Before we get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s current crop of nominees, please give me a moment to lament the lack of Warren Zevon, Joy Division / New Order, Cyndi Lauper, and Soundgarden. All of whom received tremendous fan support last year. I call bovine scatology.
That being said, dealing with the list as is, here are the 15 nominees for induction in 2024:
Mary J. Blige
Mariah Carey
Cher
Eric B. & Rakim
Foreigner
Peter Frampton
Jane’s Addiction
Kool & the Gang
Lenny Kravitz
Dave Matthews Band
Oasis
Ozzy Osbourne
Sade
Sinead O’Connor
A Tribe Called Quest
—-
Okay, that’s the list. Now, some housekeeping:
Of these 15 acts a minimum of five and a maximum of 7 will be chosen. Voters are made up of a mixture of historians, performers, and fans. The fan vote is taken first, and the top five vote getters are given one ballot each. The tally on the fan vote is public, and the act getting the most votes may not be officially assured of induction, but let’s just say, the leading fan vote-getter is going to get in. You can vote on the Rock Hall’s site, and also see where the fan vote stands at any given moment. Fan voting ends on April 26 of this year.
With that out of the way, what I will attempt to do next is give background on each artist, and tell you why I think they are or are not worthy of induction. I will grade each artist on a pass/fail basis. I either believe they should get in, or I don’t–no riding the fence. That I will close with what are sure to be incorrect predictions.
I will start with those I would vote for, and then move on to those who I would not vote for (in alphabetical order).
Here. We. Go.
YES
Mary J. Blige:
Pros: A true R&B singer whose every utterance flows from deep within. She’s sold a ton of records, had numerous hits, and has bravely and boldly put herself into all of her songs. In an era where true soul singers seem to be small in number, here be the real thing.
Cons: I know people who think she can’t sing. I sort of get that. She’s not clean and perfect, and depending on your taste, your mileage may vary. She’s what I call a “force of will singer.” The fact that she doesn’t hit every note perfectly is something she turns into an asset. Because there’s something real in the stretching, the trying, the pushing one’s self to their limits and beyond that speaks to me, and, clearly, millions of others.
I suppose there’s the argument that she’s “not rock and roll enough,” but I know of a certain Hall of Fame Irish rock band that would beg to differ. In fact, in exhibit A below of why Mary J. Blige is worthy of induction, you can practically see and hear the frontman of that Irish band taking a backseat, as if to say, “Go get it girl, it’s your song now.”
So, yes on MJB, without a second thought.
Eric B. & Rakim
While the yearly argument over whether hip-hop artists should be allowed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a tired one, let me just say that RUN-DMC was better than almost all of the rock bands they shared the airwaves with in the mid-eighties. Let me also say that next to The Clash, Public Enemy is the greatest punk rock band ever.
End sermon.
Pros:
One of the most influential hip-hop acts in the history of the medium. They were one of the first stars in the rap game to lean heavily on jazz, and speaking of heavy, their stark beats and Rakim’s formidable rhyme style weighed in with great tonnage. Their four albums are all classics that bridged the golden hip-hop age of the 80s to the commercial acceptance of the 90s.
Cons:
Just like that, in 1992, they stopped. That might make their recording resume appear thin. And I suppose that’s fair.
But If I’m going to call it one way or another on this one, I would go yes for this sole reason: In the history of the rap game, when the question of who is the greatest rapper ever is asked, Rakim’s name is the one I hear said the most, by peers and journos alike. If you’re the best ever, you get over the line.
And that’s a rap.
Know the ledge.
Jane’s Addiction:
Pros:
Their first two proper albums (Nothing’s Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual) are cornerstone recordings of the alt-rock era. They are extraordinary records that defined a time when some pretty wonderfully weird music (see their own Been Caught Stealing) somehow ended up on mainstream pop radio. Also of note, the group’s frontman Perry Farrell created Lollapalooza, one of the greatest traveling rock and roll festivals ever (if not THE greatest). Jane’s Addiction was one of the key acts on that first tour. Lollapalooza still exists today as a three-day festival in Chicago, and the turnout from year to year remains massive.
Cons:
The band broke up at the height of their popularity after only those two seminal albums. They got back together 13 years later and went on to record two more albums (Strays—pretty decent, and The Great Escape Artist—completely forgettable). So, to put it mildly, the recording resume is pretty damn thin.
At the same time, they sold a surprising number of records with their decidedly unique sound, and hey, The Sex Pistols only made one proper album, and they are in the Hall. Perhaps the best way to judge Jane’s Addiction is by influence and significance.
The Sex Pistols were inducted on the basis of one album because how much that one album mattered. While I won’t go as far as to say that either of the two Jane’s albums are on the level of importance of Never Mind the Bollocks, the fact that they made two great records and kicked off an enduring festival gets them pretty close on overall merit.
So, I say yes. But it’s tight.
As Perry Farrell sings in Mountain Song, “Everybody has their own opinion.”
This is mine.
Kool & the Gang:
Pros: There are actually two versions of Kool & the Gang and they can be broken up by pre-1978 Kool and post-1978 Kool. The pre version was largely an instrumental deep funk band that scored a number of sizable hits (Jungle Boogie—so memorably used in Pulp Fiction, and Hollywood Swingin’ were the biggest), and then the post version that brought forward a dedicated lead singer, smoothie JT Taylor.
The first version was some thumping bidness that set the dance floors on fire. The second version was lighter in sound, but full of extraordinary pop craft. People have a tendency to think of Kool & the Gang as the band with the wedding party, high school graduation, our team just won a championship song due to the ubiquitous nature of their biggest hit Celebrate. But there was so much more to them than that.
Sure, ballads like Cherish and Joanna may have been overly syrupy, but there were also the dance floor groovers like Ladies Night, Get Down On It, Tonight, Emergency, Victory, and my all-time favorite Misled, with its almost metallic guitars and smokin,’ propulsive rhythm.
People might not know this, but Kool & the Gang hit the top 40 twenty times. They sold millions of records, and every single was a relentlessly invasive earworm.
Cons: I mentioned the ballads, which might send you running for a shot of insulin, and I’m sure no one ever needs to hear Celebrate again in their life, but otherwise, why the fuck are we even talking about this? This should have already happened. No, Kool & the Gang might not have been Sly & the Family Stone, but in both of the band’s incarnations they were extremely successful and far too long overlooked.
This shouldn’t even be a discussion. A thousand times yes. Now, RnR HoF, get this done and then go do The Commodores.
Lenny Kravitz:
And here’s where it gets complicated…
Pros:
Wildly talented singer/songwriter/musician. In fact, freakishly talented in that way where he can write, produce, sing, and play all the instruments on his recordings if he chooses to do so. He’s an undeniably “rock” artist, and he’s a cool breeze of a dude (I’ve met and interviewed him). He’s sold a lot of records, had numerous hits, and he’s an ecstatic live performer.
Cons:
To put it politely, he’s not particularly original. He doesn’t just wear his influences on his sleeve, his whole outfit is covered in them. Even my favorite songs of his (and I like a lot of his output) remind you, perhaps a little too much, of someone else.
Are You Gonna Go My Way: Hendrix
Rock and Roll is Dead: Zeppelin
Stand By My Woman: John Lennon
Heaven Help: Marvin Gaye
It Ain’t Over ‘Til it’s Over: Almost any ‘70s Philly soul artist
And so on.
Lenny has been influenced by many, but has he influenced many? I’m not so sure.
That being said, I do think the pros outweigh the cons, and there’s going to come a point where if the Rock Hall wants to have “rock” artists in it, they may have to come back for him at a later date, if not now. I guess what I’m saying is he might start looking even better over time as guitars continue to disappear from the radio.
So, that leaves me in a 50/50 spot. And I’ll just go ahead and say it, I played the shit out of his records back when I was running the wrecka stow (and Prince was a fan, BTW—no small point), I saw him live multiple times, and he was a real sweetheart when I met with him.
Personal bias be damned or not, I’m going with a tentative “yes.”
Sue me.
Oasis:
Pros:
Like the Beatles, but only louder and (way) more obnoxious, Oasis took the world by storm during the early to mid-90s with a succession of remarkable singles that set a new standard for Brit-pop. They were only huge in the states for a short while (basically their first three albums) but man, what a blistering run of singles from that tryptic of records. From Live Forever to Don’t Go Away, every single song created an impossibly unavoidable sing-a-long in your head.
Cons:
Their peak (in the USA anyway) was rather brief. And did I mention the obnoxiousness? The warring Gallagher brothers (chief songwriter Noel and main lead singer Liam) were incredibly and willfully rude. They treated their fellow band members like shit (which created a revolving lineup of sidemen) and their hate for each other not only destroyed the band, but persists to this day.
But hey, if every asshole in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was given the toss, you’d be left with about ten people. Also, we should recognize that while Oasis didn’t match the starry heights here in the US that they did in Europe, the Hall of Fame is not The United States Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (even if the museum resides in Cleveland). What happens in the rest of the world matters too. And for almost a decade, Oasis was on the short list of the biggest bands in the world.
This is an easy yes for me. And for those that would say no just because they were jerks, here’s a song to maybe persuade you to reconsider.
Ozzy Osbourne:
Pros:
I mean, he isn’t already in? Okay, as a part of Black Sabbath, yes, but not as a solo artist? Shouldn’t this have already happened by now? I’m not a metal head at all, but when it comes to record sales, memorable songs, and influence, what is he missing? His early work (despite the silly album covers) is a touchstone for hard rock and heavy metal musicians. He hit a down period for a bit of time and then came back with what I consider his greatest solo album ever: No More Tears. Ozzfest was a concert festival staple, and at no point in his career did he struggle to fill an arena. Hell, I know lots of people who don’t love his genre but show him respect.
Cons:
I dunno. Maybe the fact that The Osbournes, which began as an amusing reality show, but devolved into poking fun at an addled man’s mumblings and daft musings seemed pretty exploitative at a certain point. I would not lay the blame for that at Ozzy’s feet. After all, he was the addled one.
Besides that, I got nothing. Regardless, that was TV, not music, and that’s the thing we should be talking about here.
Like I said, I’m not into metal all that much (Soundgarden is as heavy as I go—which is pretty heavy, but not full on metal), but if you are atop the mount of your genre, why are we even having this conversation?
Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes
Sade:
Pros: Sade Adu is a genre unto herself. Is she pop, is she jazz, is she R&B, is she “quiet storm,” is she “world music”? The answer to all of these questions is yes, she is all of those things while being distinctively, er, distinctive while fitting those descriptors. Rarely at any time that Sade has been active and on the radio has there been anything else like her coming through the airwaves.
She’s also sold a ton of records, had numerous hit singles, and has never made a single album of lower quality throughout her career. Her consistency is remarkable.
Cons: “She’s not rock and roll.” Okay, fine. That means neither are inductees Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, or Billie Holiday. So, go away from here with that noise.
My only personal gripe with her is that, to my knowledge, she’s never performed or recorded a version of George Michael’s Careless Whisper. A song that I consider the greatest Sade record that isn’t a Sade record.
Otherwise, my answer to the question of whether Sade deserves induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is an absolutely, positively, unqualified FUCK YES.
Sinead O’Connor:
Pros:
One of the truly greatest and most unique voices in the history of popular music (also one hell of a songwriter). Her first two albums are tip-top of the food chain greatest albums of the alt-rock era. I had the privilege to see her live once. It was at the Deer Creek Auditorium near Indianapolis. It was one of the hottest days of the year. My sweat was sweating. Then she took the stage. During her last song (the all-time best ever divorce anthem “The Last Day of Our Acquaintance”) I felt chills down my spine. In 98 degree weather that was meant for burning the top layer of flesh off your body, I was frozen to the bone. After her controversy (more on that in a second) she never recovered as a significant recording artist, despite making several excellent records after being “canceled.” And mind you, they were excellent records. However troubled she was (and she was very), she is the utter definition of punk, of fearlessness, of rock and roll.
Cons:
That SNL controversy. Which should no longer be considered a demerit. You know why? Because she was RIGHT.
Here is the obit I wrote for her when she died last year.
If you are still wondering how I would vote, you clearly need two hands and a detective to find your own ass.
A Tribe Called Quest
Pros:
When this crew broke out in the early 90s, they offered something decidedly different from the gangster rap that was dominating the charts at the time. Their sound was jazzy and innovative, and their perspective was refreshing.
Yes, they rhymed about the ills of the day, but they did so with a decidedly unique flair, one that I believe has been greatly underappreciated. They changed the language of hip-hop.
Tribe broke up in the late 90s, and had they not done another single thing, I would robustly support their nomination. But if one needs a cherry with which to top the sundae, let it be this absolute banger from their 2016 reunion album that proved to be all too brief of a reconnect.
Cons:
They only made five albums in eight years before breaking up, and only six in total. One could argue that their output was light, however remarkable.
Regardless, if “We The People” is their final statement as artists, let it be said that it was an absolutely necessary one. As necessary as this band has been for more than 30 years now.
NO
Mariah Carey
Pros:
No matter how one might feel about Carey and her music, there can be no denying that she has long been one of the most massively popular acts in the history of popular music. Her huge album sales and hits galore are statistical facts.
Of her laundry list of hit singles, I like/respect exactly four of them:
1. Vision of Love: A statement debut single that heralded the arrival of a new, wildly powerful singing voice.
2. Emotions: Breezy and fun, easy to sing along to, and other than that insanely pitched high note that sets every dog in a 12 block radius on edge, a pretty perfect pop tune.
3. We Belong Together: For my money, her best song, and one of the rare times she scraped the edge of true greatness. It was a bit of a comeback hit at the time after a fallow period on the charts, and seemed to point to a more personal and adult direction that never came.
4. Beautiful: Like Emotions, it’s just a terrific pop song. It’s billed oddly as Mariah Carey featuring Miguel despite the fact that Miguel does more work on the tune than she does, which, to my mind is to the song’s benefit (as his style and idiosyncrasies add a sexiness seldom heard on most of her songs).
I suppose if you wanted to throw in one more item of distinction, she’s probably the last person to create a new Christmas song that has become a staple of the silly season. As a person who hates Christmas music, this doesn’t do anything for me, but it’s worth recognizing the fact.
Cons:
Basically everything else. It’s shocking to think that Mariah Carey has a songwriting credit on nearly every track she’s recorded. You would think this would redound to her benefit, but the truth is so many of her records (particularly her lyrics) are devoid of anything beyond the generic and soporific. By far, most of her songs sound like they could have been written by an AI songwriting machine. Type in “write me the most basic pop tune/power ballad with a slight R&B sound for a big vocalist.”
And while it’s that big 5-octave range voice that has made her career, her penchant for throwing in unnecessary glory notes on nearly every one of her songs probably had a lot to do with the creation of American Idol. If you think that’s a good thing, then I suppose you would check the box by her name on the ballot. If you don’t, you won’t.
I don’t and I won’t.
Or rather, I wouldn’t. It ain’t like I got a vote, but if I did…NO.
Cher:
Pros:
Incredible longevity, impressive record sales, a true force on the touring circuit. I Got You Babe is an accepted classic of the ‘60s, and, at times (and yes, I know this is unrelated), she’s proven to be a very capable, even excellent actor (Moonstruck, Mask, and Silkwood come immediately to mind).
Cons:
How do I say this without sounding mean? Oh, the hell with it. Remarkable success aside, most of what she recorded isn’t very…what’s the word I’m looking for? Oh, I remember now: GOOD.
I have zero dislike for Cher. I admire her strength, persistence, and I’ve agreed with her on many of her social perspectives. In general, I think she’s been a relative force for good. But I also think she’s one of those MOST singers, not BEST singers. She has a huge voice, but far too often, she’s needed you to know how big it is, leading to many a mannered vocal on the majority of her recordings.
If there were an Entertainer Hall of Fame, I would vote for her in a heartbeat. But for this particular Hall of Fame? No sale.
To end this on a positive note, I’ve always had a soft spot for the song I’ve shared below. The tune is from Cher’s most “rock” period, and when it would come on the radio back in the day, I would crank it up—along with my car windows. You know, so nobody else would notice.
Foreigner:
Pros:
They sold a shit ton of records and had about three handfuls of hits over a white hot decade of popularity. Almost all of those hits are easy to sing along with, and they can be enjoyable to hear at a smoky pool hall after a Bud Light or six. Lead singer Lou Gramm had a legit rock and roll voice, and one of those hits was truly, genuinely great (Urgent).
Cons:
Only one of those hits was truly great. And that one truly great song (again, Urgent) was made so by the brilliant Motown saxophonist Junior Walker, who provides a scorching solo mid-song.
True story: Walker absolutely hated the song, and recorded that blistering solo in a single take and got the F out.
To be honest, I don’t mind Foreigner, but ambivalence is not an asset. I will say this, they are better than KISS, Journey, and Bon Jovi (all bottom of the barrel inductees), but that is faint praise indeed.
And besides, have you ever heard any band ever reference Foreigner as an influence? I mean, even one? If so, that’s one more than me.
So nah, hard pass. Not an angry hard pass, but still, nah, nah, nah.
Peter Frampton
Pros:
Good god, did Frampton Comes Alive sell a lot of records.
That’s about it.
Okay, no it isn’t. I don’t want to be churlish towards a guy that no one ever said a bad word about (to my knowledge) and who could play guitar well enough that David Bowie took him out on tour as his sideman. At the time it came out Frampton Comes Alive inspired a ton of young folk to pick up a guitar, and two of the hits off the album (Baby I Love Your Way and Show Me the Way—a lot of “way” action going on there) became soft rock classics.
He also had three other albums that went either gold or platinum, and a couple other hits.
Cons:
For all the records he sold (mostly of that one album), for all the skill on guitar he had, for all the wedding dances that Baby I Love Your Way still graces with its aural presence, there’s just not enough lasting influence or overall success to merit his inclusion. I’m sure in modern times, due to the ubiquity of both “Way” songs, those that might know those records probably have no idea what a quality axe man he was. I assure you, no one thinks about the guitar work on either of those tunes when they hear them at high school reunions (class of ‘76, y’all! The bicentennial!).
He was and is an excellent guitarist, a pretty good songwriter, and a hell of a nice guy who had one huge but very short-lived peak that almost no one under the age of 60 talks about anymore.
I wouldn’t vote for him, but I kind of feel bad about it because it would probably be a nice career capper/boost for a guy I have some affection for.
The best I can do is say that of his handful of hits, this is the best one, and it’s not a syrupy ballad, and it’s also pretty damn good.
Dave Matthews Band
Pros:
Matthews (let’s face it, he has a band, but we are really considering him, not “the band”) seems like an extremely nice guy. He’s had a handful of big hits, and as a touring entity, he rivals the biggest names (the Stones, U2, the Dead, etc.) in the biz.
Cons:
Never for a single moment have I ever thought of anything I’ve heard by him as anything more than pleasant, and a lot of it (Tripping Billies, for chrissakes), far below tolerable. I’ve never quite figured out the appeal. That’s not to say that I think he’s untalented—I don’t. Or that I don’t understand how he became popular—I do. What I’ve never been able to grasp is why he became SO popular.
I’m not trying to harsh anyone’s skunky weed, jam session drum circle vibe, but Matthews for me isn’t just a “no,” he’s a hard, Journey-level “no.”
But hey, not everything I don’t like is necessarily bad (although I do think Matthews is ferociously mediocre), and millions upon millions of DMB concert-goers can’t be entirely wrong, can they? I’ll let you form your own answer to that question.
Outside of his enormous success, I just don’t see what his credentials are, but enormous success is nothing to sneeze at. I won’t get in a tizzy if he gets selected, but my history of Dave Matthews popularity befuddlement will certainly add a new chapter.
—
My imaginary ballot: Were I to have a vote, my selections would be (reminder: you can only choose seven, even if you would like to vote for more):
- Ozzy Osbourne
- A Tribe Called Quest
- Sade
- Kool & the Gang
- Eric B. & Rakim
- Oasis
- Sinead O’Connor
The most painful cut: Mary J. Blige. Were there any eighth slot on the ballot, she would be on it.
Predictions:
Let me first say, I’m pretty lousy at prognosticating these things (whether it’s the Oscars, the Emmys, whatever), so take what follows with a sizable grain of salt.
If there are 5 inductees:
Dave Mattthews Band (he’s currently leading the fan vote by a notable margin with less than a month to go).
Ozzy Osbourne
Kool & the Gang
Sade
A Tribe Called Quest
If there are 6 inductees:
Dave Matthews Band
Ozzy Osbourne
Kool & the Gang
Sade
A Tribe Called Quest
Mariah Carey
If there are 7 inductees:
Dave Matthews Band
Ozzy Osbourne
Kool & the Gang
Sade
A Tribe Called Quest
Mariah Carey
Oasis (or Mary J.)
Inductees will be announced by the Hall in late April. Then debate ends, and acrimony begins. One additional comment: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes a lot of grief from music lovers over this process. I can understand the frustration with who gets selected, who gets in, and who doesn’t, but it should be said that the museum exists for more than the purpose of induction. Having been there myself, I can say with confidence that beyond induction arguments, it’s an amazing place full of fascinating ephemera. The Hall is not just about nostalgia and memorabilia, it’s also about the history of popular music. And while it may not always get the voting right (or seldom ever), the artifacts and information contained within the building more than justify its existence. It also gives people a reason to go to fucking Cleveland. Hey, since LeBron left, “the mistake on the lake” can use all the help it can get.
Reel Reframe 