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 Machine – Yes. No real debate here. Hit the trifecta of being innovative, super famous, and influential.
LL Cool J – Yes. 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.
As much as I can't stand that rap artists and pop artists, none of whom really do anything related to rock and roll, make the Hall, we'll take it as a given they're just as qualified and one rap/R&B artist will definitely be included in the class.
That said, on qualifications:
Devo - agree, no. Very well known because of an early era music video and a single catchy song, they were never enough to EVER qualify for the HoF. Mark Mothersbaugh should definitely be in the composer's HoF if there is such an animal, though.
Radiohead - I suppose. They're kind of a flash in the pan relative to some artists though...no clue what modern acts they inspired, though, short of Muse.
Roxy Music - Avalon was a certified-platinum album in the U.S. even if they didn't do much on the singles charts, and they were influential (even the Sex Pistols were originally named for the opening song of Roxy's second album when they went as The Strand). Bryan Ferry did more as a soloist on the singles chart, and of course the most successful member (though not an original member) was Brian Eno. Possible future pick in a dry year.
Rage Against the Machine - God, no...awful band that received way too much attention, and I've yet to hear a popular scream band influenced by them. They were about politics, not music, and their similar failure to significantly dent the singles chart makes me wonder why you'd say yes. I think you're overrating them as much as MTV did...plus they didn't last very long and have only a niche following.
LL Cool J - yes, for the reasons you said. And if he doesn't get in his Mama said to knock you out.
MC5 - who? I've listened to a lot of 60s music over the years, not sure I've heard of them. Oh, wait, I did when the third death of one of their members occurred in 2012. Proto-punk band from the sounds of things. Third nomination for the Hall, I don't really think they deserve the time of day.
Janet Jackson - obvious yes, topped the charts reliably for a decade with tons of #1s, top selling albums, famous pedigree. I agree pure pop artists don't belong, but the Hall says they do, so she'd be a top-end pick. Not her first nomination though, is it?
Todd Rundgren - no, I know who he is, but couldn't name a song he sang. Not a good sign given how much 70s music I've been listening to the last 2-3 years.
Kraftwerk - ABSOLUTELY YES, DAMMIT! Cornerstone of electronic music, charted on the U.S. singles chart in the midst of the classic rock and disco era with what at the time was completely experimental and unique music, influenced directly or indirectly at least half of today's artists. No way you honestly rule them out.
The Cure - Um, yes. Large cult following (saw them last year at Bell Centre, and they had the place packed), commercial success, influence, favorite of emo teens everywhere for 35 years, and yeah - the band's been together since the year I was born, some 43 years, and still drawing massive crowds.
The Zombies - again, very popular and successful band, influential, people still cite them as a favorite band of the late 60s. Going to Wikipedia, "Their 1968 album
Odessey and Oracle is ranked number 100 on
Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time." The Hall can't be done with the 60s until all great 60s bands are in...sadly, 5 entrants per year really slows the process down.
Rufus & Chaka Khan - no. B-list act from the 70s, Khan was more famous for her name and legend than her actual music, and they were pretty run of the mill R&B
Def Leppard - meh...pop rock, hugely succesful but did they really do anything unique? They'll probably get in some day but with this list I'm not sure it's their time.
John Prine - again, never heard of him, but he's won Grammys for his folk albums, he's a supposedly influential songwriter and artist "discovered" by Kris Kristofferson in the 70s. Seems like someone easy to overlook, though.
Stevie Nicks - Troy, you're kidding, right? She was very successful as a solo artist in the 80s, and is a living legend. She's a shoo-in.
My picks: LL Cool J, Kraftwerk, The Cure, Radiohead, The Zombies
My best guess: Radiohead, LL Cool J, Janet Jackson, The Cure, Stevie Nicks