Time for our annual RRHOF Bashing

[socialleper]

Why should I? You didn't back up any of your assertions either. I can make generalized assumptions based on my own limited experience too.

The Zombies had two big songs in the mid 60s and nothing since. That is a fact. How does a pair of songs they only play on oldies stations get you into the RRHOF?
Stevie Nicks is getting a participation trophy. She had one solo hit. Name me one other solo song that had burned up the charts in the last 30 years. Show me the throngs of pre-menopausal fans lining up to see her do anything other than Fleetwood Mac songs.
Roxy Music can't hold up one song as a "hit" even on their own wikipedia page. I've never heard them played on oldies stations or classic rock stations. Does a band with little general exposure and only produced music for 10 years, with no legacy in pop culture after deserve to be in the RRHOF?
This institution has no legitimacy because of throw away inductions like these.
Radiohead's one big hit has at least been covered in a number of ways, and they are used as a pop culture touchstone. Janet Jackson hasn't been relevant since she torched her career with that Super Bowl stunt, but she at least played the Super Bowl, and paved the way for current artists like Beyonce and Rihanna. Def Leppard has a 30 year old song that is still a staple at any event with drunk women. I can at least find some validation for these nominees. Can the other nominees make any of these claims?

 

[JimmyM]

The Zombies had two big songs in the mid 60s and nothing since. That is a fact. How does a pair of songs they only play on oldies stations get you into the RRHOF?

Three.

Stevie Nicks is getting a participation trophy. She had one solo hit. Name me one other solo song that had burned up the charts in the last 30 years. Show me the throngs of pre-menopausal fans lining up to see her do anything other than Fleetwood Mac songs.

I am no fan, but she actually had several hits as a solo act.

Roxy Music can't hold up one song as a "hit" even on their own wikipedia page. I've never heard them played on oldies stations or classic rock stations. Does a band with little general exposure and only produced music for 10 years, with no legacy in pop culture after deserve to be in the RRHOF?

I did like Love Is The Drug, but not enough to see them in the HOF over it.

This institution has no legitimacy because of throw away inductions like these.
Radiohead's one big hit has at least been covered in a number of ways, and they are used as a pop culture touchstone. Janet Jackson hasn't been relevant since she torched her career with that Super Bowl stunt, but she at least played the Super Bowl, and paved the way for current artists like Beyonce and Rihanna. Def Leppard has a 30 year old song that is still a staple at any event with drunk women. I can at least find some validation for these nominees. Can the other nominees make any of these claims?

I thought it was well known that the only acts who get in are acts that Jann Wenner likes, and acts who overwhelmingly got tons of fan votes and had such huge careers that they can't be ignored. Wenner likes The Zombies, Stevie Nicks, and Roxy Music...hence...

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I did like Love Is The Drug, but not enough to see them in the HOF over it.

Roxy Music had quite a number of hits in the UK, at least, and Brian Eno was also a member, which is significant. More than that, it fused rock and roll, glam, and electronics (synth, and in terms of processing guitar signals) in an innovative way, so Roxy Music definitely deserves a place. Avalon is a nice piece of music too, but perhaps represents a less innovative period. You can see the influence in later bands such as Pulp to some extent.

I actually had to Google The Zombies to refresh my memory and remember that it was a UK group. Rod Argent is more known to me as a session player. But I do know two of the hits, at least, which are iconic.

 

[FingerDub]

I'm not that young but who the f*** are the Zombies?

 

[Gorn]

A band.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

The last time I requested JW from a 6-stringer at a bar gig, I got a nasty FU glare and was ignored the rest of the evening. Can't say I blame the guy.

They didn't get to him on this side of eternity, but when the first white Blues Hall of Famer makes it in as a player and a producer in Cleveland, I'll pay more attention.

But as for Janet, she was at her apex in my early teenage years, so my memories are rather fond.

 

[Dasgre0g]

The elitists are definitely all over these threads. "So and so was definitely far more influential than -insert any random black artist here-". And the inevitable "I've never listened to so and so and their 20 albums, 400 songs, etc. I don't get it. So they suck. "

 

[MtManiac]

I'm not into bashing artists who make millions - or even hundreds of thousands - doing what I make next to nothing doing. They're all there from talent and focused hard work.

Having said that, I'm not into the RRHOF either, I like what I like regardless of what some self proclaimed authority has to say about it.

 

[asands]

You're not going to feed an infant prime rib and scotch, but eventually after years of trying different things they do get to consuming the good stuff. So maybe it serves that kind of purpose.

What I feed my baby is none of your concern!! Also, prime rim blends well enough to be used in a bottle. Just have to make sure you cook it low and slow so it stays tender. The scotch helps wash it down

 

[CayGee]

Roxy Music gets my vote -

 

[lavmonga]

They let too many people into the RRHOF, like another poster said, the requirement seems to only be "have a hit or two" and you're in.

 

[mellowinman]

They let too many people into the RRHOF, like another poster said, the requirement seems to only be "have a hit or two" and you're in.

They do not let nearly enough people in the RRHOF. I, for one, am not in there.

 

[Yukimajo]

I doubt there is anyone on the planet that would agree with all of the nominations, but I too have to say that Roxy Music definitely deserve their place. They may not have had as much success in the US, but they were huge and very influential here in the UK.

I don't like anything Janet Jackson did/does but I can't deny her place in music. Just because I don't like it, doesn't mean it's sh*t, it just means I don't like it. The same goes for Radiohead I have never understood the reverence surrounding them, their songs are dirgy drivel as far as I'm concerned, but they have sold more records than I ever will and influenced (for better or worse) loads of bands.

Def Leppard are one of the biggest selling rock acts. Hysteria alone sold in excess of 25 million copies worldwide and went 12x platinum in the US!

The Zombies are an odd choice I'll grant you. She's not there is a great song, but they aren't the most influential band on the list

The Cure I see no reason why they shouldn't be on the list. Again they are massively influential and have sold bucket loads of records

Having Stevie Nicks in the list is just being greedy! She is already in with Fleetwood Mac.

I think the biggest crime in the Hall of Fame is some of the exclusions; Sparks for example. Here is a band that has been constantly producing new material since 1969, have influenced loads of people and have pioneered many things that are staples now.

 

[Odinbass]

The haters are right. The RRHOF is a waste of emotion for us. It's a meaningless institution that makes money on our attention.

 

[mellowinman]

The Zombies of course belong in the RRHOF and should have been in long ago.

Their innovative (for the time) songwriting influenced hundreds of other groups, and they were well-loved by peers and audiences. Two hits? Two really excellent hits, one of which had decidedly odd production. Also one could argue "Hold Your Head Up" by Argent was by Zombie Rod Argent, and again, three hits in two different eras, unusual production and influence on other bands makes them a shoo in.

 

[stingray78]

For me Rock and Roll has always been more of a cultural movement and lifestyle. In that spirit, all of these artists qualify, whether I like them or not. Occasionally the question "why now?" pops up in my head.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Brian Eno, Eddie Jobson, John Wetton and Brian Ferry have influenced a ton of musicians and fans. Roxy Music gets my vote.

 

[Bassbubble11]

Running out of real musicians to nominate.

KISS are probably what a lot of folks would consider the epitome of RnR....... and they are in. Musicians or "Real" musicians they are not. Bands like Roxy Music and The Cure are way more deserving of being inducted than bands like Kiss if it is purely being based on musicianship.

 

[DoctorZee]

I just listened to Radiohead again this morning for the first time in a long time. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but my god, it gets me. The early stuff: The Bends, Pablo Honey, OK Computer. The latter in particular has some amazing arrangement and out of this world melodies. They may not have had a lot of mainstream hits, but I think for influence and innovation they make a lot of sense in the HoF.

 

[Mike Sorr]

If they're going to include non rock acts, they should just call it the Popular Music Hall of Fame. When they started incducting rap and hip hop, it ceased being about rock and roll. I respect Janet Jackson, but she belongs to a different genre of music.