As Gramophone approaches its 90th birthday in April 2013, we’re launching the Gramophone Hall of Fame. Every year we will add to the list to celebrate the men and women who have made the classical music industry what it is; the musicians, producers, engineers and executives whose talent, vision and genius have enriched the record catalogue since the first sounds were captured on wax in the last decade of the 19th century. 

The Gramophone Hall of Fame will not include composers (except when they are also performers), nor will it include orchestras and choirs (though ensembles and ‘chamber choirs’ are permitted): of course all are vital to the history of classical music on record, but we want to celebrate the individuals (or small groups) who changed the course of recorded musical history. 

In our May 2012 issue we will launch the Gramophone Hall of Fame with 50 honourees; next year – our 90th – we will add another group, and each year thereafter we will admit new members. 

We're also launching a series of Podcasts, in which we'll talk to artists and critics about some of the people we've nominated. We begin with violinist Daniel Hope, who talked to our editor-in-chief James Jolly about eight of the nominated artists.

The choice of who is honoured, though, lies with our readers and visitors to our website. Look through the shortlists that we have selected – they are not exhaustive and we will happily accept suggestions for future inclusion – and nominate 8 people from the lists. These votes will produce the initial list for admission to the 2012 Gramophone Hall of Fame.