The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame keeps ignoring the Smashing Pumpkins

• The Chicago alternative rock band certainly has the credentials to be in the Rock Hall, but has yet to even secure a nomination.
• They became eligible in 2015.

What they're saying: "I think the 20-year-old in me would be shocked, but I think the value of The Smashing Pumpkins has grown into something far more valuable than hit records or institutional approval," frontman Billy Corgan told Billboard in 2024.

Methodology: To be eligible for a nomination, it has to be 25 years since the artist's first commercial recording.

• The Pumpkins' first studio album ("Gish") debuted in 1991.

State of play: Their resume speaks for itself. They topped the 1995 Billboard album charts with "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" and they consistently charted with songs like "1979," "Tonight, Tonight," "Disarm" and many more.

Yes, but: Over time, the Rock Hall has gone beyond just musical accomplishments, also leaning on the artist's impact on the global culture.

• Again, the Pumpkins check that box. Their hit album "Siamese Dream" helped usher in alternative music as it toppled heavy metal and rock 'n' roll during the 1990s.

Zoom out: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been a lightning rod for controversy, as many music critics and musicians alike have questioned their authority and relevance over the years.

Reality check: "It's crazy that they haven't even been nominated, while some of their peers have line-jumped them in the process," longtime Chicago radio and podcast host James VanOsdol tells Axios. He points out the institution has also snubbed bands like Devo, the Pixies, the Replacements and Iron Maiden.

• "Looking at the most basic metrics: Influence, commercial success, and popularity, the fact that they've never at least been acknowledged with a nomination feels like a real miss."