Gene Simmons: 'Pop, hip-hop don't belong in Rock + Roll Hall Of Fame'

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons has spoken out against pop and hip-hop acts being allowed into the hallowed Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. 

The iconic shock-rocker and Kiss are themselves to inducted next month alongside the likes of Nirvana, but has slammed the institution and 'back room politics' for previously allowing artists such as Run DMC, Madonna and Donna Summer a place. 

"They can run their organisation any way they’d like, but it ain’t rock!" Simmons told Radio.com. "You’ve got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Run-DMC in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You’re killing me! [It] doesn’t mean those aren’t good artists. But ... they sample and they talk. Not even sing!"

He added: "If you don’t play guitar and you don’t write your own songs, you don’t belong there."

When asked about the inclusion of acts such as Donna Summer in the Hall, Simmons replied: "Donna was my next door neighbour for many years. I knew and liked her, she was on my [1978] solo record. But if you asked Donna, ‘What kind of artist are you?’ do you think she would say ‘rock?’

"If you asked Madonna, ‘What kind of artist are you?’ do you think she would say, ‘Oh, rock!’ ... [Soon they will] get the Boston Pops Orchestra to be inducted!"

Kiss, Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt and Hall & Oates will all be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on 10 April, 2014.