Should KISS Be in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame?

So KISS, who have been eligible for induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame since 1999, finally got a nomination after being “snubbed” for a decade.  There are twelve nominees; a shadowy cabal of 500 musicians and music-minded folks will vote on these, and the top five will be inducted.

The other nominees: Abba, Donna Summer, Genesis, the Stooges, the Hollies, LL Cool J, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmy Cliff, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, and the Chantels.  Will KISS finally ascend to rock heaven on their rock chariots, thus paving the way for Insane Clown Posse to finally receive their due honors?  Should KISS be inducted?  

I would be very surprised if KISS never entered the Hall of Fame.  They were popular, they were campy, they partied a lot and had big hair.  Rock ‘n roll stuff.  They were beloved by little brothers all over the world.  Without KISS, there would have been no Def Leppard, no Bon Jovi, no Nickelback, and no Crazytown, though perhaps no AC/DC and no Queen either.  You can trace the Black Eyed Peas back to KISS.  Not musically, but their intentions were the same.

KISS’s slide into post-fame was more of a tumble.  It would have been embarrassing for all of them, if they had any perspective of self.  Gene Simmons has a VH1 show; of course he does.  The joke behind the Gene Simmons Dr. Pepper commercials is that Gene Simmons does not fully understand what the joke behind the Gene Simmons Dr. Pepper commercials is.

But influential?  Groundbreaking?  They absolutely were.  KISS were making music for children and the musically simpleminded long before making music for children and the musically simpleminded became the industry’s standard practice.

Source: ONTD.