Another Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony has come and gone, and just like I did last year, I am going to list the performers who are first eligible to be nominated for next year's ceremony, as per this site. It is a really diverse list, one full of bands who I though came around much later than 1983.
- Anthrax
- Art of Noise
- Billy Bragg
- Bon Jovi
- Butthole Surfers
- Corey Hart
- Corrosion of Conformity
- Cyndi Lauper
- D.R.I.
- Dio
- Europe
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Howard Jones
- James
- K.D. Lang
- Katrina and the Waves
- Naked Raygun
- New Edition
- NOFX
- Pantera
- Paul Rogers
- Pulp
- Queensryche
- Ratt
- Run DMC
- Slayer
- The Smiths
- Social Distortion
- Stevie Ray Vaughn
- The Style Council
- Suicidal Tendencies
I never thought Pulp or James were THAT old.
Again, like last year, I will offer my top five choices for who will be on the nomination list. Not the five that will get in. Because five first year eligible artists never get in (and this might be a year were no first year nominees get inducted). Just five who will be on the 9 artist nomination list. In alphabetical order:
- Bon Jovi: Bon Jovi might fall into the "KISS" category of uber-popular bands who get no love from the journalists. I can very well see Bon Jovi fans on message board bemoaning the fact that their band was snubbed. But I think they are influential enough (From a whole bunch of hair bands that immediately followed to the country artists of today) and innovative enough ( combining metal and pop and a bit of country into something new) that they may make the nomination list at least. And the fact that they are still working today might help.
- Cyndi Lauper: You might think that she is as rock and roll as a turnip, but she is more rock and roll than Madonna and she's in. And she is a survivor who has influence artists as varied as Celine Dion and Nelly McKay.
- Run DMC: The rap pioneers seem to be a lock to get on the nomination list. But there are a lot of other rap artists who have been eligible for years ahead of them. So they might not get in. But they derseve to, if only for bridging the worlds of rap and rock.
- The Smiths: I'm sure there are people who like rock music who have never heard of the Smiths. However, they are one of the best bands to come out of England in the 80s. This is my sentimental favorite to get on the list. I hope they do.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan: He is a guitar legend who has influenced a wide variety of other axemen. And he revolutionized blues as we know. Anything with a blues twang you hear today most likely came from him. So he should be another lock for nomination.
There are a lot of legendary names in heavy metal (Anthrax), punk (NOFX), and alternative (Butthole Surfers, Social Distortion) on the eligibility list that I'm sure many people think are worthy (and they probably are) but the HOF doesn't really lend itself to those genres. Don't get me wrong, they should. But they don't.
K.D.Lang might also have a shot. I am a closet Howard Jones fan, but I think he's too poppy. He has less of a chance than Duran Duran and they are still waiting for their first nomination.
I guess we'll see later on this year.
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