Yesterday, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its class of 2016 ballot, comprised of 15 finalists who will be considered for induction into the Cleveland institution. Among the names on the short list are three acts that have ties to Chicago, including power pop act Cheap Trick, the Queen of Funk (and recent Dancing with the Stars contestant) Chaka Khan and long-running soft rock balladeers Chicago. It's the first nomination for each of these artists and it would be nothing short of a miracle if all three of them managed to get inducted on their first try—the 2016 ballot marks disco legend Chic's record 10th nomination.
There's also some stiff (and perhaps, more notable) competition to worry about: Janet Jackson, Nine Inch Nails, N.W.A., The Smiths, Deep Purple, Yes and The Cars are among the 15 acts on this year's ballot. A group of artists and industry professionals will vote on the final selection of five inductees, which will be revealed sometime in December. You can have a minuscule influence on the outcome by voting for acts to be included on the fan ballot. If all goes well, we'll be watching a killer performance of "Surrender" during HBO's broadcast of the induction ceremony in April 2016.