Music: 2019 Rock & Roll HOF: Embrace recycling

Troy McClure

Suter will never be scratched
Mar 12, 2002
47,528
15,403
South of Heaven
Not one act eligible for the first time was nominated because the Baby Boomer geriatrics who run the Hall hate newer music, so instead we get a bunch of acts previously nominated and a few third tier spares sprinkled in to round out this offering.

Here are the nominees for the 2019 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with my perfect designations of who belongs and who has to buy a ticket to get in. Only five get in.

Devo - No. You could probably talk me into them on the influence side of things, but they were never really all that big.

Radiohead Yes. I’m not a fan, but I can’t deny their fame, longevity, contribution, etc.

Roxy Music - No. Wikipedia tells me they were some Brit band who never made a splash in the US. Their biggest hit was #30 over here. Sorry, they can go apply to the British Music Hall of Fame.

Rage Against the MachineYes. No real debate here. Hit the trifecta of being innovative, super famous, and influential.

LL Cool JYes. Shame he’s the only rapper nominated, but he was one of those breakthrough acts who helped make rap mainstream. He almost lost his spot though because of I Need Love. What were you thinking, LL?

MC5 -- No. This is part of the annual appeal to the Baby Boomer donors by nominating some third tier spare bands from the 60s.

Janet Jackson Yes. I’m not a fan of putting the pop/dance act in, but she was as big as they come for a pretty good run. She owned MTV for a few years. She also did an amazing job of distinguishing herself from her siblings.

Todd Rundgren - No. No way. This is all about dredging the bottom trying to find more acts from the 70s.

Kraftwerk - No, but you could talk me into them. They certainly meet the influence requirement. Generally, I'm going to say yes to a band who is credited with inventing a genre. In some ways they meet the fame requirement because everyone knows the Kraftwerk name, but where I struggle with them is they are a band everyone has heard of but no one listens to. When is the last time anyone sat down to listen to Kraftwerk?

The Cure - No. They would be a yes if there weren't five bigger bands or music media darlings already nominated in the class. Had a couple different runs of commercial success. Pretty darn influential. Their longevity doesn’t hurt.

The Zombies - No. It's time to be done with the 60s. That decade is done. It's been mined since the first day the Rock Hall opened. There is nothing left. Any band from then that hasn't made it in doesn't deserve it. The only reason leftovers like this gets nominated is to make the old donors happy. Stop nominating this B team band.

Rufus & Chaka Khan - No. This might be the third or fourth consecutive year they’ve nominated Chaka Khan. This time, they’re trying a slightly different iteration. The answer still should be no.

Def Leppard - Yes. Their run in the 80s was super impressive. They also wrote the most played strip club song of all time. It’s an impressive resume.

John Prine - No. Never heard of him.

Stevie Nicks No. She’s already in for Fleetwood Mac. Her solo work isn’t good enough to deserve special recognition.

Radiohead, the Cure, Rage, Janet Jackson Nominated for Rock Hall of Fame 2019 | Pitchfork
 

BigBadBruins7708

Registered User
Dec 11, 2017
13,558
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Las Vegas
agree with your assessment, but really want to find a way to squeeze The Cure in as a yes

the real crime is the bands not on the ballot...Soundgarden, NIN, Iron Maiden, Alice in Chains
 
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peate

Smiley
Sponsor
Feb 16, 2007
20,085
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The Island
I thought the Zombies were already in, but yeah it's getting too late for them. Wardrobe malfunction is the only thing Janet Jackson will be remembered for. :laugh:
 
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Habsfunk

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Jan 11, 2003
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I'd love to see Devo get in, but I would be surprised if they did. They only had one hit, but they're one of those bands whose influence far exceeds their record sales - sort of like Velvet Underground, but not to the same degree. They are one of the most original bands to come out of the 70's punk scene
 

kook10

Registered User
Jun 27, 2011
4,577
2,721
They should just call it the Rock n Roll Museum and dump the Hall of Fame posturing. It never made sense as a competitive endeavor and just forces them to induct non-rock acts, which dilutes it anyway.

Alternatively I suppose they could call it the Museum of Popular Music or something along those lines, but the Grammy Museum here in LA already covers that and it would make the Cleveland connection meaningless.
 
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Shareefruck

Registered User
Apr 2, 2005
28,860
3,556
Vancouver, BC
While I prefer their German Rock counterparts (Neu!, Can, and Faust) who don't have as much of a shot, Kraftwerk is incredible, and I listen to them all the time. They're famous, wildly influential (built the foundation for a huge chunk of modern music), incredibly talented, and deserve to be in.... for me, well ahead of any of these other bands, personally.

This is one of my favorite tracks of all time.
 
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Xelebes

Registered User
Jun 10, 2007
9,013
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Edmonton, Alberta
Kraftwerk - No, but you could talk me into them. They certainly meet the influence requirement. Generally, I'm going to say yes to a band who is credited with inventing a genre. In some ways they meet the fame requirement because everyone knows the Kraftwerk name, but where I struggle with them is they are a band everyone has heard of but no one listens to. When is the last time anyone sat down to listen to Kraftwerk?

Yesterday, I believe. I listen to a lot of techno and electro so Kraftwerk pops up frequently.
 

Blackhawkswincup

RIP Fugu
Jun 24, 2007
186,761
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Chicagoland
What on earth are you talking about?

She had more then one hit. Songs such as "Smooth Operator" , "Sweetest Taboo" , "Paradise" , "No Ordinary Love" , "Never As Good As the First Time" , "Cherish the Day" , "Kiss of Life" among her hits

Also its laughable to call her a one hit wonder when in US alone her albums have sold phenomenally (Not to mention when you add in world totals)

Her albums in US

Diamond Life (1984) = 4x Platinum
Promise (1985) = 4x Platinum
Stronger Than Pride (1988) = 3x Platinum
Love Deluxe (1992) = 4x Platinum
Lovers Rock (2000) = 3x Platinum
Soldier of Love (2010) = Platinum

Her Greatest Hits Album which I own also on its own was a major hit

Best of Sade (1994) = 4x Platinum

She is also one of the greatest female singers who's live performances have been praised for years

Calling her a one hit wonder is laughable and absurd
 

reckoning

Registered User
Jan 4, 2005
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To me the most deserving choices should be Rundgren, Roxy Music, Radiohead and Rage Against The Machine. Don't feel that strong positively or negatively about most of the other choices. Stevie Nicks on the list is a bit bizarre. Her best work was with Fleetwood Mac, and they're already in. What was her notable solo accomplishment? Stand Back? Talk To Me? The duet with Tom Petty? I just don't see why she's there.

The only act that I'm sure will get in is Def Lepard. Lately they seem to reserve one spot each year to an act who did nothing influential, innovative or particularly important, but sold a lot of records. We've seen Bon Jovi and Journey get in, and I have no doubt that Bryan Adams, Foreigner and Meat Loaf will all have their moment there eventually.
 

Troy McClure

Suter will never be scratched
Mar 12, 2002
47,528
15,403
South of Heaven
To me the most deserving choices should be Rundgren, Roxy Music, Radiohead and Rage Against The Machine. Don't feel that strong positively or negatively about most of the other choices. Stevie Nicks on the list is a bit bizarre. Her best work was with Fleetwood Mac, and they're already in. What was her notable solo accomplishment? Stand Back? Talk To Me? The duet with Tom Petty? I just don't see why she's there.

The only act that I'm sure will get in is Def Lepard. Lately they seem to reserve one spot each year to an act who did nothing influential, innovative or particularly important, but sold a lot of records. We've seen Bon Jovi and Journey get in, and I have no doubt that Bryan Adams, Foreigner and Meat Loaf will all have their moment there eventually.
Part of the induction process involves identifying a band or two that will sell tickets to the induction ceremony. If all they did was select a bunch of critical darlings with no real commercial success, the ceremony would be a big failure.
 

Mikeaveli

Registered User
Sep 25, 2013
5,813
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Edmonton, AB
I would induct:
Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine
Kraftwerk
The Zombies

Maybes:
LL Cool J
Roxy Music

The rest I havent heard or am not a fan of.
 

Led Zappa

Tomorrow Today
Jan 8, 2007
50,344
872
Silicon Valley
Todd Rundgren was loved back in the day and produced for quite a few artists or helped them out without acknowledgement. I know Eddy Money was one. I'm pretty sure he's well loved in the industry.

Some of the artists he produced for: Grand Funk, New York Dolls, Meat Loaf, Patti Smith Group, Rick Derringer, The Tubes, The Psychedelic Furs, Utopia & XTC
 

Say Hey Kid

Kobayashi Maru
Dec 10, 2007
23,500
5,444
Todd Rundgren was loved back in the day and produced for quite a few artists or helped them out without acknowledgement. I know Eddy Money was one. I'm pretty sure he's well loved in the industry.

Some of the artists he produced for: Grand Funk, New York Dolls, Meat Loaf, Patti Smith Group, Rick Derringer, The Tubes, The Psychedelic Furs, Utopia & XTC
Good post. He produced Skylarking. MC5 and The Stooges created punk. They both need to be in.
 

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