Hello, once again! Seems like only yesterday - actually it was 16 months ago I did something like this, for obvious reasons of course. But, like the others I'm definitely not used to doing an inductees list in the Spring! I almost didn't even do a write-up, since I'm very much on the same page as most of the Rock Hall watchers. A lot have written them very well, stating their reasons (sometimes obvious) as well as mixing it with trivia and all. So, really...I can't compete. But here goes....
There are three that could be in line for the Clyde McPhatter award (2-time inductees). Gonna start with six predictions, and the usual "should there be a 7th..."
JAY-Z - For sure he will be a 1st ballot inductee. I've said it before, he's arguably the most influential/impacting rap/hip-hop star in the last 25 years - and maybe the biggest in the industry as a performer. Along with a straight catalog of hit albums, live shows, business interests (he's the first billionaire hip-hop musician), and connections, he can't go wrong. Oh and I don't want to leave out him being married to Beyoncé, making them the power couple in music at the moment. As Alex Voltaire pointed out, he doesn't seem to be enthused or excited about getting in the Rock Hall. Still, I can picture one heck of a performance coming from him if there was an induction ceremony (and of course if he showed up!).
TINA TURNER - I'm not going to get into why she should be inducted, or rather, why she should've been in a long time ago as a solo artist. Trivia: did you know that she attended the same high school as Chuck Berry, Arthur Ashe, Dick Gregory and Robert Guiallme?
CAROLE KING - It would be very perfect to get her in on the 50th anniversary year of her legendary album, Tapestry. And her great career as a performer. I'm sure her Kennedy Center performance from a few years ago is still fresh in the voters' heads.
DIONNE WARWICK - This is pretty much where it all stops as to where the RHWs agree on. Most of us, if not all, want Dionne in. But a lot of us are not sure (myself included) if she'll get in on her first ballot appearance. When I first saw the ballot, I knew for sure I was going to include her on my inductees list. Usually I don't keep my word on sayings like that ("I'm going to put them on my final inductee predictions list when that time comes!"). Voters may see her as a female legend who is long overdue like Carole and Tina, or they'll look at her as that "Psychic Friends" lady. Or they'll just vote for somebody who they feel is more worthy. And we all agree - this is a very competitive all-star ballot, which makes things fun yet challenging.
FELA KUTI - I'm taking a big gamble on this one. A big part of me says he's going in right away, and that's because of the huge support he's getting on the Fan Poll. Honestly, I haven't kept up real well on the polls as good as FRL and the other RHWs, and I'm well aware the DMB broke the streak last year (hopefully you know what I'm talking about 😏). I don't even know how many Rock Hall voters actually keep up with it either, but I'm thinking this kind of thing may draw more attention towards the late Fela. We'll have to see...
THE GO-GO'S - As you're probably already aware, I've definitely included a lot of women on this predictions list, and I'm very confident that these five ladies will get in now that they're on the board. As Nick pointed out, they are the most outspoken of the nominees. That could hurt them or help them. Either way, I think they have a lot of support.
-Should there be a 7th inductee-
FOO FIGHTERS - Two first-ballot inductees going in at once are rare no matter when. Unlike some of the RHWs, I don't think Dave Grohl & Co. will get in right away. Part of me says they will, part of me says they won't. In other words, I'm not so sure - so that's why I'm playing it safe, leaving them in the imaginary 7th spot. I'm actually feeling the same about Rage Against the Machine, though they've been nominated before. There's a lot of reasons that mark Dave an easy two-time inductee. Which I won't get into. The Foo Fighters are arguably the most successful post-grunge era rock band, and as somebody (forget whom) said, they are like Boyz II Men - the last great act of their genre.
There you go. Agree, disagree, don't care? Let's hear it in the comments
It's funny, it's weird and sad - that at this point the Rock Hall would be announcing the inductees for 2021. In mid-October, they probably would have announced the nominees and as always the case, us RHWs would have a fun time predicting who would go on the ballot. Well, not this year. We all are aware 2020, mainly the Covid pandemic has altered the course on things, hopefully temporarily. So things got pushed back.
So....predicting this as always was more than a challenge. Except this year, even before the pandemic there have been a lot of changes in the Rock Hall landscape. I really don't need to explain since all the Rock Hall watchers (RHWs) know, such as the installment of a new Rock Hall Foundation Chairman, which was in January of this year. John Sykes, who I admittedly knew nothing about until this all happened, has an impressive resume as far as the music business. One would think that things will change for the good as far as replacing longtime chair Jann Wenner, who of course was the target of many criticisms for several years. I'm saying this all because the ballot may look very different this year, compared to recent years. Then again, with the same Nominating Committee, things may not be different. Does this mean more people of color and more women? 2021 will be the year to find that out.
The induction ceremony, which typically takes place sometime in the spring, didn't happen for obvious reasons until last month (November). But because I'm too cheap for HBO and satellite radio, I missed out. There are some YouTube clips on the Rock Hall's channel that I still need to watch! People are already predicting if 2021 will be a sequel to 2020, with several entertainment events still being on hold. No one knows for sure, so I'm guessing that goes for the ceremony...whenever that will be. Maybe it will be back to being a main event where everyone is there, or it will be just another telecast.
I list these factors because these have kind of influenced my ballot. We all know there's a huge backlog of acts to get into the Rock Hall. Now we are into the mid-1990s, where acts that started in 1995 are now eligible. 1995 was one of my favorite years in music, and there were several great acts I heard for the first time. Alanis, DMB, Foo Fighters, the list goes on. Some of them are already eligible, but either way it's crazy that a lot of them will be waiting for years to get into the Rock Hall. On a side note, that was the year the actual Rock Hall museum opened its doors. Another reason it was a challenge to predict was it was very difficult for performers to stand out this year - again, for the obvious reasons. Some released albums, some did live webcasts or participated in such big thing, and some just interacted with fans through social media. A lot of big-name concerts were supposed to happen and it's safe to assume a lot more were going to be announced after March, but we all won't know now. I say this because I usually use this to help me predict as well.
That doesn't mean that 2020 was a drag for all of us. Back in the Spring, a lot of us RHWs got together on Zoom, as we all interacted with each other for the first time, live. We did our own kind of ballot, each submitting two acts and eventually voting on them. This was known as the Mock Nom Com project. Altogether it was cool that a lot of us who we've communicated with over the years (for some of us, over a decade!) got to be in one place at once. And a lot of us didn't know what our faces looked like or what our voices sounded like. I do hope there's sometime in the future where I can meet a lot of you in person at the Rock Hall induction ceremony or any related event. (It was very awesome to be invited, and despite of my weird predictions for our predictions ballot, I hope I get asked again next time!)
Here it is: my 2021 predictions, better late than never! Of the 16 of them, 9 (including newly-eligible) of them have never been nominated. Part of me thinks there will be more previously-nominated but I'm just taking chances here.
-Newly eligible-
Foo Fighters - Surprisingly, not a lot of my friends who I have talked music with for years have never heard of the genre "post-grunge". It actually just sounds so generic, but you gotta start somewhere I guess! This is where the Foos fall in. They are one of the leaders of this phase in music, which is ironic because the group's founder Dave Grohl was one of the leaders of grunge. Grohl is rock's greatest fanboy, living the dream, like most of us wish to. Unfortunately, what may hurt for Grohl is he's not an outsider unlike his late friend Kurt Cobain, but the fans, the music world and the Rock Hall love him that it would not shock me or any RHW the Foo Fighters will make the ballot. Not so sure about getting inducted right away, however.
Jay-Z - I don't even know where to begin, how to explain Mr. Carter's legacy, if I should. Let's just say, not putting the most successful hip-hop artist in the last 25 years would be a travesty. You have his label, sampling, critically acclaimed and best-selling albums, concerts and all, and how he shaped the music industry, and though he may have 99 problems, the Rock Hall induction won't be one.
-Nominated before-
Pat Benatar - Most of us RHWs were more than shocked she didn't get in on her first try, BUT she had a strong showing in the fan poll, so that may be a reason for the NomCom to give her another shot. Also, with John Sykes taking over the Rock Hall, that may do well for her: Benatar's cover of the Rascals' "You Better Run" was the second video to ever play on MTV. Just saying!
Kate Bush - Meg Myers covered her hit "Running Up That Hill" last year (it was arguably Bush's most successful single in the States) and it was big on Alternative radio. Her influence isn't fading anytime soon, as it goes to show.
J. Geils Band - Just a gut feeling...
Kraftwerk - Let's do this again...
Motorhead - I should be putting the Priest or MC5 here in this spot, but since Lemmy & crew finally were put on the ballot last year, I'm just gonna leave this here.
John Prine - No need to explain on this one.
Todd Rundgren - see the next one.
The Smiths - If there will be no live ceremony in 2021, it would be great and perfect to get these guys in. It's not like they will all show up anyway, right?
-Never been nominated-
The B-52's - I'm just gonna go with the others on this one. Of course, the Athens party-alternative band is overdue for the Rock Hall anyway, and it's boring without them in!
Carly Simon - Whitney was inducted recently, so a lot of us RHWs are wondering: does this open the door for Cher, Gloria and Mariah? The answer remains unknown, but as far as my predictions, I think the NomCom will venture into other female artists who have not been considered yet. Since they seem to be past the whole 60's phase, it would be perfect to start things off with Simon, who had her first hit on the charts 50 years ago.
The Go-Go's - Another act I'm definitely sticking with the others on - and for the same reasons. We all know about their legacy, and a lot of us watched the documentary that came out this year on Showtime. Unfortunately, I have yet to watch it, only because I'm too cheap for Showtime...
The Guess Who - One of those classic-rock groups and Canadian acts that should have been in several years ago; in fact, I've included them in past lists (I just don't remember at the top of my head the last time...). This is probably the only act on this list that was around during the 1960s, but they made their mark mostly in the early 1970s. I almost put Jethro Tull in this spot as "the one Classic Rock act to fill the void". And who knows, they could still be nominated. But that's what makes the whole predictions thing fun to begin with.
Kool & the Gang - Another one that should have been inducted as early as 25 years ago, but it's hard enough for R&B acts these days to even get considered. Like most RHWs, it wasn't until 9/9/2020 that I seriously was going to add them to my list. (Luckily, others have as well.) Despite of that, I still think it's a long-shot, for a lot of reasons. A lot of people know that I have compared them to Earth, Wind & Fire. What's odd is EW&F was enshrined two decades ago. But K&TG has been remembered as funk pioneers, as well as their 80s department store songs and their "Celebration" hit. On a personal note, I got to see K&TG open for Van Halen 8 years ago (yes you read that right!) Apparently, David Lee Roth was/is a huge fan, and I'm not entirely sure how he feels about the Rock Hall, but this would be a great opportunity for somebody like Diamond Dave to push for their nomination and induction.
The Pointer Sisters - I'm going to go a little overboard for these ladies, for many different reasons. I'm not going to list them all, of course, but let's just say the NomCom has been tough on people of color and women for so long. Then you also have Bonnie's passing in June of this year. While they are mostly remembered for their 80's pop hits, it should be noted that they have crossed over successfully to several genres. Actually, Nick Bambach does a better job explaining this.
George Thorogood/Destroyers - As early as February I think, I decided to let loose to my Twitter followers who my farthest "left-field pick" would be. And it was George Thorogood. I even nominated him in the RHW's "Mock Nom Com" thing. Looking back, maybe I was a little "too far-out" on that one, and I probably should have changed it. But, I'm a man of my word, and since the real NomCom has put some odd candidates on their past ballots, how can the Delaware Destroyer be any different?
-Why I didn't pick-
There were a lot that I was wanting to put on my list, including Devo and Thin Lizzy (both were nominated for the first time last year), and RATM and Jane's Addiction, but like I said the backlog is so huge it's not even funny. I couldn't include everyone!
Dionne Warwick - For those of us on Twitter, we've seen a lot of her great, sometimes witty tweets in the last month. And she turned 80, so she has more than proven to us she's still got it and she's an all-around amazing person. She should have been in a long time ago. Her niece was recently inducted. I almost put Dionne on this list for those reasons, but I'm just not seeing it yet. If a nomination were to happen, then that's totally awesome with me. She'd get in right away, and she wouldn't be the first to be inducted in their 80s.
Dave Matthews Band - Alright so why didn't I pick Dave and the crew...well, despite of their success on the fan poll last year, I think the NomCom will skip them this year just so they can focus more on snubbed acts from all time periods. That's just what I'm thinking for now. As we all know, music fans were sort of divided on DMB getting nominated and almost inducted last year. I really don't care, as for me it would've been a "get them out of the way" kind of thing, but at the same time I felt like the others: there are more deserving 90s acts that should be nominated/inducted.
Rufus/Chaka Khan - While they are all deserving, most voters didn't pick them during the four years they were nominated. Hopefully that sent a message to the NomCom, so when the time is right (whenever that will be!), it will happen but for now I think they'll put someone else from that genre in their slot.
LL Cool J - I almost put two rap acts on this list, and LL would've been that guy. But I decided to keep this list very diversified.
-Thoughts on other newly-eligible acts that debuted in 1995-
Backstreet Boys - no way, at least not until NKOTB gets in (laughs)
Ben Folds Five - one of the most intellectual-looking and sounding acts of the last 25 years has came in and out. He has a great fanbase, as well as working with big-names like Weird Al. May be a long time for him and his band.
Deftones/Incubus - Two major bands that arguably peaked in the early-to-mid 2000s during what is now called the "post-grunge" era probably will not get in for a long time.
Faithless - If there is a Dance Music Hall of Fame, or Euro-dance one, definitely.
Garbage - Butch Vig may get in as a Non-Performer in the future.
Robyn - The Swedish pop sensation was somewhat big near the late 90s, and disappeared. However, she made a great comeback in the international music world later on, especially among the American press. Last year, her 2010 European dance hit "Dancing On My Own" was #1 on Rolling Stone's Top Songs of the 2010s list. Probably will be a long while for her.
D'Angelo - another one that has gotten a lot of respect from the music press. But it's a long-shot for him.
Today was that day that all of us Rock Hall Watchers got together and took to social media, unlike many times of the year. Actually, the list was leaked by Future Rock Legends (FRL) yesterday, but I'm one that goes with the official thing. You got famous people and various who regularly criticize the institution. Us RHWs were excited, shocked, disappointed, curious, and any other word I can insert. A lot of us felt bad for those who were snubbed (first time and again), but hey it's the way the ball rolls. Of my seven predictions, I got three right (Doobies, Whitney, NIN). Let's start with the positive: I would say this is one of the most diverse classes ever. All of these acts have little to no connection with another, or so I believe. You have artists representing different genres: 80s synth-pop/industrial-alternative/hip-hop/pop diva-R&B/classic rock/glam rock. What's not to like besides the number of those inducted?
Your 2020 Inductees:
Depeche Mode-The Doobie Brothers-Whitney Houston-
Nine Inch Nails-The Notorious B.I.G.-T. Rex
Here are some observations. Some are my own, some have been by others:
- Six inductees, plus two outside the Performers category. The plus side of this is there weren't just five, like there has been in some previous years. Six is fine, but more would be awesome. I'll get into the two later on...
- Depending on how you look at it, this is the first post-60's class ever. Not a single one of these acts charted a hit or an album before 1970 in the United States. Notice the last four words - however, T. Rex (as Tyrannosaurus Rex) cracked the UK chart beginning in 1968.
- Half of the vocalists of this class are deceased. Most of us already know who, but I'll run it down anyway: Marc Bolan, lead singer of T. Rex, died in a car crash in 1977; the Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down during the spring of 1997; and Whitney Houston died in 2012. Obviously, we'll definitely have to expect great tributes from these artists that inspired so many. We're not sure who will be at the ceremony in May, but it will possibly sure bring attention to those who are not in the Rock Hall, if you know what I mean.
- Other deceased members of this class include Steve Currie and Mickey Finn of T. Rex (Bill Legend is the only surviving member of the group). Keith Knudsen and Michael Hossack are also deceased, as they will be inducted with the Doobie Brothers.
- Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails both got in on their third appearance on the ballot.
- Depeche Mode and T. Rex are the only British acts this year to be inducted.
- The Notorious B.I.G. will be the 7th rap/hip-hop act to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
- On a personal note, I have seen two of these acts live...which will automatically be added to my "Rock Hall artists/bands I've Seen" list: Nine Inch Nails in 2005, and I caught The Doobie Brothers last year when they toured with Santana. I hope I get to catch them this year on their tour with Michael McDonald returning. Which brings me to...
- I'm gonna be biased again, but it is great to see another artist from the St. Louis area inducted into the Rock Hall: Michael McDonald grew up in Ferguson, Missouri. One of my musician friends knew him well growing up and he has told me great stories about Michael. STL represent!
- Then of course, you got the negative part, which I'll get into shortly.
But first, I'll comment on the inductees:
- The Doobie Brothers. Easy prediction and rightfully inducted on their first try. Eligible for 23 years. Perfect timing, with their 50th anniversary tour, as I said in my last post. To me, this is the one act that represents the "classic rock" or "dad rock" part of the class.
- Whitney Houston. I think a lot of people really saw this one coming. (Timothy, if you are reading this, no I'm not just talking about you. LOL) I predicted her out of my "core five", just in case. But it will be a happy occasion as well as a great celebration of her long but seemingly short career, even after death.
- T. Rex. Honestly, I am kicking myself for not predicting them but I always stick to my "no regrets" thought, as at the time I thought they had so much competition on the ballot. Neil (aka "the FRL guy") reminded me and others that a lot of British inductees will vote them in, and golly they did. All of those years of patience finally paid off for old and new fans.
- The Notorious B.I.G. I've been proven wrong before several times, and this time around I've been proven wrong - twice! I didn't even predict Biggie Smalls on my Nominations list a few months ago, just because I saw him as no Tupac Shakur, plus I didn't see him getting in before a lot of other rap/hip-hop artists. But it happened. And it was an easy induction prediction for most people, except me and a few RHWs. I guess 2Pac and Biggie's legacies are similar after all, I guess I don't have a clue. But cheers. Had he been snubbed, I'm sure he would have waited several years to get inducted...but I'm glad we'll never know.
- Depeche Mode. I should have seen this one coming, as I didn't think it would be soon. (Blame the members of The Cure!) Either way, I'm glad an 80's new wave/synth-pop/alternative group is being inducted again, so I'm cool with that. I can't wait to do a tribute to them on my show when their time comes.
- Nine Inch Nails. Of all of them, I'm happy mostly for Trent Reznor. I don't know how long the NomCom would have let him stick around, but it's great that he doesn't have to wait anymore. On top of that, he will be getting enshrined in Cleveland, where be began and built his music career.
- Non-performers/Ahmet Ertegun Award: Irving Azoff and Jon Landau. I'll get to them later.
And now, for the Snubbed 2020 Nominees. This will result in negativity, here and there:
- As a lot have pointed out already, there will be no new women, as far as inductees, to vote for next year. Would have been cool to have Pat Benatar as one....
- The Fan Vote did not come into usefulness this year, for the first time ever. The Dave Matthews Band won the Rock Hall's Fan Vote, and Pat Benatar came in second. It goes without saying, nothing helped them. And I'll be the umpteenth person to say that the DMB broke the hot streak that went on for seven years.
- A lot of us were scratching our heads as far as the DMB, and we all drew our own conclusions to them. Mine was that Dave had a lot of personal connections with past inductees, who I thought would vote for him. Others saw him as a guy who shaped the music and touring industry, among other points.
- Alex Voltaire pointed out that Benatar's snub this year was probably the biggest news. I think all of us RHWs had her on our final induction predictions list. Maybe next year, Pat and Neil!
- Hard rock/metal, as a lot of us predicted, cancelled each other out. Motorhead, Judas Priest, MC5, Thin Lizzy.
- Kraftwerk, as a lot us see them as the most innovative act not in the Rock Hall, was snubbed again. This was their sixth time on the Nominations ballot, and now for (hopefully) lucky #7 next year. Pray to the spirit of your choice that they don't get inducted outside the "Performers" category.
- Same goes for MC5, as they may be nominated for the 6th time in the future.
- While a lot of us see Todd Rundgren as worthy over several people to get in the Rock Hall, he was snubbed again, not surprisingly. Maybe three times will be a charm?
- I'm gonna be honest: I know very little about Irving Azoff and Jon Landau as far as what they do in their roles behind the Rock Hall. Azoff is, of course, one of the most powerful figures in the music industry with Ticketmaster/Live Nation and all. Landau is another one of those guys who is long associated with Bruce Springsteen, and he was the head of the NomCom for a long time. As Neil from FRL pointed out, it makes the Rock Hall look bad when those two guys happen to be the Rock Hall Foundation's Board of Directors. Which brings me to....
- As everyone (including myself) has pointed out, the backlog has extended in not just the Performers section, but in the other categories as well. So many worthy candidates for Early Influence, Non-Performers, etc. But why those two, everyone keeps asking.
For now, I'll just leave it at that. It's always fun to see who will induct whom in the next three months. Not a doubt in my mind that Diddy (or whatever name he goes by now...) will induct Biggie. I'm thinking Clive Davis will induct Whitney. It's hard to say who will induct Trent Reznor and the Doobies at this point, so it's all up in the air. And what about that Singles category? (laughter inserted here)
First, the opening introductory essay:
It's very hard to believe that the second decade of the "new millennium", as we celebrated almost 20 years ago, is coming to an end. (Yes, for me, decades start in "0".) The years 2012 and 2015 all seem like yesterday, as the more we get older, the more we wonder where did all the time go and what did we really accomplish. It's also a time to think: how will this decade go down in history? The World War I decade went down as the "teens", and surprisingly, this is yet to be known that. Was there anything to celebrate? I mean, in the entertainment world as a whole, what was old was new again. Just about everything that came from our childhood and teen years became big again, as studios and toymakers wanted $$$. Social media continued to expand, as everyone and their grandmothers were on it.
In the music world, it is hard to classify what will define it. Let's just say that the music industry was nothing like it was, say, 20 years ago. In the 90s, people were buying CDs like crazy. Portable CD players were the rage. The hottest songs were being played on terrestrial radio, and sometimes on MTV. It's almost like we lived on a different planet. Then came the Internet, Napster, iTunes, blank CDs....no need to get any further. I think the big event for music was in 2011, when Spotify finally became available in the United States. This is not to say it was the first streaming service ever, but it was indeed the one with the big name. And only three other services competed with it. But Spotify spread like fire, and it arguably became the place to discover new music, as well as stream their old favorites. We're at the point where we are looking at different generations, on how we listen to our music.
The rulebook for the music industry sorta went out the window during this decade. More and more stars were discovered online-not just YouTube, but Instagram and other social media sites. Terrestrial radio was becoming more of an "old people's thing." Attention spans were getting short, so if your track was catchy it caught on just like that. If not, you were pushed to the bottom. There were talent shows on television, but seriously...who can name someone who has won The Voice? Or American Idol nowadays. The touring industry was continuing to explode, along with high prices all over. Also, the festivals were booming like no other time, but by the end of the decade, some shut down while a lot of others lost money over time. The more exposure you had, the better off you were. Forget the sales. Streams and viewcounts were where it was at. And still are. Oh yeah, and record labels were becoming less legit. Just ask Chance the Rapper, who will be headlining a major tour next year.
Genre-wise, I think it is safe to say that several subgenres, old and new, had their fair share. Everyone had to be different and stand out. I mean, sure, in the rock music world, no one really stood out, unless you were corporate giants like Imagine Dragons and Twenty One Pilots. If you were more indie, you sold a lot of tickets and more vinyl. In the country music world, you had traditionalists like Kacey Musgraves and Chris Stapleton, while you had "bro-country" like Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan. A lot of classic artists from the 1960s and 1970s, such as Van Morrison, Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen were still putting out albums. But only their true fans listened. I'll admit it, I did not listen to any of them. There was just too much thrown at us, that it was difficult for me to keep up! I'm sure there are a few songs that may show up in a revised version of this list several years from now, but I'll let time pass in the meantime.
My nephew, A.J., asked me to compile a list of my favorite songs from the 2010-19 decade. To say this was a monumental task is putting it lightly! But I had fun doing it. It was sort of easy in a way, as I looked through all of my Spotify playlists to see what I had "saved" over the years. I also had to look at some other lists, just in case there were those that I forgot about. These were songs that never got old, and I believe never will. Maybe I'll still be listening to them 20 years from now, who knows. Looking at the list, you'll probably figure out that a lot of my favorites were songs that were more upbeat, positive, or just plain catchy. I included a lot of hits, as in those which have cracked the Billboard Hot 100, then you'll find some songs you've probably never heard of. Songs that were not big in the United States, but overseas. Or just album tracks.
Before reading the list:
(1)I just wanna say that I tried to keep this list as eclectic as possible. As in, no genre has been ruled out. Country, electronic, Top 40, rap, alternative...it's all here.
(2)I also wanted to make this as different as I can. If you look at other similar lists, most of them made it a priority to include at least one song by Adele and Gaga. Not me. Not that I have anything against them, you know.
(3)Artists/groups/acts get only one listing. I would love to include multiple songs by Kanye, Posty or Kendrick, but that would just not be fair.
(4)Prepare yourself to be bored from my concert stories, as some of these acts I have seen live. (No, I'm not really being biased on that kind of thing!)
Finally, the list:
1. "24K Magic" - Bruno Mars
It's very fitting that I put one of the most successful popstars of the 2010s at the top of my list. And it's funny, because, Bruno Mars is someone who I want to hate. Nothing controversial about him, he's the good guy who sings and happens to smoke cigarettes. It almost seems like he didn't pay his dues because he was an instant star and continued to be. No famous talent show contest that he participated in or anything. But he did, indeed, pay his dues, from his days as an Elvis impersonator in Hawaii (when he was 5, he appeared on the Arsenio Hall Show). I remember he played at a trashy nightclub outside St. Louis, and just two years after he played to a sold-out crowd at the Enterprise Center. Keep making those hits, Bruno.
2. "Wake Me Up" - Avicii
Avicii (pronounced uh-vee-chee)'s life was tragic, unbeknownst to some but he still put out some high-energy tunes including this one, which to me will never get old.
3. "Midnight City" - M83
At first I thought M83 was one person, but it's actually a band. Or a group, whatever you want to call it. Another high-energy song with the saxophone. Be sure to catch the viral video with Bill Clinton (from an earlier Arsenio Hall clip) playing the sax during the break!
4. "Roses" - The Chainsmokers feat. Rozes
This one's a real chill song. The song is named after its featured artist, whose real name is Elizabeth Mencel. I'm not sure what it is with DJ acts like the Chainsmokers who know which vocals match with the perfect tune. The Chainsmokers have put out some other great tunes, including the spoken-word electronic recording "#Selfie". I saw them (minus their featured artists) at Bonnaroo 2016, but I was "way in the back" that it almost was more of a light show than anything.
5. "Good Feeling" - Flo Rida
Another great banger. And it has Etta James!
6. "Make It Bun Dem" - Skrillex & Damian Marley
Do reggae and wub-wub-wub dubstep go together? This track proves it. Nothing better than having the son of a late music legend and a guy who seemingly ruled electronica for a time come together for this awesome song. People can't believe it that I've actually seen these two perform it live together at Bonnaroo '14. Wish I had pics and video, but if you were there, you knew it was dark and clouds of smoke were frequent.
7. "Congratulations" - Post Malone feat. Quavo (2016)
Choosing one Posty song is tough. He put out a lot of great jams in the last four years and it wasn't until 2017 he caught my attention. I hardly knew who he was when he performed at Bonnaroo '16. He was on the small stage, and me and my festival bud Paul saw Two Door Cinema Club while he was playing. Not surprisingly, Post Malone headlined Roo this year. I know I'll catch him live someday, maybe if I shell out some dough on Stubhub for February when he comes to St. Louis...
9. "Hotline Bling" - Drake
I'll admit it, I did watch some Degrassi: The Next Generation 15 years ago. Little would I or anyone know that the kid who played Jimmy would go on to be one of the biggest stars in music of the 21st century. He has put out a lot of catchy tunes, and "Hotline Bling", which should be considered a novelty song (laughs) because of its use of outdated words (cell phone, bling). But this one, among some of his others, will never get old.
10. "High Horse" - Kacey Musgraves
I've told the story to so many people on how I met Kacey Musgraves and got to chat with her. This was at Bonnaroo '13, and she was with a few of her friends while waiting for Tom Petty (the closing headliner) to come on. She had played at a small stage that day, and I had heard of her, but was very unfamiliar with her status in music. But she was very nice to me, and appreciative that I requested a photo with her. I'm glad she's getting the fame she deserves, and I'm also glad she did not take the mainstream route. For any celebrity that gives me the time of day as long as possible, Kacey deserves a spot in my Top 10. Here's to many more years for a future legend.
11. "Swimming Pools (Drank)" - Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick is one of the artists on this list that it was impossible to find one track to pick as their best. Prince once called him "the most important artist in hip-hop today", a year before his death. I think we can all agree on that one.
12. "Colors" - Beck
I'm old enough to remember a time when Beck was considered a one-hit wonder. But he came back with Odelay in '96, and he's come a long way from there. He's won so many awards, radio and the fans still love him, and already been cheated out of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame first (and second) ballot nomination. I finally got a chance to see him perform live this year (back in July), and he's got something in him that connects to Gen X and millennials.
13. "Mr. Saxobeat" - Alexandra Stan
Stan is a superstar in Romania (over a dozen hits), where she is from, but unfortunately in the United States she is a one-hit wonder. No matter, "Saxobeat" is a Eurodance tune that I consider underrated (though I'm glad it wasn't as mainstream) and it's always an upbeat song to psych you up. For the longest time, saxophones were missing in pop hits and I'm glad this one was able to help bring it back.
14. "I Follow Rivers (The Magician remix)" - Lykke Li
You'll be seeing some foreign dance acts on here, including Swedish singer Lykke Li. This song hardly made a dent in the United States (ironically, not even in the UK), but it reached #1 in seven European countries. I highly recommend this remix, though its been remixed by several others including Tyler the Creator.
15. "Kangaroo Court" - Capital Cities In a Tidal Wave of Mystery is one of my favorites of the 2010s decade, and I'll admit it: I didn't devote a lot of time to that many albums. Capital Cities seemed to have the right formula for a great album which contained a lot of catchy songs. It was a tough decision on deciding the song that represents the group in this slot.
16. "Stylo" - Gorillaz & Bobby Womack
One of music's oddest pairings was the idea of Damon Albarn, the man behind Gorillaz (and Blur). He reportedly told Womack to just start singing what was on his mind, and it somehow all came together. Another odd thing was both Albarn and Womack were playing at Bonnaroo 2014...at the same time! Well, not exactly, they were on different stages but their sets overlapped each others bigtime. I did catch Womack's set, which turned out to be his final public performance (he died nearly two weeks later). This is one of my chill tunes.
17. "Talking Body (Gryffin Remix)" - Tove Lo
This is another song that was "saved by the remix", at least to me.
18. "Meet Me In The Woods" - Lord Huron
As much as I tried to get into a lot of the alternative wave of the 2010s, I mostly focused on acts that were playing at major festivals. That's where Lord Huron came in. I listened to them on Spotify before I were to see them at LouFest, and I was blown away. The next year, I saw them at Bonnaroo. Saw them for the third time last year. The band nearly went mainstream when they sang the theme from the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why.
19. "N****s In Paris " - Jay-Z & Kanye West
Asking me what my favorite Kanye track in the 2010s is, is like asking me my favorite Elvis song is from the 50s, or the Beatles from the 60s - okay, maybe I won't go that far. Kanye has continued to put out good albums all through the decade, be it "Fantasy", Yeezus, or his recent gospel album. Sure, there were times when I thought he was a lunatic, even after his 2014 Bonnaroo performance, but at the end of the day - it all comes down to his genius. When you have Sir Paul comparing him to John Lennon, you know that's a big deal. Anyway, I just decided to put a song with him and Jay-Z on it.
20. "Cocoon" - Milky Chance
I knew that Milky Chance was a top attraction on the festival and touring circuit, but I still haven't seen them yet. At least the German duo has a cool, catchy tune to accompany them.
21. "This Girl" - Kungz vs. Cookin' on 3 Burners
I'm not sure why this is always the case, perhaps because Americans have a weird taste in music compared to Europeans and the rest of the world....but usually if a song is a worldwide hit (as in, making the Top 10 or #1 in several countries), it hardly cracks the Top 20 or even the chart at all in the States! This catchy, simple house tune could have been a smash here. I'll be fair though: it did make the Hot 100, the Hot Adult Top 40, the Hot Alternative Songs, as well as the Hot Dance Songs charts in the US. I'm actually kind of glad it really wasn't an overplayed song, but still....
22. "Easy" - Real Estate
For real - I thought this song came from the 1980s. I was like, "how did I miss this one?!". As it turns out this was only from 2012, from a New Jersey alternative band. The song sounds like it could have been done by The Cure, the Jesus & Mary Chain or the Ocean Blue.
23. "Riptide" - Vance Joy
I'll admit that I'm not much of a fan of today's singer-songwriters, as a lot of them kind of sound the same to me. Joy's song is an exception, as he managed to make this one very catchy. I did not realize that this song took two years to become a hit in America, as it was first released in 2013. Joy remains one of my "Bonnaroo regrets" as I did not know who he was at the time he played at Bonnaroo 2014.
24. "For The First Time" - Darius Rucker
It doesn't take a genius to know that Rucker had come a long way since his Hootie days, and it made perfect sense this year that he reunited and toured with his old band. But he's become a name of his own, selling out for the Country crowds. He's put out a lot of great tunes in his career, and this is one of my favorites. This is a question we should be asking ourselves each day: "When was the last time, you did something for the first time?"
25. "No Type" - Rae Sremmurd
I didn't discover this song at the time it was popular. In fact, I didn't know who they were until 2016, when one of my radio friends got tickets to their show in St. Louis. It was sold out, and I was actually attending a show next door to the venue to see Saint Motel. I recall seeing all of these half-naked college-age girls in a long line, waiting to see the duo. If I remember correctly, one of the guys (maybe it was Swae Lee) came out and everyone screamed. Needless to say, this got my attention. It wasn't too late to discover them, as they would eventually top the charts later that year with "Black Beatles". For those that are still wondering the origins of their unusual name, put the words backwards.
26. "Call It What You Want" - Foster the People
It's impossible for me to choose my favorite song of their Torches album, which was one of my favorites for a long time. "Helena Beat" and "Life on the Nickel" are others I dig as well. "Pumped Up Kicks" was way overplayed. And I will admit that I wasn't really into their follow-ups after Torches. Still, I would love to see this band live sometime. I'm sure it's a great experience.
27. "Tonight Is The Night" - Outasight
Outasight, which is actually one guy, goes down in history for me as the first artist I've discovered on Spotify. Within a month I started to join the service in 2012, I heard his radio ads on there and checked him out - and this was the song that got me hooked. It's a great pop song for its time. Unfortunately, Outasight may go down as a one-hit wonder. But hey, one-hit wonders rock too.
28. "Howlin' For You" - The Black Keys
Back in 2012, it seemed like I was jumping on board as the Keys were getting very popular. I wasn't aware at the time that they had been putting out albums for years. But, this is an example of a classic story about a musical act that has worked hard to pay their dues to finally reach the top of the charts, as well as headliner status. One time at Bonnaroo, I was chatting with a group of guys from Akron. They asked me, "Who are the 3 biggest acts from our city?". I immediately responded: The Pretenders, Devo and the Black Keys. They were stunned. lol
29. "Delirious (Boneless)" - Steve Aoki
Is Steve Aoki the (neon) future? Only time will tell. One thing's for sure: the genre he represents is showing no signs of slowing down. I've been to one of his shows, and it was all high energy. I felt like I was the oldest person there! Then again, Aoki is four years older than me.
30. "S.O.B." - Nathaniel Rateliff & ......
The best bar karaoke song of this decade is one from this Hermann, Missouri native. I've seen Rateliff and his band perform at two festivals, and this song they would obviously do last just so no one will leave during their set. Sadly, I haven't found anything else in his catalog catchy. But this one will continue to keep us snapping fingers.
31. "Leila" - Miami Horror
The song sounds like a Modest Mouse or a Franz Ferdinand, or hell, even a Weezer song, but it was done by an Australian group with an American city in their name. The band recently toured America (without stopping in STL of course - but if they do, I'll be sure to catch them).
32. "I Can Change" - LCD Soundsystem
Here we go again, choosing a favorite song from a great artist. I was kind of a "late bloomer" in discovering James Murphy and crew, so fittingly, it was during their return in 2016 that I gave them a full listen. I was fortunate to see them headline two festivals that year.
33. "Gone" - JR JR
This is one of those groups that I dig their music, just not their name. They called themselves Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. as a joke, but they finally decided to shorten it eventually. I was in a viral video on YouTube three years ago, titled "100 People of Dance". You can catch me for a brief moment at 2:54:
34. "Tornado" - Little Big Town
I've become a fan of this coed country group, and I got to see them live last year. They have put out great songs in the last 15 years, but this one is my favorite.
35. "Adventure of a Lifetime" - Coldplay
Coldplay is one of my favorite bands to come out since the new millennium, and I can still recall hearing "Yellow" for the first time. The band is still rocking out twenty years later, putting out several good songs. For this slot, it was tough for me to decide between "Something Just Like This", "Major Minus", "Paradise" and many others. I still need to see them live! It will happen.
36. "Awkward" - San Cisco
We've all been through it in relationships - things do get awkward. This song is like nothing you've possibly heard before - a girl and a boy going back and forth on who done wrong. San Cisco is an Australian indie pop group that did not have hardly any success in the States, unless you were listening to college radio. I do recall they had a gig at Lollapalooza one year.
37. "La La La" - Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith
I'll admit that I don't really care for Smith or his music. But this catchy song covers a whole lot, including vocal samples from India, liquid drum, old-school garage, and more. This is the only time where I enjoy Smith's voice, perfectly over an odd dance beat.
38. "Hello Hello" - Fickle Friends
This poppy song always plays at my workplace (at least once a day), but that doesn't mean that I'm sick of it. It almost sounds like early 80's AOR rock, or something from the 80s ladies (can't seem to think of a single one, surprisingly). But this song is a reminder about how great UK pop sounds great no matter what, even if pop radio in the US is too good to play it.
39. "The Race" - Wiz Khalifa
Here's one from a genre I wasn't quite aware about until recently: cloud rap. Cloud rap? Turns out that, according to Wikipedia, it is a combination of hazy and lo-fi sound. It also is a mixture of chillwave, trap and emo rap. They do have the "chill" part right, as this cut is one of those that gets you in that kind of mode.
40. "Burn" - Ellie Goulding
Ellie put out some good songs during the 2010s, and like I say for most of the acts on this list, this one's the best one.
41. "Lean On" - Major Lazer and Mo
Andddd....another great banger.
42. "Harmony Hall" - Vampire Weekend
I liked Vampire Weekend at the start of the decade, but then the buzz kind of slowed down and me, as well as the million fans of VW moved on...until they put out another great album this year. This is one of my favorites off of Father of the Bride.
43. "Move" - Saint Motel
One of my favorite indie/alternative groups in the last few years. Always a catchy tune they come up with. Be sure to catch them live!
44. "Geronimo" - Sheppard
It almost feels like I included several Australian acts on this list more than I should, but maybe it was for the right reasons. I do think at times that the country/continent gets underrepresented in music, and I know some people who would agree. This simple pop/rock tune almost made the Top 40 in America.
45. "Dance Macabre" - Ghost
It is sad that in today's age, rock music doesn't matter...at least according to Bob Lefsetz. The sad part is, I agree. I can't name a single song from 5FDP, Volbeat, Halestorm and all of those guys who are trying to stay alive on rock radio. Ghost, on the other hand, is one that grabbed my attention after a friend gave me some good word-of-mouth advertisement about them. Five guys, all dressed up like Satan disciples, but who sound like 70s theatre rockers. Gotta love it. I saw them open for Iron Maiden last year. This is one of my favorites from them.
46. "It Ain't My Fault" - The Brothers Osborne
Unlike a lot of country music purists, I'm open to "bro country", though the Brothers Osborne don't really fit there. Face it, without changes in that genre, it would've been boring and someone (like Garth Brooks rescued Country music in the 90s) would come along and revamp the format. Plus, everything runs its course. This is one of my favorites from the duo, which has influences in Southern rock, outlaw and neotraditional country.
47. "Senseless" - Portugal. The Man
I've been into Portugal. The Man long before they hit mainstream with "Feel It Still", and "Senseless" is one of my favorites from the Alaskan group. One of my favorite concert memories was seeing them at Bonnaroo '13, and John Gourley was wearing a hoodie (with the top on his head!) in 95 degree weather. Weird Al (who did a set later that day) jumped on stage with his accordion for a couple songs! Al and the band would later collaborate on projects including Al's remix for "Feel It Still".
48. "Shake It Out" - Florence and the Machine
British rock still lives, as long as Florence Welch keeps on rockin'. She is without question this generation's Kate Bush.
49. "Nevermind" - Dennis Lloyd
Another one of those chillax tunes, which is filed under the "deep house" and "alternative pop" categories.
50. "Old Town Road" - Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
A simple cowboy-rap song that would spend a ridiculous amount of weeks at #1 (19 weeks), breaking all kinds of chart records. This is the ultimate success story on combining country and hip-hop, as well as the genius move of recruiting Billy Ray. Yes, this song has been overplayed, but I said the same thing about MC Hammer nearly 30 years ago, and I'm back to jamming to him again. The next step:
1) Tell me your favorite songs of the last ten years. Let me know who you would have included on this list. And you can complain all you want about who I left off!
2) You can listen to all of those songs on the Spotify playlist I created: (that's right, just click on the picture!)
Like every year, this year's group of Rock Hall nominees sparked a lot of discussion, and as usual the case, a lot of controversy. I'm with the others: this one was very hard to whittle down to five, and even seven. As always, I try to put myself in the shoes of all of the voters. Of course, besides the living inductees - you also have some other people that us Rock Hall Watchers don't really know much about. Like I don't know the name of the young lady who's a "journalist" but she's younger than me...oh well. Things like that. Who would Jerry Lee Lewis and Mike Love vote for (that's assuming they turned their ballots in!)? More important, you gotta look at the newly enshrined inductees of this year. I'm talking about the surviving inducted members of Def Leppard, Roxy Music and The Cure (that's a total of 22!). I'm sure they would be eager on voting for favorites that have long awaited to get in the Hall. I look at my predictions and it's almost like a "Gen X"-type of list. But things do change over time, and as I said above, this list was hard to break down. There were two easy picks (classic rock radio favorites the Doobies and Benatar), but there were a lot of others that made this ballot very competitive. You had the usual acts that appeared on several ballots (Kraftwerk, Rufus & Chaka Khan, MC5). Plus you had some hard-rock acts that just don't stack well with some of these artists. I would just like to say that I'm with the others: they will cancel each other out. I'm not sure how many Eddie Trunk-type people will vote for every single hard-rock group, but I'm betting that a lot will have a tough time deciding on who gets in first before the other. First-timers Motorhead, Thin Lizzy and T. Rex are those kind of musical acts that I would definitely predict as a shoo-in as they are long overdue, but as I said this was a very weird ballot. Weird as in diverse but not diverse. I'm with the others saying there was not enough women or R&B favorites on here. We all hope that will change, starting next fall. But for now, we just gotta deal with the same old thing. It's a popularity contest, and we never know the real results such as vote tabulations among voters. Will voters continue to put in more acts that have now been brought to the table by the NomCom? Or will they finally induct those who have been cluttering the ballots over the years? Their call, I guess. All we really know is: more and more artists and groups waiting to get in, and the gap is getting bigger.
So, without further adieu, here are my five realistic predictions for who will be enshrined in Cleveland in May. Be sure to scroll all the way down. I also put a bonus prediction. You may or may not agree, but...that's just my gut feeling.
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS - Some acts get in at perfect timing, and the Doobies are no exception. Next year they will celebrate their 50th anniversary as a band, bringing along several past members including legendary singer Michael McDonald. 2020 will surely be a big year for them. SOUNDGARDEN - For years ever since they were eligible, people have longed for the NomCom to include them. Even after frontman Chris Cornell's death, it didn't happen. But it all seemed like they were being treated as HOFers already, with a Chris Cornell tribute at the 2018 induction ceremony. One Hall Watcher pointed out that they weren't as big as Pearl Jam and Nirvana. True, but Soundgarden and Alice in Chains make up the "Seattle grunge big four", and I'm positive Soundgarden will get in on first try - maybe not the latter. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - The DMB may be leading the Fan Vote, which to some may be good. But that's not why I'm including them on my Top 5 votegetters list. Some of us know that Dave is widely respected and has a lot of connections in the music world. Just ask the Hall inductees who posed with him on the Rolling Stone 10/14/2004 cover. Dave himself has been on the cover of the magazine five times, with or without the band. And don't forget, he is one of the top live performers of this century, having grossed the most money from 2000-2010. Of course, that will still leave people like me and the other RHWs questioning why he's deserving over many, and that's okay. It sucks that he will likely get in before a lot of other deserving 90s performers and jam-bands, but crazier things have happened as far as Rock Hall inductions. PAT BENATAR - I'm with fellow Hall Watcher Tom Lane, as this is an easy vote. Someone long-deserving, the same goes for her husband and guitarist, Neil Giraldo. Sure, she hasn't put out a lot of songs or albums that made lists, but Benatar is a true female rock icon. I can't wait to hear her talk about the little amount of female inductees the Rock Hall has. Hey, it could happen! NINE INCH NAILS - As others have pointed out, Trent Reznor has made such a name for himself with his scoring career. And I can't leave out the whole "Old Town Road" thing, in which he is credited in the song, which was given the "Musical Event of the Year" award at the recent CMA show. He'll definitely have a lot more support than usual - and that's perfect given that he started his music career in Cleveland. -Should there be a sixth...- WHITNEY HOUSTON - No matter what, people will continue to say "The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a complete sham!", so inducting Whitney will probably add more fuel to the fire for rockists. Everyone has said she is a big name (perhaps too big to overlook), and I'm sure with Janet Jackson being recently inducted this opened the door for the late Whitney Houston. She'll get a nice tribute. And she may pave the way for more divas, like Cher, Gloria Estefan...oh, and her cousin Dionne Warwick, too. -Should there be a seventh...- KRAFTWERK - I'm betting on it's going to be either them, Rufus/Chaka Khan or MC5. Eventually some of those voters will get sick of seeing them on the ballot that they'll vote for them anyway. At least that's what I hope. 😉
Lastly, I predict that Willie Nelson will be getting inducted outside the Performers category. I'm thinking the Musical Excellence Award. As we all know, there were some talks that Paul Shaffer was going to bring his name up into the September discussion. Well, Willie's name did not come up. For most people (including myself), it doesn't really matter how he gets in. Honestly, I don't see him ever getting in the "Performers" category. It seems very fitting for him since he has so much crossover appeal. Yes, most people identify him as a country legend. But he has released blues, gospel and reggae albums too. So, for that alone he should definitely get that kind of award. I am aware that the Musical Excellence category replaced "Sidemen", as it mostly focused on those that have contributed to other artists behind the scenes. I can't really picture him getting the Early Influence award, but it may happen that way too.
Just so we are clear, this is not a fantasy ballot, just my predictions. That one day in October where we will be looking through the list of what the NomCom has blended together. As for me, I always get a quick glance at it, but then I usually analyze their picks and question why they chose a certain group/artist. This is indeed the best time of the year for Rock Hall watchers, as we all post our picks, or what we predict the Nominating Committee will pick. I believe what makes it fun is the fact that no one has ever got the ballot 100% right at all, and no one probably ever will. There may be something up the NomCom's sleeves that we don't know about. Will Tom Morello put another heavy band in? Will Stevie Van Zandt push for one of his favorite 60's groups? Stuff like that. Who was gotten more attention in the last few months? Who is touring, still putting out albums? Who has been the subject of films? Who will be the ultimate left-field pick (or "WTF pick") for the year? These are the questions that are on everyone's minds every year as we pick on who will likely be selected to go on the Nominations ballot.
More importantly, will something change, like the NomCom going a different direction? Will there be more women than previous years? Will ?uestlove keep putting Chaka Khan on the ballot, or some other deserving artist? Unfortunately, I think some will stay the same. Another question is, how many acts that were never before nominated will show up on the ballot? As for me, I think this year's ballot will have more than ever, with 8. The nominations list grows, then shrinks, unpredictably every year. For numerous reasons, I'm picking 16 acts for my predictions list.
Here we go:
-Newly eligible-
Weezer - As we all know, last year there were no newly-eligible artists/groups on the ballot. There are a few candidates from 1994 that have shown up on RHW's lists (Biggie, Sheryl Crow, Daft Punk), but for me I just think it will be the band that has been fronted by Rivers Cuomo all these years. Not just a regular band, but one that has been on my radar for a while. They have a resume, that would make them an easy first-year placement on the ballot. Then again, I said the same about Beck a year ago. But rock mags (like Rolling Stone) have considered the 1996 Pinkerton album a cult classic; one that has inspired several emo/pop-punk groups. Weezer has kept pace over the years, putting out several albums, including two this year. I also think they pulled off quite a comeback in 2001, after seemingly, everyone, believed they were a has-been group. Weezer has toured over the years, gave the term "nerd rock" a new meaning, and made memorable music videos (that's assuming people still watch them!). It would be a great tribute to the late Ric Ocasek as well, since he produced three of Weezer's albums. (I doubt it will be on many of the NomCom members minds though...) So much more I can say.
That being said, I don't think they will get in on first try. I hope they do, but I just don't see it happening right away. Obviously, for the reasons stated above, I definitely see them getting nominated soon enough.
-Nominated before-
Nine Inch Nails Devo
-Because of the 2020 Induction Ceremony being in Cleveland, it would be perfect in every way to get these two at least on the ballot...and, possibly enshrined. Of course, that would be weird (if you ask me) if both got inducted at the same time, like if it was rigged or something. But you know the old saying, "things happen for a reason" or "there are no coincidences". New wave/alternative acts Depeche Mode, The Cure and the Smiths have been nominated twice, so something tells me that Devo will be among the next in this group. NIN have also been nominated twice, even though they came later than those groups. Both acts have been active in music for a long time. And as everyone is pointing out, Reznor has been given songwriting credit on, what looks to be the biggest hit of 2019: "Old Town Road". I'm sure last year's inductees will play a great part in getting those two in eventually. Same goes for the next act on my list:
Depeche Mode - No need to explain, as I'm just gonna be repeating what everyone else has said, so...moving on...
The Smiths - Actually I was going to put the Eurythmics in this slot, but I sensed something else. Though its very impossible that all four members of the Smiths will show up to the ceremony, it would make the Rock Hall look good if these guys get in, no matter what.
Rufus/Chaka Khan - It's one or the other, until they get inducted. I hope they skip a year on putting them on the ballot, but for reason I don't see it happening. (I really hope this happens soon because we need more from this genre - as well as the era, especially the ladies!)
The Meters
Kraftwerk - We don't know how many tries it will take for this innovative group to get in. It's very hard to think like this: "Black Sabbath got nominated ten times, so chill...". In this case, I can't if a lot of acts that were influenced by Kraftwerk get in before them. But that can be a great thing too, because with Thom Yorke's or Martin Gore's support or whoever...
-Never been Nominated-
Motley Crue - Like them or not, they are destined to be the next hard-rock act to be enshrined. Last year, just about everyone correctly predicted Def Leppard; needless to say, I don't see it being any different. Although for some reason, I don't see Tom Morello throwing out their name (he's usually the guy who champions that genre...). No matter. Motley Crue has been #1 on the fan kiosk at the Rock Hall museum for several months now. A lot of people won't forget how they redefined glam/hard rock, and their negative side (all four members of the classic lineup have been arrested and committed crimes, at separate times). Of course, one of the biggest documentaries to come out this year was their biographical film, The Dirt, which will probably influence the NomCom's decision. If the Crue are put on the ballot, they will easily get the #1 fan vote. Though their legal documents say they are not allowed to perform together in public, their possible Rock Hall Induction is an exception...from what I've read.
The Go-Go's - Another group getting the documentary treatment is the Go-Go's. And not just any other group, as they rightfully call themselves the "most successful all-female group of all-time". The ladies are also known for playing their own instruments and writing their own songs - and more importantly, helped define the new-wave genre and their association with 80s pop culture and MTV. They have been together on and off through the years, and they would all very likely show up for an induction ceremony, whenever that will be.
The Doobie Brothers - Just like everyone else has been saying, the whole Irving Azoff thing. No need to repeat that. Plus its another to fill the classic rock void. But what really got me thinking about the Doobies was earlier this year, them touring with Santana. To me, that was a step-up. Usually touring with a legendary act sometimes draws attention. By the way, I attended those concerts back in July and they were great. A lot of dad-rock fans will be happy to see them at the ceremony, and Michael McDonald would very likely attend.
Pat Benatar - It's gonna be tough to predict if there will be more women on the ballot in the coming years, but I sorta think the NomCom will finally listen to the complaints about the shortage of women in the Rock Hall. If we're gonna keep on the same track with radio-friendly classic-rock artists, then Benatar would surely stand out as the next true candidate. If she gets on the ballot and has not much competition, she could be the first female #1 fan vote getter. Beck - Something tells me that his name will appear on the ballot, after what didn't happen last year. I don't know who would suggest him, but let's hope he'll make the board. And no, I don't expect for him to get in on the first try.
Tommy James and the Shondells - When I compiled my "Snubs" list recently, I spent a lot of time looking into James' recent work and social media page. There was a lot I wasn't aware of, like how busy James is these days. He's playing music, touring and he's on Sirius XM. He put out an album recently, and guess who appeared on it? You got it, Stevie Van Zandt. I don't see why Van Zandt wouldn't use his influence for putting James on the ballot. The first time he would appear on a ballot would be the only time, as several would likely vote for him.
Peter Frampton - This will be my main left-field pick, or to some the "WTF" one. Comes to mind because he's doing his retirement tour this year due to health problems. So why not get him in now? Frampton would probably get in the Hall right away if he appeared on the ballot, because of his longtime presence in the music world and his work with several big-names. I am aware he's had limited success after his mega double-live album. He's also an actor at times (ironically, he appeared in my least-favorite and my most-favorite movies of all-time, Sgt. Peppers and Almost Famous, respectively.). It's a shot in the dark, but you never know.
Sonic Youth - For the last slot, it was between Sonic Youth, the Pixies and Jane's Addiction. I really don't like to compare bands, especially those three - but, they were all influential pre-grunge acts that had impact from 1985-1991. Putting the Pixies and Weezer on the same ballot would not be right, since they toured together this year. Jane's Addiction? My gut isn't telling me it's their year. So now we have Sonic Youth, which has been long overdue for a nomination. ?uestlove did say five years ago he would "fight for Sonic Youth", but it is still not known if he will keep his word.
As Casey Kasem would have probably put it, "And there you have it, the 16 acts that would likely be put on the 2020 Nominations list!"
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For the second part of this post, I'm gonna explain why I left off certain acts off my list:
The Notorious B.I.G.- It's very easy to compare him to 2Pac, but I just think 2Pac has had more influence and impact on rap/hip-hop culture then a lot, including Biggie Smalls. Both were shot and killed, in their mid-20s, in a 9-month period. Both died at the height of their popularity. Both had posthumous #1 singles and albums, and released plenty of music after their deaths until there was a time for someone to break away from the vaults. Both represented their side in the so-called hip-hop "East/West Coast" wars. Both had successful movies (well, to a certain level) made about their lives. 2Pac acted in movies; Biggie acted in an episode of "Martin". Pac has sold 75 million records so far, Biggie is at 17 million. We could go on for awhile just debating on who was better than whom. It's almost like comparing Lincoln to Kennedy.
When I visited the actual Rock Hall museum a year ago, I saw plenty of hip-hop memorabilia, including actual 45 RPM records owned by Biggie Smalls (I think they were donated by a family member?), so maybe that's a sure sign he could get in right away. Or as I type this, I see there is a short documentary thing on Amazon coming real soon, and some new online articles about him. I do think B.I.G. will get in, but not nominated right away.
Todd Rundgren - Like everyone else said, Rundgren was the most surprising that didn't get inducted last year on first try. His comments will probably sit him out for a year; hell, who knows.
Oasis - Maybe, I don't really wanna know...Oasis was one of those British alternative-rock groups
from the 90's that temporarily replaced grunge. As most of us know, they were a bigger sensation in the UK, and while Americans dug their music for a short time (I'm sensing that "Wonderwall", obviously a George Harrison ripoff song, is becoming a classic tune for my millennial generation...) they were nobodies again by the end of the millennium. Those who read the rock press knew the Gallagher brothers were @$$holes, or at least that kind of image. What's the Story, Morning Glory? and Definitely Maybe have been hailed as memorable albums of the 90s. Let's be honest here, it'll take longer than one would think to get Oasis in the Rock Hall. Maybe a nomination will pop up in the next few years, but for me they will be automatically getting in line with the other snubbed alternative-rock bands.
Daft Punk - This group has been on fire for many years now, and I always believed Daft Punk's career paralleled itself to the genre that they tried to re-define: disco. Started out as underground, or indie - and then at a certain point, all mainstream. Not bad for a French duo. It would be silly to put this electronic act in before or at the same time as Kraftwerk. Well, same goes for all the other electronica groups, but yeah...I could be proven wrong in the next two years.
Eddie Money - (probably the only time you'll ever see his name lined up with Daft Punk's) It's not so often that a famous rocker dies before the meeting of the Nomination Committee. Let's all be real - his chances of getting in the Rock Hall are about the same as Loverboy's. Yeah, he's got plenty of radio hits, just not a RH-worthy career. Unless of course he's suddenly #1 on the kiosks...
More Black/A-A artists - I really wanted to put Lionel Richie/Commodores, Kool and the Gang and the Clovers on here - but as from a realistical standpoint, it's probably not happening. It has been four years since the Spinners last appeared on a ballot, and five since War and the Marvelettes could have been inducted. Very little wonder why all the Rock Hall watchers are like, "Why stop there...". Of course, I can't speak for all of them, but I know they all probably want answers on why there hasn't been that many R&B/funk/soul acts inducted in the last decade. Then you have rappers such as LL Cool J, who has made a few trips onto the ballot but seemingly, the voters aren't interested. That or he has had strong competition. Even a Kennedy Center Honor hasn't helped Mr. Smith. Will it be another year of seeing the Meters and Rufus/Chaka Khan on the Nominations list? Or would it be great logic to put critically-acclaimed hip-hop acts De La Soul or ATCQ? Didn't want to do it, but I went with the former. But yeah, I would be a happy man all the way if Kool and the Gang and The Spinners would make the ballot again, and of course, get inducted right away.
More women - I feel like it's deja vu every year that someone says "the Rock Hall has listened to the complaints of the public, voters, etc...so they are open to putting more women in...". I'll put it to everyone this way: I'll know it when I see it. So far we have yet to see more ladies on the ballot. As of now, I just don't see it happening. I would love to see a ballot that has Tina Turner, Carly Simon, Kate Bush, the Bangles, or in other words - more than the usual we see on there.
Alright, now for the hard part: If this ballot were the real thing, who would get inducted into the Rock Hall? Well, let's say there were 7 inductees like last year. Let's hope they enshrine more acts. (I'll save the rest for my induction predictions post...). So who would likely get in from this ballot? Here's what I would say: Motley Crue, Pat Benatar, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, The Doobie Brothers and Tommy James/Shondells. It would be HBO's ultimate dream of a Rock Hall special. Probably no drama, just people coming together. Wouldn't that make a kick-ass class? Let's pretend that it actually happened in Spring 2020. All acts would attend the ceremony. All would perform at the ceremony...okay, maybe not Kraftwerk. But all would take the stage...at least the surviving members of some of the groups inducted. They would all have their brief induction speeches. Benatar would yell "more women please!". Motley Crue would perform in public for the first time since 12/31/2015. Trent Reznor would pay tribute to his city. Michael McDonald would probably sit out during his old band's set. I know, I'm getting way ahead of myself here. A lot of these acts probably won't even turn up on the ballot. As the old saying goes - "I can dream, can I?"
I have seen a lot of interesting lists from some of the Rock Hall watchers. Some of them you'll find in the links on the side. I'd love to see your picks in the comments ------
Thought I would post another "flashback" of what my predictions were for the 2015 Rock Hall Class, while I'm still at work trying to write up my list for the 2020 class (sometime in the next 2 weeks!).
Alright...here it is, my 15 picks of who I believe will be nominated for 2015 Induction Ceremony. When I first drew up this list a month ago, I had 25 acts listed. Believe me, it was hard to whittle them down to 15.
The 'already-nominated before':
Bon Jovi
The Cure
Kraftwerk
LL Cool J
The Marvelettes
Lou Reed
The Zombies
The new ones:
The Cars - this is the 3rd yr in a row I put them on my nominations list. Their time has come.
Nick Drake - I've put him on noms list in the past, and like all the others I believe he should've been in a long time ago. We'll see how his influence is brought up.
The Guess Who - I've been really into this band lately, listening to their stuff on Spotify. I have always really dug their music, and I know a lot of people just look at them as another 'classic rock radio act', but its time to look outside the box. Besides Neil Young, they truly opened doors for Canadian rockers.
Jane's Addiction - Another band I'm putting on my list for the 3rd yr in a row. Obvious reasons.
Nine Inch Nails - see paragraphs below
Roxy Music - I've said it before but I'm more than surprised Roxy Music hasn't made a ballot yet since Rolling Stone put most of their albums on their Top 500 list.
Huey 'Piano" Smith and the Clowns - They're gonna need someone to represent the 50s this year. Besides Link Wray, they'll need the New Orleans group in sometime. Huey Smith is still living today, and it would be nice that someone like him can enjoy the appreciation of his work getting recognized that late in life.
You've probably noticed this is mostly leaning towards 70s and 80s acts. I wish it weren't that way, since most of the recent nomination ballots nearly look like the 50s and 60s never existed. I do hope more 'forgotten but influential and notable' acts do get another shot for next year. This was next to what I consider realistic. There are a few that I believe are a mystery as to why they're not in the HOF yet, such as Bon Jovi (because of his iconic status and his connections to other HOFers), The Cure and Kraftwerk (both highly influential), Lou Reed (why go there), LL Cool J (what I believe the next rap/hip-hop act to get in, despite 'Accidental Racist').
As far as first-eligible balloters, I believe Nine Inch Nails is the only one who stands a chance. I already know 95% of you put Green Day on yours, but I honestly don't think they won't be put on the list until next year (but you never know...). Sure, their breakthrough year was '94 and without doubt they've totally influenced the American punk scene the last 20 years. There's just a part of me that thinks the HOF won't consider '89 as their first eligible year since they only put out a little-known EP that year. I'm already aware I've started a firestorm...
And lastly, as for the supposed 'hard rock-bias', I do hope Deep Purple and some prog-rock and heavy bands get a chance. Even Motley Crue! But realistically, I don't see Vince & Co. getting in anytime soon :(
As it turns out, I completely lost the argument on Green Day. Several FRL visitors made comments that disagreed and that was where I was totally wrong. But I did predict Green Day to get in, right when they first were nominated.
I also only made 14 predictions, not 15 as I stated above. I'm not sure why?
Of all of my predictions, six were eventually inducted (The Cure, The Cars, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, Bon Jovi and the Zombies). Some would keep getting nominated (LL Cool J and Kraftwerk). While some never have been nominated (Huey Piano Smith, the Guess Who and Nick Drake).
Of the list I made exactly five years ago, only 3 made the actual Nominations list. That would lead me to get "better educated" on how the NomCom thinks, and who plays a key role in what.
