Musicians become eligible for induction into the hall of fame 25 years after the release of their first recording. The foundation's nominating committee, made up of rock historians, selects nominees each year in the performer category, who are then voted upon by an international body of some 500 rock experts. Those nominees with the highest vote total (and more than 50 percent of the total vote) are inducted, five to seven performers being chosen each year. There is often tension between commercial success and reverence by critics in the selection process. Moreover, the committee has been criticized by some for its alleged music industry establishment bias.
