Any Hall of Famers Here?

Cher. Mary J. Blige. Missy Elliott. Kate Bush.The Go-Go’s. Jay Z. The Zombies. Roxy Music. Willie Nelson & Dolly Parton (remember…’Rock ‘n Roll’ Hall of Fame here). Lionel Richie & Stevie Nicks (as solo artists). Granted, those two were rightfully already in with the Commodores and Fleetwood Mac respectively. But solo artists? 

These are all artists/bands that were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the past 10 years. I share this to offer some perspective when you stop to consider the following artists I’ll present to you. 

I recently shared my thoughts on artists/bands who I believe should already be in the Rock Hall. The following offerings are more food for thought if you will. I don’t think they all should be in. I’m not sure how many of them I think should be in. Granted, I don’t know what formula the Hall uses anymore. I recall music industry aficionado Eddie Trunk once saying the equation was once a combination of music & cultural influence, popularity/success, and record & ticket sales.  I suppose there could still be some truth to that, but more and more it just seems like the process revolves around which artists the voting committee likes. As you view the following, ask yourself if some of them seem equally or more deserving than some of those already in. 

(images and statistical info. courtesy of wikipedia.org unless otherwise stated.)

Styx: (1972)

At one point Styx released four straight triple-platinum selling albums. 16 Top 40 singles. 8 Top 10 hits, including three Top 3’s and one #1 hit. Like many of their contemporaries, they’re not much more than a touring nostalgia act these days, but Styx was once a force in the industry. Personally, I’ve never been a fan, Not in the slightest. That said, I probably should have included them in my other post because Styx should be in the Hall of Fame. 

Lenny Kravitz: (1989)

A great, and apparently ageless look. A lovely voice. Great hit songs. One tricky catch: Kravitz must also be a great student of Rock and Roll, because he’s basically an amalgamation of 1960’s and 1970’s rock artists. There’s nothing wrong with being influenced by other artists, and Lenny pulled from many of the best. It’s just that his sound has always come across as so derivative that it wouldn’t be a stretch for folks to view him as a copyist of sorts. I could go either way here. 

The B-52’s: (1976)

I guess the bigger question is, can Athens, Georgia handle two bands in the Hall? R.E.M. is already in. Is there room for another? Let’s just cut the B.S. and say it…..the B-52’s should probably be in the Hall of Fame just for the song “Love Shack” alone! This band would have to lean more on the influence part than the ‘album sale success’ part to make the Hall. Yes, they had some solid mainstream success in the late ‘80s / early ‘90s, and yes, they had plenty more good songs than just the ‘Shack.’ But should they be in the Rock Hall? I’d say they’re more deserving than some who are in now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they should be. Fun ass band though! 

Boston: (1976)  

and 

R.E.O. Speedwagon (1971)

If rock stations have been playing your songs 365 days a year for 50 straight years, should you maybe be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I avoided bands like these for the majority of my life. Now that I’m older and lacking all that piss & vinegar I had in my formative and young adult years, I’m finally able to admit I could listen to “More Than a Feeling” or “Keep on Loving You” every damn day. 

Pillars of the 1990’s Rock Scene:

Alice in Chains (1990) –image: billboard.com

The Smashing Pumpkins (1991)

Stone Temple Pilots (1992)

Tool (1993)

Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Nine Inch Nails are in. Green Day and Foo Fighters are as well. Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead got the nod too. The Rock Hall has certainly opened its doors to 1990’s alt rock artists, but there are still a handful worth asking about. I pleaded my case for Soundgarden in the last post, and I’ve shouted for that band’s induction for years. Yet like my previous post, which mentioned several overlooked ‘80s artists, it’s possible the Rock Hall additionally has a blindspot here. Personally, I loved one of these bands (Chains), very much liked two (STP & Tool), and thought the other had a handful of very good songs. It could be I’m biased towards my favorite era of Rock, but I think a solid case could be made for each of these bands’ induction.

Bands people love, but were they good enough?

INXS (1980)

Weezer (1994)

I remember INXS being big when I was a kid. They had hit songs and were popular on MTV. That said, I do think the tragic death of beloved frontman Michael Hutchence affected peoples’ sympathetic reverence of the man and by extension, their band. They were a good band. They never struck me as great. Weezer came out of the gates with one of the best debut albums (pictured) I ever heard. They then proceeded to release 14 more studio albums over the next 30 years that more or less sucked. Perhaps if they called it quits after their debut, they’d be in the Hall. I mean, it worked for the Hall of Fame band the Sex Pistols, who only released one album in their career. 

Personal wishes, though I know it won’t happen:

Living Colour (1988) image – imdb.com

Pixies (1988) image – billboard.com

Blue Oyster Cult (1972)

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter. Music is art, and art should be subjective. What’s great for one person is different than what’s great for someone else. If a Hall of Fame is supposed to represent greatness, then Hall of Fame artists would widely differ from one person to another. I think it’s more about us as fans. We want bands we like and/or respect to earn that recognition, regardless of what it actually means. 

Thanks for reading,

Vic