Andy Greene of Rolling Stone reports:
The nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 are in, and the list includes Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Depeche Mode, Electric Light Orchestra, Jane’s Addiction, Janet Jackson, Journey, the Cars, the Zombies and Yes. The rest of this year’s hopefuls are Bad Brains, Chaka Khan, Chic, J. Geils Band, Joan Baez, Joe Tex, Kraftwerk, MC5 and Steppenwolf. The top vote-getters will be announced in December and inducted next April at a ceremony at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. HBO will broadcast the ceremony later in the year.
For the fifth consecutive year, the public will have the opportunity to vote alongside the more than 800 artists, historians and music industry insiders of the Rock Hall voting body. From now until December 6th, fans can vote on RollingStone.com for the nominees they’d like to see inducted. The top five acts will comprise a “fan’s ballot” that will count as one of the ballots that determine the class of 2016. Voting is available at the bottom of this page.
To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to be released in 1991 or earlier. Some of the nominees have appeared on previous ballots, but this is the first appearance for Bad Brains, Depeche Mode, Electric Light Orchestra, Jane’s Addiction, Joan Baez, Journey, Pearl Jam, Steppenwolf, and Tupac Shakur. It’s Pearl Jam and Shakur’s first year of eligibility, while Chic earned a Hall of Fame record with 11 ballot appearances. It’s the fifth for Joe Tex, the fourth for the J. Geils Bands and Kraftwerk and the third for Yes.
In a change of tradition, the Hall of Fame has announced the individual members of each band that will be honored. Pearl Jam have had five drummers, but only current drummer Matt Cameron and founding member Dave Krusen will be inducted should they make it in. Electric Light Orchestra has had many musicians come and go over the years, but just Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood, Bev Bevan and Richard Tandy made the cut. The classic Steve Perry lineup of Journey is listed along with founding keyboardist/singer Gregg Rolie. As far as Yes, original singer Jon Anderson is on the ballot along with drummers Bill Bruford and Alan White, keyboardists Tony Kaye and Rick Wakeman, guitarists Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin and bassist Chris Squire. Keyboardist Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode after their first album Speak & Spell, but he is listed along with the rest of the band.
Read more at Rolling Stone.
source: rollingstone.com
19 Responses
Ummm, where is Judas Priest’s nomination??
I guess it they thought Judas Priest was synonymous with Chic or Tupac Shakur. C’mon man…
D 🙂
I guarantee Tupac, Pearl Jam, and Janet Jackson go in. For what reason I have no idea.
You’re seriously questioning why Pearl Jam will get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Pearl Jam was a major influence and massive band in the 90’s. Nobody can deny that.
I’d like to see Journey, ELO, and Yes.
In reality, I don’t think any of it really matters.
Pearl Jam has sold 60 million albums worldwide, is one of the most influential and important bands of all time and still sells out every arena and stadium they play 26 years later. If there are no brainer bands to get in, they are definitely one of them!
To each their own, but to use words such as “most influential and important bands of all time,” to describe Pearl Jam, is an aggrandizement, to say the least.
I would use words like that to describe the Beatles and the Stones, possibly Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, but Pearl Jam? Uh, no. I would like to know what countless bands they have influenced? Are you possibly referring to all those awful EMO bands? If so, wow, what a service Pearl Jam did spawning that awful genre of music (eye roll).
While I do own several Pearl Jam albums (three, I think?), and know they continue to have a cult following, I cannot remember the last time, I actually played one of their records. The only grunge era band that I currently listen to, and still love, is Stone Temple Pilots.
While I appreciate that PJ guitarist Mike McCready is a huge UFO fan, and has a UFO cover band side project, I cannot name one Pearl Jam song that I would consider a “classic.” Even Flow, the only one that that comes to mind that has any melody to it as far, as far I am concerned.
Pearl Jam entering the Rock Hall before Judas Priest, whom by the way, have influenced FAR more bands than Pearl Jam ever will, Dio, Iron Maiden, Whitesnake, etc., is ludicrous, in my humble opinion. The fact that it took forever and a day for Deep Purple to get in, when Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, who went in before his own heroes, really says something about this “institution.”
Just my two cents.
D 🙂
I would not call PJ’s fanbase a cult following. Its a large fanbase that hasnt shrunk. They sold out two nights each at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field a few months ago. Theres not many rock bands that can do that these days. Regardless, this is an arguement that no one will win. Do Priest, Maiden, Motorhead, etc belong in? No question about it! However, just because they’re not in, doesn’t mean other worthy bands shouldn’t get in either. It is a joke that those bands are getting disrespected, but i assume they will get in eventually. In the US, Pearl Jam is a bigger draw than all of those. Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy, Black, Daughter, Better Man, Corduroy, etc are still being played on the radio constantly. For goodness sake, they have their own channel on Sirius/XM. Just read the list of guest dj’s on that station to see a small inkling of people and bands they influenced and made a difference on. Eddie Vedder was asked by The Doors, Neil Young, The Ramones and REM to induct them into the HOF; they’ve toured with and shared bills with Young, The Stones, The Who, Springsteen, etc…Vedder and his band must be doing something right. They are one of the most respected bands out there. I respect the hell out of Priest, but i don’t listen to them much. That doesnt mean that they dont belong in.
You’re right, Jason, this is an argument that cannot be won because I still believe there are far better, and more deserving bands, that should be inducted.
Also, I should clarify that when I said the band has a cult following, that has nothing to do with ticket sales. The Grateful Dead and Phish, whom I equate Pearl Jam fans with, also have/had cult followings and also sold tremendous amounts of tickets to their shows for decades. Based on your premise, then Bon Jovi should have been inducted YEARS ago, because they are one of the few 80’s bands, if not the only, that can still sell out stadiums.
As for Pearl Jam having respect from their peers, and possibly their idols (like Neil Young), I feel that may have more to do with them as individuals, then it does about the music. Eddie Vedder, whom I think is adorable, btw, and the rest of the guys in the band, seem like they fit the hippie vibe and philosophy, so I am sure that accounts for a good portion of why they are admired by their peers.
That is not to discount their musical abilities, but I just do not see them as a super power in the music world. To me, they were just part of the 90’s Seattle music scene dubbed, Grunge, (which I never really liked) nothing more, nothing less. I do not see Eddie Vedder being remembered for having a voice like the Metal God or Dio. Their voices will always stand out from the crowd, for obvious reasons, they were unique. Again, just my opinion.
Heading out to the highway now, see what I did there 😉
Forgot to add, DEF LEPPARD should be in as well. Hysteria, good, bad or indifferent, knocked Michael Jackson’s, Thriller, off the charts. An impossible fete for most rock bands to have done, plus that album had a ton of hits.
D 🙂
Bon Jovi and Def Leppard absolutely belong in…
🙂
Jane’s Addiction…interesting. Eddie, really enjoyed the interview with Perry Farrell today!
Once again The Doobie Brothers are not even mentioned. Maybe they’re scared of the name “Doobie”. Unreal. Their early and mid 1970s material alone should have been enough to get them inducted a LONG time ago. Motorhead, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are probably too “scary” for the judges. Ha! And did Dio ever get in? Unless I missed something- no. Not with Black Sabbath and not with his solo work. Clearly there is something wrong with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They may have gotten better but they have a long way to go to prove they are credible. No wonder Steve Miller got pissed off at them!
clearly, the doobie brothers made a deal with the devil when had al “mystery producer” dunbar arrested on “what’s happening!!!”
LOL!!!!
ReRun made a big boo boo and Roger’s line when he called to get an interview by asking, “Which Doobie, you be?,” was the Hindenburg of jokes. 😉
D 🙂
the first several inductions were no-brainers, sans controversy. the next several years saw too many inductees, with plenty of head-scratchers along the way. so even though the rarhof finally got the message to have a more diversified voting body, the damage is done. they’re running out of legit inductees, so deserving bands like priest will have to be nominated piecemeal.