Guitarist Joe Bonamassa has criticised the induction policy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for waiting too long to celebrate older musicians.

The blues rock musician’s comments were triggered by the recent death of British rock legend John Mayall, who only learned a few months before his passing that he was to be welcomed into the Hall at the age of 90, as part of the ‘Musical Influence Award’.

Bonamassa was speaking on the Artists on Record podcast, where he said that while he was “glad” that Mayall at least was able to learn of his induction before he passed, “I am sad and slightly pissed off that he didn’t live to see it because he deserved to go in decades ago.”

“There’s a lot of omissions that I think they need to start reconciling quickly, because you cannot wait for them all to die to then go, ‘Well, we’re gonna put you in posthumously.’ It means something,” he added. “It would have meant something to John to get that statue.“

“There’s a lot of people that are now aging out or becoming in their late 70s and 80s that really should have been in decades ago. They need to get them in because it’s the right thing to do for the artist,” he added.

In April, this year’s class of inductees to the Hall were announced, with Ozzy Osbourne, Cher and Mary J. Blige leading the way.