The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame has just announced their nominee list for the 2011 induction ceremony, and aside from Cheap Trick and Electric Light Orchestra getting snubbed again, there are some interesting choices on the list.
Here’s who’s nominated:
Alice Cooper, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Chic, Neil Diamond, Donovan, Dr. John, J. Geils Band, LL Cool J, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Donna Summer, Joe Tex, Tom Waits and Chuck Willis.
What are your thoughts? Any of these acts seem out of place, or too long ignored?
LL Cool J and Beastie Boys are interesting nominees. It begs the question: what is rock and roll? Is it a genre of music or any music for the masses that’s predominantly youth-led?
Oh, and of course I’m beyond thrilled that Tom Waits could finally get inducted.
Good Point re: What is Rock and Roll.
Also VERY VERY Happy to see BON JOVI (BEST. BAND. EVER. IMHO:))
-D!
Laura Nyro really belongs there, but I’m not sure as a performer; a songwriter for sure. Neil Diamond for both, but if he doesn’t get in as a performer, he should for writing.
You have GOT to be kidding….Why isn’t Cheap Trick getting inducted THIS year?…They are way overdue!
I’m surprised that Chicago isn’t in yet. Sure, it was jazz/rock, but they sold a bazillion records and had dozens of hits. Cheap Trick and ELO are woeful omissions, as well.
Completely ridiculous that KISS is snubbed again.
And once again, no Rush.
Hey Brian,
Will we get an episode based on these nominations?
-D!
Absolutely! Well, on the inductees, anyway!
If I were Jeff Lynne, I’d tell them to **** off if they asked. I mean, LL Cool J…just devalues the whole thing.
I think that Beastie Boys and LL Cool J do not belong, regardless of talent. I think this is the R&R HoF, not the Popular Music HoF. Problem is that if you limit your bands, you limit your audience…
And about 1/3 of those I’ve never heard of, so I think they are out. I think that it should be rare to get more than 1 or 2 inductees/year. It should be reserved for the absolute highest echelon of performers.
All of those omissions are inexcusable. Rush has had 24 gold albums, only Beatles and Stones have had more consecutive gold albums. ELO, certainly, and what of ELP or Yes? I guess progressive rock pretty much gets snubbed all around. Genesis is in there, but they turned pop so that must explain it. Peter Gabriel isn’t in there as a solo artist.
Kiss, Cheap Trick, and Chicago? I had to search rockhall.com to verify they weren’t there. How can this be?
Where’s Journey? Stevie Ray Vaughan?
Ian said he didn’t know about 1/3 of the nominees. I’m curious as to which ones; the only one that I didn’t know instantly is Chuck Willis, who probably does has a thin resume. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Willis
Chic, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Joe Tex, and Chuck Willis.
And maybe I know some of their songs, but if I don’t know them by name recognition I don’t think they are eligible. I hate to set myself as some sort of ‘gold standard’ but I feel I am fairly up on music, at least rock music.
How about this. If the average American can name more than 1 band member you are eligible. For solo artists, it’s name 2 albums or 5 songs.
Yeah, I agree with you, Ian. It’s a bit like the problem of the “best cover songs” list. I think before any of these people are considered, that they should have to have a minimum of years in the industry, like 25 or 30? It also points at the problem of going solo. People might know you better by the name of the band you were with, and you might sink or swim if people don’t know you for your name. Even if one has been with a band and in the industry for many years, they might have to spend even longer getting recognized solo. With that said, there are a lot more people that deserve to be in the hall of fame than some of the people here. But I sense a lot of this is political, the same way the Academy Awards are.
Well, if you literally want it to be the Hall of “Fame,” then your criteria make sense. But then they might have to put Michael Bolton in there someday. And surely they would have to take some folks already in there out, like Little Willie John or Bobby Womack, not quite household names, but deserving. Same with “Rock and Roll”; ABBA are no more rock and roll than LL Cool J, but clearly the term is being used in the broad sense of meaning all genres of popular music that sprung out of the popular-music revolution of the 1950s, or basically any kind of music that “rock” critics review.
The inductees are heavily influenced by Rolling Stone magazine’s taste, hence minimal prog-rock and no Chicago. Obviously US fame influences the choices, but doesn’t dictate them. I don’t care for Beastie Boys and Bon Jovi, but I suppose Beastie Boys were both popular and innovative/influential. Laura Nyro is my favorite female artist and was moderately popular in her heyday (1969–1975), but definitely influential and innovative, so give a listen. And listen to the originals, because she had a great voice as well, even though the covers became the hits. So that’s my top vote. One who is “up” on music would know all of the above (okay, maybe not Joe Tex and Chuck Willis), but especially Chic, who had several huge disco-era hits and were big influences on others too. They and Donna Summer are probably the only disco artists, not counting Bee Gees, who clearly qualify.
As a lifelong fan of many of these artists, and a longtime critic, here’s my perspective:
The HoF constantly plays catch-up on past deserving artists while naming some commercial favorites newly eligible. This year’s list is diverse as heck, reflecting maybe the way that people who love music actually listen to it these days – it ain’t ALL a classic rock sausagefest, and that’s a good thing.
A lot of great bands did it /have done it well for years and years but won’t ever ever ever be considered, let alone nominated. Is Crazy Horse in? NRBQ? Little Feat? Well, I say they should be.
Cheap Trick is their biggest snub to date, IMHO. Consummate entertainers over the decades, AND successful recording artists.
Also, Cyndi Lauper should get some kind of lifetime achievement award for being so great all these years … OK, enough of my sincere biases.
In many ways the induction process is also like a junior high school popularity contest, so let’s just leave art or taste out of this discussion.
One act this year compares to those little guys — J. Geils Band was one great, hard-working rock’n’roll group, long before their cheesy ’80s hits. But those hits gave them a name in the wider consciousness, so that plays into their selection for nomination. They are also one of Jann Wenner’s personal favorites … so they will get in first time thru the gate. Check out those lists in his magazine sometime. This is who helps decide who gets in. No different than the smoke-filled back rooms of politics or industry.
Chic was superb, revolutionary and influential – and belongs big time. Laura Nyro was a pop songwriter whose songs translated well to rock bands of her era.
Bon Jovi? WTF? Oh well, they sold tons. This is just the ballot, but I get queasy thinking about them inside the glass pyramid.
Neil Diamond is LONG overdue as a performer AND songwriter (having started in the mid-60s) and even moreso is Dorsey Burnette (and the Rock and Roll Trio, from the 1950s). Those are two personal favorites of an actual HoF employee, and he told me he’d give his two nominations to them every year — and now, he’s been half-vindicated.
The Hall has to recognize disco, and rap and hip-hop; it’s a must. Otherwise – as J.D. Considine pointed out on Facebook last week – the Hall will continue to ignore any dance music that came after the Mashed Potato was ‘in’.
Stevie Ray’s only been eligible for a couple years. He’ll make it once he’s nominated.
Maybe they’ll put Barbra Streisand in someday – hey, she made ‘A Star is Born’ …
Those dance/rap/HH artists also qualify, as Alice Cooper does, for transforming the culture. It isn’t just about the music you like, it’s about the music a LOT of people like/liked. Which is probably one of the inherent things wrong with the idea of a rock hall, and how it has played out over the past 25 years.
My place of worship and canonization is my turntable, speakers and amplifier turned to 11. Neil! NRBQ! etc. etc. etc.
The J Geils Band? Their hits (Love Stinks, Centerfold, and Freeze Frame) were sufficiently horrible to make up for anything cool they might have done in the 1970s.
The Beastie Boys? LL Cool J? All I can say is, the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame has a far, FAR broader definition of “Rock ‘N’ Roll” than I have.