They’re an iconic duo whose name is synonymous with the counterculture of the 1970s. They have six certified gold albums and three top 40 singles (and five more on the Hot 100). Their biggest hit, which reached No. 9, has been covered by notable rock bands such as Soundgarden, Gov’t Mule, the Rollins Band, and Korn. Their influence spans generations, and their works continue to resonate, fifty years after their debut.
And yet, they are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They haven’t been nominated—not even once! And that’s no way to treat Cheech and Chong.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
For years, Cheech Marinhas made the case for his and Tommy Chong’s inclusion in the Rock Hall of Fame. “We were the biggest comedy record sellers in the history of the world… until other guys were,” Cheech said when speaking to Hollywood Life in 2022. “I mean, I’m serious. If there are any comedians that should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it’s Cheech and Chong.”
The duo revisited the issue in May 2025, when they appeared on Subway Takes. “Because rock ‘n roll is humor,” said Marin. Chong added that because “all these rockers have learned our songs,” implying that their impact extends beyond just comedy.
“All great comedians are essentially musicians,” added Cheech, “Or they were musicians before.”
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Cheech & Chong’s Chart Success
Artists or bands become eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after releasing their first commercial recording. That would be 1971’s Cheech and Chong, the self-titled album that includes the duo’s classic skit, “Dave.”
In December of that year, they released “Santa Claus and His Old Lady,” their first single. It reportedly reached No. 4 on the Billboard Christmas Singles Chart, at a time when holiday music was ineligible for the Hot 100. Rhino notes that it reached No. 3 on the Christmas Season Charts in 1972 and 1973.
Cheech and Chong released “Basketball Jones” in August 1973, with Cheech Marin singing in falsetto as he and Tommy Chong parody Brighter Side of Darkness’s “Love Jones.” George Harrison, Klaus Voorman, Billy Preston and Carole King are on the song, as well as girl group The Blossoms and Michelle Phillips (of The Mamas & the Papas).
“George and I were buddies,” Tommy Chong told Billboardin 2018. “George and I used to smoke quite a bit when we’d meet once in a while at different places. He was in the studio at A&M at the same time we were doing ‘Basketball Jones,’ so Lou (Adler) asked him to come in and do a little guitar riff for us. And George is George; He literally made that song. I had Alexa play ‘Basketball Jones’ by Cheech & Chong, and the guitar riff is so good…'”
Elements of “Basketball Jones” haven’t aged well (the animated music video has characters with exaggerated features that play into racial stereotypes, and the skit that precedes the song on the album, “White World of Sports,” is hit or miss). But the song cracked the Top 20, going all the way to No. 15.
Cheech and Chong’s most significant hit is 1974’s “Earache My Eye,” better known as the song that the two play at the end of their 1978 movie, Up in Smoke.
Marin explained to Third Coast Review where the song originated. “‘Earache My Eye,’ the introduction, where the song comes on with a guitar solo, was written by one of our group members in Vancouver. His name was Gaye Delorme, who has passed away,” he said.
“It’s a rock-and-roll anthem—every guitar player of his generation knew that riff,” added Marin. “And then when the record gets scratched, that was my father waking me up every morning: ‘Alright, get out of bed, you’re going to be in the Navy.’ He was in the Navy, and he wanted the family to be run like the Navy. Bless his soul.”
Can Cheech and Chong Get Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
Outside of the 25-year criteria, the guidelines of who gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been less clear. And since only a handful of artists get nominated and even fewer get inducted into the Rock Hall with each class, it leaves an endless list of snubs and overlooked artists.
Chic, Mariah Carey, The Meters, New York Dolls, Joy Division/New Order, and Phish have often been snubbed, as have Brian Eno, John Coltrane, Iron Maiden, Nick Drake andDEVO.
In recent years, the Rock Hall has expanded its criteria to recognize R&B and hip-hop artists. The ceremony has also grown to include the Award for Musical Excellence, which gives the nominating committee flexibility to acknowledge those who wouldn’t usually be included in the regular ballot. There is also the Musical Influence category, which recognizes those whose influence on music is undeniable.
There is a chance that Cheech and Chong can enter the hall through the Musical Influence or Musical Excellence categories. However, not this year: the Class of 2025 has already been announced, and the ceremony will take place on Nov. 8.
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