Two weeks ago, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced 19 nominees for its 2018 class of inductees. Of this longlist, about 5 or 6 will be selected for the Hall in December and inducted next year.
As with the past two years, the Young Folks’ music staff got together to share their thoughts on the nominees and who they think should be inducted. The participating writers this time out were music editor Ryan Gibbs, Jon Winkler, Matt Rice, Reagan Harrison and Katie Gill.
Opening thoughts
Ryan Gibbs: What are your thoughts on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in general?
Reagan Harrison: It’s a good way to recognize artists for their music, especially classic rock and roll bands.
Katie Gill: It’s a fun way to rank things and fun to have arguments about, but I view it like award shows: it’s more fun to talk about and speculate on than any sort of actual prestige.
Ryan: I like the work the actual attached museum does, and I like the general concept, but I kind of wish the selections were done differently.
Jon Winkler: I think it’s most important thing in the world to the people of the classic generations. With everyone new crop of inductees from newer and newer eras, I do think it loses some of its importance though. Like, in 10 years when people like The Strokes or The Killers are up for induction, it won’t feel as important because they came up through the internet
Ryan: I’m glad that they’re finally starting to nominate artists who existed after 1977 in such large quantities now.
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Jon: They wouldn’t be doing their job if they didn’t.
Ryan: Although jeez, still not of lot of representation of new wave and post-punk huh? Or contemporary R&B.
Katie: Or disco!
Ryan: Poor Chic.
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Jon: That’s another thing: the Hall needs to expand its views a bit.
Reagan: There definitely should be more diversity in genre.
Matt Rice: I think they need to broaden their concept of what constitutes both rock and roll and important rock and roll.
Katie: I’ll drink to that.
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Jon: And at least Nile Rodgers got in last year.
Katie: Thank GOD Nile Rodgers finally got in. There’d have been metaphorical riots in the streets if he hadn’t.
Ryan: I mentioned last year that I think it would be a way better idea if they inducted 10-12 artists a year, not 6. The small amount of inductees has created a massive backlog, and it’s not like they’re ever going to run out of musicians to induct.
Jon: I think they want to keep it as exclusive as possible as more and more people go in.
Katie: More inductees would also be good for diversity’s sake. Because, looking at this year’s crop, I’m worried that they’ll just do a token female POC nomination and leave the rest out to dry.
Ryan: Speaking of this year’s inductees, what are your thoughts on this year’s crop compared to last year’s?
Jon: Honestly, a little weak compared to last year.
Katie: It’s a lot of the same.
Ryan: When I first saw this list my first thought was that I was glad Kate Bush finally got a nomination, but I was also confused by the glaring lack of a certain Miss Jackson
Reagan: There aren’t any shocking or unusual nominations this year – all of them I’m not too surprised by.
Katie: Yeah, the fact that Janet isn’t nominated is criminal.
Jon: Especially with a new well-received album two years ago and a new tour that’s going pretty well.
Matt: Should it be a rule that, once they nominate an artist, they don’t get taken off the ballot until they’re inducted?
Ryan: I’d like that to be the case, yes.
Jon: Agreed.
Katie: Ditto.
Matt: An artist’s importance doesn’t disappear in a year.
Katie: A lot of these artists have still remained on the ballot for multiple years in a row already (poor Chaka Khan)
Ryan: For instance, artists as massively influential as The Cure and Gram Parsons have only been nominated a couple times and then forgotten about
Jon: do they pick their nominees based on the current relevance and impact to modern music?
Ryan: Not particularly.
Jon: Like how is Bon Jovi “legendary” in 2017?
Katie: Right, because if anyone’s relevant, it’s the Moody Blues (sorry Moody Blues fans).
Ryan: Moody Blues fans are really obsessive about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Every time any publication runs anything about the hall, you can expect one Moodies fan in there with a rant.
Matt: New York Dolls are still absent, right?
Ryan: no, no New York Dolls.
Matt: That’s criminal.
Jon: Know what else is criminal? This being Judas Priest’s first year nominated. Metal needs greater recognition at the Rock Hall. Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead and Motley Crue need to be inducted ASAP
Ryan: Heavy metal is another ignored subgenre. Which makes it weird to me that adult contemporary turncoats Bon Jovi are in here instead of, I dunno, Motley Crue representing for the hair metal genre. Slippery When Wet sold a bajillion copies, but so did Bat Out of Hell, and Meat Loaf’s never been nominated
Katie: God, I’d kill for Meat Loaf to be nominated
Ryan: I know right?
Jon: With Lemmy’s recent passing, Motorhead needs to go in NOW.
Ryan: I was surprised they didn’t get a nomination last year.
Jon: Same.
Our personal favorites for induction (And we get Radiohead out of the way early)
Ryan Gibbs: If you had a ballot, who would be your five selections? The nominees being Bon Jovi, Kate Bush, The Cars, Depeche Mode, Dire Straits, Eurythmics, The J. Geils Band, Judas Priest, LL Cool J, MC5, The Meters, The Moody Blues, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Link Wray and The Zombies
Jon Winkler: Radiohead, Rage, Judas Priest, J. Geils and LL Cool J. I guess The Cars could wait another year.
Matt Rice: Eurythmics, LL Cool J, MC5, Radiohead, Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Ryan: I’d pick Kate Bush, Chaka & Rufus, The Cars, Eurythmics, Judas Priest.
Katie Gill: Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Radiohead, Judas Priest, LL Cool J.
Reagan Harrison: The Zombies, Depeche Mode, Nina Simone, Radiohead, The Cars.
Katie: It’s a tough choice though, as I also want Kate Bush and the Eurythmics.
Ryan: Radiohead are like Pearl Jam last year. They’re so obviously getting in that it’s kind of weird to think about voting for them.
Jon: It’ll be more interesting to see how Radiohead responds to their induction than their actual induction.
The Zombies, Nina Simone, The Moody Blues and Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Ryan Gibbs: Sister Rosetta Tharpe absolutely deserves be inducted, but I was surprised to see her nominated in the main list as opposed to getting in as an early influence.
Katie Gill: I worry that her being on the main list is going to hurt her chances, especially considering who she’s up against.
Matt Rice: Is it just because of all the memes claiming she’s the first rock and roll artist? It seems like she’s gained popularity because of those.
Katie: I honestly don’t know why they decided to nominate her this year, but I’m not complaining. Rock & roll reeeeeally needs to better acknowledge it’s African American roots and I’m always up for more women inductees.
Ryan: There’s only a few artists actively recording in the 1940s who have gotten inducted as a main artist. In fact, I think it might just be Miles Davis, Big Joe Turner and Muddy Waters. Everyone else has gone in as an early influence. Howlin’ Wolf, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson and so on.
Matt: Is Louis Jordan in as an early influence?
Ryan: He sure is.
Matt: That’s good. He should be a main artist.
Jon Winkler: I think for her influence on current music, Nina Simone should be a surefire bet.
Matt: Honestly, the early influence thing seems limiting.
Ryan: Nina? I think she might get the “Award for Musical Excellence” thing that Nile Rodgers got last year.
Katie: The “oh damn, sorry you haven’t been inducted yet” award.
Matt: Maybe inducting bands like the Moody Blues now is fine, since nobody’s gonna listen to them in twenty years. Nina and Chaka and Nile will stand the test of time, so get the white blues/prog rockers in while you can I guess.
Jon: Same goes for The Zombies.
Ryan: The Zombies are kind of having a moment right now.
Matt: The Zombies are better than the Moody Blues, though. Odessey and Oracle is a legit great record.
Reagan Harrison: I agree with Matt on this one.
Ryan: Yeah, Odessey and Oracle is being held up, right now, as one of the top records of the late 1960s and the surviving members are touring it. If there’s any time they get in, it’s now.
Jon: But will that record and The Zombies stand the test of time?
Matt: I think so. I would compare Odessey to something like Moby Grape and Love before Moody Blues and similar prog bands. Like, a great one-off, not exactly a great band, but they had one iconic album in them.
Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Eurythmics and The Cars
Jon Winkler: I’d like to see Depeche Mode go in, they’re one of the most consistent and hardest-working bands of their era and their moody/dark/gothic influence is still being felt in music today.
Ryan Gibbs: I certainly believe The Zombies should have gotten in before The Lovin Spoonful, who have been since 2000 and I’ve always thought were kind of a weird band to induct that early on. Depeche Mode is another one I’m on the fence on. I agree that they should get in, but should they get in before The Cure and Joy Division?
Matt Rice: I love the Spoonful (my sixties tastes lean pop, obviously), but they are a weird choice to induct before, I dunno, NEW YORK DOLLS.
Jon: If they’re nominated now and go in this year , that should open the door for Joy Division and New Order. The Smiths too.
Katie Gill: I kind of worry that Morrissey might have shot any chance the Smiths have in the foot by being Morrissey.
Ryan: I don’t like making “X should be inducted before Y” arguments, because we’ll be here all day with that and it’s kind of a logically fallacy with the Hall, but nonetheless. It’s kind of weird that Depeche Mode have been nominated twice consecutively and The Cure only got nominated once, several years ago.
Katie: I do agree with Jon, though, about how it would open doors. Cause hoo boy do some doors need to be opened with regards to the hall & musical styles/genres/etc.
Jon: Were/are Depeche Mode more popular than The Cure? Or vice versa?
Ryan: It kind of depends, but most would say The Cure, especially when it comes to influence.
Jon: I know the cure had big hits but I know Depeche Mode have played stadiums, not sure if The Cure had that kind of exposure.
Ryan: The Cure definitely have more songs that regular music fans are familiar with. The Cure played a lot of same stadiums Depeche did.
Jon: Regardless, if Depeche go in then The Cure would be impossible to ignore.
Ryan: Exactly. And speaking of, there’s three other new wave or adjacent artists in here: Eurythmics, Kate Bush and The Cars.
Jon: The Cars have been off and on the ballot for a while and I’m starting to lose hope.
Ryan: Kate Bush is kind of a music critic’s dream “what if” pick, but I think she might be a hard sell to some other voters.
Katie: God, I hope Kate Bush gets in. Just because I’d love the induction performances to be something like “Creep,” “Personal Jesus”, “WUTHERING FRIGGEN HEIGHTS”.
Jon: Out of those three, I think Eurythmics is the best bet.
Reagan: It feels like there’s always another band that seems to edge out The Cars every year.
Ryan: And then Eurythmics factor in highly in a lot of inductee prediction pieces that have popped up since the list came out.
Katie: Also, I’ve a feeling that if the Eurthymics get in, that’s a sort of “Is Nile Rogers going to be recognized as Chic or as Nile Rogers” situation
Ryan: Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart have a lot of clout and respect in the industry both together and apart, and I think that’s helping them.
Katie: Induct Annie Lennox with Eurythmics, don’t have to worry about inducting her as a solo artist.
Jon: I’d love for The Cars to go in, but the Eurythmics seems like the one with more clout and influence today.
Judas Priest, Bon Jovi, Dire Straits and The J. Geils Band
Ryan Gibbs: And then there’s the nominees that don’t really strike me as anything but bait for classic rock fans. Namely, Dire Straits and The J. Geils Band.
Jon Winkler: J. Geils has a bit more weight to it now that J. Geils actually died this year.
Ryan: Dire Straits has always had a certain amount of respect from rock purists and guitar geeks. Both they and the J. Geils Band had best-selling records, hit singles, long careers and members who are respected in the industry, but you can say that about a ton of other AOR artists of the same era. Boston, Foreigner, Styx, REO Speedwagon, etc. etc. If they wanted to include an artist from this era and genre, why not Pat Benatar? She’s never been nominated!
Katie Gill: I don’t really have much to say about either J Geils Band or Dire Straits. I mean, it’d make sense that they might be inducted because they’re the obligatory classic rock nominations, but I don’t feel as strongly about their inductions as I do some other artists. And I cannot BELIEVE that Pat Benatar’s never been nominated, what the heck?
Ryan: I know!
Jon: As far as 80s rock acts, I’d put Pat Benatar above Bon Jovi in a heartbeat.
Katie: Amen to that.
Jon: The only Bon Jovi song I actually like is “It’s My Life” and that’s when they started working with Max Martin for god’s sake.
Katie: I’ve warmed up to “Livin on a Prayer” if only for all of the dumb memes surrounding it. (whoooooa we’re halfway there, whoooooa lizard on a chair).
Ryan: I have never had any use for Bon Jovi. They are my least favorite nominee.
Reagan Harrison: Honestly, Slippery When Wet is one of their most memorable albums; but compared to all of the other artists at the time and the nominees on this list, they aren’t as high up there for me.
Ryan: I bet you someone’s gonna comment on this piece about us being millennials who “don’t get it” when it comes to Bon Jovi.
Jon: it still bugs me that they beat Bowie’s The Next Day to no.1 on the album charts when it came out.
Matt Rice: “Livin’ on a Prayer” is one of my favorite singles, but I can take or leave everything else they did.
Reagan: It definitely leaned more on pop side than rock and roll.
Ryan: If you want to stan for a 1980s hard rock band on this list, go for Judas Priest because they’ve deserved to be on here for a long time.
Jon: Agreed.
Ryan: And I hope their inclusion means good things for Iron Maiden or, heck, Def Leppard in the future.
Jon: they practically invented the look of heavy metal in the 70s and 80s. All the leather jackets and motorcycles, that was Priest.
Matt: I don’t like heavy metal much at all. All of the major metal bands have a song or two I really like, but I appreciate the genre as an idea more than I actually enjoy the music.
Jon: And they have a strong amount of great albums: British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, Sad Wings of Destiny…
Katie: Heavy metal is SO underrepresented in the hall of fame bands that I feel you’ve gotta put Priest in if only for that.
Ryan: It certainly deserves its due in the Hall. So far, I believe it’s just Sabbath and Metallica.
Jon: Deep Purple went in recently, didn’t they?
Ryan: Deep Purple, like Van Halen and Guns n’ Roses, are kind of a borderline group. More hard rock than metal.
Matt: Motörhead should definitely be in. They’re my personal favorite metal act.
LL Cool J: The lone hip-hop nominee
Ryan Gibbs: This year’s one hip hop nominee is LL Cool J.
Matt Rice: He’s the nominee I want to get in most.
Jon Winkler: Despite his current status as borderline cartoon, he was a major deal in the exposure of hip-hop.
Reagan Harrison: Very true, and he represents a genre not really represented here.
Ryan: He’s definitely the next logical inductee. Especially since Eric B & Rakim have been on a couple times and didn’t get in.
Matt: How have they not gotten in? That’s crazy. Isn’t Rakim every old white guy’s favorite MC?
Ryan: Name recognition mostly. And the voters having an iffy feeling toward hip hop even though they’ve been inducting rappers for nearly a decade now.
Katie Gill: It’s that whole “but is this REALLY rock & roll” nonsense.
Jon: Imagine Jay-Z going in before Rakim?
Katie: If that were the case, there would be thinkpieces for DAYS.
Ryan: Well, it would be like how Green Day got in before every single band profiled in Our Band Could Be Your Life.
Matt: It seems like almost every bit of popular music since the mid-50s should count as R&R at least a little.
Jon: Rock and roll IS partially based off of R&B.
Ryan: I think some voters and some of the people who obsess over the hall’s choice have a really closed-minded idea of what rock and roll is (i.e. four white guys with guitars).
Matt: Back to LL, I think he’s a minor genius and Mama Said Knock You Out is one of the best rap albums of the 1990s.
Katie: Amen to Matt’s point. Mama Said Knock You Out is AMAZING.
Jon: he’s a rapper who can pull off being soft and emotional while being a guy who can sound like he can break your nose. The MTV Unplugged performance of “Mama Said” is ICONIC.
Ryan: “I Need Love” was extremely important to hip hop’s crossover into the pop sphere.
Jon: he was pretty consistent up to the mid 2000s.
Matt: Radio is a solid album too. He’s a great singles artist too. His 1996 comp All World is a must-have.
Ryan: As for LL’s chances? I’m not sure if he has one this year. And I have a funny feeling that the next rapper that will be inducted is Biggie when he’s eligible.
Jon: I’d be fine with Biggie going in before LL but LL should still be inducted.
Ryan: As for this year? You know, I would have liked A Tribe Called Quest in the mix. This is the first nominees longlist to come out after the full impact of We Got It From Here.
Jon: I think the hall will fully acknowledge gangster rap before the conscious artists. Here’s a random question: You think “Accidentally Racist” hurt LL’s reputation in any way?
Ryan: I think people have forgotten that song existed.
Katie: What Ryan said.
Matt: It was a deep album cut on a Brad Paisley album that became a joke for a minute.
Katie: If anything, I think “Accidental Racist” hurt Paisley’s rep more than LL’s because Paisley was more in the popular music scene at that point than LL was. But then again, Paisley thrives on “wow you really didn’t think this out, did you” sort of trying to be silly songs.
Matt: Wheelhouse is a solid album otherwise. I listened to a leak before it came out and instantly knew the song would be controversial. Paisley has done great political work before it, and I think the controversy moved him away from that, which is unfortunate. Then again, his new album does have an anti-war title track featuring John Fogerty.
Katie: The problem with that is his new album sucked (sorry Paisley).
Rufus & Chaka Khan and The Meters
Ryan Gibbs: We also have two R&B nominees this year: The Meters and Rufus & Chaka Khan. I know Questlove has been pushing for Chaka ever since he became part of the nominating committee.
Jon Winkler: Chaka Khan for the win (or the nom, in this case).
Katie Gill: Poor Chaka Khan’s been on the list for HOW many years now?
Reagan Harrison: Way too many.
Ryan: Several. And in many different permutations. A couple a solo artist and a couple with Rufus.
Katie: It’s getting ridiculous. Come on, hall, just friggen induct her already! We all agree she deserves it.
Ryan: Do you think she’ll get in with or without Rufus?
Jon: With.
Katie: With. After all, “Tell Me Something Good” is with Rufus.
Ryan: And “Ain’t Nobody” too; One of the best farewell singles of all time. They broke up right after it.
Katie: But it’s one of those things where if Chaka Khan is nominated again in a crop of nominees that just are on more of an equal playing field, I can see her getting in by herself because come on, it’s Chaka Khan. By ‘on an equal playing field’ I mean there aren’t some acts like Nina Simone or Radiohead which are probable gimmies.
Ryan: how about The Meters? Do you think they have a chance?
Jon: Errrrrr not really. “Cissy Strut” is great song though.
Katie: Yeeeeah, not really. Sorry Meters!
Ryan: I think they’re an act where a lot of people know the name, but can’t place any of their songs. If the JB’s, which have Maceo Parker, Clyde Stubblefield and Bootsy Collins in them, couldn’t get in, I’m not sure of the chances the Meters have.
Matt Rice: They should. But if Chaka can’t get in, I doubt the Meters have much of a chance.
Rage Against the Machine, The MC5 and Link Wray
Ryan Gibbs: Who haven’t we talked about yet? Ah. Rage Against the Machine, The MC5 and Link Wray. Kind of a connected lineage there, isn’t?
Jon Winkler: Indeed, but Rage is a surefire bet.
Matt Rice: I have to rep for MC5. The area I live in requires it.
Jon: I like MC5 but Rage is incredibly important.
Matt: MC5 were better and more radical.
Ryan: not sure if Rage is surefire this year, but they’re getting in sooner or later. Tom Morello is on the nominating committee, and in fact, I bet he played a part in MC5’s continued presence on this list.
Jon: I do agree MC5 should go in, but Rage should be inducted especially now.
Katie Gill: Poor Link Wray. I’ve got a feeling if anyone’s going to be overlooked entirely, it’s gonna be him.
Ryan: He more or less invented the power chord! For that, he should be in.
Katie: But he’s up against Radiohead, Nina Simone, and whichever classic rock band’s going to be inducted!. If they had more slots, he’d probably be in, but looking at the slots we’ve got, I’d bet against him.
Ryan: I have a feeling he’s a favorite among guitarists. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s on Pete Townshend’s ballot, for instance.
Reagan Harrison: Very true – Link Wray won’t be on the forefront of anyone’s minds though, I don’t think.
Ryan: Wray is an artist that a lot of Rock Hall watchers want in the Hall, and I’m sure the Hall wants in the Hall, and i’m sure voters want in the Hall…but he’s probably a lot of people’s sixth pick.
Our Induction Predictions
Ryan Gibbs: Who do you think gets inducted this year? (A different question from your personal picks). Last year, they inducted six artists instead of five, mind.
Katie Gill: Radiohead. Nina Simone. Rage. Eurythmics. And, though I hate to say it, Bon Jovi. I think they’re gonna screw over metal to go for a classic rock band.
Jon Winkler: Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, Eurythmics, Judas Priest and Nina Simone. I literally see no possible reason to induct Bon Jovi now.
Katie: I got burned HARD by them inducting Journey last year, I don’t trust the hall.
Reagan Harrison: MC5, Nina Simone, Radiohead, Moody Blues, and Bon Jovi.
Matt Rice: The Moody Blues will probably get in. Steve Miller got in.
Ryan: My guesses are Radiohead, Eurythmics, Nina Simone, The Moody Blues, Bon Jovi and Dire Straits. If Nina Simone gets in through the Award of Musical Excellence, then I’m expecting a surprise for #6.
Katie: Fingers crossed for Kate Bush, I want that dumb “Wanted Dead or Alive” followed by a performance of “Babooshka” mental image.
Ryan: Will Kate Bush show up?
Katie: I doubt it. She’s SUCH a long shot, after all.
Ryan: Do you think we’ll get Tori Amos or Regina Spektor or someone else she’s influenced?
Katie: Who the heck knows. I think that nobody’s thought of Kate Bush to the point where if she does get inducted, there’s going to be so much scrambling and so many frantic phone calls because well great, we didn’t plan for this. Whereas I’m pretty sure Thom Yorke & the rest have already cleared their schedules for the day.
Ryan: I think her chances lay in the fact that a lot of critics who have ballots love her.
Jon: I’m torn on my sixth pick, but I guess The Zombies might be the “old guard” pick to finish out the classic rock era of nominees.
Ryan: The Zombies are definitely a possibility, especially this year, and the hall never goes without a 60s rock band.
Reagan: I think they have a strong chance of being inducted.
Final Thoughts
Ryan Gibbs: What are your final thoughts on this year’s nominees? Do you think that this is a strong list? Or that a strong class could be inducted from it?
Katie Gill: I’ve got a feeling they’re going to do so, but please please PLEASE don’t induct just one female artist and call it a day.
Jon Winkler: more metal, dammit! But it’s nice that they’re acknowledging Radiohead which honestly i thought would not happen.
Ryan: It was always going to happen. Radiohead has been a first ballot shoein for years.
Jon: It’s gonna be so weird to associate Radiohead with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Katie:I doubt it’s going to be a line-up of all men but the women in this class are just SO GOOD that I’d hate it to be a line-up of all men plus the token lady..
Ryan: I just hope it’s not a classic rock fest + Radiohead this year.
Jon: I mean a lot of artists are slowly becoming classic rock if you think about it.
Ryan: Radiohead and Rage are the only two newly eligible artists who are on the ballot this year. Do you think any other artists who debuted in 1992 have a chance in the future? Those artists include No Doubt, Sublime, Wu Tang Clan, TLC, Hootie & The Blowfish, Mary J. Blige and Stone Temple Pilots.
Katie: I expect No Doubt to be inducted sometime in the near future. I would give up a kidney for TLC to be inducted, though.
Reagan: I hope that Hootie & The Blowfish and that TLC have a future in the Hall – although who knows, the definition of what kind of bands are let into the Hall doesn’t seem to be changing, although becoming more flexible.
Jon: I’d love to see Stone Temple Pilots go in even though its not entirely likely. Also Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.
Ryan: likewise, next year, 2018, there are several artists that pop out as possible first year nominees. They are Beck, Sheryl Crow, Outkast, Dave Matthews Band, Jeff Buckley, Snoop Dogg and Blink 182. Who do you think will wind up on that ballot?
Jon: Ooh! Beck and Outkast hopefully.
Katie: I think it’d either be Snoop or Outkast but not both.
Reagan Harrison: Beck, I think, will show up for sure – Blink 182 as well.
Jon: Snoop should definitely go in.
Ryan: You can make a whole ballot out of first year nominees that year.
Reagan: You really could.
Jon Seriously.
Ryan: I think it’s gonna be Beck, Outkast and Jeff Buckley that have the best chance to make appearances. DMB and Crow have a shot a few years down the line. Honestly, i’m expecting them to nominate Phish, who have been eligible for quite a while before they get around to DMB.
Katie: I think Phish has enough of a dedicated fanbase that we’d have a Moody Blues fanbase type of situation if they ever get on the ballot, which of course makes the sadist in me want Phish and the Moody Blues to be on the ballot the same year.
Jon: I kinda want Blink-182 to go in so we can start the discussion on which pop-punk bands should go in after.
Ryan: Now that the Moody Blues have shown up on the ballot, who is the Hall’s most glaring omission in terms of artists that have never been nominated? Is it the Monkees or it someone else?
Katie: There’s always going to be that a-hole who bring up authenticity questions if the Monkees get a nomination They played their own instruments on later records, shut uuuuuuup.
Ryan:Aside from the Monkees, the other ones that stick out are utility players like Todd Rundgren and Brian Eno that could be inducted in any category but have never shown up anywhere.
Katie: I’d love it if the B-52s ever got nominated but know in my heart it will never happen.
Ryan: And then there’s Carole King, who is in the Hall only as a songwriter, but not as an artist. I kind of the Hall thought they were good just putting her in with Gerry Goffin and didn’t feel the need to induct her a singer, which is a fallacy.
Katie: This “inducting you with a group so we don’t have to induct you as an individual” thing kicks people in the shins more often than not, i.e. Nile Rodgers
Ryan: I’d also love to see Chubby Checker pop up on a ballot sooner or later. He wants in the Hall real bad, and he’s definitely the kind of artist they’re looking for. Billboard says “The Twist” is the biggest Hot 100 chart hit ever and that has to mean something.
Reagan: It’ll be interesting to see who is inducted this year.
Katie: Yeah, we’ve got SUCH a good line-up that it could go so many ways.
.What are your thoughts on this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees? Let us know in the comments!
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