DEE SNIDER Says 'Arrogant' and 'Elitist' ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Looks Down On Heavy Metal Bands

Dee Snider says that the heavy metal genre isn't respected enough by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

On Sunday (February 21),the TWISTED SISTER frontman took to his Twitter to write: "The RnR Hall committee members are arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal & other bands that sell millions because we're not their definition of cool. The fan vote is their 'throwing a bone' to the peasants. I want to say FU, but I want them to have to deal with us!"

When one fan suggested that the Rock Hall "caters to the masses," Snider responded: "If they were catering to the masses they would have the biggest selling bands. Corporate rock bands that sell tens of millions are ignored because they aren't 'cool'. The fact is the RnR Hall of Fame is struggling. Was it crowded when you were there? It wasn't when I went."

Dee also repeated the long-running complaint that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame subscribes to Rolling Stone magazine's canon of rock history, seeing as Jann Wenner is a co-founder of both. "Jan Werner (founder is Rolling Stone) has been the puppet master since day one," he wrote. "If it ain't in Rolling Stone it is hard pressed to get into the Hall of Fame!"

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

JUDAS PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction last year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2020.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was previously on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.