And the Nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 2020 are...

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is SUCH an embarrassment. Didn't David Bowie turn it down? I hope he did. Who else has?

R1 The Sex Pistols didn't show up. Axl and Ozzy have publicly declined their inductions, too.

While all of these acts are worthy - some more than others - it feels like a really uninspiring line-up.

After they took so much heat for not nominating and inducting more women, only three of their nominees are female and Whitney is dead, so she won't casting any ballots in the future. Why not The Go-Go's, Carole King, The Marvelettes, Labelle, Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Dionne Warwick, or Tina Turner?

Also seems like they've moved on from the 60s... So The Marvelettes and Dionne might be doomed, along with Tommy James & the Shondells, The Monkees, Mary Wells, Steppenwolf, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Glen Campbell, Peter, Paul & Mary, Lesley Gore, The Shangri-Las, Link Wray, Chubby Checker, Neil Sedaka, Joe Tex, Tom Jones, Procol Harum, Paul Revere & the Raiders, and Sonny & Cher.

hahahahaha Notorious B.I.G? Pandering.

MC5.

Whitney of course...don’t care she was a complete mess, she deserves it. Depeche Mode Pat and Dave Matthews

I have great memories associated with them all.

Dave Matthews, Doobies, Chaka Kahn. And I agree - where the hell is Tina Turner's nomination???

Like John Lydon, I don't put any worth into the R&R Hall of Fame mumbo jumbo. Rich old men pitting artist against artist for votes is a shitty way to get induced into anything. Better to just make it a R&R museum. Also, once I read that Jann Wenner suppresses nominations towards musicians he and his rich friends have personal beefs with. He stepped down last year, but fuck that queen anyway.

That said, the MC5 and Kraftwerk deserve some recognition for opening the doors for punk and electronic music, respectively.

BUT, only 5 bands can pass through so assume the safe choices get picked: Whitney (obviously - big sales and dead), Dave Matthews Band (safe white guy music), Todd Rundgren (a safe legacy choice), Soundgarden (because the crusty old voters want you to know they can still rawk), and Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (because the voters needed one R&B/soul band, and Houston was always too white bread).

[quote]safe white guy music

Except it isn't.

Are you unaware of their strong African influences?

Pat, Depeche, Doobies, NIN, Kraftwerk... yes.

Whitney, though she's a name I don't usually think of as "Rock & Roll," gets in as a legacy artist.

Dave Matthews Band is awful. Worse than Bon Jovi.

R9, like Jann Wenner, thinks Graceland was high art, too.

Apparently R12 has reading comprehension issues.

Nothing in R9 said anything about DMB being high art.

Tina Turner was inducted in 1991 as part of Ike and Tina Turner. Is she eligible for nomination as a solo artist? I guess if you can have both The Jackson 5 AND Michael Jackson in the Hall of Fame, why not Ike and Tina and Tina Turner?

Yes, Tina can get in as a solo artist.

And if Janet Jackson then most definitely Tina Turner.

R9 is too dense to realize that ALL ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC IS INFLUENCED BY "STRONG AFRICAN INFLUENCES."

"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is SUCH an embarrassment. Didn't David Bowie turn it down? I hope he did."

Nope, he's in.

Yes, because all current Rock Music incorporates Penny Whistles, Rattles, harps, fiddles, flutes, and trumpets while also incorporating African Jazz rhythms into their music.

Starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

R19, you think?

Theres probably a few artists who have gotten in as a solo artist and with a band, right?

Considering that Dave Matthews is South African, it's not a surprise so much of their music is influenced by African rhythms.

It's funny that the band used to be 3/5 black and now the band is 4/6 white.

On what planet is Whitney Houston considered rock & roll? Isn't there an Easy Listening Hall of Fame that will take her?

Why hasn't Barbra Streisand been nominated yet? She's just as rock & roll as Whitney. In fact, when you consider A Star is Born, she's actually more rock & roll than her.

Are some of you unaware of what Rock and roll is and how it developed?

Here's a hint:

It came out of Country, Blues, R&B, Jazz.......

First Whitney and then Mariah!

"On what planet is Whitney Houston considered rock & roll? Isn't there an Easy Listening Hall of Fame that will take her?"

I see someone thinks rock n roll is just white guys with guitars music.

Well... "Rock n Roll" means fuck all in 2019.

Just like she who shan't be named, Whitney will be nominated for a few more years before she's inducted. If she makes it before Benatar, that should be a federal crime.

CHER!!!!! Goddammit!!

Benatar should definitely get in.

But I have trouble thinking of Whitney as rock and roll. She was predominantly a ballad singer unlike singers like Tina, Aretha or Chaka. Whitney was more of an adult contemporary star.

Why don't they just call it the Music Hall of Fame. I love Whitney Houston but she was never considered Rock & Roll, she was pop, R&B, Hip Hop, and "Adult Contemporary." Other Hall of Fames stick close to their genres, like the Country Music Hall of Fame, Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame, Hip Hop Hall of Fame, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

A lot of acts that aren't strictly "rock n roll" have been inducted. It's basically for popular music of the rock 'n' roll era.

R21, I know of one double dipper.

Well if Madonna and Janet Jackson got in and rappers have gotten in, I see no reason why Houston shouldn't. I don't think any of those should be in a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to be honest. Pat Benatar should definitely be in.

This is Rufus & Chaka Khan's 6th nomination. I'd love to know what the discrepancy is between who nominates and who votes. Several others this year are on their third or more go-rounds.

There are so many people who deserve to be up there before the Dave Matthews Band. Yes they were successful, but what did they do other than have success? It's like nominating Roxette. Maybe after you've gotten in all the people who deserve to be there might you consider the DMB, but they are not so urgently needing to be inducted that they had to be up their first year of eligibility.

Rock n roll started as black dance music......so I don't understand why people shit on dance artists like Madonna or black artists like Janet and Whitney and say they "aren't rock" but don't have any problem calling bland white guy music like Coldplay "rock"

So many people should be in before Janet Jackson. Talk about someone who ONLY has success on her side and not a single bit of innovation or talent. She got where she was because of her family and the need to clone her brother so they could get more sound-alike music to sell, the two producers who basically did everything but whispercoo for her. (And if you think this bitch wrote any of her songs, I've got a Baja Fresh franchise to sell you), and two titties- one that launched her infamy and the other than ended her career.

Does it matter that she didn't write a lot of her own songs herself? Elvis didn't.

Whitney had and has a tremendously greater impact on pop music the world over than Pat Fucking Benatar. I guess Quarterflash is next?

[quote] Maybe after you've gotten in all the people who deserve to be there might you consider the DMB

But then you get into the argument over who, "deserves," to be in there. People are always going to argue who is, "more deserving."

It's subjective.

[quote] Does it matter that she didn't write a lot of her own songs herself? Elvis didn't.

It matters when she takes writing credit, as sometimes Elvis did (or I should say Colonel Parker negotiated for him to have). Have you ever heard Dolly Parton's story about Elvis and I Will Always Love You?

But no, a singer is a singer and they need not be able to write their own songs to be brilliant at what they do. Would you call Janet a brilliant vocalist?

[quote] But then you get into the argument over who, "deserves," to be in there. People are always going to argue who is, "more deserving." It's subjective.

Yes, you're right, it is subjective. However, that particular sentence you quoted was meant in terms of acts who came before the Dave Matthews Band. If you're not going to go on quality, which *is* subjective, then upthread a poster mentioned a good two dozen acts who deserve to be in before one even considers the DMB simply because they've been eligible forever and should be in already whereas DMB only became eligible this year and there's plenty of time.

I know that, R43, but the response still holds true. You get into an argument of a dozen or so acts that came before DMB... and people can argue, no those acts don't deserve to be in there... or that there are a dozen or so acts before THOSE acts that deserve to be in there, and so forth and so on.

[quote]Whitney had and has a tremendously greater impact on pop music the world over than Pat Fucking Benatar.

It’s called ROCK and Roll Hall of Fame, not Pop Hall of Fame.

And speaking of this ceremony, it’s ridiculous that Pat Benatar has not been inducted yet. It’s a joke.

Pay no attention to R38. She queefs on every Janet thread saying the same tired, played out shit every time. Janet is part of the architecture of what created today’s pop artist and has been a pop culture stalwart since she was a kid. If not for her, many of you me faves would not even exist. ‘Nuff said.

So glad Pat Benatar has finally made the list. Since Janet just got in, I will now be throwing my votes to her, Chaka and Whitney.

R37 No, R&B was black dance music. Rock & Roll was the result of mixing R&B, Country, and a dash of black and white gospel.

Honestly, it isn't just Whitney, many of the people that are actually in the Hall shouldn't be there. Even if you think Whitney should be in the Hall it is ridiculous that she will be inducted AFTER Janet Jackson. Many are in the HofF not because they should be but because they have a name that will sell tickets to the dinner. Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, should never have been inducted. They are a legendary rap group but they were not Rock & Roll. They got in just because it was felt they needed to let in a rap group. But, they didn't need to let in a Rap group, because it is a completely different genre that arose AFTER Rock & Roll. There are numerous black performers who operated within the confines of the definition of Rock & Roll at the time. During the 1950s and 60s Rock & Roll encompassed a wide variety of music, but starting in the 1970s it contracted to cover a much narrower range of music, as R&B and Country rebounded to reestablish their clear genre identities. Then newer genres such as Disco, and Rap/hip-hop, emerged as their own separate genres.

It makes sense for Hank Williams, Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe to be in the Hall as influencers, because they came from the genres that created Rock & Roll and came before Rock & Roll. Maybe they should separate the inductees into Early influencers, actual Rock & Rollers, and those influenced by Rock & Roll.

Just because someone is nominated for the first time does that necessarily mean that's a good reason to NOT induct them?

So, The Beatles, Elvis, James Brown, The Rolling Stones, etc. should have been made to wait a few year more years to let people before them get in?

[quote] Pay no attention to [R38]. She queefs on every Janet thread saying the same tired, played out shit every time. Janet is part of the architecture of what created today’s pop artist and has been a pop culture stalwart since she was a kid. If not for her, many of you me faves would not even exist. ‘Nuff said.

You're right, Jabba. Janet has been a huge influence on today's pop music. The use of autotune to cover up whispercoo.

[quote]It’s called ROCK and Roll Hall of Fame

You people are tedious and tiresome. The Hall is for ANY artist who has been a major influence to music as a whole. It is not only for ROCK artists, genius.

R50 is a pressed lapdog who asks how high when told to jump.

[quote] Just because someone is nominated for the first time does that necessarily mean that's a good reason to NOT induct them? So, The Beatles, Elvis, James Brown, The Rolling Stones, etc. should have been made to wait a few year more years to let people before them get in?

Jesus, nobody fucking reads around here. Are you seriously comparing the Dave Matthews Band to those acts? I said there was NO URGENCY to nominate DMB in THEIR first year of eligibility. Not that NO ONE should be nominated in their first year.

Has Labelle (Nona, Patti and Sarah) been inducted yet?

R51 Then don't call it the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, call it the Music Hall of Fame.

^Don’t tell me. Take your gripes to the committee.

[quote] I know that, [R43], but the response still holds true. You get into an argument of a dozen or so acts that came before DMB... and people can argue, no those acts don't deserve to be in there... or that there are a dozen or so acts before THOSE acts that deserve to be in there, and so forth and so on.

Yes, but I had taken the notion of "quality" out of the equation in my last comment in terms of deserving. I agreed with you that quality/deserving was subjective, and if you're just going on time, then there are many people who should be in the HoF before the DMB simply by virtue of the fact that they have been around much longer (and likely influenced in some way the DMB).

[quote] [R50] is a pressed lapdog who asks how high when told to jump.

Jabba is still pressed that it took 37 years and three tries for Janet to get in when Madonna got in on her first year of eligibility.

And what part of your opinion isn't the same opinion as everyone else?

Which is exactly what the argument above was. Someone (albeit a moron) would probably have sat there and said one of those acts didn't compare to some other act that came before them.

"There are other great acts that came before the Beatles and so there was no urgency for the Beatles to get in on their first year of eligibility, they would have eventually gotten in!"

That's the type of argument you'd hear.

And let's get real, people act as though these inductions are important or really mean anything.

R46 And at least Janet has actually had rock songs (Black Cat, If, What About, Trust a Try, etc).

You have to remember that Rock & Roll over the years was a catch-all term for all types of popular music that fell under the "new sound" ushered in by Bill Haley & The Comets in 1955. You have to know how to separate "rock" from "Rock & Roll." And so many of the artists who have been inducted since the first year of the HoF were not "rock" artists, so why people are complaining about it today as though it were a new thing always boggles me. In the first two years, Sam Cooke, Hank Williams and Muddy Waters were among those inducted as performers. None of them was "rock" music.

My Name is Not Susan and I'm Every Woman aren't rock songs?

No one is going to take this joke of an organization seriously until Rock 'N Roll legend Connie Francis is inducted.

[quote] And what part of your opinion isn't the same opinion as everyone else? Which is exactly what the argument above was. Someone (albeit a moron) would probably have sat there and said one of those acts didn't compare to some other act that came before them.

Sweetheart, it's not "my opinion" that The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, and Elvis Presley were innovators and groundbreakers who shook up the world of music as was known in their time and influenced countless artists that came after them, and that their music is still played and revered by today's generation. It's fact. So yes, I think making a comparison that they are more vital than the Dave Matthews Band is not a terribly controversial or out on a limb statement.

Your argument was weak. Give it up.

[quote] My Name is Not Susan and I'm Every Woman aren't rock songs?

Actually, no they're not. That doesn't mean Whitney isn't deserving, but I think even she would look at you like you're nuts if you made that claim.

Someone desperately needs to be right.

R63, in that case, the great Chaka Khan needs to be inducted first. I love Whitney but her note-for-note remake of Chaka's song was a rather pointless cover. Ok, she sang the hell out of it and didn't fuck it up like certain other "singers" (yes, I'm talking about your non-singing ass, Mary J) did with their Chaka covers.

Meh, there is a point. An opinion IS an opinion, no matter how many others would back the claim. I guarantee that Jabba would sit there and argue that Jane is more relevant and deserves her induction more than James Brown...

And that seemed to be the point. People are always going to argue, despite popular opinion, because of their own beliefs... no matter how unhinged they are.

Exactly, but don't tell some on here that.

Obviously, R66.

Did Whitney record anything that would be considered rock or even old school soul/r&b (not counting her covers of songs like "For the Love of You" and "I'm Every Woman")?

Jabba would argue the definition of success and influence and innovation and how they're objective and therefore you can't say the Beatles and the Rolling Stones are more deserving than Janet.

Jabba would then throw in how certain accomplishments and sales and numbers mean Janet was more deserving than all of the people previously mentioned.

And then of course when others with more accomplishments, and sales and numbers are brought up... then none of those things are worth anything.

Yes, R72. I Wanna Dance with Somebody!

R74 love that song but it's pure pop.

You're sharp, R75!

Queen of the Night from the soundtrack of The Bodyguard could be considered a rock song, I guess.

[Quote] Ok, she sang the hell out of it

Not live she didn't. She ducked out of singing the bridge every damn time.

Out of that lot I've really loved Depeche Mode and Pat Benatar, although DM much more than Benatar since I was only really a super fan of Benatar around the Tropico and Best Shots era. She should definitely get in. People saying Houston was more influencal than her don't realize Benatar's role in the female rock world.

I actually wish Depeche Mode doesn't get in. The band had always been more on the alternative side of music, even though obviously being a pop band at the same time. They don't need this kind of validation.

Nice to see Judas Priest there as well. The singer is still one of the few openly gay men in the heavy rock scene, and came out already like decades ago.

David Bowie was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in1996. In 2000 he was offered a CBE by the Queen and declined it. In 2003 he was offered a knighthood and he declined that too.

Justice for Melissa Manchester!!

[quote][R46] And at least Janet has actually had rock songs (Black Cat, If, What About, Trust a Try, etc).

Precisely.

Janbot is king.

[quote]Did Whitney record anything that would be considered rock

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT (which she also co-wrote)

Queen of the Night I Am!

So Emotional has some good guitar in it

[quote]still pressed that it took 37 years

...for Madonna to get another #1 album after Like A Prayer.

R64 Connie should have been among the first to get inducted. She opened the door for female artists. She had the first rock and roll million seller by a female, and the first #1 on the Billboard Hit 100 charts. Others have also not been inducted who deservedly should have. The Hall is a joke!

Has Brenda Lee been inducted?

Pete is popular in Iowa

Oh right, Kamala. I forgot that she was there....

R89, Yes. Brenda Lee was inducted in 2002.

There are artists who were inducted like Billie Holiday, Hank Williams, and Mahalia Jackson not because they were rock & roll performers, but were "Early Influences."

Sonny & Cher. And Cher on her own. She should already be in!

Berlin with Teri Nunn deserves to be inducted before Whitney.

Waitaminute - Tina Turner is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I thought she was inducted YEARS ago. That is unbelievable.

Tina was inducted with Ike but not as a solo artist

Depeche Mode, definitely.

Pat Benatar was very influential to performers of a certain generation. I recall Janet saying something about liking Pat.

Pat Benatar was very influential to performers of a certain generation. I recall Janet saying something about liking Pat.

I figured this would be Pat Benatar’s year. It’s been mentioned for many years how she’s never been on the ballot. Janet and Stevie both mentioned in their induction speeches earlier this year that the Hall needed to be more inclusive to women. Looks like they listened.

R88 Totally agree with you. Connie's "Lipstick On Your Collar" alone, with that iconic guitar solo by George Barnes, should have been enough to guarantee that woman a place in this hall.

No Chic?

No Connie Francis?

1) Judas Priest

2) Soundgarden (R.I.P. Chris Cornell)

3) Notorious B.I.G. (R.I.P. Biggie)

4) Nine Inch Nails

5) Kraftwerk

6) Motorhead (R.I.P. Lemmy)

7) Pat Benetar

8) Thin Lizzy

9) Depeche Mode

THE REST CAN GET FUCKED!