2014 Rock Hall Inductees Announced
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 12:01AM KISS are finally in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Joining them in the 2014 class are Nirvana, Cat Stevens, Hall & Oates, Linda Rondstadt and Peter Gabriel.
I knew KISS would get in eventually. I also knew that Nirvana would get in on this first ballot. Go ahead and discuss.
I know a lot of you have comments on both KISS and Nirvana. I'm only going to inject my opinion on Hall & Oates: I love them and I'm glad they are part of the 2014 class. I know people are already grumbling that Hall & Oates don't belong in the Rock Hall. My argument is that half the artists already inducted aren't "rock" acts anyway, so why not make room for some cool Hall & Oates? After all, they did give us "She's Gone." The tune is one of my favorite songs of all time.
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Reader Comments (46)
GNR
What do you have against Nitro? They are a excellent hair metal band just like Kiss. Sure they weren't as popular as Kiss but they do give Kiss a run for the money. I love me some Nitro.
They're going in for their 70's output, which is Glam Rock!
I have been commenting with long diatribes for years on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and while I am not as vitriolic as,say Eddie Trunk is, I do agree there have been some head-scratching inductions, and some clearly obvious snubs.
With that said, I am very happy to see KISS get their rightful induction this year. It is a long overdue, and the #1 travesty of the R&RHOF, in my opinion. KISS was influential for hundreds of bands, and they were true rock superstars back in the day. Not to mention that I have seen them live from 1986-2012 numerous times, and the live show is always great. Congratulations to KISS! Glad that Ace and Peter will be invited as well.
As for Nirvana, I am not surprised they got in on the first ballot - the HOF is nothing if not political, and they (Rolling Stone, etc.) LOVE them some Nirvana. I am a fan of the music, so I am overall pleased. I listen to Nirvana today, and while the talent cannot be denied, I personally never bought into Kurt Cobain's self-aggrandizing "I'm suffering for my art and you're all assholes anyway so I will just end it all.." mentality. But looking forward to seeing Dave Grohl (who always gives an amusing speech) and Krist Novocelic accept their awards. And please God, NO Courtney Love. Bleagh!
Also extremely happy for Hall & Oates. Long overdue. Hall seemed a bit caustic on the Howard Stern Show when asked about the HOF years ago, but there is no denying the late 70's - early 80's run of chart-topping hits from Hall & Oates. Great call on "She's Gone", Allyson. I liked that song as a kid, and still listen to it today. Plus, there's Rich Girl, Sara Smile, Maneater, Private Eyes, I Can't Go For That, and many more.
Peter Gabriel: technically already inducted with Genesis, but this is for solo work. A talented, prolific, and socially-conscious musician, he is certainly deserving of the accolade. Happy for him, and surprised he wasn't in already.
Linda Rondstadt and Cat Stevens: Not exactly a big fan of either, but certainly deserving in both cases.
No true duds this year, which is great. Obvious snubs: Both Deep Purple & Yes were on this years' ballot. It is criminal that neither of these bands are in yet. Although the HOF has made some strides in the hard rock/metal category recently (Van Halen, Metallica, Alice Cooper all inducted the past few years), there's still a long way to go. It's a complete sham that bands in "our" genre continue to be overlooked. Judas Priest, Maiden, and the Scorpions are 3 specific examples. Not sure Motley Crue has a shot, although they could (and should) one day. Sadly, the closest I think we will come in the 'metal' arena will be either Bon Jovi (on the ballot a few years ago, but not this year) or Def Leppard. Can't see many others having a shot, although Lita Ford should be there as well. The HOF seems to want the Runaways, but honestly the body of work doesn't warrant it. Lita Ford or Joan Jett solo would have a better chance.
Final thoughts: REALLY tired of the HOF ignoring most of the 1970's/eary 80's classic rock. Pat Benatar, Journey, Bad Company, Chicago, Moody Blues, Foreigner, and Yes continue to be snubbed. Depressing. Most of these acts have never been nominated!
And lastly, whether you like Nirvana and that genre of music or not, you have to follow the "politics" of it all and realize that Pearl Jam will also be inducted on their first ballot in a year or 2. I would much rather see Alice In Chains and Soundgarden get inducted.
Motley Crue and to a lesser extent Def Leppard are the only bands left from the 8o's that will for sure get in.