Fuego (No. 7 in 2014). Despite minimal mainstream radio play, they achieved notable success on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart with hits like “Free” and “Heavy Things.”

In addition to Phish’s achievements, the announcement of inductees will be made during a live episode of American Idol, with Ryan Seacrest hosting the event. Artists including James Taylor will mentor the contestants as they perform songs linked to past Rock Hall inductees.

In 2023, the Hall expanded its definition of rock icons to embrace a wider range of genres. This year’s inductees will be announced on live television, and ceremonies are scheduled to take place on November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Phish will join the ranks of inducted bands like Bad Company and Cyndi Lauper should they clinch the honors, but winning the fan vote does not guarantee induction, as only two artists have ever received this accolade without being inducted in the same year.