I remember thinking Traffic was a stretch. It just seemed to me that there had to be regular good groups who would make up the infantry and not be in it. And they seemed like that. But they def belong in hindsight considering the way it’s gone.
I think the Monkees are great. I got no problem with it. But the 24 hour news cycle would have a field day and make fun of it to no end.
Todd Rundgren is way overdue.
Journey, Yes, ELO don’t really surprise me. There have to be more 70s and 80s acts selected going forward. They’ve picked the 60s close to dry, although there are a lot of R&B acts that should qualify.
But I view the institution as a marketing wank-fest, really, rather than something that should be taken seriously. Kind of like a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, except the inductees aren’t buying their way in. Nice excuse to have a party and a concert and get some publicity. Maybe sell some more records.
It bugs me that there seem to be different criteria applied to different acts, like if you are a baby boomer darling, no questions asked, you’re in.
I was serious about Pat Boone. Yes, I know most of his music was lame, but he WAS the second biggest rock star of his time, after Elvis. And he was the guy who introduced rock and roll to millions of kids.
He sucked, no doubt. But he might belong in the Hall of Fame anyway.
Weird Al really needs to get in.
Sure, right after he gets the Superbowl Halftime invite.
Will be interesting to see who shows up for the Yes induction.
Yeah, that’s long overdue.
I suspect the RRHOF people are afraid of how someone will feel if they see themselves as snubbed for Weird Al. Many artists, of course, would say “But of course he should go in; please, Mr. Yankovic, you first” - to many of them, the call from Weird Al asking permission to parody their song is a tremendous honor - but many, especially if they’re too old to have been parodied by him or grow up with his music, might not.
Problem #2 is how do you know Weird Al should be in? If you take a really easy case, you can build an argument around one of four basic elements:
For really obvious RRHOF choices like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc, they are clear cut winners in all four categories. It seems to be you should be very strong in at least two. I’m not sure Supertramp had a lot of lasting influence on music but they sold eighty million albums and to this day are first rate musicians.
How does Weird Al rank?
In terms of popular success, Weird Al has sold, depending on what source you believe, around fifteen to twenty million albums, which is an impressive number but would not rank him among the 200 best selling artists of all time. He has one #1 album (Mandatory Fun.) By way of comparison, Journey, just indicted have sold at least 70 million albums. There are many, many artists who’ve sold more records who aren’t in the RRHOF.
In terms of everything else I have no idea how to rank him.
There is really no one LIKE Weird Al Yankovic. If you asked me “should Pearl Jam by in the RRHOF” the first place I go to is to compare them with rock bands of the same time and place and type, and I come away thinking “yeah, obviously.” If you asked me if Cathy Dennis should be in the RRHOF I’d have to say no, considering her short career as an artist; even giving her credit for later songwriting success she just didn’t do enough as compared to other pop acts of the late 80s and early 90s. As a songwriter, you have to put in Diane Warren and a lot of other people before you put in Cathy Dennis. As a performer she’s behind a hundred acts, at least.
But who do you compare Weird Al Yankovic to? Other artists get a parody or joke song on the charts now and then but then they vanish. In the world of parody/pastiche popular music… well, let’s be honest, it’s Weird Al Yankovic and a lot of shitty Youtube videos. He has no real competition. There is no comparison. IS he a part of rock and roll or is he outside it, a figure unto his own?
Since Joan Baez just got in, yes. 
While influence can be a factor, how many musicians are truly influential? You won’t have a Hall, just a small Room.
I think it’s mostly 1&2. Within his own niche, he’s enormously successful and a very long career on top of that.
And the fact he can write good music in the style of a wide variety of artists while writing multi-layered lyrics is quite an accomplishment.
Really, on #2, it should be Al and his band.
Off the top of my head, I can probably get to about a hundred acts I’d consider influential. I don’t think it would be that hard to do.
Rick Wakeman has said flat-out that he wants no part of it. Chris Squire’s dead. I can’t imagine Bill Bruford being interested in the slightest. There’s enough bad blood between Steve Howe and Jon Anderson that getting them on the same stage seems unlikely, but maybe they can kiss and make up for the event. Trevor Rabin and Alan White will most likely show up, and I expect Tony Kaye would be willing. If the band performs at the ceremony, it will most likely involve non-inducted members from the current lineup: Billy Sherwood, Geoff Downes, possibly even Jon Davison and the drummer who depped for Alan White on the last tour.
The most glaring omission from the HoF is Iron Maiden.
There’s a ton of European UK artists who are eligible but have been ignored to date
Slade
Kate Bush
Kraftwerk
The Smiths
They were nominated this year. Didn’t make the cut, but not ignored.
’
It took Rush 10 years to get in. They should have been in the first year they were eligible. Same with Yes. Yes was eligible starting in 1994 if I understand the rules correctly (25 years after the first album).
The eligibility guidelines are:
Rush and Yes influenced tons of musicians. Talent wise, both bands are hard to beat. They both sold tons of records and sold out tours. They didn’t get in because Wenner didn’t like 'em. Hell, Rush didn’t get on the cover of Rolling Stone until 2015 which is amazing considering the length of their career, the number or artists they influenced and the number of tickets they sold.
buddha_david, about Bon Jovi/sales and rock and roll rankings. I would call Led Zepplin and AC/DC unquestionably rock and roll and they sold more that Bon Jovi.
Slee
Yeah, but the steroid use has really hurt his candidacy.
I’m on my phone so I can’t search for it now, but when Bon Jovi was nominated, I started a thread did my best to present their case; I think (a) they have a very good case; and (b) that I didn’t do too bad a job presenting it.
Full disclosure: I’m from Jersey and didn’t miss a headlining Bon Jovi tour from “Slippery” until “The Circle.”
Journey is in, but not Toto? That comparison works for nearly every crappy rock band.
That’s a trip. Definitely a decision that will dog the selectors.
Led Zep and AC/DC are already inducted. The question was which is the highest-selling band that’s not in the HoF yet.
Between those two, it’s a tough one. I’d probably actually go Journey over Toto there.
D’OH. Need to read for comprehension…
fer Christ’s sake, induct the Moody Blues before they are all dead. Influential, sold records like crazy for decades. And… produced a lot of awesome music.