The Syndicate

I missed this somehow this year. Here is the current slate of artists nominated for induction later this year:

Beck*
Pat Benatar
Kate Bush
Devo
Durran Durran*
Eminem*
Eurythmics
Judas Priest
Fela Kuti
MC5
New York Dolls
Dolly Parton*
Rage Against the Machine
Lionel Richie*
Carly Simon*
A Tribe Called Quest*
Dionne Warwick

*=First-time Nominee



Breakdown by Decade:

1960s
Dionne Warwick (1963)
MC5 (1969)
Dolly Parton* (1967)


1970s
Kate Bush (1978)
Devo (1978)
Judas Priest (1974)
Fela Kuti (1970)
New York Dolls (1973)
Pat Benatar (1979)
Carly Simon* (1971)


1980s
Duran Duran* (1981)
Eurythmics (1981)
Lionel Richie* (1981/82)


1990s
Beck* (1993)
Eminem* (1996)
Rage Against the Machine (1992)
A Tribe Called Quest* (1990)



With the Hall of Fame expanding their Musical Excellence and Early Influence categories recently, this feels like a very wide open filed of nominees. I still get the feeling that Rage Against the Machine can't (and probably shouldn't) get in before MC5 gets in. Eminem is probably a lock, even if his eligibility this year comes courtesy of his first album that few people even own or know about. I think Dolly could get in. She had crossover hits and had a significant impact as a female artist, regardless of genre. A lot of the 70s nominees have been up for consideration before, so that decade may feel a little soft. Devo is a little bit of a stretch perhaps, and New York Dolls would be considered a fluke if the members hadn't gone on to do other things, so I can see some reluctance to induct them yet. Judas Priest is there to appease the metalheads, even if they'll probably have to wait another year or two for serious consideration.

You wouldn't hear any arguments from me about Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Beck, or A Tribe Called Quest getting inducted, but I doubt that the HoF is ready to get too 80s and 90s heavy. They're still stuck in the past and playing catchup on mid-range artists that are household names even if they weren't the cream of the crop.

And this year's inductees are... many.

Performers (aka- the primary honor):
Foo Fighters* (1995)
The Go-Go's* (1981)
Jay-Z* (1996)
Carole King (1970)
Todd Rundgren (1970)
Tina Turner (1974 solo)

Musical Excellence Award (aka- you're just not going to get in under the Performers category):
LL Cool J (1985)
Billy Preston
Randy Rhodes

Early Influence Award (aka- this award used to mean pre-1954 influence but now has been expanded to include genre architects who will probably never make it in under the Performers category):
-Kraftwerk
-Gil Scott Heron
-Charley Patton



So the two big obvious 90s nominees, an 80s band, and three artists whose selections show the Hall still can't quit on playing catch-up. Foo Fighters and Jay-Z are legit for the Hall, even if their selection is more to attract viewership than anything else. The Go-Go's help diversify the Hall a little bit, as they're the first all-woman band inducted to the HoF (how are the Runaways not in for their influence again?). No disrespect to the many woman solo artists, vocalists, and all-woman vocal groups already in the HoF mind you.

The 70s trio are just sort of along for the ride. Yes, Tina Turner is Tina Freaking Turner, but she's also already in the Hall once with Ike. I don't know Carole King's work as a singer, and Todd Rundgren has been ignored by the HoF for so long that he now feels like an afterthought. No one likes to be told they are loved too after almost every other worthy artist from their decade had been told they were loved sooner. Also, Rundgren doesn't think too highly of the HoF, so don't count on a performance. Or Tina for that matter, she's said she's done with the public eye.

Poor LL Cool J and Kraftwerk. Their honors make it pretty clear that the mysterious voting entity are throwing a bone to them now to avoid the embarrassment of a few more years of nominations without ever being inducted.

Another year, another slate of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominations. The year their first album came out is in parentheses:

Mary J. Blige* (1992)
Kate Bush (1978)
Devo (1978)
Foo Fighters* (1995)
The Go-Go's* (1981)
Iron Maiden* (1980)
Jay-Z* (1996)
Chaka Khan (1978 solo)
Carole King (1970)
Fela Kuti* (1970)
LL Cool J (1985)
New York Dolls (1973)
Rage Against the Machine (1992)
Todd Rundgren (1970)
Tina Turner (1974 solo)
Dionne Warwick* (1963)




Breakdown By Decade:

1960s
Dionne Warwick* (1963)


1970s
Kate Bush (1978)
Devo (1978)
Chaka Khan (1978 solo)
Carole King (1970)
Fela Kuti* (1970)
New York Dolls (1973)
Todd Rundgren (1970)
Tina Turner (1974 solo)


1980s
The Go-Go's* (1981)
Iron Maiden* (1980)
LL Cool J (1985)


1990s
Mary J. Blige* (1992)
Foo Fighters* (1995)
Jay-Z* (1996)
Rage Against the Machine (1992)




My initial thoughts are that this is one of the weakest slates that I have ever seen, but I'm biased in saying that because I only own albums by two of these artists/bands.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Hall inducts the biggest names possible on this to drum up interest for the ceremony. I'll call Jay-Z and Foo Fighters as the most likely locks for induction. I don't know enough about the rest to make an informed opinion.

The Hall has been playing catch-up forever, but I have no idea which of the 70s artists are going to benefit from that tendency. I could see this being a year where the Hall also tries to quiet skeptics who question its legitimacy by being very calculated with their final slate.

Carole King is already inducted as a songwriter, but not a performer. Tina Turner is already in as half of Ike & Tina Turner.

One 60s artist in the mix means the Hall still can't let that decade go.

Your 2020 inductees:

Depeche Mode (1981)
The Doobie Brothers* (1971)
Whitney Houston* (1984/1985)
Nine Inch Nails (1989)
The Notorious B.I.G.* (1994)
T.Rex* (1968/1970)

* = Their first time being nominated for the Hall of Fame


An interesting blend this year. Two 70s artists (Doobies & T. Rex), one firm 80s band (Depeche Mode), an 80s/90s crossover artist (Houston), and two 90s artists (NIN and B.I.G.). I need to think on this group some more before I try to dissect it too much. There’s popularity and pandering at play here for sure.

I may not be around much these days but I'm not dead. So here I am to do my annual bit about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees:

Pat Benatar* (1979)
Dave Matthews Band* (1994)
Depeche Mode (1981)
The Doobie Brothers* (1971)
Whitney Houston* (1984/1985)
Judas Priest (1974)
Kraftwerk (1970)
MC5 (1969)
Motörhead* (1977)
Nine Inch Nails (1989)
The Notorious B.I.G.* (1994)
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1973)
Todd Rundgren (1970)
Soundgarden* (1988)
T.Rex* (1968/1970)
Thin Lizzy* (1971)

* = Their first time being nominated for the Hall of Fame


1960s
MC5 (1969)

1970s
Kraftwerk (1970)
T.Rex* (1968/1970)
Todd Rundgren (1970)
The Doobie Brothers* (1971)
Thin Lizzy* (1971)
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1973)
Judas Priest (1974)
Motörhead* (1977)
Pat Benatar* (1979)

1980s
Depeche Mode (1981)
Whitney Houston* (1984/1985)
Soundgarden* (1988)
Nine Inch Nails (1989)

1990s
Dave Matthews Band* (1994)
The Notorious B.I.G.* (1994)

I counted T. Rex as 1970 since that is when they switched from Tyrannosaurus Rex, ditched the psychedelic shtick, and became an influential glam rock band.



-------------------------------

My overall impressions of this list are as follows:

1) The Hall is still playing catch-up on 70s bands whether it needs to or not.

2) There's a whole lot of niche flavor going on this year.

3) Most of these artists and bands have their fan bases but very few actually strike me as being both popular and influential enough to merit induction.

4) Poor MC5 might never get in, but then the Hall can say they haven't completely shut the door on the 1960s yet.

5) There was a lot more going on in 1994 than DMB and Biggie Smalls.

6) The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame needs to stop inducting artists and bands unless their whole career merits it. Induct albums, songs, genres, whatever. Just stop putting fan faves in or else the remaining 15% of the population who follows this stuff will stop caring about it too.

Looking at the list again, the 1980s did well, especially since The Cure is more associated with the 80s than their debut year.

Roxy Music making the cut surprised me but maybe the fan vote helped their cause. I’ll be curious to see if they dig up any last 60s bands to nominate with MC5 next year or if the door will finally close on the 60s.

The HoF took their time to play catch-up on 70s bands, so I wonder how extensive a catch-up phase there may be for 80s bands.

I want to see more 90s acts at least get nominated next year. The mid-90s had some great music.

Seven inductees this year:

-The Cure
-Def Leppard
-Janet Jackson
-Stevie Nicks
-Radiohead
-Roxy Music
-The Zombies


I only guessed three right this year. What an eclectic mix. Last year Radiohead said they wouldn’t attend an induction ceremony. I wonder if they’ll hold true to that now that they’re in.

And yeah, the Hall is finally inducting hair bands. I wonder how many more we’ll be forced to celebrate in the next few years.

Next year should be interesting for the HoF. Some prominent 90s acts will hit the 25-year mark. Will the likes of Beck, Oasis, and Weezer get either nominated or inducted in their first year of eligibility?

My musical tastes and biases have me thinking that this is a very soft slate of nominees. I could be right but I could also be experiencing a sizable blindspot in music history and influence.

The HoF scaled back the number of 60s artists in a big way for what seems to be the first time ever. Is this the last chance for The Zombies? I think this raises the question of the necessity to induct an artist/band rather than individual songs and albums. How many Zombies songs do most people even recognize beyond “Time of the Season”? In a similar way, who really sings the praises of either of MC5’s two studio albums over their debut live album?

The 70s nominees look especially soft to me. Todd Rundgren probably did more for rock as a studio musician and producer than as a solo artist. The HoF nominates Rufus again because Chaka Khan has only one landmark solo tune to stand on. Everyone else just seems very niche. I never heard of John Prine before now but he may be suited better for songwriting recognition than his career as a whole. I was introduced to Roxy Music as a pretentious band that held their image to be every bit as important as their sound, and the needle hasn’t moved much from that impression.

The 80s just make me shake my head. Were the 80s so full of one-hit-wonders that we’re down to nominating these folks? Janet’s no Michael, LL Cool J’s barely remarkable, Stevie Nicks is already in the HoF with Fleetwood Mac, and Def Leppard is the kind of sleazy hair band nonsense that I didn’t have to grow up listening to because my dad was a punk rock guy and Nirvana & grunge rock helped kill hair bands just as I started listening to the radio.

I’m not a Radiohead fan but they were a big 90s band who have made a long and successful career for themselves. Rage Against the Machine is my only obvious ‘yes’ vote but it’s hard justify putting them in before MC5, who profoundly impacted Rage and many other bands that helped shape them.

To me, this feels like a major softball, populist year. There were no notable debuts in 1993? Really?

My best guess is The Zombies finally get enough sympathy votes, Def Leppard gets in to help the induction ceremony ratings, Stevie Nicks gets in based on popularity, and maybe John Prine and Rage get in thanks to the politically charged times we live in.

It's that time of year again! Gather round and let's debate the necessity and dubiousness of the institution known as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Here are this year's nominees. An asterisk (*) signifies the band's/artist's first nomination for the HoF. The year listed signifies the release year of their first record:

The Cure (1979)
Def Leppard* (1980)
Devo* (1978)
Janet Jackson (1982)
John Prine* (1971)
Kraftwerk (1970)
LL Cool J (1985)
MC5 (1969)
Radiohead (1992)
Rage Against the Machine (1992)
Roxy Music* (1972)
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1973)
Stevie Nicks* (1981)
Todd Rundgren* (1970)
The Zombies (1965)

Here's the list by decade represented:

1960s:
The Zombies (1965)
MC5 (1969)


1970s:
Kraftwerk (1970)
Todd Rundgren* (1970)
John Prine* (1971)
Roxy Music* (1972)
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1973)
Devo* (1978)
The Cure (1979)


1980s:
Def Leppard* (1980)
Stevie Nicks* (1981)
Janet Jackson (1982)
LL Cool J (1985)


1990s:
Radiohead (1992)
Rage Against the Machine (1992)


Discuss!

The Class of 2018 has been announced:

-Bon Jovi
-The Cars
-Dire Straits
-Moody Blues
-Nina Simone
-Sister Rosetta Tharpe (as an early influencer)


Looking back at my previous post, I've marked the inductees in pink:

G-Man wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2017 10:17 am It's that time of year again! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their nominees for induction for 2018:

Bon Jovi
Kate Bush
The Cars
Depeche Mode
Dire Straits
Eurythmics
J. Geils Band
Judas Priest
LL Cool J
MC5
The Meters
Moody Blues
Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Nina Simone
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Link Wray
The Zombies

Here's a breakdown by the decade in which each artist released their first album:

1940s:
Sister Rosetta Tharpe


1950s:
Nina Simone


1960s:
MC5- 1969
The Meters- 1969
Moody Blues- 1965
Link Wray- 1960
The Zombies- 1965


1970s:
Kate Bush- 1978
The Cars- 1978
Dire Straits- 1978
J. Geils Band- 1970
Judas Priest- 1974
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan- 1973


1980s:
Bon Jovi- 1984
Depeche Mode- 1981
Eurythmics- 1981
LL Cool J- 1985


1990s:
Radiohead- 1993
Rage Against the Machine- 1992

Spoiler: show

This is definitely a harder group to predict than last year. It's a pretty wide spread, decade-wise, which makes it hard to speculate. A few thoughts:

-The jazz artists, Tharpe and Simone, are oddballs. I don't recall seeing their names mentioned before in regards to the HoF. I think it's weird enough that Miles Davis is in the HoF in the Performer category and not the Early Influences category, as nothing he did really approached rock and roll. The cynic in me thinks this is either an attempt to recognize jazz, add more diversity to the slate of nominees, or both. In HoF terms, they are both relics and should probably be considered for the Early Influences category in the future. Most people don't dig that far back into the roots of rock and roll, though the HoF like to preserve that kind of stuff.

-The HoF still isn't ready to give up on nominating artists getting their start in the 1960s. The Moody Blues are the only first-time nominees. Everyone else is recycled from years prior. I think you'll get one of these artists in this year- either The Moody Blues or MC5.

-The list of 70s artists is such a mixed bag. The Cars seems like the most obvious choice in the bunch. Great singles, phenomenal first album, but they've been waiting for a while now. J. Geils Band getting in would feel cheap because their band leader just died. Dire Straits are first-time nominees, so maybe? Chaka Kahn couldn't get in on her own, so they're back to nominating her alongside Rufus. I will be stunned if they induct Judas Priest, though it would give hope to more metal bands. They gave Nile Rodgers an Award for Musical Excellence last year, so we may not ever see Chic nominated again. Sad.

-The 80s field seems underdeveloped to me. This is a product of the HoF still playing catch-up with 70s acts. Bon Jovi is probably a lock just to help the ratings for the televised ceremony. Eurythmics, somehow, are newbies and may have to wait. Depeche Mode isn't my thing, so you can debate that among yourselves. LL Cool J? Man, I just don't know how influential he really was as a rapper. But, diversity.

-Rage Against the Machine should be a lock. They made rock and roll politically dangerous again. I'd love to hear their acceptance speech.

-Radiohead though, is a curiosity. My understanding of HoF standards is that it's 25 years from the release of your first album. Pearl Jam was eligible for the first time last year, and their debut was 1991. That means this should be the 1992 year. Radiohead's first album came out in 1993. "Creep" was released as a single in 1992 as well as an EP though. I'm surprised that counts but the HoF is eager for my generation to pay attention. What will be interesting to see if is they are a lock or not. Most of the band doesn't care about the HoF and have said in interviews that they probably wouldn't even attend the ceremony. The HoF inducted The Sex Pistols despite their animosity toward the institution but Radiohead is no Sex Pistols. Maybe the elitists make them wait a year. We'll see.

My best guesses:
-Bon Jovi
-The Cars
-Dire Straits
-Moody Blues
-Rage Against the Machine
-Radiohead

Perhaps my appreciation of Rage Against the Machine got the best of me. I also speculated that Radiohead would get in, being the critical darlings that they are. Either Radiohead's 'f**k that' mentality towards the HoF made them easy for the voters to pass on or, as it appears to me, the voters are still firmly entrenched in catch-up mode.

It makes sense that Tharpe was added as an early influencer instead of an outright performer. I checked out some documentary videos on her and her guitar skills scream foundational rock n' roll. I had her pegged as too jazz but she belongs in the Hall. Nina Simone still eludes me though. I'll have to dig up some of her tracks.

Beyond Simone and Tharpe, I think this year feels like a populist class. Bon Jovi, The Cars, Dire Straits, and Moody Blues are all bands that have devoted followings. Bon Jovi's induction will bring the most viewership and a lot of classic rock fans will be glad The Cars finally got in. Fan bases for Dire Straits and Moody Blues will think it's neat and the rest of the world will say, 'okay.'

Based on the slate of nominees and how the inductions fell, I'd say it's getting harder and harder for the voters to justify putting 60s artists in the HoF. Maybe the voters felt they got their 90s inductions out of the way with Pearl Jam and Tupac but next year's class is going to be a tough egg to crack. By putting in The Cars, Dire Straits, and Moody Blues, there's not really a standout "aw man, they should be in by now!" act left.

They've all but scraped the bottom of the 50s and 60s, and inducted most of the major players from the 70s. There's only 15 inductees now who got their start in the 80s but will they widen the scope of that decade for consideration? There are only a few major names coming up for debuts in the 90s, so it begs the question: Will the HoF start inducting more and more lesser-deserving bands in the name of catching up and filling out, or will they reduce the number of yearly inductees? As a follow-up question, are we running out of historic bands to celebrate?

Although, on second thought, MC5 might make sense in the same year as Rage. MC5 has a raucous, political streak, so it could be a case of pioneers and followers being put in together. I just hear more people talk about the Moody Blues though.

It's that time of year again! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their nominees for induction for 2018:

Bon Jovi
Kate Bush
The Cars
Depeche Mode
Dire Straits
Eurythmics
J. Geils Band
Judas Priest
LL Cool J
MC5
The Meters
Moody Blues
Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Nina Simone
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Link Wray
The Zombies

Here's a breakdown by the decade in which each artist released their first album:

1940s:
Sister Rosetta Tharpe


1950s:
Nina Simone


1960s:
MC5- 1969
The Meters- 1969
Moody Blues- 1965
Link Wray- 1960
The Zombies- 1965


1970s:
Kate Bush- 1978
The Cars- 1978
Dire Straits- 1978
J. Geils Band- 1970
Judas Priest- 1974
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan- 1973


1980s:
Bon Jovi- 1984
Depeche Mode- 1981
Eurythmics- 1981
LL Cool J- 1985


1990s:
Radiohead- 1993
Rage Against the Machine- 1992


This is definitely a harder group to predict than last year. It's a pretty wide spread, decade-wise, which makes it hard to speculate. A few thoughts:

-The jazz artists, Tharpe and Simone, are oddballs. I don't recall seeing their names mentioned before in regards to the HoF. I think it's weird enough that Miles Davis is in the HoF in the Performer category and not the Early Influences category, as nothing he did really approached rock and roll. The cynic in me thinks this is either an attempt to recognize jazz, add more diversity to the slate of nominees, or both. In HoF terms, they are both relics and should probably be considered for the Early Influences category in the future. Most people don't dig that far back into the roots of rock and roll, though the HoF like to preserve that kind of stuff.

-The HoF still isn't ready to give up on nominating artists getting their start in the 1960s. The Moody Blues are the only first-time nominees. Everyone else is recycled from years prior. I think you'll get one of these artists in this year- either The Moody Blues or MC5.

-The list of 70s artists is such a mixed bag. The Cars seems like the most obvious choice in the bunch. Great singles, phenomenal first album, but they've been waiting for a while now. J. Geils Band getting in would feel cheap because their band leader just died. Dire Straits are first-time nominees, so maybe? Chaka Kahn couldn't get in on her own, so they're back to nominating her alongside Rufus. I will be stunned if they induct Judas Priest, though it would give hope to more metal bands. They gave Nile Rodgers an Award for Musical Excellence last year, so we may not ever see Chic nominated again. Sad.

-The 80s field seems underdeveloped to me. This is a product of the HoF still playing catch-up with 70s acts. Bon Jovi is probably a lock just to help the ratings for the televised ceremony. Eurythmics, somehow, are newbies and may have to wait. Depeche Mode isn't my thing, so you can debate that among yourselves. LL Cool J? Man, I just don't know how influential he really was as a rapper. But, diversity.

-Rage Against the Machine should be a lock. They made rock and roll politically dangerous again. I'd love to hear their acceptance speech.

-Radiohead though, is a curiosity. My understanding of HoF standards is that it's 25 years from the release of your first album. Pearl Jam was eligible for the first time last year, and their debut was 1991. That means this should be the 1992 year. Radiohead's first album came out in 1993. "Creep" was released as a single in 1992 as well as an EP though. I'm surprised that counts but the HoF is eager for my generation to pay attention. What will be interesting to see if is they are a lock or not. Most of the band doesn't care about the HoF and have said in interviews that they probably wouldn't even attend the ceremony. The HoF inducted The Sex Pistols despite their animosity toward the institution but Radiohead is no Sex Pistols. Maybe the elitists make them wait a year. We'll see.

My best guesses:
-Bon Jovi
-The Cars
-Dire Straits
-Moody Blues
-Rage Against the Machine
-Radiohead

Dang, I did pretty well at predicting the inductees. There are six inductees this year instead of just five:

-Electric Light Orchestra
-Joan Baez
-Journey
-Pearl Jam
-Tupac Shakur
-Yes

I listened to the debut album of all 19 nominees. I've been meaning to post my rainbow list of that. Maybe tomorrow.

As far as my musical tastes go, I'd like to see The Cars, Chic, ELO, MC5, and Pearl Jam inducted this year.

As far as who I think will actually get in, Pearl Jam is a lock. Pearl Jam helped define the popular grunge sound. Pearl Jam is one of those bands that are synonymous with 90s rock. If Green Day can get inducted in their first year of eligibility, there's no excuse for Pearl Jam to be shut out.

Tupac could go either way but I'm thinking he will get in for his popularity, influence, and so the Hall doesn't have to deal with accusations of racism/bias. There are a lot of leftovers in the nomination field and the Hall is notorious for playing catch-up with the bands of yesteryear. They've been running out of 60s acts to induct, so I anticipate two or three 70s acts to get in for the next few years.

I think Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for literature will give Joan Baez a boost even though it's her first nomination. Folk had influence and popularity before everybody tripped out on psychedelic rock.pop.

I think Yes may get in this year as a sympathy / sorry-we-didn't-do-this-before-Squire-died / okay-we'll-put-another-prog-band-in kind of vote. The prog push has been strong and they can't hold out on them forever.

As for the final slot, I'm not sure but I'd say one of The Cars, ELO, or MC5. All were influential. Maybe ELO has to wait another year if Yes gets in. The Hall probably can only stomach one niche band per year. The Cars had a near perfect debut album but were a mixed bag the rest of the way (but they pioneered so much of what became the 80s sound). MC5 could get in for their influence. Garage rock is more appreciated these days and their first album was glorious.

I just don't see any of the bands starting in the 80s getting in this year. They can save Janet Jackson as their diversity pick for next year. She was never as talented or popular as Michael anyway.

Sadly, I think the Hall will continue to pass on Chic. The disco sound has come back around once or twice but the hoity-toity elites never liked disco beyond exploiting it.

The 2017 nominees list was released today (I think). Here's a look at who is on the ballot and when their first album was released:

Bad Brains (1982)
The Cars (1978)
Chaka Khan (1978)
Chic (1977)
Depeche Mode (1981)
Electric Light Orchestra (1971)
J. Geils Band (1970)
Jane's Addiction (1988)
Janet Jackson (1982)
Joan Baez (1960)
Joe Tex (1964?)
Journey (1975)
Kraftwerk (1970)
MC5 (1969)
Pearl Jam (1991)
Steppenwolf (1968)
Tupac Shakur (1991)
Yes (1969)
The Zombies (1965)


Only five acts get inducted each year. Which five do you wan to get in and which five do you think will get in?

From the aforementioned bands, Genesis, Rush, and R.E.M. have all been inducted. Genesis was inducted in 2010, R.E.M. in 2007, and Rush in 2013.

The standard rule is that a band or artist only becomes eligible to make the ballot 25 years after the release of their first album. Lately, they've restricted the number of inductees to five or six, even though the ballot sometimes contains up to 30 bands/artists. Because the HoF skews to the recording industry insiders and elitist music critics, they can be very subjective about which artists and genres deserve inclusion. From the Hall's website:

Artists—a group encompassing performers, composers and/or musicians—become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Besides demonstrating unquestionable musical excellence and talent, inductees will have had a significant impact on the development, evolution and preservation of rock & roll.

No offense to the Baby Boomer generation but the HoF strikes me as very Boomer-friendly. In some ways that makes sense, as rock-n-roll developed as Boomers were growing up. I feel though that there are a number of acts that got in there simply because they had one or two hit songs that made some recording executive on the nomination committee a lot of money. I grew up listening to "oldies" on the radio and there are some acts in the HoF that I had never heard before.

Another thing I see from looking at the spreadsheet I made of HoF members is that the HoF seems to be playing catch-up. They put a lot of sensible powerhouse bands in early that were the big names of rock history (Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Beatles, The Stones) but you have to remember that the Hall of Fame only opened in 1986. That means any bands/artists whose first albums came out in 1961 or earlier were all automatically eligible. Here's a breakdown of how many inductees are in the HoF based on the decade their first album came out:

1950s: 49
1960s: 102
1970s: 43
1980s: 14
1990s: 1

They're still putting bands who got their start in the 1960s into the Hall. That's why it's taken them so long to recognize so many of the important artists of the 1970s yet. Even though all of the artists launching careers in the 1980s are now eligible, it's going to be another 15 or so years before they really start inducting a broad range of artists and genres from the 80s. Every year there's at least one inductee who gets in by mercy because their contemporary interest or influence has waned but the nominating committee really wants them in there. Kind of like how sports halls of fame will induct obscure guys who just didn't make the cut the last nine times they were eligible. If not now, they may never get in. Perpetual catch-up.

That's not to mention the BS associated with who they continually snub. Why has Chic been snubbed for over 10 years running even though they had several hit songs and were influential to the funky sound of the disco era? Probably because ABBA, Donna Summer, and Heart made more money.

Another thing I find weird is how they rush some bands in out of chronological context. The only band starting in the 1990s in the HoF? Green Day. No, you did not misread that. Green Day's first album was crap and was cut on an independent record label when they were still in high school. They didn't hit it big until their third album came out in 1993 but they resurrected their career and made tons of money. Even though they were technically eligible, I don't think it's appropriate to induct a band from the post-grunge era before all the bands from the grunge era have become eligible for consideration.

I'm rambling and need to get back to work. Bye.

Here is a list of artists who appeared on many of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snubs lists I could dig up. I'm going to add all of them to my list of artists to listen to for my rainbow rankings lists. Any other well-known and/or influential artists missing?

B-52's
Bad Company
Ben E. King
Bjork
Black Flag
Bon Jovi
Boston
Brian Eno
Captain Beefheart
Chic
Def Leppard
Depeche Mode
Devo
Dick Dale
Dire Straits
Duran Duran
Electric Light Orchestra
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
Eric B. and Rakim
Eurythmics
Gram Parsons
Iron Maiden
Janet Jackson
Jethro Tull
Jim Croce
Joan Baez
Joe Cocker
Journey
Joy Division
Judas Priest
Kansas
Kate Bush
King Crimson
Kraftwerk
Link Wray
LL Cool J
MC5
Meat Loaf
Megadeath
Motley Crue
Motorhead
New Order
New York Dolls
Nick Cave
Nine Inch Nails
Ozzy Osbourne
Pantera
Pat Benatar
Pavement
Peter Frampton
Phish
Pixies
Roxy Music
Slayer
Sonic Youth
Soundgarden
T. Rex
Ted Nugent
The Cars
The Cure
The Doobie Brothers
The Guess Who
The Marvelettes
The Monkees
The Moody Blues
The Replacements
The Smiths
The Zombies
Todd Rundgren
Warren Zevon
Weird Al' Yankovic
Whitney Houston
Willie Nelson
Yes

Oh, and you both forgot about Queen.

thellama73 wrote:What a staggaringly ignorant bunch of people those polled people must be. Do they not realize that "Greatest British Song" includes the entire discographies of:
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
The Kinks
Led Zeppelin
The Who
Black Sabbath
David Bowie
Pink Floyd
And about a million other great bands I could name?

All surveys should be questioned. Look at the station- Radio X in the UK. A look into the station's past reveals it was founded in the early 90s focusing on current rock and alternative music. Hence, the station probably lacks much listenership from the first half of Generation X or older, nor do they play the stuff that Brit rock is founded upon. It looks like it still focuses on those genres, so everything from the early 90s onward is what listeners of that station know. I love me some Oasis but I can probably think of at least 100 British songs that are better/more influential than cuts from Oasis' first two albums, which in fairness, contain some great tunes.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:Iron Maiden isn't on this list either?

You sound surprised that a bunch of industry and journalistic snobs would shun Iron Maiden.

S~V~S wrote:

Metalmarsh89 wrote:Iron Maiden isn't on this list either?

No, but Ricky Nelson is

Just wait until Britney Spears and the Spice Girls are inducted. They're both just a few years away from being eligible.

S~V~S wrote:Reasons why I am not a fan:

Kraftwerk
Yes
Gram Parsons
The Smiths
King Crimson
New Order
Jethro Tull
Todd Rundgren
Joy Division
(plus)

aren't on that list, but the Bee Gees, the Eagles and ABBA are.

Ah, see this is what I was hoping for. I knew many people on this forum would take issue with Yes's exclusion from the HoF but I want to know what other influential acts you guys think should be in there. Plenty of acts remain popular and memorable even though they aren't in the HoF. Heck, I think it's a crime that The Cars have yet to be inducted. They were a big part of the New Wave era.

Reading over the list, I admit that I got a little twitchy when I saw names like ABBA, Donna Summer, Linda Ronstadt, and Simon & Garfunkel, who were not what I would consider rock acts. Then there's all the "soft rock" stuff like Billy Joel and Elton John that, while influential, do not meet my definition of rock. There are some outliers there too that belong to completely different genres (Bob Marley???) that show the HoF is more about recognizing all forms of popular music. Rock n' roll has evolved so much over time that's it's hard to be narrow in defining things. Heck, some of the early white boy rock n' roll (Bobby Darin, Buddy Holly, etc.) sound really tame compared to the wild and raucous 50s rock bands that aren't even played by oldies stations, let along modern rock.

Ricochet wrote:Never paid attention to any list of this kind, m'afraid.

I think most music fans take the annual inductions with a grain of salt. The RaRHoF was founded by a couple of record label executives and some music critics. I would imagine the early inductees were selected legitimately for their impact on rock n' roll but also because they made said executives very, very rich and helped launch the careers of said music critics.

There are some very interesting inductees even from back in the day that don't really qualify as rock n' roll. I think over the years the HoF became more about the music industry as a whole.

Some discussion questions:

Are there any inductees that you disagree with?

Are there any artists/bands that you feel should be in the HoF by now but aren't?

Artists become eligible for nomination/induction 25 years after the release of their first album. This means that 90s artists/bands are going to become eligible each year now. Which 90s acts do you think will get inducted?

Given the diverse music tastes here on The Syndicate, I thought this might be an interesting topic.

From the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website on its purpose:

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's mission is to engage, teach, and inspire through the power of rock and roll. It carries out this mission through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs."

Also from the RaRHoF's website, this description of its origins:

In 1983, A small group of music industry professionals led by Atlantic Records Founder and Chairman Ahmet Ertegun and including Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner, attorney Allen Grubman, manager Jon Landau and record executives Seymour Stein, Bob Krasnow along with attorney Suzan Evans set out to establish an organization to “recognize the people who have created this music which has become the most popular music of our time.” Ertegun approached the heads of various record companies with his idea, spearheading the formation of the non-profit organization that would eventually become the Foundation.

Most music fans know that the RaRHoF inducts new members every year and there is always discussion about which bands get nominated, which bands get inducted, and why that might be. For the most part, the RaRHoF has included the most popular, commercially and critically successful bands and artists of all time. People always have opinions about whether someone should or should not have been inducted. I think opinions are often even stronger in regards to the bands who have been passed over for either induction or even a nomination to the HoF.

Here is the current list (as of 2016) of inductees under the Performers category (aka the one that gets all the attention). I apologize for the improper alphabetization:

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES (PERFORMERS)
ABBA
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Al Green
Albert King
Alice Cooper
Aretha Franklin
B.B. King
Beastie Boys
Bee Gees
Big Joe Turner
Bill Haley
Bill Withers
Billy Joel
Black Sabbath
Blondie
Bo Diddley
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Bob Seger
Bobby "Blue" Bland
Bobby Darin
Bobby Womack
Bonnie Raitt
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Brenda Lee
Bruce Springsteen
Buddy Guy
Buddy Holly
Buffalo Springfield
Carl Perkins
Cat Stevens
Charlie Christian
Cheap Trick
Chicago
Chuck Berry
Clyde McPhatter
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Curtis Mayfield
Darlene Love
David Bowie
Deep Purple
Del Shannon
Dion
Donna Summer
Donovan
Dr. John
Duane Eddy
Dusty Springfield
Eagles
Earth, Wind & Fire
Eddie Cochran
Elton John
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Elvis Presley
Eric Clapton
Etta James
Fats Domino
Fleetwood Mac
Four Tops
Frank Zappa
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
Gene Pitney
Gene Vincent
Genesis
George Harrison
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Grateful Dead
Green Day
Guns N' Roses
Hall & Oates
Hank Ballard
Heart
Ike & Tine Turner
Isaac Hayes
Jackie Wilson
Jacksone Browne
James Brown
James Taylor
Janis Joplin
Jeff Beck
Jefferson Airplane
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Reed
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
John Lee Hooker
John Lennon
John Mellencamp
Johnny Cash
Joni Mitchell
KISS
Laura Nyro
LaVern Baker
Led Zeppelin
Leonard Cohen
Linda Ronstadt
Little Anthony and the Imperials
Little Richard
Little Willie John
Lloyd Price
Lou Reed
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Madonna
Martha and the Vandellas
Marvin Gaye
Metallica
Michael Jackson
Miles Davis
Muddy Waters
N.W.A.
Neil Diamond
Neil Young
Nirvana
Otis Redding
Parliament - Funkadelic
Patti Smith
Paul McCartney
Paul Simon
Percy Sledge
Peter Gabriel
Pink Floyd
Pretenders
Prince
Public Enemy
Queen
R.E.M.
Ramones
Randy Newman
Ray Charles
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Ricky Nelson
Ritchie Valens
Rod Stewart
Roy Orbison
Run D.M.C.
Rush
Ruth Brown
Sam & Dave
Sam Cooke
Santana
Sex Pistols
Simon & Garfunkel
Sly and the Family Stone
Small Faces/Faces
Smokey Robinson
Solomon Burke
Steely Dan
Steve Miller
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
Stevie Wonder
Talking Heads
The (Young) Rascals
The Allman Brothers Band
The Animals
The Band
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
The Blue Caps
The Byrds
The Clash
The Coasters
The Comets
The Crickets
The Dave Clark Five
The Dells
The Doors
The Drifters
The Everly Brothers
The Famous Flames
The Flamingos
The Four Seasons
The Hollies
The Impressions
The Isley Brothers
The Jackson 5
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Kinks
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Mamas & the Papas
The Midnighters
The Miracles
The Moonglows
The O'Jays
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
The Platters
The Police
The Righteous Brothers
The Rolling Stones
The Ronettes
The Shirelles
The Staple Singers
The Stooges
The Supremes
The Temptations
The Velvet Underground
The Ventures
The Who
The Yardbirds
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Waitts
Traffic
U2
Van Halen
Van Morrison
Wilson Pickett
ZZ Top