Judging by the 463 comments on our Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Most Egregious Snubs article, the Hall's picks for rock immortality -- or just an extra shiny piece of plastic to throw on the mantle -- perennially inspires hand-wringing, profanity-laced invective and bemused resignation.
Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Neil Diamond, Darlene Love and Dr. John will all be entering the Hall at the Induction Ceremony next March. They're all worthy and deserving -- be objective, Diamond haters -- but here are five more of this year's nominees that should have made the cut along with possible reasons they didn't.
Beastie Boys
Why They Should've Made It: Along with Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys vaunted hip-hop from an insularly respected yet derisively maligned genre into a national phenomenon. 'Licensed to Ill,' the band's 1986 debut album, was the first hip-hop album to reach Number One on the Billboard 200 and, with the ubiquity of 'Fight For Your Right,' 'Brass Monkey' and 'No Sleep Till Brooklyn,' turned every sleepy suburban Whitesnake fan into a hip-hop head. 'Paul's Boutique,' the group's landmark follow-up, is a cornerstone of sampling that influenced countless producers.
Why They Probably Didn't: Hip-hop has had a rough time gaining acceptance to Hall voters. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five became the first rap group inducted in 2007 and since then, what should have been a tidal wave of inductees has been reduced to a wading pool. You'd think the Hall would take baby steps and induct the most rock-influenced group of the genre, though, right? They're a fickle bunch.
Bon Jovi
Why They Should've Made It: If you were of a certain age in 1986, Bon Jovi's third album 'Slippery When Wet,' which sold more than 12 million copies in the U.S. alone, was an totemic anthem. 'You Give Love a Bad Name,' 'Wanted Dead or Alive' and 'Livin' On a Prayer' -- the latter inspiring more than one child to listen with awe as Richie Sambora "talked with his guitar" -- were stadium classics that can now be found in every karaoke songbook. 25 years later, the group continues touring to sell-out arenas.
Why They Probably Didn't: In retrospect, the group embodied nearly every cheesy stereotype of 1980s excess -- Big riffs! Big power ballads! Big hair! -- that the Hall has generally dismissed. Nothing new, though. The band has always been denounced by critics, so the Sayreville Chamber of Commerce may want to hold off on that "Congratulations" banner.
(We all know the original and this version's better anyway.)
Chic
Why They Should've Made It: The funk-heavy sound created by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards in the late 1970s soundtracked every club from Studio One to Studio 54 and became a leading template for 1980s funk, dance-pop and, in sampled form, hip-hop. The band's 1979 hit 'Good Times' provided the melody for 'Rapper's Delight,' one of the first commercially successful hip-hop songs. In the 1980s, Rodgers became a sought-after producer, working with everyone from Duran Duran and David Bowie to Madonna and Mick Jagger. Bottom line: No one touches Chic's bass lines. Not then. Not now. Not ever.
Why They Probably Didn't: No analysis here. We're as dumbfounded as anyone else. Maybe the voters just hate disco.
Donovan
Why He Should've Made It: With his optimistic worldview and psychedelic folk-pop tendencies, the Scottish singer-songwriter perfectly embodied the hippie movement of the 1960s and early '70s, fomenting a sound and image that made him a hero to a generation. His best albums -- 1966's 'Sunshine Superman' and 1967's 'Mellow Yellow' -- remain an indelible artifact of the movement.
Why He Probably Didn't: See last sentence above. Despite maintaining his career into the 1970s and beyond, the folkie was always shackled to the decade that made him a star. It didn't help that the "Poor man's Bob Dylan" tag never really went away. We can't say for sure what the singer was thinking three minutes into the below clip from 'Don't Look Back,' but we're guessing it's something along the lines of, "Thank you for recording the moment my soul exploded and Dylan turned me into the hippie Salieri."
Donna Summer
Why She Should've Made It: With electronic music and disco pioneer Giorgio Moroder (another Hall of Fame snub) by her side, disco chanteuse Donna Summer created sonic orgasms -- 'Love To Love You Baby' below is basically sex with a bass line -- that helped define the synth-driven, post-Bee Gees era of disco. 'Bad Girls' and 'On the Radio' were two of 1979's biggest songs and 1983's 'She Works Hard For the Money' became the first MTV video place in heavy rotation by an African-American female.
Why She Probably Didn't: Although now enshrined in quasi-urban legend lore, Summer's alleged anti-gay remarks in the 1980s spurred a widespread backlash that temporarily halted her career. Summer denied making the remarks, but the legend is always truer than the facts. Either that, or they just couldn't excuse the back-up dancing below.
Man, there are a lot of people with really bad taste in music.
XTC ought to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They've been neglected while lame so-called artists have been inducted solely due to their sales. I do agree Todd Rundgren more than deserves to be there. Another group that ought to be included is Cocteau Twins. And the Hall of Fame ought to go beyond England and the United States; they're so provincial. There's a world out there, you know. What about Brazilian artists like Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Os Mutantes, the leaders of the '60s Tropicalia movement? What about the pioneers and major stars of Latin American rock en español? Open the doors to real artists, please.
Eddie Trunk is right on the money. As far as hard rock/metal, the Hall of Shame is backward and behind. That said, Neil Diamond is deserving. Listen to the 70s channel on the weekend and catch America's Top 40. During the whole decade, the man had hits. He started in the 60s, he wrote I'm A Believer...The Monkees...remember?? My friends' moms all went wild for the guy, his concerts sold out in minutes. He was a trendsetter in his day, which obviously is not now. But he rocked Glastonbury in 2008, I believe.
Plenty of time for Bon Jovi to get in, but what about The Guess Who, Moody Blues, Grand Funk, Rush. Deserving rockers should get in before any disco or rap acts.
Rush doesn't need the RRHOF. They are one of the most successful rock bands in history... they've sold more consecutive gold and platinum units than ANYONE other than the Beatles and the Stones. They are about to embark on another world tour selling out arena's across the globe. 40 years living in the limelight!!!!!!!!!!!!
it lost it's appeal to me when ABBA got into the hall of fame,which is a joke,right?what about KISS,THE MOODY BLUES,YES,RUSH,DEEP PURPLE? these bands were all pioneers in the history of rock.it sends shivers down my spine when i think that "dancing queens" are in the hall before the "gods of thunder"...this was the only reason i could think of ggoing to cleveland,no disrespect,and now you couldn't get me there if you dragged me kicking and screaming all the way!!!!Niel Diamond????you're kidding me!!!!
Eddie Trunk is right on the money. I also agree Journey should be there. Especially on the subject of KISS and Rush. C'mon guys, get real. Most bands will tell you those were inspirations for them. How many bands can claim the fact that they stayed out of trouble, never heard of them being destructive, drunken druggies, other than Rush??? The people who get to pick inductees need to give their jobs to all of us :)
Those people don't define fame, they butcher it! When you think 'RNR', you do not thin of the Beasties or BJ,... You think of Byran Adams and The Eagles! Not freak talent.
Those bands are 1 hit wonders. They were so great the 1st time around, too good, too fake. Like; 'You gotta fight', 'Shot through the hart', etc. and is obviously probably all stolen songs or they would be making big hits still today! No, they're just lounge acts now tryin' to hock off their image to their own crappy work. If anybody deserves a new award it's the surviving Milli Vanilli for 'best fraud'.
I think there's a disease that should be unearthed about how when artists steal others' songs and then they feel like it isn't who they are and go their own crappy way or is that selling your soul. Anyway I guess since they belong to the devil they'd have to ask him or just give him the award. Genre of Acid Rock, Punk, Thrash and Heavy Metal have always been debatable to be Rock or even actual music other than a seizure & screams.
A lot of listeners only know Neil Diamond from the sappy love songs he wrote and recorded during the late 70's but he actually came onto the scene as a rock and roll star in the late 60's. Listen to his early songs like Cherry, Cherry, The Boat That I Row, Thank the Lord for the Night Time, You Got To Me and Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show and you will see what I mean. No, he was never heavy metal like some of the suggestions here but he was still rock and roll.
I would think that with the name Rock And Roll Hall of Fame that the members would have played rock and roll music. Disco, rap, pop, country, opera and any other genre is NOT what I consider rock and roll. Give this title to true rockers!! And there is no end to those on the "still deserving" list. I would never consider Neil Diamond a rocker. Sorry but every year I just don't get half of the nominees.
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Grand Funk Railroad
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Man, there are a lot of people with really bad taste in music.
XTC ought to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They've been neglected while lame so-called artists have been inducted solely due to their sales. I do agree Todd Rundgren more than deserves to be there. Another group that ought to be included is Cocteau Twins. And the Hall of Fame ought to go beyond England and the United States; they're so provincial. There's a world out there, you know. What about Brazilian artists like Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Os Mutantes, the leaders of the '60s Tropicalia movement? What about the pioneers and major stars of Latin American rock en español? Open the doors to real artists, please.
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Rush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Moody Blues, Tower of Power, Steve Miller, just to name a few.
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Eddie Trunk is right on the money. As far as hard rock/metal, the Hall of Shame is backward and behind.
That said, Neil Diamond is deserving. Listen to the 70s channel on the weekend and catch America's Top 40. During the whole decade, the man had hits. He started in the 60s, he wrote I'm A Believer...The Monkees...remember?? My friends' moms all went wild for the guy, his concerts sold out in minutes. He was a trendsetter in his day, which obviously is not now. But he rocked Glastonbury in 2008, I believe.
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Plenty of time for Bon Jovi to get in, but what about The Guess Who, Moody Blues, Grand Funk, Rush. Deserving rockers should get in before any disco or rap acts.
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Rush doesn't need the RRHOF.
They are one of the most successful rock bands in history... they've sold more consecutive gold and platinum units than ANYONE other than the Beatles and the Stones.
They are about to embark on another world tour selling out arena's across the globe.
40 years living in the limelight!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
it lost it's appeal to me when ABBA got into the hall of fame,which is a joke,right?what about KISS,THE MOODY BLUES,YES,RUSH,DEEP PURPLE? these bands were all pioneers in the history of rock.it sends shivers down my spine when i think that "dancing queens" are in the hall before the "gods of thunder"...this was the only reason i could think of ggoing to cleveland,no disrespect,and now you couldn't get me there if you dragged me kicking and screaming all the way!!!!Niel Diamond????you're kidding me!!!!
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If Bob Dylan's in there so should Bob Martin be.
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journey???!!
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Johnny Rivers
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LEON RUSSELL
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Eddie Trunk is right on the money. I also agree Journey should be there. Especially on the subject of KISS and Rush. C'mon guys, get real. Most bands will tell you those were inspirations for them. How many bands can claim the fact that they stayed out of trouble, never heard of them being destructive, drunken druggies, other than Rush??? The people who get to pick inductees need to give their jobs to all of us :)
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LEON RUSSELL ,MOODY BLUES, J GEILS
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Those people don't define fame, they butcher it! When you think 'RNR', you do not thin of the Beasties or BJ,... You think of Byran Adams and The Eagles! Not freak talent.
Reply
Those bands are 1 hit wonders. They were so great the 1st time around, too good, too fake. Like; 'You gotta fight', 'Shot through the hart', etc. and is obviously probably all stolen songs or they would be making big hits still today! No, they're just lounge acts now tryin' to hock off their image to their own crappy work. If anybody deserves a new award it's the surviving Milli Vanilli for 'best fraud'.
Reply
I think there's a disease that should be unearthed about how when artists steal others' songs and then they feel like it isn't who they are and go their own crappy way or is that selling your soul. Anyway I guess since they belong to the devil they'd have to ask him or just give him the award. Genre of Acid Rock, Punk, Thrash and Heavy Metal have always been debatable to be Rock or even actual music other than a seizure & screams.
Reply
I'm not sure that they inspired other bands, but they were ground breaking. "Jethro Tull"
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A lot of listeners only know Neil Diamond from the sappy love songs he wrote and recorded during the late 70's but he actually came onto the scene as a rock and roll star in the late 60's. Listen to his early songs like Cherry, Cherry, The Boat That I Row, Thank the Lord for the Night Time, You Got To Me and Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show and you will see what I mean. No, he was never heavy metal like some of the suggestions here but he was still rock and roll.
Reply
I would think that with the name Rock And Roll Hall of Fame that the members would have played rock and roll music. Disco, rap, pop, country, opera and any other genre is NOT what I consider rock and roll. Give this title to true rockers!! And there is no end to those on the "still deserving" list. I would never consider Neil Diamond a rocker. Sorry but every year I just don't get half of the nominees.
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are the ramones in?
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