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Time for our annual RRHOF Bashing

#101
RichardW said:
2019 inductees just announced:
Radiohead
Janet Jackson
Def Leppard
The Cure
Roxie Music
The Zombies
Stevie Nicks

Personally happy to see The Zombies recognized. Don't understand the Janet Jackson decision. Never a huge Radiohead, Cure, or Roxie Music fan, but OK. Could go either way on Nicks.

Discuss.
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I get The Cure. Radiohead has about 3 decent songs, out of like 15 albums. Janet...whatever dude. Who are the Zombies? But Def Leopard? No freaking way
 
#103
Once people realize that the annual inductees are simply a marketing tool to draw attention, PR, and butts through the RRHOF turnstiles, I think we'd all be better off. Who am I to judge if these artists "belong"? The RRHOF tries to appeal to the masses while appearing to be hip and cool. Some years they do a better job than others. The annual arguments about "yeah, but whaddabout X-Y-Z" gets tiresome. Congrats to the artists for what surely is a a significant recognition of achievement. I've been to the RRHOF a few times, and I think it's a really cool place. I'm glad it exists. That being said, I don't recall ever seeing an actual "Hall" of the greats, except for maybe the display of the current year's inductees (and special placards on the CDs in the gift shop). It's a museum, and they have to mix things up to get people to come back. If they had a very narrow definition of Rock & Roll, and were highly selective about their criteria, it would be a pretty small and boring place.

Another way to look at it is I think the RRHOF means more to the fans than the artists. People want validation for their decades of fandom. A lot of artists these days seem to say "it's a nice honor, but it's not a big deal. I'm happy for our fans."
 
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#104
RichardW said:
Time for our annual RRHOF Bashing
2019 inductees just announced:
Radiohead
Janet Jackson
Def Leppard
The Cure
Roxie Music
The Zombies
Stevie Nicks

Discuss.
Click to expand...

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has zero to do with rock and roll. At best half that list even approaches R&R. And I like some of the non Rockers on that list more than some of the supposed "Rockers". I like Janet and Stevie, but they are Pop singers, not Rockers. Def Leppard :vomit: was rockish pop. The Cure and Roxie Music, both of whom I like a lot, were Alternative Pop.

If it's "Pop" it ain't rock.

The name should be changed to the Pop Hall of Fame.
 
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#107
I'm honestly not familiar enough with Janet Jackson to know if she has recorded or performed any rock music.

"Rock and Roll" does specifically mean early, 40's-50's rock and roll. That is the definition. But "rock" music is broad enough to be often indistinguishable from pop.

The hall of fame should definitely not be called "rock and roll", but I doubt they will take my advice. : )
 
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#109
RichardW said:
2019 inductees just announced:
Radiohead
Janet Jackson
Def Leppard
The Cure
Roxie Music
The Zombies
Stevie Nicks

Personally happy to see The Zombies recognized. Don't understand the Janet Jackson decision. Never a huge Radiohead, Cure, or Roxie Music fan, but OK. Could go either way on Nicks.

Discuss.
Click to expand...

Time for me to once again say...it ain't called the rock 'n roll MUSIC hall of fame, y'all.
 
#111
mmon77 said:
I'll never understand their selection process though. How a band like Radiohead can get inducted so relatively early on in their career compared to bands from the 60's and 70's that were actually influential and still can't get in is another mystery to me.
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I assume you think 33 years of career is not that much and Radiohead is not influential...
Can't disagree more..
 
#112
maturanesa said:
I dont see why Def Leppard... They are a good glam metal band but just as many others that were never inducted...
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The lack of metal bands, especially from when the genre was young, is borderline criminal. Early classic metal is definitely a close relative of rock and roll, lots of quality songwriting and performances, and some of those bands have impressive catalogs and bonafide crossover hits that are still routinely in demand by media outlets and cover band audiences some 40 years later.

I think Def Leppard's sanitized technical precision and production values, easily consumable and ready-made for mainstream radio, and their high video profile edged them over the line with the general public. And some of those songs are among the most popular in coverband land, especially "Pour Some Sugar On Me."
 
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#113
electracoyote said:
The lack of metal bands, especially from when the genre was young, is borderline criminal. Early classic metal is definitely a close relative of rock and roll, lots of quality songwriting and performances, and some of those bands have impressive catalogs and bonafide crossover hits that are still routinely in demand by media outlets and cover band audiences some 40 years later.

I think Def Leppard's sanitized technical precision and production values, easily consumable and ready-made for mainstream radio, and their high video profile edged them over the line with the general public. And some of those songs are among the most popular in coverband land, especially "Pour Some Sugar On Me."
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Even taking just the metal bandas...Iron Maiden is not inducted and Def Leppard, yes. Nonsense..
 
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#115
maturanesa said:
Even taking just the metal bandas...Iron Maiden is not inducted and Def Leppard, yes. Nonsense..
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I'm a fan of both bands, but I can see why the Hall would put Def Leppard on the ballot and not Iron Maiden, and it's simple: Def Leppard has a higher profile and more name recognition with the mainstream audience. They can put Iron Maiden on the ballot, but only a small percentage of voters, people like you and me, musicians and metal fans with more discriminating tastes, would vote for them. They would likely sit on the nominee list, never inducted, for decades.

It is in a way a popularity contest, and again, not really a true indicator of anything of substance. It is an extension and microcosm of the subjective nature of the arts, and fairness is not a criteria.
 
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#116
The only inductees I have seen live is Def Leppard. Extremely good. All are extremely good musicians. Amazing to watch Rick Allen (I know, I know, he's a drummer) Rick Savage is a solid on bass. Not flashy. Plays what needs to be played. As a group, they are very deserving to be in the RRHOF.
 
#117
redwingxix said:
I just keep waiting for a diehard Roxy Music fan's head to explode in this thread.
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Even though I'm a big fan and I give them credit for helping to fuel the New Romantic movement, I never thought they were appreciated enough in real-time or that they'd ever get this kind of recognition. I assumed only people who took the time to dig deeper into their catalog than "Love Is The Drug" would truly understand and appreciate them. I guess all the New Romantics have a shot now. Maybe Spandau Ballet will be on the ballot soon.
 
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#120
Everyone of these makes sense to me (except Def Leopard) I think Janet gets underrated in part because of standing next to Michael. It took me a while to come around to her but after Janet (which really is a great album I changed my mind) the same thing happened with Madonna around the 5-6 album mark. Bedtime Stories is a fantastic album and obviously Ray of Light goes without saying. +1 for Roxy Music they are my favorite on the list.
 

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