ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Previous nominations: 0
Essential songs: “10538 Overture” (1972), “Livin’ Thing” (1976), “Mr. Blue Sky” (1977), “Don’t Bring Me Down” (1979)
Matt Rice: They’re fine.
Jon Winkler: Basically the sound of The Beatles if Paul was the sole leader and Artistic voice of the band. But they’re occasionally corny and not entirely essential. Though they have good songs.
Ryan Gibbs: ELO are another one of my favorite bands on the nomination list.
Matt Rice: I wish The Move was getting in, since “Do Ya” is one of my favorite songs.
Jon Winkler: Jeff Lynne is a helluva producer.
Reagan Harrison: Definitely one of the more well-known bands, which people would typically think would be inducted.
Jon Winkler: They’ve very beloved of the AOR generation.
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Ryan Gibbs: I have no idea what took them so long. Out of all of the AOR bands, they’ve always seemed to be one of the most respected. Especially Jeff Lynne.
Jon Winkler: He’s like Nile Rodgers, he has all the right connections.
Ryan Gibbs: He’s the only Travelling Wilbury not in the Hall yet. I think they have a good shot of getting in.
Jon Winkler: Right.
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Ryan Gibbs: Of note:, the Rock Hall announced the members who would be inducted in advance this year for the first time ever, and only four people will be inducted if ELO gets in: Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan, Richard Tandy and Roy Wood. Tellingly, none of the string musicians that made ELO’s sound so unique
Jon Winkler: Probably a safe choice for the inductees.
Reagan Harrison: I think they’re a good contender.
Ryan Gibbs: Yeah, I think they’re a likely inductee.
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Jon Winkler: I bet Tom Petty will induct then.
JANE’S ADDICTION
Previous nominations: 0
Essential songs: “Jane Says” (1988), “Mountain Song” (1988), “Stop!” (1990), “Been Caught Stealing” (1990)
Jon Winkler: Hugely influential, especially if the Hall wants to acknowledge alternative.
Reagan Harrison: Super stoked about this. Apparently Perry Farrell learned about their nomination from Dave Grohl.
Jon Winkler: They’re incredible live, made two iconic records, and expanded what ’80s rock could be.
Matt Rice: I like them a lot. I saw them live at Lollapalooza 2009. But I haven’t listened to them much in recent years.
Jon Winkler: I saw them live with Band of Skulls, Perry Farrell is an awesome frontman.
Reagan Harrison: They must be cool live.
Jon Winkler: They’re fine in recent years, good songs but wishy-washy albums.
Ryan Gibbs: I have no idea of their chances this year. Sometimes it seems that voters vote by quota: one of this kind of artist, one of that kind of artist. Pearl Jam being such a foregone conclusion probably hurts Jane’s Addiction’s chances a little.
Jon Winkler: Jane’s was the fun side of alt rock. At least musically because they have some dark lyrics. But “Been Caught Stealing” is hilarious.
Matt Rice: “Jane Says” is a devastating song.
Jon Winkler: It is. “Mountain Song” is sad too.
Matt Rice: I listened to “Mountain Song” for the first time in a while today and the bassline made me think of “I Will Possess Your Heart.”
Jon Winkler: Was Dave Navarro included when the Chili Peppers were inducted? I don’t think he was
Ryan Gibbs: He was not, but Josh Klinghoffer was and he’s the youngest ever living inductee to the Hall. I found that very strange. Least of all because a former member of Warpaint is now in the Hall, but also it felt like an induction for future endeavors. He’d just done I’m With You with them at that point and it wasn’t a huge album.
Jon Winkler: Yeah but I guess it’s whatever the trio wants. They probably barely remember when Navarro was in the band
Ryan Gibbs: Allegedly, Navarro wasn’t included because the Peppers hoped he’d get in with Jane’s Addiction.. Although double-inductions are a thing. He could have absolutely go in with the Peppers.
Jon Winkler: I think he should’ve. His guitar work was great with them. It’s not his fault that One Hot Minute wasn’t great
Ryan Gibbs: With Jane’s Addiction, it’s always interesting to see bands with such small, but highly influential, discographies be nominated. And they seemed so different from everything else coming out of LA at the time.
Jon Winkler: True.
Ryan Gibbs: Thoughts on them getting in?
Reagan Harrison: Hmmm this one’s a toughie…maybe?
Jon Winkler: I think they have a good shot.
Ryan Gibbs: I just don’t see them inducting two 90s alt rock bands in one year.
JANET JACKSON
Previous nominations: 1
Essential songs: “Nasty” (1986), “Rhythm Nation” (1989), ‘Escapade” (1989), “That’s the Way Love Goes” (1993)
Jon Winkler: Is this an obvious one?
Ryan Gibbs: In a perfect world, yes, but she didn’t get in last year either.
Reagan Harrison: I mean, I think she’s definitely worthy, It’s only the matter of whether she is voted for.
Jon Winkler: Yeah it all depends on if they vote her in.
Ryan Gibbs: She’s one of the most deserving artists on the whole ballot. She should have been in years ago, not waiting to get in on just her second nomination in 2017.
Jon Winkler: I think what makes her special is that she got to make some sonically thick records and was much more comfortable working with the times. She could handle both hard hitting and smooth R&B.
Ryan Gibbs: Rhythm Nation 1814 is one of the best R&B albums of the 80s, a decade with no shortage of great R&B albums.
Jon Winkler: It’s amazing that she had hits in the 2000s, something a certain relative did not.
Ryan Gibbs: And big ones people remember.
Jon Winkler: And that recent album Unbreakable was pretty good too.
Ryan Gibbs: It’s her best since The Velvet Rope.
Jon Winkler: Who would induct her? Imagine if they got Beyoncé to do it? I bet she would.
Reagan Harrison: That would be the best.
Ryan Gibbs: It’s gotta be Beyonce. If not her then Jimmy Jam and Teddy Riley.
Jon Winkler: I’d say she set a gold standard for modern female driven R&B stars.
Ryan Gibbs: Definitely.
Matt Rice: My thoughts on Janet were mostly the same as last year. Love her, but I still haven’t explored her stuff as much as I should.
THE J. GEILS BAND
Previous nominations: 3
Essential songs: “Must of Got Lost” (1974), “Love Stinks” (1980), “Centerfold” (1981), “Freeze Frame” (1981)
Jon Winkler: Great live act. Saw them open for Aerosmith 6 years ago and they were awesome. At Fenway no less. And Peter Wolf is an awesome frontman.
Ryan Gibbs: Their induction kind of feels like when the Baseball Hall of Fame inducts a utility journeymen. Are they on the ballot for their skill or influence or criteria or for how hard they worked?
Jon Winkler: I’d say their skill and work ethic.
Ryan Gibbs: I’ll get this out of the way now: The J Geils Band are my least favorite artist on the ballot and I’m a little annoyed they’ve been nominated again
Jon Winkler: They’ve got a good name with Aerosmith, The Stones, Eric Clapton etc.
Ryan Gibbs: I don’t think they had a standout career the way other artists of their era that aren’t here did.
Jon Winkler: No, of course not.
Ryan Gibbs: As for their chances, who knows? I mean, I didn’t think Steve Miller had a chance last year and he’s more or less in the same boat as J Geils Band are
Jon Winkler: Well, Steve Miller was more well known than J. Geils. I’d love to see J. Geils, in but I doubt it.
Ryan Gibbs: Interestingly, J. Geils is apparently no longer a performing member of the J. Geils Band. Some sort of internal dispute. I bet no one even knows that happened.
Jon Winkler: Yeah J. Geils wanted to go on the road without Peter Wolf (which is dumb as hell) and Peter sued J. Geils. So now J. is not with them but Wolf still is.
Reagan Harrison: How ironic.
Ryan Gibbs: The Hall loves reunions. They got one this year when Bun E. Carlos played with Cheap Trick for the first time in years. Maybe they’re betting on that with J. Geils.
Jon Winkler: People should check out earlier J. Geils.
Ryan Gibbs: Anything specific?
Jon Winkler: Blow Your Face Out: Live is a fantastic live album.
JOAN BAEZ
Previous nominations: 0
Essential songs: “We Shall Overcome” (1965), “Love is Just a Four Letter Word” (1969), “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (1971), “Diamonds and Rust” (1975)
Reagan Harrison: Not a huge fan. Just meh from me.
Jon Winkler: Sorry don’t know that much about her. I know she’s had a strong songwriting influence.
Ryan Gibbs: Baez is a solid choice for a folk artist, I just don’t know if she has a good chance at induction this year with all the other names on here. And there might be a lot of voters who think she’s not “rock” enough to be in the Rock Hall.
Matt Rice: Joan Baez is a weird choice. On one hand, she’s pretty forgettable, but her importance in a very HOF-friendly scene means she should have been inducted a lot earlier.
Reagan Harrison: In my opinion, it might come down to whether her songs were memorable enough for.
JOE TEX
Previous nominations: 4
Essential songs: “Hold What You’ve Got” (1964), “Skinny Legs and All” (1967), “I Gotcha” (1972), “Ain’t Gonna Bump No More” (1977)
Matt Rice: Joe Tex is great.
Ryan Gibbs: There are a lot of artists like Tex who are incredibly deserving, but don’t have the mainstream recognition to get them in a Hall that only inducts five acts a year. He’s certainly someone that Hall of Fame watchers have wanted to return to the ballot for years now
Matt Rice: Yeah. He wasn’t a master like Otis or Sam Cooke, and he also never had a song as major as “When a Man Loves a Woman.”
Reagan Harrison: His Southern roots really make him different from the rest
Matt Rice: He just had a good, solid career, but there have been so many of those in rock history.
Ryan Gibbs: It’s good to see an R&B act on here in any case. Particularly one that’s been on the ballot before
Jon Winkler: He’s got a lot of personality in his voice
Ryan Gibbs: And there are certainly less deserving acts that are in already. I’d like to see him get in, finally.
JOURNEY
Previous nominations: 0
Essential songs: “Any Way You Want It” (1980), “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981), “Open Arms” (1982), “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (1983)
Jon Winkler: I’d say yes for them
Ryan Gibbs: As huge as they were, I always assumed they were the kind of band that the Hall would never nominate. They have a good possibility of being this year’s populist inductee, which is what I felt Kiss, Rush and Chicago all were.
Matt Rice: I usually find Journey unlistenable.
Ryan Gibbs: They were kind of critical pinatas for most of their career. They’ve definitely had a bit of a resurgence, but I don’t know if they’re reputation has been rehabilitated with a lot of the people who would vote for them.
Jon Winkler: So we’re Kiss but they got in.
Ryan Gibbs: Yes, that’s a good point. Thoughts on their chances?
Jon Winkler: As popular and beloved as they are, I’d doubt it.
Matt Rice: Like I said, I can’t stand Journey. I like Steve Perry on “We Are the World.”
Reagan Harrison: Journey should definitely be up there. In fact I’m a little surprised they aren’t there sooner. Got to admit they’re a favorite of mine. Escape is sort of an iconic album in regards to 80’s rock.
Want to know our thoughts on Pearl Jam and Tupac, and who we’d pick if we had a ballot? Read on to page three!
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