Handicapping this year's Rock Hall of Fame nominees

Nirvana/ Photo by Michael Lavine

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which has had little consistency and no transparency in its nomination and election process, changed the rules last year and allowed the public to collectively cast one vote for the first time along with 600 industry experts and musicians. (Maybe that explains why Rush got inducted last year.)

I suspect five acts will be elected through this process, and some others will be chosen by the Hall of Fame board of directors for special categories. My ballot will include votes for Nirvana, Linda Ronstadt, Kiss and the Replacements. I'm sttill debating which act will get my fifth vote.

You can cast your vote, through Dec. 10, at www.rockhall.com/vote, www.rollingstone.com, and www.usatoday.com. Winners will be announced in December.

Here are my predictions for this year's nominees.

Nirvana (first-time nominee, first year of eligibility). A no-brainer. They defined grunge. No need to say more. 100 percent chance of election.

Linda Ronstadt (first-time nominee, eligible for 20 years). Her nomination is long overdue and she deserves to get in, sympathy vote (she recently announced that she has Parkinson's) or not. She was one of the greatest and most versatile female pop/rock singers of the past 45 years. 90 percent.

Kiss (one previous nomination). I've said it before and I'll say it again. They revolutionized the concert business – both the concert side and the business side. The fan vote will help Kiss' chances. 75 percent.

Hall & Oates (first-time nominee, eligible for 15 years). Pop's greatest duo. Huge in the Twin Cities. Why did it take them so long to even get nominated? 65 percent

N.W.A. Very influential West Coast rap crew that included Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E. 62 percent

Yes (first-time nominee, eligible since 1994). Prog-rock finally entered the Hall of Fame with Rush and Genesis. You say Yes, I say no. 60 percent.

The Replacements (first-time nominee, eligible since 2006). No, our homeboys didn't sell an impressive number of albums or score a hit single, but it seems like nearly everyone who bought one of their albums or saw them live started their own band. Very influential, the missing link between classic rock and grunge. 60 percent

Cat Stevens. British folk-rocker who had his moments in the 1970s with "Moon Shadow," "Peace Train" and "Morning Has Broken." 45 percent

Deep Purple. Hard-rock mainstays known for lots of personnel changes and "Smoke on the Water," "Hush" and "Woman from Tokyo." 45 percent

Paul Butterfield Blues Band. One of the first prominent second-generation U.S. blues bands. 20 percent

Chic (been nominated 8 times, most of any act not elected). Sorry, disco dudes, it's another rejection. 15 percent

The Meters. A pivotal New Orleans funk act on its own and as studio musicians. 15 percent.