HOLLYWOOD—This year’s cream of the crop consists of the late Rapper Tupac Shakur, singer Janet Jackson, Pearl Jam, Jane’s Addiction, Bad Brains, Chaka Khan, The Cars, The Zombies, Journey among others more that are on the slate of 19 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Only half-dozen or so will be selected.

When it comes to those criteria, there is not one artist that can compare to Kraftwerk. Yes, Kraftwerk was also nominated. Kraftwerk (the German group) which has been around for a few decades is still touring using cutting-edge technology to expose synthesized music to a mass audience. Shakur and Pearl Jam are first time nominees who made the nomination ballot on their initial year of eligibility, having released their debut recordings in 1991, The Rock Hall requires that 25 years pass before an act will be considered for induction. The hall is accepting acts who released their first albums no later than 1991, and that opens up a whole new generation of hip-hop and R&B.

Tupac Shakur, two decades after his shooting death in 1996, the mythic West Coast rapper/actor and of course bitter rival of the Notorious B.I.G still resonates with his vivid lyrics and unflinching honesty, epitomized on his best-selling album “All Eyez on Me.” The album was the fourth studio album by 2Pac, recorded in October 1995 and released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album is always recognized as one of the crowning achievements of 1990s rap music.

Another pleasant surprise was Janet Jackson, a dance/pop icon and the youngest child of the Jackson family, the Rhythm Nation singer mysteriously postponed her world tour earlier this year, only to confirm that she’s pregnant with her first child at age 50.

Can you believe that Bon Jovi- nominated but once, in 2011-was not nominated this year; neither was Whitney Houston, now in her eighth year of eligibility. Voting at rockhall.com will begin October 18 and continue through December 5. Results will be announced in December at a date still to be determined. Winners, however will be decided upon by Hall of Fame’s voting members, and inductions will take place April 2017 in New York City. Despite the increased number of nominees, Rock Hall officials said the number of inductees will not increase, remaining with the usual total of about five.

Speaking of awards, Bob Dylan has won the Nobel Prize. The Swedish Academy, which bestows the awards, does not know if he will be accepting the award. Mr. Dylan, despite performing twice since being named the latest Nobel laureate in literature last week, has yet to make a public statement about the honor. As of press time, a spokesman for Mr. Dylan declined to comment since October 17. It is also unknown if Bob Dylan will travel to Stockholm to receive his award in person on December 10.

Dylan is the first person to receive the award for songwriting and the first American to win since 1993. Bob Dylan, 75, is the first musician to win the award. His many honors include Grammy, Academy Award and Golden Globe. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, won a special Pulitzer Prize in 2008 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. The Nobel prize comes with a prize of 8 million Swedish kronor, or just over $900,000. The literature prize is given for a lifetime of writing rather than for a single work. Congratulations, Bob, you did it!

Rose’s Scoop: Gwen Stefani will be returning to “The Voice,” gig. It will begin in February 2017 with Carson Daly returning as host.