There are a million and one things that I would much rather write about than a listing of the 2013 nominees for the ill-named Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But since it is news, and since it contains a band that many fans have been clamoring for for many years, well then, why not.
With this list, I certainly have my opinions (which you can read about in my Morton Report article when it posts (if you’re early). However, for this site, I’ll keep my opinions to myself except for one, which I cannot hold back from. I’ll get to that shortly.
The list:
- Rush
- Deep Purple
- Procol Harum
- Heart
- Chic
- The Meters
- Donna Summer
- N.W.A.
- Public Enemy
- The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
- Kraftwerk
- Randy Newman
- Albert King
- The Marvelettes
- Joan Jett
What?!?! Joan Jett? Ok, ok. Over The Runaways? Over the hundreds of more deserving bands, more deserving than even The Runaways?
And now you can see just why the Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies should be shuttered permanently. I’ve gone over this multiple times (and likely will again for 2014) but the list is far too small.
The list needs to be expanded greatly if thge Hall has any hope at all of properly awarding deserved induction to the right bands. At the current rate, by the year 3K (if we make it to 3K), not even a respectable number of inductees will have entered into the Hall’s so-called venerable list of stone.
I say it should be dismantled, destroyed, shuttered. I’d say embarrassed but they have already done that to themselves. If you’re a proponent of the Hall, then please forgive me my usual rant on the subject.
Otherwise, let’s once again, go quietly about our lives as if this blight never happened.
And Rush should run fast the other way.
Bah-humbug..
Matt, I think it is a total BS – PR stunt but you didn’t mention the fact that fans can vote this year and provide one official vote for their choice.
I won’t go into how it works but here is the link to vote.
http://rockhall.com/get-involved/interact/poll/
I also won’t rush to tell you who you should vote for. But I think everyone should rush to this site and vote for a real rock band. At the very least it may send a message to the powers that be that many of us don’t think groups that don’t play rock and roll should be in the rock and roll HOF.
I get a bit fed up every year when I read a list of nominees. While true bands that fit in the rock amp; roll definition get overlooked year after year, Chic, NWA, Public Enemy, Donna Summer and Kraftwerk get nominated. Now, I have no issue with their music or that they are influential artists, but they are not, in my own opinion, rock amp; roll.
Finally… Rush!!
Um…I think the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame is probably great and probably makes sense!
This is total BS….I was hoping for Cheap Trick and KISS to get in this year. Just a total let down
Looks like Rush could pull away followed by Deep Purple and Heart, they are the top three so far. You are allowed to vote for five nominees.
When I heard that RUSH had actually been nominated the other day, I nearly drove off the road.
And, looking at the list, if they don’t make the cut (along with Deep Purple) something is extremely wrong and I will jump on Matt’s bandwagon for the ride… Never mind the issues about the numerous overlooked bands that never even make it that far.
PS: I saw Rush perform recently on their current tour and boy did they deliver an incredible three hour show. If you like their 80’s output and the new album, you should be extremely happy.
I’m glad that the RRHOF has finally let the music fans out here have some say in who gets selected, but my biggest beef is their definition of “rock and roll”. I personally have no objection to Joan Jett and The Blackhearts (sorry, Matt…), but anything hip-hop, rap, or disco-ish certainly DO NOT make my cut…
Amen.
If no ROCK stations played your music and if, when you went in a music store, the group wasn’t in the ROCK section, then you weren’t ROCK and shouldn’t be considered for the ROCK and Roll Hall Of Fame.
It seems that our culture’s preoccupation with diversity, inclusion and political correctness has allowed people to ignore the actual definition of the genre itself.
Personally, I feel it is more important for the institution to recognize and respect the actual genre above all else.
Sorry, but I never could find Donna Summer in the Rock Section of any store I ever visited and in 50+ years I have visited a lot of music stores. None of my favorite rock stations (and there have been many) ever played her songs either. WTF? Hence my original Bah-humbug response.
KISS, Cheap Trick, YES and Jethro Tull should be ahead of Chic, I’m happy for Heart, Rush and Deep Purple, at least they are Rock amp; Roll.
Totally agree. This organization has become a joke. Hopefully artists will begin to pass on this “honor” when the powers-that-be deign to permit entry into the “hallowed hall.” Interestingly, the announcment of this years nominees has garnered the least amount of press coverage I can ever recall. Fingers crossed that this is the beginning of the end for this place.
I disagree that the Hall should only include “Rock” acts. Let’s not forget that “The Blues had a baby, and they named it Rock amp; Roll.” We can try and get technical on the true meaning of “rock,” but any visit to the Museum demonstrates that it’s Pop/Rock/Soul/Blues, etc. There’s no country, no crooners, no polkas (that’s another museum in Cleveland), and no classical, but it really is a celebration of popular music. I grew up in Cleveland and was at the opening concerts. You had rock, and you had James Brown. It was and remains a celebration. Maybe Chic and Kraftwerk didn’t sell in the millions, but they were both highly inventive and highly influential, so they belong in. I agree that many artists have been unfairly passed over (Moodys, Yes) and that some larger inductions should be done to make up for that. But rock n roll was all about having a good time, and to me, it’s a community of inclusion, not exclusion.
If you’ve never been there, then go. It’s totally worth it. I’ve been a member since 1995 and even though I don’t live there anymore, I keep supporting it.
Well-stated, John.
John,
I agree on the Blues aspect. Disco/rap/hip-hop are not Rock.
Let them have their own Hall of Fame. Just like Country, jazz, Classical, etc.
The industry: labels and Radio Stations tell us what is and isn’t Rock. We know better. What’s funny is how Oldies and Pop stations play Hip-Hop, disco, and what passes for today’s so-called Ramp;B (boy amp; girl bands artist(s) included. You never hear any rock on their stations. I grew up on WABC-88 AM in the late 1960’s and they played all Rock/Soul/Ramp;B/Pop/Country/Folk. Nothing like today’s urban stations (I am in New York City) that don’t play any rock 1950’s – 2012.
I don’t care or expect them too. I respect Donna Summers, Chic, Madonna ( I own most of her music) Not the dance music of today ( Justin Timberlake amp; rappers). Rock doesn’t get the airplay that today’s so-called artists get. I purchased Thriller because of Eddie Van Halen and I like Michael’s Beats. Urban listeners ( rarely ,if ever listen to White /Rock artists. I know there has to be some. Not enough in NYC to have more than just a classic rock station.
Even in New Wave/Punks heyday, WDRE was the cool station. It was way out on long Island. Poor radio reception. None In NYC. The Capitol of the world? Just one Classic rock station. Three or four Disco/Dance/Hip-hop Ramp;B stations. Same in 2012.
Rock has survived with virtually, no NYC Rock Radio. Not just Classic Rock.
The stations/labels want to sell singles Before Digital and now with poor MP3 sound. Yes I know we have Wave amp; Flac. Most young people could care less about sound quality.
I never did like the fact that they put the Hall-of -Fame in Cleveland and not NYC. We get a small ancillary H-o-F. I do believe (over my Life-time) that Cleveland has/had more Rock Stations than NYC.
I will never go to the Hall 0f Fame. The world would probably have gone to the museum more often if it were originally put in NYC. Cleveland has it; God Bless them.
From what I’ve read and heard, most people could care less about the Museum. All because of who gets in and who doesn’t. Comment as you see fit.