Rock Hall eyes Rundgren, MC5, Kraftwerk

Todd Rundgren, MC5, Kraftwerk and T. Rex carry the counterculture banner into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s “Class of 2020.”

Other nominees of note include Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Judas Priest, the Doobie Brothers and Soundgarden.

Update: Inductees announced Jan. 15 are Nine Inch Nails, T. Rex, Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, the Notorious B.I.G. and Whitney Houston. /update

The Rock Hall ceremony returns to its hometown of Cleveland on May 2.

Todd Rundgren (top photo) grabbed his first nomination in 2019, despite his protestations that he would not accept a Rock Hall nod — if it ever came. He’s back for 2020. The veteran rock star and producer’s career highlights include the psychedelic masterpiece “A Wizard, a True Star” and the pop epic “Something/Anything?” Over the years he has recorded in genres including electronica, hip-hop, heavy metal, experimental and blues. Last year he reunited his psychedelic and new wave outfit Utopia. Rundgren hits include “Hello It’s Me,” “I Saw the Light” and “Bang the Drum All Day.” “We can hear Todd Rundgren’s influence in everyone from Prince and Hall & Oates to Bjork and Daft Punk,” the Rock Hall noted. Rundgren continues to perform, produce and record, and recently toured behind a book about his career.

MC5 are five-time nominees. The Michigan band dished out hard-left politics and even harder rock, establishing a template for punk rock. Their biggest hit was “Kick Out the Jams,” an often-censored live number from the 1969 debut album. Founder Wayne Kramer recently celebrated that album’s half-century mark with the MC50 tour, backed by younger alternative rock stars.

Kraftwerk have booked six nominations, dating back to 2003. The electronic-rock pioneers have proved deeply influential across a sea of subgenres, including techo and ambient. The group evolved out of Germany’s experimental krautrock scene, fronted by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Their best-known albums include “Autobahn,” “Trans-Europe Express” and “The Man-Machine.” The band continues to tour under the direction of Hütter.

T. Rex was the vehicle for English rocker Marc Bolan, stretching from his early faerie fantasies to psychedelic folk and hitmaking electric glam-boogie. Bolan began the group with Steve Peregrin Took, then teamed with Mickey Finn and eventually added other musicians. Bolan died in 1977. Key tracks include “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” “Jeepster” and “Telegram Sam.” This is Bolan’s first nomination. (Group aka Tyrannosaurus Rex.)

Other nominees are Pat Benatar, Dave Matthews Band, Whitney Houston, Motorhead, the Notorious B.I.G., Rufus Featuring Chaka Kahn and Thin Lizzy.