Music Artists Who Didn't Attend their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Over the course of its history, many artists or band members have refused to appear at their induction ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Most of them have done so because they believe that the Hall is a mess. Please feel free to add anybody that I missed.
If I was Axl, I wouldn't have come either. The R&R hall of fame sucks anyways. More than half of their inductions aren't even rock acts. I don't blame him for not wanting to be inducted alongside a bunch of lame one hit wonders, pop singers, and rappers.
Axl refused to attend the Guns N' Roses induction ceremony, stating in an open letter that the ceremony didn't "appear to be someplace where I'm actually wanted or respected".

When The Beatles were inducted in 1988, Paul was undergoing a bunch of legal battles with his former bandmates, and said that he would feel "like a complete hypocrite waving and smiling with them at a fake reunion".
Wow, I didn't know that :o.

Jerry Garcia refused to attend the Grateful Dead's induction because he didn't believe that the concept of a rock and roll hall of fame should exist. As a result, when his other bandmates attended the ceremony, they brought a cardboard cutout of Jerry with them to the stage.

All four Sex Pistols refused to attend the ceremony. John Lydon wrote an open letter to the Hall on behalf of the band, calling the Hall a "p*** stain" and "urine in wine".

Ritchie stated that he refused to attend the Deep Purple induction ceremony after the current lineup's touring manager told him the band didn't want him there. Makes sense, considering that Ian Gillan had said several times beforehand that he didn't want to reunite with Ritchie at the ceremony.
I think he probably wouldn't show up anyways - he didn't like such events and he's reclusive.

James Brown was the very first person to not attend their induction ceremony; the reason why he didn't show up was that he considered himself The Godfather of Soul, not The Godfather of Rock and Roll.
I think they should have taken what he said more seriously and stopped including artists that are not rock (although I don't think other genres are not as good they just need their own hall(s) of fame).

Mark Knopfler refused to attend his Induction Ceremony, but neither he nor his management have released a statement on why he didn't show up. Bassist John Illsey said that the only reason he didn't show up was because "he didn't want to".

Joni reunited with her daughter, who she gave up at 21 for adoption, in the same year that she was inducted. The ceremony was held on Mother's Day, and she decided that she would instead spend the day with her daughter and granddaughter. Having said that, she's reclusive enough that she probably wouldn't show up anyways.

Rod Stewart skipped not one, but two induction ceremonies. He first skipped his solo induction to be with his kids, who were badly shaken up by the earthquakes in LA at the time. He also skipped The Faces' induction, saying that he was down with the flu.

Grace Slick, from Jefferson Airplane, refused to show up for one simple reason. She has always stated that rock and rollers over the age of 50 "look stupid and must retire".

He didn't show up for The Band's induction reportedly because he didn't want to have to share the stage with Robbie Robertson, the one bandmate he hated above all people.

He didn't show up because he is a recluse and hasn't made any public appearances or statements since 1997.

He told the press beforehand that he would be busy that night prepping a piece he wrote for the Paris Philharmonic. Jonny and Colin Greenwood didn't attend either; the only members that showed up were Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway.

Eddie Van Halen did not show up because he was preparing to enter rehab. Alex Van Halen did not show up either, and neither did David Lee Roth for that matter. Reportedly, David was planning to show up, but he was unhappy that Velvet Revolver (who were inducting the band) were going to perform. Only Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony (the two inducted members who weren't in the current band) actually showed up.

Peter did not attend the induction ceremony for Genesis because he was rehearsing for an upcoming symphonic tour in Europe at the time. He did, however, attend his induction for his solo career.

Agnetha refused to attend the ceremony due to her intense aversion to the spotlight; in recent years, she has rarely left the city of Stockholm. Bjorn Ulvaeus (the groups guitarist and co-songwriter) also did not attend due to health issues.

Her official reason for not showing up was her fear of flying, but since she was living in Detroit and the ceremony was held in New York, this theoretically shouldn't have been a problem.

Unsurprisingly, he didn't show up, but he did send a cheerful sounding letter thanking his fans.

When The Animals were inducted, EB was doing a couple gigs in Dusseldorf, Germany, so he didn't show.

While he did show up the first time for his induction as a solo artist, he didn't show up the year Buffalo Springfield was inducted because VH1 began broadcasting the ceremony as a pay-per-view program, and he was disgusted by it.

Roger Waters refused to show up to Pink Floyd's ceremony because he was still angry at his bandmates for touring and recording as Pink Floyd.

Before Chicago was inducted, the members wanted to organize how their reunion performance would sound with Peter Cetera. This fell through after he suggested lowering 25 or 6 Till 4 from A to E and the band stating that it would be very tricky, especially for the horns. He eventually decided not to show up at all.
One of the three Beastie Boys. Unlike the others on this list, though, he didn't have the opportunity to show up. He was gravely ill with cancer, and wrote a speech for his bandmates to read for him during the ceremony. He died about a month later.
Adam Yauch couldn't show up because he was gravely ill cancer. Less then a month later on May 4th, 2012 he died from cancer

When the Rolling Stones were inducted, he wasn't there. To this date, no one knows the reason why.

She refused to attend the Supremes' induction reportedly because she was in feuds with bandmate Mary Wilson after MW printed nasty statements against Diana Ross in her autobiography. Her official reason, though, was the birth of her son Ross Arne a couple months prior.