Gentleman, start your … whining.

It’s that time of year again. On Wednesday the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced the nominees being considered for induction in 2025.

The nominees are: Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division / New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Mana, Oasis, OutKast, Phish, Soundgarden and The White Stripes.

While who has the best chance of being selected is up for debate, one thing that’s certain is the list is sure to trigger plenty of outrage and debate.

The “that ain’t rock” crowd will complain about OutKast and Mariah Carey. I decided years ago to embrace the “big tent” attitude when it comes to defining “rock ‘n’ roll.” From the beginning, the hall has recognized artists who predated the rock era and influenced the genre. It also makes sense to recognize those post-rock artists who were influenced by the inductees.

Carey never ever would make my ballot. That said, as a big baseball fan, more than once I’ve argued that someone should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame because his stats are as good or better than several players already inducted.

When you compare Carey’s stats — Grammys, number one singles, album sales — her numbers are comparable in every way to Whitney Houston, a 2024 inductee. If she doesn’t get in this year, she will eventually.

I’m certainly not a hip-hop expert, but if I had to pick five names from the 14 listed above, OutKast would be one of them and maybe my first choice. They were more innovative and influential than Bad Company, which certainly is “rock” but wasn’t top tier, kind of like Foreigner (a 2024 inductee). I’d argue J. Geils Band is more deserving than either.

I love Oasis and The Black Crowes. I saw both bands multiple times live, once on the same bill. But those two acts and Phish achieved success, at least initially, by reminding music fans how much they loved Beatles / Rolling Stones (Oasis), southern boogie blues a la the Allman Brothers (Black Crowes) and the Grateful Dead (Phish).

I think Oasis ultimately transcended its influences or at least created a body of work worthy of being considered on its own merits.

The publicity surrounding their upcoming sold out reunion tour only will help their induction chances. I know Phish fans who would argue the same, but I’m not one of them.

On my ballot with OutKast and Oasis probably would be Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper and The White Stripes.

Joy Division’s career was brief but influential, and disaffected teens 45 years later still are wearing that “Unknown Pleasures” graphic on their T-shirts or getting it tattooed on their bodies.

Lauper is a true one-of-a-kind artist, one who seemed too quirky to be successful but somehow was massively popular. And she’s someone who’s forged an interesting career (and won a Tony Award) after that MTV-era burst of fame.

White Stripes had a distinctive sound and spawned many two-piece, guitar-drum bands in its wake. Creating an anthem that will be played in sports stadiums and chanted by fans for eternity also should count for something.

My biggest gripe on the ballot is Mana. I know they’re huge internationally, and I’m probably guilty of an American bias. But I can’t imagine Mana being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when neither War nor Los Lobos are there.

Putting Mana in before either of those bands feels like inducting Oasis before The Beatles.

Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at agray@tribtoday.com.