Kiss’ Paul Stanley Thinks These Artists Don’t Belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has quite a few detractors — some of whom are in it. For example, Paul Stanley of the classic rock band Kiss once called the Hall of Fame “a farce.” He even compared it to The Addams Family. Here’s a look at the issues Stanley has with the Hall of Fame.

Kiss’ Paul Stanley says the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame doesn’t like his band

For context, a band or artist is eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album. This means Kiss were eligible for induction for 14 years before finally getting into the Hall of Fame in 2014. Despite receiving this honor, Stanley criticized the Hall of Fame.

During an interview with HLN, Stanley dismissed the Hall of Fame as a “marketing ploy.” He noted the people who decide who gets in the Hall of Fame aren’t well-known. 

Paul Stanley doesn’t like that this artist is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

According to Rolling Stone, Stanley took issue with the Hall of Fame for including Patti Smith. “The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has reached a point where they’re really scrounging and scratching to find someone left that they consider viable,” Stanley said in 2012. “With all due respect, when you get to Patti Smith you’re about two steps away from Pete Seeger.” Notably, Seeger was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996, long before Stanley made this comment.

Does the Kiss legend see getting in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as an honor?

Stanley doesn’t seem to give the Hall of Fame much mind. “The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is fluff,” he told Anthony Mason of CBS News. “It’s a farce. It’s like an Addams Family bar mitzvah. I’m gonna go, but let’s not kid ourselves, you know…. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is walking the streets.”

Subsequently, Mason asked Stanley if he saw inclusion in the Hall of Fame as an honor. “I see it as dubious,” he opined. “We are the bitter pill that they ultimately had to swallow. Because they don’t like us. And the only reason they’re inducting us is because they begin to look foolish at some point for not having us in.”

Why Paul Stanley showed up to Kiss’ induction ceremony

While Stanley clearly has little respect for the Hall of Fame, he still showed up to Kiss’ induction ceremony. According to HLN, he wanted to do this because the fans wanted the band in the Hall of Fame. Notably, Billboard reports he took time in his speech to thank the fans. He noted many of them saw Kiss’ inclusion in the Hall of Fame as a vindication. Stanley isn’t a huge fan of the Hall of Fame, however, he seems to care about Kiss’ fans.