Every year, the Rock Hall kicks up drama, recrimination and in-fighting over nominations and inductions. In STICKY FINGERS: The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone Magazine, author Joe Hagan details how the Hall of Fame came to be, who got screwed in the making of it, what a nomination means to an artist, and why the institution continues to cause so much unrest among musicians. Indeed, the backstory of the Rock Hall is as interesting as anything that happens on stage.

Like rock and roll itself, the Hall of Fame began with a theft (Wenner and former Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun wrested the idea from someone else). Once given the reins, Wenner acted like a strongman and gatekeeper, favoring some bands and genres over others. The slights and recriminations of Wenner’s Rock Hall have become the stuff of legend.

With Rolling Stone in the hands of new owners, and Wenner receding from influence, what will finally become of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Joe Hagan, author of the acclaimed bestseller STICKY FINGERS