Tag: music

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 2

Boy! Last week was a disaster! From the clown show of an inauguration to my being over-medicated for my dental procedure to the new found pain in my jaw from said procedure, the next-to-last week of January 2025 became my Lost Week. Oh how I wish I had a better reason for a Lost Week. Nope! It was just the perils of growing old.

By the way, I did get to see a concert show that was described as being a Yacht Rock show. You know Yacht Rock. It was the stuff that our moms listened to whenever they got control of the car or kitchen radio. We called it Soft Rock back in the day.  At the time, I tolerated most of it because that’s all we had on AM and FM stations back then in the late-Seventies and early-Eighties here in central Indiana. While I was listening to everything from AC/DC to ZZ Top, with frequent stops in disco, punk, new wave, funk and this new thing called rap to go with my heaping load of classic rock, on my stereo, I had to tolerate Soft Rock when listening to the radio. Some of that stuff was great background music for our bogus teenage make-out sessions at our girlfriend’s house. Those of us who were obsessed with music referred to Yacht or Soft Rock by another name: Panty-Dropping Music. Not that any young women dropped their panties around me in high school, there were enough stories that floated around the locker rooms of sports teams to give rise to the notion that maybe it was the music putting the girls in the mood for a visit to the heavy petting zoo. In retrospect, it wasn’t the music. It may have helped a little for mood setting. No, it was all just plain old hormones. Those same pesky chemicals that are wasted on youth and taken from the older and more experienced. Bottom line, I got to see two-fifths of the band Ambrosia, who also played the roll of the backup band from one-half of England Dan & John Ford Coley in the form of JFC, and the lead singer of the actually two-hit wonder Player who is known as Peter Beckett (he actually spent nearly a decade touring with the Little River Band, so he’s made something of a name in the Yacht Rock world). Not a bad recovery at the end of the week.

So, now, I am ready to resume my countdown of my 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists of all time. Let’s cover another group of 25 as we move down the list from position 100.

100. Marshall Crenshaw – Best Album: Marshall Crenshaw (1982)

          Album Gem: Field Day (1983)

          Best Song: “Cynical Girl” (1982)

          Deep Cut: “You’re My Favorite Waste of Time” (1982)

99. ABBA* – Best Album: Arrival (1976)

           Album Gem: The Album (1977)

           Best Song: “Waterloo” (1974)

           Deep Cut: “Does Your Mother Know” (1979)

98. Stone Temple Pilots – Best Album: Purple (1994)

            Album Gem: Tiny Music…Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996)

            Best Song: “Interstate Love Song” (1994)

            Deep Cut: “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart”  (1996)

97. Green Day* – Best Album: American Idiot (2004)

             Album Gem: 21st Century Breakdown (2009)

             Best Song: “Minority” (2000)

             Deep Cut: “21 Guns” (2009)

96. X – Best Album: Under the Big Black Sun (1982)

              Album Gem: Alphabetland (2020)

              Best Song: “The Hungry Wolf” (1982)

             Deep Cut: “Poor Girl” (1983)

95. The Go-Go’s* – Best Album: Beauty and the Beat (1981)

              Album Gem: Talk Show (1984)

              Best Song: “Our Lips Are Sealed” (1981)

              Deep Cut: “Turn to You” (1984)

94. Metallica* – Best Album: Ride the Lightning (1984)

             Album Gem: Death Magnetic (2008)

             Best Song: “One” (1988)

             Deep Cut: “Turn to You” (1984)

93. Crosby, Stills, Nash & (sometimes) Young* – Best Album: Déjá Vu – CSNY (1970)

             Album Gem: CSN – CSN (1977)

             Best Song: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” – CSN (1969)

             Deep Cut: “I Almost Cut My Hair” – CSNY (1970)

92. Red Hot Chili Peppers* – Best Album: By the Way (2002)

             Album Gem: Freaky Styley (1985)

            Best Song: “The Zephyr Song” (2002)

            Deep Cut: “Love Rollercoaster” (1996)

91. Jellyfish – Best Album: Spilt Milk (1993)

            Album Gem: Live at Bogart’s (2012)

            Best Song: “Joining Fan Club” (1993)

            Deep Cut: “I Wanna Stay Home” (1990)

90. Pretenders* – Best Album: Pretenders (1980)

            Album Gem: Get Close (1986)

            Best Song: “My City Is Gone” (1982)

            Deep Cut: “Thin Line Between Love and Hate” (1984)

89. Pat Benatar* – Best Album: Crimes of Passion (1980)

            Album Gem: Get Nervous (1982)

            Best Song: “Promises in the Dark” (1981)

            Deep Cut: “Little Too Late” (1982)

88. The Killers – Best Album: Hot Fuss (2004)

            Album Gem: Imploding the Mirage (2020)

            Best Song: “Mr. Brightside” (2004)

            Deep Cut: “Caution” (2020)

87. Amy Winehouse – Best Album: Back to Black (2006)

            Album Gem: Frank (2003)

            Best Song: “Valerie” – Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse (2006)

            Deep Cut: “Love Is a Losing Game” (2006)

86. XTC – Best Album: Skylarking (1987)

            Album Gem: Nonsuch (1992)

            Best Song: “Senses Working Overtime” (1982)

           Deep Cut: “Peter Pumpkinhead” (1992)

85. The Bangles – Best Album: Different Light (1986)

            Album Gem: Doll Revolution (2003)

            Best Song: “Eternal Flame” (1988)

            Deep Cut: “September Gurls” (1986)

84. Thin Lizzy – Best Album: Jailbreak (1976)

            Album Gem: Bad Reputation (1977)

            Best Song: “The Boys Are Back in Town” (1976)

            Deep Cut: “Whiskey in the Jar” (1972)

83. Lynyrd Skynyrd* – Best Album: Second Helping (1974)

            Album Gem: Street Survivors (1977)

            Best Song: “Gimme Three Steps (live)” (1976)

            Deep Cut: “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” (1974)

82. Weezer – Best Album: Pinkerton (1996)

            Album Gem: Van Weezer (2021)

            Best Song: “Buddy Holly” (1994)

            Deep Cut: “Thank God for Girls” (2016)

81. The Jimi Hendrix Experience* – Best Album: Are You Experienced? (1967)

            Album Gem: Electric Ladyland (1968)

            Best Song: “Little Wing” (1967)

            Deep Cut: “Rainy Day, Dream Away” (1968)

80. Linda Ronstadt* – Best Album: Simple Dreams (1977)

            Album Gem: Mad Love (1980)

            Best Song: “Different Drum” – The Stone Poneys (1967)

            Deep Cut: “Hurts So Bad” (1980)

79. Devo – Best Album: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo (1978)

            Album Gem: Something for Everyone (2010)

            Best Song: “Uncontrollable Urge” (1978)

            Deep Cut: “Gates of Steel” (1980)

78. The Smashing Pumpkins – Best Album: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

              Album Gem: Gish (1991)

              Best Song: “1979” (1995)

             Deep Cut: “Landslide” (1994)

77. Sheryl Crow* – Best Album: Sheryl Crow (1996)

            Album Gem: Evolution (2024)

            Best Song: “Soak Up the Sun” (2002)

            Deep Cut: “Can’t Cry Anymore” (1993)

76. Joe Jackson – Best Album: Look Sharp! (1979)

            Album Gem: Body and Soul (1984)

           Best Song: “Steppin’ Out” (1982)

           Deep Cut: “It’s Different for the Girls” (1979)

See you all next time!

My 125 Favorite Rock & Roll Artists, Day 1

Every few years, I like to rank my favorite artists just to see how my tastes are slowly shifting over the years. Although I am probably a CBGB punk at heart, even though I came of age during the 1975 through 1985 years, I find my favorite artists pretty much all can play six degrees of CBGB and pass that test with flying colors. As far the newer artists, they can’t pass the test, though their sounds are rooted in the 80s somewhere along the lines. Let’s face it, but would Lady Gaga, The Killers and My Morning Jacket around without the influence of my decade of music?

Obviously, I love the album format and the whole statement the art form can make in a single release. From the artwork on the sleeve to the artwork on the inner sleeve to the record itself, which today can be released in a wide array of colors and styles, the artist can use the whole packaging of an album to make a huge statement of artistic vision leaving the listener no doubt about your point. For my money, the vinyl album, 12-inches in diameter, can blow away a listener before he or she ever puts the need into the groove of the record. Therein lies its beauty, all because the artist has put care into the artwork, liner notes, vinyl style and whatever catches the fancy of said artist in order to capture as many of the potential listener’s senses. Over the years, artists have not only been appealing to the audio, optic and touch sensations of the listener, but there are times when your olfactory senses become stimulated through a strategically placed scented sticker on the cover or, if you have purchased a used album, the aroma of cannabis wafting into the air from your recently purchased used LP that had not be opened since the previous owner used it for rolling his or her joints. But for the most part, the artist seeks to stimulate three out of the five senses of the listener, and that’s where you find the excitement.

However, what makes an artist become special to you. For me, its the music. If the musics changes my attitude about something, then it tends to become special to me. But true artistic greatness must be proven time and time again over the course of the artist’s career. Then, if he/she/them can make a convincing performance of their music live in concert, that only helps their case in the heart of a listener.

My previous attempt to do this very thing was several years ago, and it lacked some actually creative input about their musical catalog. That’s why I am going down this road again, only with more details for you, the reader. An asterisk (*) after the artist’s name denotes they are a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Also, the closer we get to number, the more information I will write about the artists.

125. Kate Bush* – Best Album: Hounds of Love (1985)

                                      Best Song: “Running Up That Hill” (1985)

124. Nine Inch Nails* – Best Album: The Downward Spiral (1994)

                                       Best Song: “Head like a Hole” (1989)

123. Echo & the Bunnymen – Best Album: Ocean Rain (1984)

Best Song: “The Killing Moon” (1984)

122. Adele – Best Album: 21 (2011)

Best Song: “Rolling in the Deep” (2011)

121. Bon Jovi* – Best Album: Slippery When Wet (1986)

Best Song: “Wanted Dead or Alive” (1986)

120. Frank Zappa* – Best Album: Sheik Yerbouti (1979)

Best Song: “Bobby Brown” (1979)

119. Foreigner* – Best Album: 4 (1981)

Best Song: “Urgent” (1981)

118. Billy Idol – Best Album: Rebel Yell (1983)

Best Song: “Dancing with Myself” (1981)

117. Steve Miller Band* – Best Album: Fly like an Eagle (1976)

Best Song: “Rock’n Me” (1976)

116. Ramones* – Best Album: Road to Ruin (1978)

Best Song: “Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio?” (1980)

115. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band* – Best Album: Stranger in Town (1978)

Best Song: “Feels like a Number” (1978)

114. Alanis Morissette – Best Album: Jagged Little Pill (1995)

Best Song: “You Oughta Know” (1995)

113. Huey Lewis & the News – Best Album: Sports (1983)

Best Song: “Do You Believe in Love” (1982)

112. Alice in Chains – Best Album: Dirt (1992)

Best Song: “Would” (1992)

111. The Stooges*/Iggy & the Stooges/Iggy Pop – Best Album: Raw Power – Iggy & the Stooges (1973)

Best Song: “Search & Destroy” – Iggy & the Stooges (1973)

110. Bryan Adams – Best Album: Reckless (1984)

Best Song: “It’s Only Love” – Bryan Adams & Tina Turner (1984)

109. Warren Zevon – Best Album: Excitable Boy (1978)

Best Song: “Keep Me in Your Heart” (2003)

108. Beastie Boys* – Best Album: Licensed to Ill (1986)

Best Song: “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)” (1986)

107. KC & the Sunshine Band – Best Album: Part Three (1976)

Best Song: “Get Down Tonight” (1974)

106. Whitney Houston* – Best Album: Whitney Houston (1985)

Best Song: “So Emotional” (1986)

105. Soundgarden – Best Album: Superunknown (1994)

Best Song: “Black Hole Sun” (1994)

104. The B-52’s – Best Album: The B-52’s (1979)

Best Song: “Love Shack” (1989)

103. Dire Straits* – Best Album: Making Movies (1980)

Best Song: “Industrial Disease” (1982)

102. Sex Pistols* – Best Album: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)

Best Song: “Anarchy in the U.K.” (1976)

101. Lionel Richie*/Commodores – Best Album: Can’t Slow Down (1983)

Best Song: “Easy” – Commodores (1977)

Stay tuned for the Top 100 coming soon to a blog in your town.

It’s Never Too Soon to Discuss This Year’s Possible Nominees for the Class of 2025 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

After a couple of years of intermittent posts, I have decided to make a concerted effort to get back to writing. Three months ago, I lost my stepfather. Even though I was not close to the man, none of his three legitimate sons would step up to take care of the man. Sure, he made mistakes with his sons and first two wives, but who hasn’t made potentially catastrophically poor decisions in his or her life? Since he had been so good to my mother down the homestretch of her life, I decided to step up to take care of him. At this stage of life, I am fortunate to still have my biological father still alive for me to aid, along with his wife. Both are in their early 90s but relatively healthy. My stepfather, like my mother, had Alzheimer’s and decline was pretty fast. But, he did take much of my time over these couple of years during which I was relatively quiet on here. Fortunately for him, he has crossed the finish line of his life and is hopefully enjoying the fruits of his life on the other side.

Fortunately for you, my readers, I am not here to spout my feelings about the deaths of my mother and her husband in the past six years, nor am I here to celebrate my father and his wife. Oddly enough, I feel like I still have a good five more years with Dad being around since he has taken good care of his once athletic body over the years. On the other hand, his wife has become more frail as the weeks go by. Still, I am not going to dwell on those two either.

Instead, I would love to write about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In the whole realm of rock & roll, I perhaps enjoy nothing more than discussing all aspects of this entity. There is so much history tied into that museum that it actually takes a huge bite out of the uniqueness of ALL Hard Rock Cafés and Hotels that, in my mind, the chain has become something of a minor league celebration of the Boomer and Gen X-eras’ favorite form of music and pop culture. If you have not been to Cleveland to visit this structure and are a huge fan of rock music and a bit of a history nut as I am, then you need to put the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on your bucket list. Personally, I have visited the place three times, once when my now adult boys were in high school and middle school, once when they were in college and high school and finally when my wife and I visited right as we were coming out of the pandemic in 2021. Each and every time we went, all of us were blown away with the artifacts and how they were displayed, in addition to the music soundtrack provided to us as we walked through the beautifully designed museum.

But, perhaps, the most significant aspect of the RRHoF is that there is much to critique about it, especially when it comes to whom is inducted each year. What we do know is that there is a period of time, maybe even right now, when the members of the nominating committee, of which we know little about the membership and the committee’s criteria for membership. But, somehow, the power has been invested into this mix of what I understand is musical experts/critics/writers/professors, industry insiders, musicians (both inductees and non-inductees) and others will come down from their Mount Olympus (probably some high rise in New York City) and present to us, the public, a list of 15-17 names of rock legends as the Nominees for The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of Inductees for the current year. I expect the announcement of this years Nominees to be announced anytime between now and early February.

As soon as the Hall announces this year’s list of Nominees, they will open voting for the public to see who this group of you, me and any other person who bothers to log into the Hall’s website in order to cast your five votes for the five acts you feel are most deserving. Now, whenever the Hall decides to end the public voting, our millions of votes will earn our musical heroes a total of one vote for each of the top 5 vote-getters. Our collective vote will be added to those of the Induction Committee, whose membership is also top secret, and those votes from each previous living inductee. Somehow, from all of that data, the Hall will select around five to eight names to be inducted as the Hall’s Class of 2025. Additionally, the committee will add the names of artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, etc., for induction through Musical Excellence and Musical Contributions. That allows for important sidemen and sidewomen who played on a multitude of historical albums and songs to received recognition, along with songwriters who are not artists themselves, the technical people in the studio who helped shape the albums and careers of various inducted artists, artists who played an important role in the evolution of rock & roll as an art, as well as anyone else deemed worthy. Finally, there is an award for musical executives in which they can find their way into the Hall. This award is known as the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Who gets chosen for the self-congratulatory award is not spelled out clearly by the Hall.

Although rock & roll may have seemed like the most democratic of all musical forms in history, I find the Hall stunningly elitist in its induction strategy. That may be due to the fact that Rolling Stone magazine’s founder and longtime editor Jann Wenner was perhaps more impressed with whom he was rubbing elbows than he was public opinion. This nepo baby was elitist to begin with so why not expect to attempt to put that stamp on the Hall, of which he was a founder. But since the controversial circumstances surrounding his ouster as the leader of the Hall, the current management, most of whom came to prominence within the music industry via the initial rise of MTV, are attempting to make the Hall more representative of it’s original vision: to immortalize those musical stars who have been an influence on music and/or gained commercial clout through their body of work. In that respect, the Hall is attempting to change course of a cruise liner, which as you can imagine is a long and tedious process.

If you have been a long-time reader of this blog, you are familiar with my lists of worthy inductees. Honestly, there is such a logjam of brilliant artists who are at least 25 years into a career from the release of their debut single/album that it will take perhaps two decades of big classes to undo the damage Wenner had made to the Hall.

I will be giving you several lists of possible inductees under various categories. I have included the names of rock journalists whom have played an important part in the dissemination of information about each of our favorite artists and disc jockeys and on-air personalities who introduced us to these artists, as well as prominent songwriters, studio wizards, side-musicians, executives and the like, whom I feel should be immortalized for their contributions to this art form known as rock & roll.

At the very end, you will find my 16 artists who I believe will be the nominees for the Class of 2025 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Then, out of those 16 artists, I will choose MY Class of 2025.

Musical Excellence or Musical Influence:

  1. Afrika Bambaataa (hip hop pioneer)
  2. Alan Hunter (one of MTV’s original VJs)
  3. Amos Milburn
  4. Ben E. King
  5. Bing Crosby
  6. Blind Lemon Jefferson
  7. Brian Eno (electronic soundscape & noise provocateur)
  8. Buchanan & Goodman (pioneers of the cut-in record)
  9. Cab Calloway
  10. Cameron Crowe (rock journalist, movie scriptwriter and film director)
  11. Casey Kasem (the original voice of ‘American Top 40’)
  12. Celia Cruz
  13. Charlie Parker
  14. Chubby Checker
  15. Chuck Willis
  16. Cliff Richard & the Shadows (the first big stars from the UK)
  17. Connie Francis
  18. Count Basie
  19. Dave Marsh (American rock journalist)
  20. Dick Dale (surf guitarist who pioneered a distorted power chord sound)
  21. Dizzy Gillespie
  22. Django Reinhart
  23. Duke Ellington
  24. Eddie Lang
  25. Ella Fitzgerald
  26. Emmylou Harris
  27. Esther Phillips
  28. Fanny (first all-female band to write their own songs and hit the Top 40)
  29. Fela Kuti (African funkateer)
  30. Frank Sinatra
  31. George Jones
  32. Giorgio Moroder (disco producer)
  33. Glen Campbell
  34. Glenn Miller Orchestra
  35. Gram Parsons/The Flying Burrito Brothers (the originator of the country rock sound of the 70s)
  36. Greil Marcus (American rock journalist)
  37. Harry Nilsson (the songwriter’s songwriter)
  38. Herbie Hancock
  39. Ivory Joe Hunter
  40. Jaan Uhelszki (one of the first female rock journalist)
  41. Jacques Brel
  42. Jan & Dean (surf sound pioneer duo)
  43. JJ Jackson (one of MTV’s original VJ’s)
  44. John Cage
  45. John Coltrane
  46. Johnny Ace (rock’s first headline causality by playing Russian roulette backstage before his show)
  47. Johnny Burnette & the Rock & Roll Trio
  48. Karlheinz Stockhausen
  49. Kris Kristofferson
  50. Kurt Loder (American rock journalist and MTV News anchor)
  51. Kurtis Blow (hip hop pioneer)
  52. Lester Bangs (THE original rock journalist)
  53. Lightin’ Hopkins
  54. Lisa Robinson (one of the first women to break the all-male barrier in rock journalism)
  55. Lonny Donegan
  56. Loretta Lynn (one of the greatest country singer/songwriters)
  57. Love Unlimited Orchestra (the backing band for the great Philly soul artists)
  58. Mark Goodman (one of MTV’s original VJs)
  59. Martha Quinn (one of MTV’s original VJs)
  60. Mary Wells (Motown’s first big star who is being kept out of the Hall by Motown founder Barry Gourdy Jr.)
  61. Memphis Minnie
  62. Merle Haggard
  63. Mississippi John Hurt
  64. Muscle Shoals (the house band for Stax Artists)
  65. Nina Blackwood (one of MTV’s original VJs)
  66. Odetta
  67. Patsy Cline
  68. Paul Revere & the Raiders (despite their dopey stage uniforms, these guys invented punk rock)
  69. Paul Weller (The Jam, The Style Council, solo; known as The Modfather for his role in the birth of Britpop)
  70. Procol Harum
  71. Ravi Shankar
  72. Robert Christgau (America’s academic rock journalist)
  73. Ronnie James Dio (lead singer of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio)
  74. Roy Acuff
  75. Roy Brown
  76. Sarah Vaughan
  77. Scott Joplin
  78. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (rock’s first shock artist in the 50s)
  79. Serge Gainsbourg
  80. Son House
  81. Sonny Boy Williamson II
  82. Sun Ra
  83. The Carter Family (invented much of country music)
  84. The Clovers
  85. The Crew Cuts
  86. The Crystals
  87. The Dominos
  88. The Four Freshmen
  89. The Funk Brothers (the band responsible for the Motown sound)
  90. The Kingston Trio
  91. The Marvelettes
  92. The Mills Brothers
  93. The Monkees (the first rock stars of the TV age)
  94. The Ravens
  95. The Shangri-La’s (rock’s first bad girls singing group)
  96. The Sonics (60s punk rockers and proto-grunge group)
  97. The Turtles
  98. The Weavers
  99. The Wrecking Crew (the West Coast musicians who backed everyone from Frank Sinatra to the Phil Spector groups to The Beach Boys, Grass Roots, Bread and all the rest)
  100. Thelonious Monk
  101. Tom Lehrer
  102. Tommy James & the Shondells (considered to be a bubblegum group, but were so much more; a huge influence on 80s artists like Joan Jett, Billy Idol and Tiffany)
  103. Townes Van Zandt
  104. C. Handy
  105. Wanda Jackson
  106. Waylon Jennings
  107. Wendy Carlos (an electronic music pioneer)
  108. Wynonie Harris

Backing Bands

Most of the time, the Hall has inducted the leader of a band with the backing people left out in the cold. The best example of this is the induction of Smokey Robinson without The Miracles. However, in 2012, the Hall did induct some backing bands as well as one other backing band in 2014. Those backing bands inducted in 2012 were The Blue Caps (Gene Vincent), The Comets (Bill Haley), The Crickets (Buddy Holly), The Famous Flames (James Brown), The Midnighters (Hank Ballard) and The Miracles (Smokey Robinson), while The E Street Band (Bruce Springsteen) was inducted in 2014. It has now been a decade since the Hall has inducted a backing band. The following is a list of backing bands awaiting their moment.

  1. Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin)
  2. Crazy Horse (Neil Young)
  3. Patti Smith Group (Patti Smith)
  4. The Attractions (Elvis Costello)
  5. The Belmonts (Dion)
  6. The Imposters (Elvis Costello)
  7. The JB’s (James Brown)
  8. The Mothers of Invention (Frank Zappa)
  9. The New Power Generation (Prince)
  10. The Revolution (Prince)
  11. The Silver Bullet Band (Bob Seger)
  12. The Spiders from Mars (David Bowie)
  13. The Tennessee Three (Johnny Cash)
  14. The Wailers (Bob Marley)
  15. Wings (Paul McCartney)

I have ranked the artists who deserve to be inducted as performers, though I would continue to *argue that Judas Priest should have been inducted as a /performer instead of being given induction for Musical Excellence. And I am sick and tired of The Hall not having the band that was WAY MORE THAN DISCO Chic in as performers all because the leaders inducted co-leader/guitarist Nile Rodgers for Musical Excellence. In those two cases The Hall did the artists an injustice. There! I said it! And it probably won’t be the last time.

I have ranked these artists by whom I feel should be inducted quickly. Of course, this list will lose some as they are inducted, then gain others as they become eligible for induction. Finally, I have underlined my seven artists who I think should be inducted this year. Rock & roll has always been about the people (fans), so let’s make The Hall hear our roar!

  1. Iron Maiden – As one of Heavy Metal’s Mt. Rushmore of artists (along with Ozzy-fronted Sabbath, Priest and Metallica), these guys having been blowing audiences away for nearly half a century with their musical prowess, live stage show and lead singer Bruce Dickinson’s unparalleled vocal acrobatics. Plus, their studio catalog isn’t half bad either.
  2. OutKast – First, OutKast breathed new life into the P-Funk catalog with their innovative samples and rearrangements. Next, they were the first hip hop band to take home the Album of the Year Grammy. Finally, they singlehandedly made the country and the world, for that matter, to take the Atlanta sound seriously.
  3. Mariah Carey – How can the 12th biggest-selling artist of all-time be left out of The Hall for so long? This travesty needs to end now!
  4. Joy Division/New Order – These two bands must be lumped together since New Order rose from the ashes of Joy Division after JD lead singer Ian Curtis’ untimely death on the eve of the band’s first tour of the States. Joy Division were one of the founders of the goth music scene in the UK. A year or so later, the remaining members of Joy Division grabbed a keyboardist/synthesizer player, replaced the dark soundscapes and lyrics, took a left turn into dance music and discovered even more commercial, critic and artist success than Joy Division. Still, one could not exist without the other.
  5. The Smiths – Sure, lead singer Morrissey can be an a-hole most of the time these days as he entered his sixth decade on Earth. But, back when he and guitarist Johnny Marr were on the same page in the mid-80s, no one was making as music as beautifully dramatic as The Smiths. There for a while, I got real tired of all of REM/The Smiths clones that were clogging up alternative/college rock radio back then. Although the band didn’t have more than a cult following on this side of the pond, they are British royalty in their homeland. At least they would be if Morrissey would drop he “get off my lawn!” persona he is currently using.
  6. Jethro Tull – I am not overly fond of Jethro Tull and their music. But, I cannot deny their place in rock history as the progressive band that successfully integrated Celtic folk into rock music with flourishes of the flute (is it “jazz flute”?). Their peak commercial moment rode in the early-Seventies, yet their were toast as punk came around to react against Tull. Still, the band is responsible for the literally snottiest song of rock history with the stellar “Aqualung.”
  7. Pixies – The whole Eighties alternative scene was my thing back in the day. Hair metal never really spoke to me, but college rock had me from the start. So, I looked at Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, Big Star and some others for this spot, but I kept coming back to the fact that if the Pixies would not have existed, then neither would have Nirvana, at least in the LOUD-quiet-Loud trade between their verse and chorus in their songs. That was all the Pixies’ sound.
  8. The Runaways – I am so tired of The Runaways getting snubbed! Were they Glam? Metal? Punk? Pop? Yes, all of them, yet, simultaneously, none of them. What? They were so much more. Yes, they were four teenage girls being exploited, but they had the chops to make it big, like former members Joan Jett and Lita Ford both proved. No Runaways? No Rrrrrttt girl acts, probably no Joan Jett RRHoF induction. No Lita/Ozzy late-80s power ballad duet. The world is so much better because The Runaways existed.
  9. Motörhead – Todd Rundgren once rhetorically replied to an inquiry about Motörhead not being in The Hall with a simple, “They’re NOT in the Hall of Fame?” That speaks for itself. Lemmy and his mates popped handfuls of uppers and played their version of hard rock as fast as they could. In doing so, they took a punk esthetic and pushed it into the hard rock world, which was eventually used by diverse artists as Iron Maiden and the thrash metal bands like the Big Four: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, the last three of which should be in The Hall as well.
  10. Styx – Now that Journey and Foreigner are in The Hall were the bands of pop-infused hard rock, Styx is next up. The Chicago band had began as something of a prog rock band whose sound went everywhere at once, but quickly streamlined their power into multiple top 10 albums and top 10 songs. At one point in time, Styx were the most popular band with my age group here in the States. I too was taken with the band at the time and still have a soft spot in my heart for them.
  11. Oasis – My older son and his wife are fired up for this reunion tour, so this might be the year for what was Britpop’s most successful band. I must say that their first two LPs are stunning classics, but I am truthfully noncommittal to all of their other stuff. But those first few years were magical.
  12. Eric B. & Rakim – If you blow past Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaataa and maybe Big Daddy Kane and induct them all through the Musical Influence moniker, then the next important artist is this duo. To this day, Rakim is held in high esteem as hip hop’s finest MC.
  13. Wu-Tang Clan – I love to call this ensemble the P-Funk of hip hop. There’s just so many guys that a man with ADHD, like me, just has all kinds of trouble attempting to figure out who is spitting the lyrics right now. But they sure know how to find a good beat and drive that sucka all over NYC, and the world.
  14. Weezer – Everyone’s favorite nerd rock band this side of Cheap Trick is long overdue for their induction. The blue album and Pinkerton are 90s classics. And the rest are all solid. Hell, you can even find something worthwhile on their worst LPs Raditude and Hurley.
  15. Cyndi Lauper – If Cyndi’s career were ONLY “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” she just might have swept into The Hall on it alone. But, here first two albums are must-own, while the rest of her catalog is solid and interesting. If nothing else, Cyndi invented Girl Power that was co-opted by the Spice Girls and so many others. Sorry ladies! But you are standing on the shoulders of the great Cyndi Lauper. Don’t believe me? Go watch her nail her line in “We Are the World” time after time in the Netflix documentary about the song’s recording session, with each take improving upon the previous one. Lauper is just otherworldly.
  16. Soundgarden – The third of the Big 4 of grunge, Soundgarden was actually the first to get signed to a major label and to taste a little success. The best singer in Seattle was their own Chris Cornell, God rest his soul. They were so good yet so underappreciated during the grunge years that they are easy to forget if you only listen to Pearl Jam and Nirvana.
  17. Tracy Chapman
  18. Sonic Youth
  19. Smashing Pumpkins
  20. New York Dolls
  21. Sinéad O’Connor
  22. War
  23. Los Lobos
  24. The Replacements
  25. Mötley Crüe
  26. Boston
  27. The B-52’s
  28. Devo
  29. Hüsker Dü
  30. Thin Lizzy
  31. Supertramp
  32. King Crimson
  33. Big Star
  34. The Jam
  35. Chic
  36. Diana Ross
  37. Suzi Quatro
  38. Raspberries
  39. INXS
  40. Alanis Morissette
  41. Jane’s Addiction
  42. Rick James
  43. Daft Punk
  44. Beck
  45. Barry White
  46. Buzzcocks
  47. Little Feat
  48. Television
  49. X
  50. Phish
  51. Iggy Pop
  52. Commodores
  53. Phil Collins
  54. Badfinger
  55. The J. Geils Band
  56. The Guess Who
  57. Warren Zevon
  58. Stone Temple Pilots
  59. Salt N Pepa
  60. Alice in Chains
  61. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  62. Bad Company
  63. Dead Kennedys
  64. The Carpenters
  65. Black Flag
  66. blink-182
  67. Lauryn Hill
  68. De La Soul
  69. Sleater-Kinney
  70. The White Stripes
  71. KC & the Sunshine Band
  72. Blue Öyster Cult
  73. Sting
  74. Slayer
  75. Sade
  76. Marilyn Manson
  77. (The) Sweet
  78. REO Speedwagon
  79. Slade
  80. Coldplay
  81. Lenny Kravitz
  82. Blur
  83. The Chicks
  84. Captain Beefheart
  85. Joe Cocker
  86. Grand Funk Railroad
  87. Squeeze
  88. XTC
  89. Faith No More
  90. Three Dog Night
  91. Dre
  92. Tool
  93. Pantera
  94. Kansas
  95. Steppenwolf
  96. Mott the Hoople
  97. Nick Drake
  98. Snoop Dogg
  99. Björk
  100. Stone Roses
  101. Living Colour
  102. Pet Shop Boys
  103. Gloria Estefan
  104. Suede
  105. PJ Harvey
  106. No Doubt
  107. Scorpions
  108. Bob Mould/Sugar
  109. Don Henley
  110. The Pointer Sisters
  111. Peter Tosh
  112. Wilco
  113. Liz Phair
  114. Huey Lewis & the News
  115. Billy Idol
  116. “Weird Al” Yankovic
  117. Gorillaz
  118. Ice-T
  119. Culture Club
  120. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
  121. P!nk
  122. Nas
  123. Tears for Fears
  124. The Black Crowes
  125. The Psychedelic Furs
  126. My Morning Jacket
  127. Joe Jackson
  128. Siouxsie & the Banshees
  129. John Mayer
  130. DMX
  131. No Doubt
  132. D’Angelo
  133. Korn
  134. Fiona Apple
  135. Queen Latifah
  136. Annie Lennox
  137. Hole
  138. Teenage Fanclub
  139. Zapp
  140. Midnight Oil
  141. Selena
  142. Rickie Lee Jones
  143. White Zombie
  144. Drive-By Truckers
  145. Bad Brains
  146. The Jesus and Mary Chain
  147. Violent Femmes
  148. Roberta Flack
  149. Steve Winwood
  150. Boyz II Men
  151. Bryan Adams
  152. John Prine
  153. Labelle
  154. The Breeders
  155. Boz Scaggs
  156. Britney Spears
  157. Linkin Park
  158. Jeff Buckley
  159. Usher
  160. Boogie Down Productions
  161. 50 Cent
  162. My Bloody Valentine
  163. Garth Brooks
  164. Destiny’s Child
  165. Blood, Sweat & Tears
  166. GAP Band
  167. Limp Bizkit
  168. The Roots
  169. The Specials
  170. Meat Loaf
  171. The Cult
  172. The Cranberries
  173. Bauhaus
  174. Marilyn Manson
  175. En Vogue
  176. Ashford & Simpson
  177. Interpol
  178. Echo & the Bunnymen
  179. Jennifer Lopez
  180. Ministry
  181. Pulp
  182. Dinosaur Jr.
  183. Sparks
  184. The Misfits
  185. Arrested Development
  186. Christina Aguilera
  187. The Human League
  188. Garbage
  189. Kylie Minogue
  190. N-SYNC
  191. 10,000 Maniacs
  192. Luther Vandross
  193. Ryan Adams
  194. Grace Jones
  195. Queens of the Stone Age
  196. Gang of Four
  197. Crowded House
  198. Sublime
  199. Jewel
  200. Ted Nugent

2024: Year of the Women

(C) Vecteezy

Let’s face it, rock is essentially on life support, hip hop is becoming bland, the pop punk bands of the turn of the century are now legacy acts and the 2024 album list is dominated by women.  From Beyoncé to Taylor, from independents such as Tamar Berk to Charly Bliss, and from Waxahatchee to St, Vincent, women were taking chances with their art to create some of the most compelling music of the 2020s if not the 21st century.

For the men, it was predominantly the bands who have members all pushing 60 years-old that dropped on the public some credible semblances of rock music.  But outside of The Cure, Paul Weller, Nick Cave, Pearl Jam, The Black Crowes, Redd Kross, and, with a re-imaging of a 20-year-old album with songs that didn’t make the original album, U2 (plus a few others), men had one bummer of a year. So, thank God for the women, as they were the creative forces behind popular music this year.

With that said, let’s take a look the 40 albums that I feel were the best of 2024.

(c) Wikipedia

40. Norah Jones – Visions

39. Lake Street Dive – Good Together

38. Lady Gaga – Harlequin

37. The Black Keys – Ohio Players

36. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More

35. Tears for Fears – Songs for a Nervous Planet

34. U2 – How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb

33. Kylie Minogue – Tensions II

32. Kim Gordon – The Collective

31. Daryl Hall – D

(c) Bandcamp

30. X – Smoke & Fiction

29. Gracie Abrams – The Secret of Us

28. The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards

27. Sheryl Crow – Evolution

26. Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism

25. The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

24. Pearl Jam – Dark Matter

23. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us

22. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know

21. Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet

(c) Amazon

20. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Change

19. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Wild God

18. Redd Kross – Redd Kross

17. Paul Weller – 66

16. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

(c) Wikipedia

15. Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me

14. Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well

13. Leon Bridges – Leon

12. Kendrick Lamar – GNX

11. Halsey – The Great Impersonator

(c) Wikipedia

10. Brittany Howard – What Now. Brittany Howard burst onto the scene a little over a decade ago with her huge soulful vocals soaring over that greasy Southern rock soul of her former band Alabama Shakes. Of course, the voice remains, it’s just now that Ms. Howard is pushing the boundaries of that Southern-fried rock into acid-dripped soundscape and dancefloor boogie that has not been embraced since My Morning Jacket ventured briefly into that area back on their Evil Urges album. This is such a great artistic statement of purpose that I cannot wait for Howard’s next album.

(c) Wikipedia

9. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood. Ever since I got tired of Phish’s music to listen to at night when my pain levels soar, Waxahatchee has taken the Vermont band’s place on my Amazon account for those sleepless. The music is real and soothing. This artist seems poised to have a big commercial breakthrough in their near future.

(c) Wikipedia

8. St. Vincent – All Born Screaming. Annie Clark, the stunning talent behind St. Vincent is my current substitute fix for Talking Heads music. Before her arrival, it was LCD Soundsystem. Yet, they are all different but seem to take the same chances with their music. I have an inkling that St. Vincent is just about to throw a timeless classic down in the next couple of years. She just seems to be building toward a music takeover. Fingers crossed that I am correct.

(c) Wikipedia

7. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department. I AM NOT A Swiftie! But, I do respect her talent. Plus, what other artist can I use their music to bond with my six-year-old granddaughter? By the way, this is not anywhere near Taylor’s best album, but it is awfully good. That’s how good Tay-Tay is – a throwaway album for her is a classic for nearly any other artist, past, present or future.

(c) Wiki Faves

6. Ariana Grande – Eternal Sunshine. Is it weird or creepy that this 60-something year-old man listens to Ariana Grande? I don’t care! The ears like what the ears like. And Ariana creates some fine ear candy.

(c) Wikipedia

5. Charly Bliss – Forever. Yet another of my Bandcamp favorites, Charly Bliss is everything that I have loved since I was an elementary school pest rocking out to the sounds of the Raspberries, Badfinger and Alice Cooper on my cheap-ass plastic Sixties-era record player. Eventually, I grew into Cheap Trick, The Cars and The Knack by high school. Charly Bliss is the latest in a long line of artists who fall into the post-emo category of power pop and/or pop punk. Whatever it is, I like it!

(c) Wikipedia

4. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft. Seriously, Billie and Finneas Eilish have created a whole new language of rock by updating the singer-songwriter stereotype with today’s language and sounds. These youngsters are talented beyond their years.

(c) Bandcamp

3. Tamar Berk – Good Times for a Change. For my money, Taylor Swift is NOT currently the best songwriter going anymore. Nope! That honor belongs to Tamar Berk. Who is this lady, you may ask? For some reason, she is an independent artist who you can find on Bandcamp, Amazon, etc., plying her take on Liz Phair without the poetic nods to Kate Bush. Tamar is able to create a pristine pop atmosphere for her lyrics that often reflect the present angst felt by millions all the while pushing rock music into this new century. Give Ms. Berk a chance! You will NOT regret it!

(c) Wikipedia

2. Charli XCX – Brat. Along with Chappel Roan, whose 2023 album blew up this year, Charli XCX was 2024’s “It” girl. Charli’s brand of glam dance music finally matured into an artistic statement all the while pushing the boundaries of both dance and electronic music in several new directions.

(c) Wikipedia

1. Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter. Arguably, the most important album released in 2020s, if not the whole century thus far.  At least it holds its own alongside Kanye’s 808’s and Heartbreaks as far as it is a milestone in music in that it pays homage to the past all the while predicting the future.  It’s more than a 21st century version of Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country & Western, yet that very album is the great grandfather of this one. This is an artist who is redefining the boundaries surrounding country music all the while reclaiming the genre to the black influence it has always had (and rarely acknowledged).

Predicting the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Nominees for Their Class of 2024

I believe if you are reading this blog, you know how easily it can be to pull others into arguments. Usually, the best way to start what could be conceived as a small holy war are topics such as politics and religion, and, if you are a Hoosier, then either bring up high school class basketball (Indiana had a single-class system until the 1997-98 season, which was perfect for the rare occurrence of an underdog going all the way to the championship game. Some here in Indiana hate change, since the class system took away natural close-by rivalries, the kind that small schools celebrated while defeating the dominating big school.) or Indiana University versus Purdue University basketball (Me? I think “Go Ball State!” [Cue the laugh track]).

What I have noticed recently within the ranks of music fans around the world is the school of thought that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an inclusive institution allowing for all genres of music to be represented as acknowledgement of how diverse rock & roll truly is or that rock & roll is the stuff created mainly by white males during the late-Sixties, Seventies and into the Nineties. The former group has no bias against hip hop, pop, soul, funk, R&B, country, jazz, novelty, disco, etc., while the latter would limit who can get inducted to those artists played consistently on rock, alt-rock and classic rock radio stations.

If you haven’t gathered by now, I am of the ilk that rock & roll transcends genre. Let’s face it, we could not have had Rage Against the Machine without the sounds of Black Sabbath being married to the hip hop of Public Enemy in a shotgun ceremony. Likewise, The Byrds would never have hit the airwaves if they had not stumbled upon an amalgamation of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Chic would not have existed if guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards had not been as well-versed in jazz, funk and disco to combine with a tincture of Roxy Music. And what rock artist has NOT been influenced by jazz by the likes of John Coltrane or Miles Davis, the country sounds of Dolly, Willie, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline and the R&B sounds of Phil Spector, Motown and Stax. Therefore, my predictions will never be limited by any definitions of rock and roll. I try to be an inclusive person throughout my life.

Plus, I have been influenced by the words of such rock journalists like Lester Bangs, Cameron Crowe, Lisa Robinson, Robert Christgau, Greil Marcus, Ben Fong-Torres, Legs McNeil, Jaan Uhelski, Dave Marsh, among many others, all of whom flew flags of diversity from one extent to another whenever it concerned rock music in the pages of Rolling Stone, Creem, Spin, Hit Parader, Circus, Crawdaddy and the like. Perhaps, the biggest influence upon my catholic taste in music came in the form of a book printed in 1981 entitled The Book of Rock Lists by Dave Marsh and Kevin Stein. I learned so very much from that book in which I purchased on Fall Break during my freshman year at Ball State. If you can find the original printing of that book, get it by all means! It’s just a terrific resource. Additionally, Marsh has released a few different editions of his Book of Lists…, but I continue to find the original to be the most satisfying especially because Marsh and Stein attempt to list their Top 40 favorite albums from the beginning of the rock era in 1954 to 1980. When I discovered that many of my more poppier and/or disco albums were in this list, I finally shed my embarrassment while making purchases at the local record shop.

So, who do I think will get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees List? To be perfectly honest, I have NO idea! It is a crapshoot this year. Really, anything could happen. If you think the last two years have had some crazy inductions (Dolly Parton, Missy Elliott, The Go-Go’s, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, and so on,) over the past couple of years, then hold your horses because there is no real shoo-in eligible this year. And since the Nominating Committee, whoever is on it (it’s confidential) tends to be fairly conservative. Therefore, I believe we will see many names getting rehashed as nominees again this year.

Since there is such an open field for the Nomination List, I shall provide you, my readers, two lists. The first one will be my actual predictions list, reflecting whom I believe the committee will nominate. Then, as a special added feature, I will be presenting my wish list of nominees. Maybe between the two lists, we may have many names. Or, like usual, I get very few rare.

Here’s my actual prediction for the Nominees for the Class of 2024. I am sticking with 16 acts, since that has been the total of nominees presented the past few years.

A Tribe Called Quest – These hip hop pioneers made the connection of jazz and hip hop more obvious with their sound. ATCQ has been nominated before.

Alanis Morissette – Alanis captured a female zeitgeist with her feminist stance against all pricks in the world. This would be her first nomination.

Cyndi Lauper – Last year, Cyndi seemed poised to be inducted, but, for some unknown reason, the Hall felt it was more important to rush induct Sheryl Crow and Missy Elliott BEFORE Ms. Lauper. Yeah, I don’t get it either. Cyndi has been previously nominated.

Devo – Yet, another group that deserves induction while waiting year after year for their name to be called. This band, formed on the Kent State campus shortly after the killings of four students in front of much of the student population by the Ohio National Guard, has been nominated previously.

Dionne Warwick – As the smooth singer of R&B in the 60s and 70s, Warwick teamed with Burt Bacharach (someone else who deserves induction) to create a sound that was as smooth as warm bourbon on a cold night. Warwick paved the way for the careers of Sade and Anita Baker to name a few. Her cousin Whitney Houston is in for crying out loud!

Iron Maiden – Much Judas Priest before them, this is just getting ridiculous for a Hall of Fame to have one of it’s best and most influential heavy metal bands on the outside. No wonder people get pissed about the Hall inductees list every year knowing that Maiden is still on the outside.

Jane’s Addiction – This L.A. band represents something of a forerunner to the 90s grunge scene, except Jane’s had a guitarist who could give any traditional metal guitarist or those found on Sunset Boulevard. This would NOT be the band’s first nomination.

Joy Division/New Order – Using both Parliament/Funkadelic and Small Faces/Faces as precedent, last year the committee had the balls to nominate these two intertwined bands together. A quick history lesson: Joy Division ended with the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis. From those ashes, New Order arose with an expansion on the dreary sound of Joy Division by adding synthesizers and dance rhythms to evolve into New Order.

Motörhead – Lemmy and the boys have been here a few times. So, it would so nice to finally induct this truly great and influential hard rock band.

Oasis – To paraphrase Will Ferrell’s SNL character who as a member of Parliament kept asking what they (Parliament) were going to do about the impending breaking of Britain’s greatest rock band, Oasis. Once again, it is long over due for their induction. They may not resonate as strongly here in the States, but they are GODS in the UK, and that accounts for something.

OutKast – During the pre-Kanye days of the mid-Nineties to the early-Aughts, the duo of Andre 3K and Big Boi in the form of OutKast may have been the most innovative hip hop group. They reached their apex in 2003/2004 with their Grammy winning album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, the first hip hop artists to accomplish this. Plain and simple, they may have been the best that hip hop has to offer, so they should get inducted soon. Any more delay is just a laughable crime.

Smashing Pumpkins – You read that correctly Cubbie! The Pumpkins are still on the outside looking in as more and more of their lesser contemporaries are inducted. This is yet another reason why the public is cynical about the Hall.

Soundgarden – Big Fours of any genre are facing resistance by the Hall. In the case of Soundgarden, one the Big Four of Grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains being the others, with AiC never nominated.) deserves induction. For Chrissakes, just induct them already!

The B-52’s – The Athens, Georgia rock scene of the early-80s not only gave us inductee R.E.M., but also this new wave party band whose early music filled the dancefloors at my fraternity and in my dorm room. These pioneers needed the honor long ago.

The Smiths. The UK gets screwed time and time again for their terrifically influential bands that make little dent in the US market place. It’s BS that The Jam has not been inducted yet, but it’s a moral outrage that The Smiths keep looking in. I get it! Morrissey’s a loon these days. But, that alone should never keep an artist from being inducted. The 80s would have never been the same for me if I didn’t have R.E.M. and The Smiths to listen to.

Warren Zevon – After seeing a solo George Harrison posthumously inducted right after his death in the early 2000s, I thought the same thing would have to the acerbic-witted Zevon after his 2003 death. Yet, here we are two decades later, and Warren is still awaiting his call.

All of those artists are very deserving of nominating AND induction. However, I have a slew of artists who would make my day if they were inducted. Here is my wish list.

Big Star – Power pop gods Big Star are the Velvet Underground of the constantly slighted power pop genre. Please stream these guys now and join me on this bandwagon.

Boston – When I was a middle school student, I think every student was handed a copy of Boston’s debut band album which just happens to be one of the greatest debuts of all-time (Right up there with Guns N’ Roses, The Cars, Big Star and Jellyfish.).

Chic – The Hall cheated AND ripped us off with Nile Rodgers induction for Musical Excellence, as if partner Bernard Edwards was some hack! This band could play any style, it just so happens that their hits were disco songs. Keeping Chic out of the Hall is a bigoted decision.

Commodores – So the Hall is going to Chic the Commodores by inducting their leader for HIS solo career but ignore all the innovations this band threw down during their run.

Eric B. & Rakim – It’s B.S. that LL Cool J was inducted through Musical Excellence because he was so much more than an MC. Unfortunately, I am beginning to think that might end up finding their way into the Hall will be through Musical Excellence. That’s baloney since Rakim is still held on a pedestal as a rapper.

Foreigner – During my high school years, Foreigner may have arguably been the second most popular rock band (1977-1981). If nothing else is paid attention, that fact alone should be enough to put the band in the Hall.

KC & the Sunshine Band – Down in Miami, this group of studio musicians made that music scene sizzle in the heat. The multi-ethic band created some of the slickest and catchiest pop/dance hits of the Seventies.

Kool & the Gang – During the Seventies, Kool & the Gang were funkateers. Then, in the Eighties the guys became slick balladeers. Either way, they kept the hits rolling during that transition. Plus, they were the only American act invited to participate on the Band Aid charity song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

Kurtis Blow – After the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” blew up, Kurtis Blow came to the forefront as the first popular solo rapper scoring hits like “The Breaks,” “Christmas Rapping” and “Basketball.”

Mariah Carey – With Chaka Khan’s induction last year, we now have some of the greatest female voices preserved for eternity in the Hall: Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson, Chaka, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, therefore it behooves us to induct Mariah (and Dionne Warwick) to keep the line growing.

Paul Revere & the Raiders – Ignore their dopey Revolutionary War uniforms, these guys played a rough, proto-punk that influenced all of the garage bands of the Sixties and the glam rockers and punks of the Seventies. These guys are underappreciated. Plus, according to my late-mother, this was the band that always made me dance in my playpen.

Paul Weller/The Jam/The Style Council – Yes, Weller is a god in the UK, and his other two bands are much beloved there as well. And, yes, none of his incarnations have attracted anything much more than a cult following (that includes me!). But, the man nearly singlehandedly created the whole Britpop phenomenon of the Nineties. Isn’t that enough?!?!

Styx – If Foreigner were the second most popular band during my high school years, then Styx may have been number one. Yes, they dropped a creative egg in the early-80s with “Mr. Roboto.” But, it was the early-80s and all of the rules hand been thrown out. Push that song aside, and you have a pretty solid resumé for induction. C’mon! They were big with the kids, who happen to be adults in their 50s and 60s now.

The Monkees – I’m sorry Boomers! If you were born in the Sixties, The Beatles were not normally your entry into the world of rock music. Back then it was either The Monkees or bubblegum music. And both sounds were created with crack musicians and first-class songwriters. And, The Monkees were the most successful of that prepackage rock & roll, so they deserve the honor.

The Replacements – Between The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Pixies, Black Flag and Dead Kennedys, you have five bands that collectively wrote the road map for 90s alternative bands to follow as to maintain their integrity while courting success. The cool thing about The Mats was also their Achille’s Heel: their need to sabotage their career at every turn. They had the songs and the sound and attitude and look to be big, but they lacked something in their DNA that kept the band from breaking wide open. But, when they were good, they were…

Tommy James & the Shondells – Tommy James & the Shondells were a hitmaking machine in the late-Sixties and early-Seventies. They had a dance rock quality that influenced everyone from Joan Jett and The Runaways to Billy Idol, Prince and teen mall idol Tiffany. Their hits were covered in the Eighties and were just as big with that generation as the previous one.

If only my wish would come true this year…