With help from Spotify, personal preferences 2018.

Now that the objective measurements of merits are complete, it's time to be real about whether or not I like the artists nominated for next year's class.  As I've said in the past, I do this because the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame lists "unquestionable musical excellence" as the primary criterion (beyond the 25-year eligibility rule), but how is that even defined?  It probably means a mite more than simply liking an act, although not caring for an act seems to have been grounds enough for exclusion for years, though that is now changing.  This year, the personal taste factor has been something of a conundrum.  From the outset, I said I wasn't really enthused about this year's ballot because there really weren't any acts I loved all that much on it.  And while that is still mostly true, the fact is I wasn't very familiar with too many of them, either.  Well, that changed this year.

About a month and a half ago, I finally decided to start upgrading my tech, and I finally got a smartphone.  I downloaded Spotify and proceeded to spend a day at work listening to each of the nominees.  My work day usually involves about four or five hours of office time and four hours of time out in the streets.  So, I spent about four or five hours just binge listening to each of the nominees.  And I gotta say, I really don't hate any of the nominees after all.  This list is going to rank them one to nineteen, but even though someone's got to finish last, there's really not a bum in the lot.  I know that sounds platitudinal, but I've never been shy about admitting I flat out don't like a nominee: in the past, I've expressed disdain for Sting, Yes, and Cat Stevens, so when I say I actually found binge-listening to the nominees while working to be both quite pleasant and very rewarding, know its sincerity.

I should point out, though, that listening to the nominees while working is not always the best way to get a feel for their music.  For example, Kate Bush is not the kind of artist you should listen to while doing blue collar work.  Surprisingly, neither is Depeche Mode, though Eurythmics works well.  Link Wray and the Meters, both having recorded a lot of instrumentals, are not the best call for the workplace either, if you have to keep checking your phone for song titles, since there are few lyrics to infer titles from.  But the benefits are undeniable. When you listen to an artist for four or five hours straight, you get a feel for the artist's overall style and their catalog, especially when it's on Shuffle Play.  It wasn't perfect: almost all the Zombies' playlist came from either their 2013 live album, or their 2015 reunion album Still Got That Hunger.  And if you search for just "Rufus," you will get the nominee, but also the Australian electronica group also called Rufus Du Sol, as well as a duet by Rufus And Carla, plus the "Naked Mole Rap" from the Kim Possible soundtrack.  Do not ever listen to that last song.  You will regret it.  Overall though, four or five hours covered a lot of ground, though not every song.  But I don't feel you have to listen every note of every song to know whether or not you like an artist.  I think the amount of time I spent for each nominee is sufficient.  However, I did supplement my Spotify with YouTube, going back over the charted hits on the various Billboard charts, and even the Cashbox and Record World charts to give a listen to any significant songs Spotify may have skipped over.  So between Spotify and Youtube, I believe I've gotten a serious handle on the general oeuvre of each nominee.  So with that in mind, time to incorporate my feelings on each nominee, where I'll include my favorite song by each, and average it out with their merits.  Interestingly enough, relative positions and favorite songs have changed from where they've been in the past.  That's why one is supposed to never stop doing their research.  Here we go!


1. Nina Simone
Such a varied and wonderful singer.  I won't say I liked every song of hers that I heard, but pretty darn close.  Whether she took four and a half minutes with "Four Women" or just over a minute with "Color Is A Beautiful Thing," she always said it well.
Favorite song: "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"
Merit rank: 2
Average of ranks: 1.5

2. The Moody Blues
This one actually surprises me a bit.  I really don't care for prog as a general rule, but they made a point not to eschew catchiness, combined with their nearly immaculate vocal harmonies, which I'm a always a sucker for.
Favorite song: "Your Wildest Dreams"
Merit rank: 4
Average of ranks: 3

3. The Cars
In our current social climate, I think some of the lyrics in some of their songs really would not go over well.  That said, they're still wonderful listening.
Favorite song: "Tonight She Comes"
Merit rank: 7
Average of ranks: 5

4. The J. Geils Band
It's actually a downside for me that the live recordings are so much more electric than the studio, as I stuck pretty much to judging them by their studio recordings.
Favorite song: "Just Can't Wait"
Merit rank: 18
Average of ranks: 11

5. Bon Jovi
Initially, I thought this would be number one.  I grew up in the Midwest, and Midwesterners love hair metal.  Regardless of race, creed, and whatnot, Midwesterners are mostly united by a shared love of hair metal.  And if you don't like it, we'll just tell you, "Have A Nice Day!"
Favorite song: "Born To Be My Baby"
Merit rank: 15
Average of ranks: 10

6. The Zombies
If I hadn't been so irked that most of what I was listening to on their binge session was from 2013 or later, I would really have enjoyed their latest album more.  It was still good, and the classics still hold up.  By the way, in my initial reactions to the ballot, I commented that of all the nominees, there was only one whose music I had previously purchased for personal pleasure, rather than furthering my Rock Hall research.  That would be these guys.
Favorite song: "Tell Her No"
Merit rank: 16
Average of ranks: 11

7. Sister Rosetta Tharpe
I love a good gospel song.  Though I have to admit, due to the way historians compile anthologies, the lines blur a little.  My favorite song was initially going to be "Shout Sister Shout" until I discovered that was technically a Lucky Millinder And His Orchestra record.
Favorite song: "Strange Things Happening Every Day"
Merit rank: 1
Average of ranks: 4

8. Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
It's something of a shame that a lot of the personnel on Seal In Red were not only not part of the nomination, but also not listed among the snubbed members, as that album is a big part of getting them ranked this high. Chaka's voice is awesome, but so is this album without her.  It's amazing.  Listen to it.
Favorite song: "Take It To The Top"
Merit rank: 14
Average of ranks: 11

9. Eurythmics
This is the biggest shocker of all.  I figured the vast majority of their stuff sounded like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" and "Here Comes The Rain Again," both of which I despise.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much more they were than just the moody synth sounds.  I still don't love Annie Lennox nearly as much as fellow monitors Tom Lane and AlexVoltaire, but I don't hate their music as much as I thought I would.
Favorite song: "When Tomorrow Comes"
Merit rank: 10
Average of ranks: 9.5

10. The Meters
The sound of New Orleans is hit-and-miss for me.  I love Fats Domino, don't care much for Dr. John, love some of the Neville Brothers but not other songs.  So, the Meters had some songs I really enjoyed, and they also had "Fire On The Bayou."
Favorite song: "They All Ask'd For You"
Merit rank: 17
Average of ranks: 13.5

11. Link Wray
His instrumentals are wonderful; however, he's no singer.  That said, even when he sang he was saying some important stuff.  Still worth listening to, though I'd skip the Robert Gordon collaborations.
Favorite song: "Copenhagen Boogie"
Merit rank: 11
Average of ranks: 11

12. LL Cool J
It really is quite amazing how his music, even within the same era, combined such masculinity and fragility, and even some sophomoric takes on life too.  Oh yeah, and mad respect for sampling the Moonglows.
Favorite song: "The Do Wop"
Merit rank: 3
Average of ranks: 7.5

13. Judas Priest
I didn't think I'd be able to put up with them for four hours, but their brand of metal is actually pretty melodic, and even when it isn't, most of it is still pretty awesome.
Favorite song: "United"
Merit rank: 8
Average of ranks: 10.5

14. Depeche Mode
I was actually surprised to realize I don't like this act as much as I thought I did.  The early stuff, with the higher-pitched synth lines and their attempts at harmonies have a certain allure for me.  Even though the production values are far superior on their later stuff, I like catchy.  What can I say?  I'm an egalitarian music snob.
Favorite song: "Just Can't Get Enough"
Merit rank: 9
Average of ranks: 11.5

15. Radiohead
Another surprise that I liked them more than I thought I did.  I loved "Idioteque" in college, but really never caught on to them.  Almost ranked them above Depeche Mode because the good is better than Depeche Mode's good, but the ones I didn't care for pull their overall average just a notch lower.
Favorite song: "No Surprises"
Merit rank: 6
Average of ranks: 10.5

16. Dire Straits
Sorry AlexVoltaire!  Only marginally better than they did in merits!  This was the biggest disappointment for me.  I was really expecting their body of work to be more like the biggest hits.  In reality, they're more akin to Gary Lewis And The Playboys: the hits they're remembered for are fantastic, and so are some of the B-sides; however, the rest of it is pretty weak.  With a few exceptions, outside the big three, they strike me as a troubadour outfit, a slow jams band for White boys who can't dance, and a poor man's E Street Band rolled into one.  But the hits still hold up quite well.
Favorite song: "Walk Of Life"
Merit rank: 19
Average of ranks: 17.5

17. The MC5
I'm not a huge fan of their cacophony, but mining their stuff deeper really has given me a greater appreciation for them.
Favorite song: "The American Ruse"
Merit rank: 13
Average of ranks: 15

18. Kate Bush
Admittedly difficult to binge-listen to at work; however, this has more to do with the fact that a lot of her work is the kind of aural art you'd expect to find in the auditory wing of a sort of museum for high art for all your senses, as opposed to conventional definitions of "songs," especially from an artist you'd expect to see enshrined in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  That said, it would be a wonderful conceptual coup if she got inducted and one of the pieces she performed was "50 Words For Snow."
Favorite song: "Eat The Music"
Merit rank: 12
Average of ranks: 15

19. Rage Against The Machine
Again, I don't hate any of the nominees.  I'm not big into nu metal, but it's great music to work along too, and when I could make out the lyrics, it was worth absorbing.  This is how I discovered just how innovative their sound is too, so don't think I'm being patronizing here.  As I said at the top, someone has to be in nineteenth place, but I still enjoyed it.
Favorite song: "People Of The Sun"
Merit rank: 5
Average of ranks: 12

So when you consider the averages of all the ranks, the logical course of voting for me should theoretically be Nina Simone, the Moody Blues, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Cars, and LL Cool J.  In actuality, I have been voting for Nina Simone, LL Cool J, the Meters, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, and Kate Bush.  This has been part of me sticking to my guns, per my socially conscious open letter to Nominating Committee (though Rufus is interracial).  That said, if the five highest averages got enshrined (let's make it seven, with Sister Rosetta Tharpe going in as an Early Influence and the six other highest averages, which here includes Eurythmics and Bon Jovi), I would be pretty elated with that class.  Is that what I'm predicting?  Stick around, that's coming really soon.