2019 Nominee Predictions

Here are the 19 artists/groups that I believe may be put on the 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees ballot:

----First-time eligibles: (they had to have released their first major-label debut in 1993)----

Beck-  Well, it has come to the point where Beck is newly-eligible to appear on the ballot. A lot of use were around when he burst onto the scene with "Loser". The song would later be selected to the Rock Hall's "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll"- and rightfully so - because at the time I had never heard anything like it. To me, it set a new tone. Anyway, Beck would almost be brushed off as a one-hit wonder, then came Odelay. The rest is history. Beck has the resume of a first-year-of-eligibility inductee, though he's not much of a superstar/icon compared to Nirvana, Madonna or U2. Beck's usual thing was experimental music, which made him stand out among the critics and music fans. Of the three I listed in this section, he would be the most likely to be inducted on first try.

Snoop Dogg-  I understand a lot of you will strongly disagree with me on this one. Let's face it: Snoop Dogg is an entertainment icon. Of course, that won't be enough to get him in the Rock Hall. Today he is best known as an actor, game-show host and of course, his activism on legalizing pot. But his jams "Gin and Juice" as well as his collaborations with Dr. Dre have cemented him in music history.

Dave Matthews Band-  Without question, they are one of the most popular touring acts of the last 20 years, and they have gained quite a following for those who are now under 40. Several hit albums and radio songs over the years have contributed to the band's image positively. Dave himself has been on the cover of Rolling Stone at least five times (3 of those with the band), so you know if Jann Wenner has his way he'll definitely make the ballot. Dave has also performed with Rock Hall inductees, so you know he may get some support here and there. However, this is now the "#metoo era", and longtime violinist Boyd Tinsley was recently accused of sexual misconduct. Though he's out of the band now, this may hurt things at the moment.

----Nominated before:----

Janet Jackson

Kraftwerk-  In my opinion, the most innovative act not in. They already have been on the waitlist for over 15 years now, off and on, but I guess in this case patience is key. Remember, a lot of legendary and innovative acts had to wait more than five times to get in.

War

Chaka Khan-  Not to be ignorant but I don't know why she's been popping up so much on the ballot over the years. This is not to say that she's not deserving, or that I don't like her music. But what about other ladies in her genre...like Patti LaBelle? I'm guessing she's one of those the NomCom will keep putting on the ballot until she gets in.

L.L. Cool J- To be honest I'm not even sure why I'm putting him on here. The voters have had many opportunities to get Mr. Smith in the Rock Hall, especially last year when he received Kennedy Center Honors. Luckily, he's had a lot of support from the Nominating Committee, and it may just be he will keep showing up on the ballot until he gets in. Like Kraftwerk, he may end up being one of those who will have to wait at least 5 nominations.

Jane's Addiction- They haven't really done much to get attention this year, or in previous ones. "Nothing's Shocking" just turned 30 and there were plenty of reasons to celebrate. But I'm positive they will get in sometime in the next three years.

Radiohead- No need to get into this one, as others have done well explaining it better than I would have

Eurythmics-  I'm sure there are people who would be like, "If it wasn't for MTV, there would be no George Michael, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Eurythmics...". They're probably right, but no matter. Annie Lennox has won many awards, possibly more than the bands that I have mentioned. With Aretha Franklin's recent passing, I'm betting that whether or not Lennox gets inducted, she'll be one of the performers that will participate in the tribute to her next spring.

The Zombies- To quote fellow Rock Hall watcher Alex Voltaire, "The Rock Hall loves the Zombies, the Zombies love the Rock Hall". And I sort of agree that if they don't make it one more time, they may just end up getting the "Singles" induction, which would make my blood boil because "She's Not There", "Tell Her No" and "Time of the Season" are all great songs and they're all worthy to get this band in.

----Never before nominated----

Bad Company- Every year in the last few years, there is that one act that has long been blackballed that would appear on the Nominations list and get inducted the next year. Two years ago, it was ELO. Last year it was the Moody Blues. This year, I was in a dilemma between Jethro Tull and The Monkees - two acts that most Rock Hall Watchers highly consider as the biggest snubs to date. In the end, I went with neither and settled on Bad Company. Seriously, after 25+ years of being eligible, you think they'll finally induct the Monkees??? For real. Then again, the jokes on me if it does happen. As for Jethro Tull, Ian may have to wait a bit - even if he's doing the 50th anniversary tour of his band.

Despite of Paul Rodger's recent criticism of the Rock Hall, I'm sure he'll get help from Little Stevie. Rodgers, who has made a name for himself thanks to his voice and involvements with several bands and musicians, is one of the most popular snubs today. He was ranked #55 on Rolling Stone's Singers list. There is a lot of debate, I'm sure, about how Rodgers should be inducted. He made his fame first with Free, but he was arguably the most successful with Bad Company, in which he still tours with (even though Rodgers toured with Jeff Beck this summer).

Def Leppard- What has nine arms and may get likely get in for the Fan Vote? Tasteless jokes aside, some Rock Hall watchers are making that prediction. This is the 2nd year in a row that I'm putting them on my predictions list. They've done the well-publicized stadium tour with Journey this summer. Not sure if that is a requirement to get in the Rock Hall, but I suppose every connection helps! This is the one group from the 80s hair metal/hard rock era that stands out in my mind, as far as who would likely get in next for the fan vote. But I don't think this will be the one Tom Morello will be pushing this year.

Stevie Nicks- I've put her on my predictions list many times in the past, and I'm glad to see many people are on the same page on this one. Even the machine at the Rock Hall for visitors to vote on has her at #1! (Or so I believe...) Her solo career was so-so, but several female singers today cite her as an influence, as far as style and image. As of right now, it looks like Stevie Nicks is on her way into being the first female member of the "Clyde McPhatter club", or two-time inductees club...this is assuming that Diana Ross and/or Tina Turner (as solo artists) don't get in before her.

Johnny Nash- Each year there's always that one "WTF" act on the ballot. In past years, there would be the J.B.'s, Los Lobos and Bad Brains. You also have surprise mentions like last year's Kate Bush. Well, I think this year it could be Johnny Nash. What are the chances of this one? No one knows. This one came to me recently out of nowhere. Bob Marley may have been the king of reggae music, but it was Johnny Nash that first brought it into the mainstream. Its been eight years since a reggae artist has been inducted in the Rock Hall. Unless you want to include The Police, there are only two reggae artists in. Nash put out several singles on the Pop chart, including three Billboard Top 20 hits. He hasn't done anything to attract attention in several years (or decades), but I'm sure at some point someone will bring his name to the table.

Phil Collins- I was afraid not a lot of Rock Hall watchers would take me seriously if I put Phil Collins on my list, until I saw someone else's list! I get it why a lot of people don't want him in. After all, Collins has been praised and damned by several artists, critics and others in the entertainment industry. But the numbers don't lie - Collins and Paul McCartney have the distinction of selling over 100 million records worldwide while being solo AND  being a principal member of a band. I'm sure his name will appear on a ballot sometime in the next five years. And if it does, I'm positive he'll get in right away with the amount of possible support. At this point, it would look good for Genesis to have two of its members inducted on their own. Phil, of all people, has also been cited as an influence in the rap/hip-hop community. He will be doing a North American tour this year, and of course he recently announced that he is open to a Genesis reunion as long as his son plays drums for them.

Lionel Richie -or- the Commodores-  It's a long mystery about the absence of several R&B/soul/funk acts over the years, and its time to induct more. I came up with the theory about maybe the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame being a reason, but apparently some people disagree or have not given it much thought. I really don't need to get into Richie's or the Commodores legacy - but Richie has gotten a lot of attention in the past ten months. He's got the Kennedy Center Honors, he's judged the revamped American Idol, and he's been performing, even headlining festivals. I would love for Richie to be a two-time inductee in the future, but as of now it's not very likely.

Gary U.S. Bonds- Truthfully, I gave up putting 50's and early 60's acts on my predictions list a while back. Then last year came the "Singles" category which brought back some of the songs during those eras and giving them new life in the Rock Hall. I don't know if my hopes should be raised into drawing more attention to those who peaked during that era. You know, the ones that won't get just a song induction. The names that crossed my mind were Bobby Rydell, Freddy Cannon and Bonds. Bonds was no major influence or innovator (imo), but he would get plenty of support from voters, especially The Boss. For the record, Bonds is still performing and making music. In fact, one of my friends recently saw him perform in, fittingly, New Orleans.


About the other newly-eligible acts:
1993 was a year where several major artists broke out. This is why I went with three newly-eligible acts on my list. But there are more who could be inducted in the future:

-Blink 182
-Sheryl Crow
-Jeff Buckley
-Liz Phair
-Outkast

This here is an article that analyzes 15 newly-eligible acts for this ballot year and talked about their pros and cons. The author, Troy Smith, explained it much better than I would.

Why I didn't include MC5, the Meters, Chuck Willis and some others: 
Its because of the "Singles" category, which I believe they will continue to do annually. If they don't, well, whatever. I don't want to dismiss any artist as a one-hit wonder. There are those, however, that are noted for their one big hit: MC5: Kick Out The Jams. Chuck Willis: What Am I Living For. The list goes on. Who knows, maybe Steppenwolf who was also known for songs like "Magic Carpet Ride," "Rock Me" and many others, may get nominated again. For now, we shall wait and see what happens as far as the "Singles" category goes.