The new class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Phil Collins is pretty much the only deserving new inductee.
The others are a toss up.
The late Luther Vandross and Sade represent R&B.
Billy Idol and Oasis, I guess, are “new rock.” So is Joy Division, which became New Order after lead singer Ian Curtis’s suicide 40 or more years ago.
Wu Tang Clan is a weird cult thing thing in rap. Some of the members, like Method Man, have had careers in the real world. But some of the others, yikes.
Iron Maiden is just beyond my comprehension, but every dog has its day.
Fela Kuti, Gram Parsons, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Celia Cruz will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category, while Rick Rubin, Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, and Jimmy Miller will be enshrined in the Music Excellence category. Finally, Ed Sullivan will be posthumously be inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Topo Gigio will accept on his behalf.
Still not in and probably never will be: R&B superstars War (hello!), J. Geils Band (outrageous), Beck, Sting, Stevie Winwood, Nile Rodgers, Bachman Turner Overdrive/The Guess Who, The Monkees, Jethro Tull, Iggy Pop (wtf?), Edgar Winter or Johnny Winter, and so on.
Oasis had a big year because of its reunion tour, but they basically have two hit albums and “Wonderwall.” Tom Jones belongs in before them or Billy Idol as far as influences. None of the Dunhill Records groups are in like Three Dog, the Grass Roots, and Steppenwolf, all of whom ruled the airwaves. Motown’s late Mary Wells never made it. Neither did the Marvelettes.
It’s a great relief, actually, that the new members no longer mean anything to me. I used to love going, when I could get in, to the Waldorf Astoria. Those were landmark evenings. But if these artists mean a lot to you, God bless.
