# Who should be in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276 "2013-05-24T23:33:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/21 "2013-05-25T03:17:53Z")
Warren Zevon ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/22 "2013-05-25T03:35:15Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > The Pixies > [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](#): > > … ELO. > > I can’t stand them, but the Smiths. > Alex Chilton needs to be in the hall, either with the Box Tops or Big Star. > Lou Reed as a solo artist. > Sonic Youth. > > …Yo La Tengo… > [@BlankSlate](#): > > _Hall and Oates_ > [@gaffa](#): > > Todd Rundgren, dammit! I agree with all of these. Don’t know how I left off The Smiths and Alex Chilton/Big Star. For some reason I thought the Pixies weren’t eligible yet. I guess I’m so old it doesn’t feel like it was over 25 years ago. I loathe Chicago, but they should probably be in. Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are deserving, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/23 "2013-05-25T06:26:35Z")
Nick Cave Dead Kennedys The Saints ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/24 "2013-05-25T07:02:35Z")
Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe. Either individually or as Rockpile. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/25 "2013-05-25T07:15:15Z")
When this subject comes uo, I feel compelled to explain that voting for the Rock Hall of Fame is not fair or transparent. And ultimately, the independence of the nominating committee is destroyed by Jann Wenners veto power over them. I have no doubt that isv what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/26 "2013-05-25T16:37:50Z")
Stevie Ray Vaughn ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/27 "2013-05-25T18:37:07Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > Stevie Ray Vaughn I’m surprised he’s not in, especially since he went to the trouble of dying young. It’s impossible to take the Hall seriously, especially since a lot of the inductees never played rock. Once you let in a novelty act like The Sex Pistols, all bets are off. You might as well induct The Barron Knights and Weird Al Yankovic. If the Hall was truly for the elite, then **Astorian’s** analogy to Ron Santo and Gil Hodges would be apt. But the Hall might as well just be a history of rock music and it’s influences. So let in Journey, Kansas, Chicago, Boston, Bad Company etc. Any band that had an impact. Leave out bands like Creed. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/28 "2013-05-25T18:55:01Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I’m surprised he’s not in, especially since he went to the trouble of dying young. > > It’s impossible to take the Hall seriously, especially since a lot of the inductees never played rock. Once you let in a novelty act like The Sex Pistols, all bets are off. You might as well induct The Barron Knights and **Weird Al Yankovic.** Yes, they should damn well induct Weird Al! He’s had a career that has outlasted most of the artists that he’s parodied, as musical styles have changed he’s managed to adapt, and some of his original “style parodies” are excellent examples of their genres. Is that worthy of being in a Hall of Fame? Yes! He exemplifies the “novelty rock” genre in the same way that Stevie Ray Vaughn does Blues Rock, and he’s done it for more than 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/29 "2013-05-25T18:55:37Z")
Little Nemo beat me to it. Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe. I think individually, and then Rockpile as a group. Billy Bremner and Terry Williams were an integral part of that sound. Lowe’s contribution re: Stiff Records and producing all that great stuff should not go unnoticed either. But, alas, I’m afraid it will. UT~ ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/30 "2013-05-25T19:18:44Z")
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/31 "2013-05-25T19:58:31Z")
I’m gonna be the contrarian here and say, "Nobody - because there shouldn’t be any such thing as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It’s a ridiculously subjective thing and the list of “influential” or “groundbreaking” or “long-lasting” or “super popular” acts is HUGE. At some point why bother? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/32 "2013-05-25T20:06:54Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Yes, they should damn well induct Weird Al! > > He’s had a career that has outlasted most of the artists that he’s parodied, as musical styles have changed he’s managed to adapt, and some of his original “style parodies” are excellent examples of their genres. > > Is that worthy of being in a Hall of Fame? Yes! He exemplifies the “novelty rock” genre in the same way that Stevie Ray Vaughn does Blues Rock, and he’s done it for more than 30 years. Absolutely, and whenever some critic takes pop music too seriously they get sent to the Weird Al wing of the museum. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/33 "2013-05-26T01:55:02Z")
Johnny Rivers. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/34 "2013-05-26T04:09:05Z")
There are lots of people who should be in (many of whom eventually will be), but the whole thing is a joke until they induct KISS. They were the biggest thing in the world for a long time, and their influence has been huge (such as pretty much the entirety of rock in the 80s). If there’s only one rock band your grandmother can reliably recognize, it’s probably KISS. I’m not much of a fan of the band personally, and the last thing Gene Simmons needs is another ego stroke, but KISS should have been in the minute they were eligible. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/35 "2013-05-26T05:34:03Z")
> [@Dave\_Hartwick](#): > > And the Sex Pistols. > [@](#): > > The surviving members of the [Sex Pistols](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_Pistols), who were inducted in 2006, refused to attend the ceremony, calling the museum a “piss stain.” > **[List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame_inductees)** > > The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, established in 1983 and located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, is dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known and most influential musicians, bands, producers, and others that have in some major way influenced the music industry, particularly in the area of rock and roll. Originally, there were four categories of induction: performers, non-performers, early influences, and lifetime achievement. In 2000, "sidemen" was introduced as a categor... ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/36 "2013-05-26T05:44:37Z")
Not defending the museum, but the Sex Pistols contribution to music amounted to less than a piss stain. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/37 "2013-05-26T07:54:34Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Not defending the museum, but the Sex Pistols contribution to music amounted to less than a piss stain. I’m not sure what Duckster’s point was; the Pistols are still in the HOF, despite being together only two years. They declined to appear. I’m not even sure if it’s possible to decline to be inducted. If it is, they didn’t. Anyway, time to make fun of your opinion, Blank Slate. Here’s [allmusic.com](http://allmusic.com) on the Pistols: > [@](#): > > …changed the face of popular music… considered dangerous to the very fabric of society… countless bands in both countries were inspired… gave birth to the massive independent music underground… > **[Sex Pistols Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More... | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sex-pistols-mn0000418740)** > > Explore Sex Pistols's discography including top tracks, albums, and reviews. Learn all about Sex Pistols on AllMusic. Going to the Related tab, which lists bands considered to be similar to, influential on, or influenced by the artist in question, I see there’s 115 followers. Well, that’s nice (The Beatles have 163) but how’s the quality? Let’s see, we’ve got Souxie and the Banshees, Gang of Four, Nirvana, The Pogues, X, Misfits, Hüsker Dü, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, The Cure, U2, and INXS, to only list acts that hopefully you’ve heard of. Not bad, for a piss stain. Yes, but how does that stack up against Hall and Oates, that Philly Soul duo with great tracks like _Maneater_? Surely they’ve had a huge impact on adult contemporary or some other groovy suburbanite genre, right? It’s not like catchy pop tunes are disposable. Plus, you think they should be in the HOF, so they must be pretty good. Huh, 15 followers. Well, the quality must be awesome. OK, we’ve got Rick Astley (who should really count double because people still occasionally listen to his music, albeit unwittingly), Wham!, Bruce Hornsby (the coolest person on the list thus far, and you can really hear the echoes of “Private Eyes” in his work with the Grateful Dead), and… Michael Bolton. Oh. Damn, that’s got to suck. Messrs Hall and Oates must live with that knowledge every day of their lives. I feel terribly for them. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/38 "2013-05-26T14:34:16Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Dick Dale I honestly don’t care about things like TRRHOF, most of the punk rock bands are better off not in there, for instance. (And the day they induct Black Flag, society will have fallen.) But Dick Dale’s and Link Wray’s omission at least lets me know I’m justified in feeling this way. As long as they’re not in there, it’s an example of how clueless the place is. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/39 "2013-05-26T15:00:41Z")
How is Iron Maiden not in the Hall? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276/40 "2013-05-26T15:16:17Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > There are lots of people who should be in (many of whom eventually will be), but the whole thing is a joke until they induct KISS. They were the biggest thing in the world for a long time, and their influence has been huge (such as pretty much the entirety of rock in the 80s). If there’s only one rock band your grandmother can reliably recognize, it’s probably KISS. > > I’m not much of a fan of the band personally, and the last thing Gene Simmons needs is another ego stroke, but KISS should have been in the minute they were eligible. I _ **hate** _ Kiss, but I agree. By the same token, I love Rush, but I do not think they should have been inducted. At least not yet. The way I look at it, the nomination criteria should be based on (in order of importance) influence, originality, and talent. Kiss was very influential and original, but had little talent, while Rush is extremely talented, but not influential. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-be-in-the-rock-roll-hall-of-fame/659276.md?page=3)