We’re running an article about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony tonight on the homepage that has quite a lot of interesting perspective (read it here: http://www.nbc5i.com/dfwscene/15546719/detail.html).
Too bad I have to disagree with some of it.
First off, though I agree that the Rock Hall is down to some odd choices of people to induct, they’re not done. Plenty of quality artists and bands haven’t been recognized, but, like the article points out, the method of picking them limits some of the “popular” choices from becoming the real selections due to the fact that “we the people” have nothing to do with the process…or do we?
We’re the ones that made Michael Jackson and Madonna popular artists, picked The Beatles and The Rolling Stones over The Kinks in terms of sales, and demanded that those DJ’s play Hendrix’s “Watchtower” one more time, even though it was a cover of Dylan’s song.
Yeah, this year’s inductees are a little off base in places, but they all deserve their places. Madonna is a legend, Mellencamp and Cohen’s songwriting abilities demand their inclusion, and The Dave Clark Five and The Ventures both have memorable songs and sounds that both influenced and inspired bands in the past and present of rock and roll.
However, we’ve got to have a better way to showing the “Hall of Fame” who needs inclusion than album sales, radio plays, or Grammy awards, since all of them can — and have — been proven to not show how great an artist or band truly is.
The fans need a better voice to the Rock Hall. Who can we nominate? Maybe some journalists could pass on your thoughts…comment below and we’ll see if we can’t pass them on to who needs to know…when we figure out who these shadowy figures are.
