Reaction to the 2024 announcement

 So now we know.  Now we know who the inductees for the Class Of 2024 are.  Cool.

If it seems like I'm underwhelmed, it's a little bit that.  I'm also still processing and digesting.  And also pissed.  But not at the Hall.  But also at the Hall.

Personal anecdote, I tried to find an East Coast ABC affiliate that my cable provider carried on my package.  And there was none.  "American Idol" is running its episode for the Pacific time zone as I type this, and as of this sentence, they announced the class ten minutes ago on the West Coast.  Maybe it's time to go all in on this "streaming" fad.  I signed up for Fubo so I could watch the show, but I only got my subscription active and started ten minutes before the announcement.  Why does that matter?  Because I couldn't join in progress.  They made me start at the beginning to the Seacrest first starting the game of who the safe ten were and who had to sing for their spot.  So that cheesed me off.  That's not the Hall's fault, except for maybe choosing to announce the results on "American Idol."  So maybe that threw a wet towel on the flame of excitement.

But also, despite how I hyped up the acts in my Personal Tastes consideration, there wasn't a nominee (and isn't an inductee) who was in my personal music collection only because I was genuinely excited to collect their music.  I own a Sade anthology, as well as a few Eric B. And Rakim albums, but only because I discovered them through following the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Nobody "organically" in my library, as we Pac Norwesters would say it.  It's okay: most of my favorite acts are already in; most of the ones who aren't, I would concede have a middling case or just don't deserve it; and most of those who I think do deserve it are unlikely to ever be nominated because they're from the '50s, '60s, and early '70s.  They'll end up in Musical Influence or Musical Excellence, if they're remembered at all.  

I'd also like to personally reach out to fellow monitor Michelle Bourg and say, don't feel discouraged about it.  For what it's worth, I still follow with some excitement because it's a chance to broaden my horizons and keep exposing myself to music I hadn't considered before, even if I am twenty-five years late to the party.  I know that's not the entirety of your feeling of irrelevance, as you called it when the nominees first broke, that borderline apathy because there's no one you're passionate about, but I hope you'll stick around.  It still manages to clear the bar for being a worthwhile hobby for me, even though I got obsolesced years ago.  Admittedly, my reasons are probably a bit different and more desperate to have some sense of identity beyond my job, but I do believe you'll find reasons to remain.  Besides, I really enjoy reading your entries.  I respect your opinions, and you write a helluva lot better than I do.

As for the Class, I went six for eight on the predictions, as six of my top eight seeds got the nod.  That's not bad.  Of the two I whiffed on, one was in the mix for serious contention, and only Mary J. Blige had I counted out completely.  But she was one of the most deserving on my Merits Ranks, and one of the seven that I'd been voting for on the fan ballot, so that's a salve for my cishet male WASP ego.  And even though I'm mortified at the thought of having to revisit their catalog more painstakingly, I am happy for the fans of the Dave Matthews Band, who probably feel a great injustice has been corrected.  The asshole cynic in me wants to conjecture that there are eight instead of the assumed seven because the people in the room where it happened looked at the tallies, and then at the fiasco of the 2020 situation and just said, "We do not want to go through that again.  Just include them."  If nothing else though, I will say that hopefully the 2020 ballot disaster, as well as the fan ballot from Fela Kuti's first nomination for 2021, makes it clear.  To appropriate the TikTok trend from last year and earlier this year, this is "Rock Hall Math."  Rock Hall Math is five votes from the members of Def Leppard equaling five votes, and over a million chime-ins from John Q. Public equaling one vote.  Rock Hall Math.  Rock Hall Math is also losing patience after two attempts and going side category, but I'll get there later.  Those were the two I didn't predict making it, thus proving I am indeed not omniscient.  Welp.

But hey, even if the six I did get were pretty close to shooting fish in a barrel, I still feel good about picking them.  Cher and Kool And The Gang were in the top three for merits, personal taste, and seeds, with Kool And The Gang checking in at #2 all three times, and Cher at #1 two of the three.  They are also both from the list I have mentioned many times that I created in 2004.  The streak remains intact, but as time marches on and the Hall changes its methods, I still brace myself for when the streak snaps.  Even if it's next year, hey, twenty years of having at least one name come off the list is pretty awesome (it almost happened in 2021, but then Billy Preston got a Musical Excellence nod).  A Tribe Called Quest continues the nebulous correlation of three nominations in a row gets you in, even though that hasn't always held up either (also coming up later).  Foreigner and Peter Frampton prove that classic rock from the '70s still gets red carpet treatment, except for the J. Geils Band.  But hey, maybe after Bad Company, Styx, Boston, and Kansas, Little Steven can finally get his pet cause voted in.  And if I'm going to get excited for any of the eight, it'll be Ozzy Osbourne.  It's good to see another metal act get voted in, and even though this doesn't add another voter to the roll, it hopefully is at least encouraging to the metal community.  If the poster child for the genre can get voted in on the first try, maybe all is not yet lost. As I said on the Future Rock Legends site, Ozzy was the litmus test for metal.  If he couldn't even get voted in on the first try, then metal better just figure on snagging a category as the only chance, unless the NomComm is willing to labor over more than three nominations.  

Speaking of snagging a category, let's move on.  Suzanne De Passe is a wonderful serendipity in the Non-Performer category.  A name I was previously unfamiliar with, I already find fascinating what the cursory research has revealed.  She was involved with wardrobe for live performances, which admittedly doesn't really seem worth enshrining, but she is also credited with helping launch the careers of the Jackson 5, the Commodores, and the subsequent careers of Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.  In what capacity, I don't know, but I really can't recall off the top of my head when the last time a talent scout got inducted.  That in itself is pretty exciting if that was one of the hats she wore.  It seems like she was also involved in promotions, which I have mixed feelings about, but we do have Bill Graham and Frank Barsalona, so that discussion is moot.  Also in the Motown family, getting an Award For Musical Excellence is Norman Whitfield, which is already causing heads to tilt about where Barrett Strong is.  Maybe there's a Broadway show about Whitfield that a NomComm member is involved with, and they had to give Strong the Ragovoy treatment.  Whatever, that's me being cynical again.  That shouldn't, and doesn't, take away from the fact that Norman is an excellent call.

Sidestepping briefly to the Musical Influence category, recent tweets make it clear who was on this committee as Alexis Korner and John Mayall have been included in this Class.  I'd heard of Mayall before, with his Bluesbreakers band.  I hadn't heard of Korner by name, but I did remember seeing Blues Incorporated on the "Previously Considered" list on the Future Rock Legends site.  It's actually fitting that they're inducted simultaneously, and I fully expect a single speech for both of them the way Carole King inducted the songwriters in 2010.  Both gentlemen's bands were workshops and proving grounds for influential British musicians, and let's face it, inducting Mayall without the Bluesbreakers keeps us from giving Clapton his fourth damn induction.  I'm all for double inductees, but Clapton does not need seven for every single project he had a slow hand in.  Mayall is good enough.  Korner will suffice, as Blues Incorporated will never be nominated either.  It's probably more fitting to call them Musical Influence because they were professional couches that important musicians surfed on.  Also receiving Musical Influence is Big Mama Thornton, and it's about damn time.  Hopefully, this opens the door for Screamin' Jay Hawkins next year.  Or the Ravens.  Or whoever else arguably precedes what we conceptually call rock and roll now and was incredibly important to its development.  Major win here.

And moving on to the Award For Musical Excellence.  This is the most frustrating of the categories on all accounts.  Norman Whitfield is frustrating for the exclusion of Barrett Strong, as mentioned earlier.  Also frustrating is that the MC5 just couldn't get the votes for induction in their six nominations, including four consecutive years, refuting the three consecutive years hypothesis.  Admittedly, many of us in the community thought they'd get Musical Influence because their sound was innovative to the point of being incipient to punk rock.  It's just frustrating, but understandable, that it had to happen this way.  Le sigh.  

Slightly less understandable though is Dionne Warwick getting a category induction after only two failed nominations.  Look, I've said some harsh things in various ways about Dionne Warwick, and while a couple of attempts to make my point were insensitively and clumsily phrased, there is still a part of me that still feels as I did when I said those things: that if there was any R&B artist whose records could have comfortably been played on "The Lawrence Welk Show" while the Geritol-drinking audience danced on the Champagne Ballroom floor, it's Dionne Warwick, especially the songs written by Bacharach and David.  That said, there are some of her records that even I got to say, "Oh wow" to, and if Doja Cat can paint the town red to her song, then that proves that she does have some bearing on the youth culture in modern music.  Maybe can Doja Cat can get a freak like Paul Anka in next year.  No, but what is frustrating is hustling her in a category after only two nominations.  At some point, it is ridiculous to keep nominating an act, and going to a category induction makes sense.  But doing it after only two tries just shows a lack of patience by the committee members and a lack of respect for their own processes.  I'm not saying we need to make them fail eight times, or ten, or eleven.  But Dionne was on some pretty competitive ballots; throwing in the towel that quickly just seems ridiculous.  Why even have a nomination process if you're just gonna stamp your feet and demand to have your way regardless of how the votes go?

Why have a nomination process at all, indeed.  That seems to be the question with the induction of Jimmy Buffett being announced.  As others have stated, this is an artist that probably could have been voted in.  Why are they doing this?  I have to imagine the Foundation met with Disney, and Disney said, "Okay, I see we got Foreigner, Frampton, and Ozzy here, but what about the audiences who think those acts are too risque?  Who are you going to induct to draw in the White people whose favorite spice is mayonnaise?"  And some intern on their phone, doom scrolling, just said, "Who's this Jimmy Buffett guy I keep hearing about?  Heard he died or something.  Sinead didn't get enough votes, so let's use this guy for a sympathy induction."  And then the ghost of Michael Eisner's influence looked at John Sykes, pointed to the intern, and said, "When are you going to step down and let this born leader take over?!"  This feels exploitative, like Sinead O'Connor's nomination, only nowhere near as gross.  Buffett would likely have loved this for himself and for his fans, whereas Sinead would have refused to comment or show up.  I'm going down a rabbit trail, though.  Point is, they didn't even try with Jimmy.  I had a hypothesis, but this induction (and the induction of the Dave Matthews Band) strongly refute the hypothesis, so maybe not.  All I can really say is this just feels like the laziest way to go about having the heart-tugging induction that Sinead was supposed to be, and it's cringe (do kids still say that?).  There's nothing wrong with Buffett being inducted per se; they just didn't even try.

And that's my early onset reaction to the class.  There's some cool things happening here, some uncool but expected things, and once again, some things that make us monitors shake our head and ask if anyone tried unplugging the Foundation and plugging it back in.  I'll be looking forward to the induction ceremony and curious to see how/if they are able to run a tight ship while still doing right by all of the inductees.  Short answer: unlikely, but let's see if it will still look like they tried.  Happy induction season.

Sowing seeds hastily: 2024 Predictions

 Since the announcements will be made Sunday, and this is my only day off until then, let's quickly seed the nominees.  In this case, it simply means ranking them in order of likelihood to be inducted, in my humble opinion.  My percentages are pulled completely out of thin air, they will not add up to what statistical analysts would say the numbers should all add up to, and are really more about showing how close the margins are between nominees in my mental wrestling.  Hopefully, one day I'll be able to do the full write-ups again.  It's a tough ballot to predict, and I easily see myself going two for seven as well as five for seven.    

Between trading favors for those who've shown up in the past couple years, the undeniable icons, and other trends that we have seen recently seen in past years, there are really only about five that I feel comfortable saying aren't going to make it, and ten that are jockeying to be the top seven seeds.  And hey, maybe one of those five will make a fool of me.  I'll freely admit to not having the expertise to assess where people will draw lines.  It's time to put it down for posterity.

1. Cher

Between the legendary status, and the resentment toward the Hall that is weirdly catnip for voters at times, I think she has the strongest chance.  Only real liability is people assuming everyone else will vote for her, and voting elsewhere, thus causing her to turn up short.  But I ultimately don't think that will come to pass.

Odds: 90%

2. Kool And The Gang

I still refuse to use the ampersand, but they appeal to nearly everybody for different reasons.  And that's the beauty of it: regardless of the reason you vote for them, you're still voting for them.  I think that will carry them over the top.

Odds: 80%

3. Foreigner

Classic rock still performs well on the ballot for any group not named the J. Geils Band, and with the campaign Mark Ronson and Mick Jones have going, it's become a bandwagon for voters to jump on.  When Paul McCartney is joining the effort to get you in, that will almost certainly get you in.  Even if not this time, by the second or third nomination.

Odds: 70%

4. Peter Frampton

Again, classic rock.  The "while he's still with us" contingent may come out for him, as well, especially after showing up and playing with Sheryl Crow last year.  That likely pushed him to the forefront of the hearts and minds of voters, particularly those who are thinking of the optics of the ceremony.  He's almost gift-wrapped to be ceremony-perfect.

Odds:  65%

5. Lenny Kravitz

Speaking of Sheryl Crow, who's the nominee from the 1990s with a fun and popular, but not boundary-pushing, catalog who's got more connections than an AT&T switchboard during the 1970s?  His discography is not quite as extensive as Sheryl Crow's, but that simply may not matter.

Odds:  60%

6. A Tribe Called Quest

The lucky three-in-a-row trend may come to a sudden halt with this group, but this is apparently the hill the Hall will die on when it comes to hip-hop.  The main problem is if people assume Eric B. & Rakim will just be a Musical Excellence induction, and that will be all the requisite hip-hop representation needed.  Still, until it's broken, rely on it.

Odds: 55%

7. Sinead O'Connor

Usually the sympathy vote is a very strong one to bank on.  But between her middle-finger ethos to everything that was organizational, people knowing her more for controversy than her music, people only knowing one song of hers, and people appropriating her spirit for more than what she was actually standing against... her candidacy just feels like the center of gravity shifts in your hands and you just can't seem to handle it securely.  I'm just not sure, but I'm willing to seed her here, mainly because her induction will be a quick one that'll let the Hall clear that part of the backlog with minimal screen time.  This year's Kate Bush, if you will.

Odds: 50%

8. Ozzy Osbourne

He might miss out just because the voters can't be kind to heavy metal unless it's Metallica, but he has the iconic status and image that could carry him over and through.  I'd like it, but I'm nervous.

Odds: 49%

9. Mariah Carey

Another one I'm worried might miss out, but would love to be wrong about.  She's an icon with the hits, and she would sell tickets to Cleveland.  But she's seemingly polarizing and underappreciated for the breadth of her talents.  I think she will take one or two more nominations, but please let me be wrong.

Odds: 45%

10. The Dave Matthews Band

The last of the ten, this could be an induction of trading favors.  After showing up for Willie Nelson last year and just being so oh-willikers charming, this could be his best chance.  Hard call to make, but I still don't think enough voters have warmed up to the catalog at the end of the day.

Odds: 40%

11. Oasis

Some want the drama, some really don't.  I think if they got the votes, it'd be a Dire Straits or Radiohead situation, where the members who show up are the ones who aren't related.  But not this time.

Odds: 30%

12. Jane's Addiction

I ultimately think they're the Gen X, L.A.-based version of the New York Dolls.  They were inventive, original, never reached their fullest potential... and you had to be there to get them, apparently.  That's the rub, and in this case, the rub of the eraser.

Odds: 25%

13. Sade

Never completely rule them out, but this is a group that stands a strong chance of just getting lost in the shuffle this time.

Odds: 20%

14. Mary J. Blige

Between the other iconic women and the other hip-hop acts on the ballot, she'll probably also get lost in the shuffle.

Odds: 15%

15. Eric B. And Rakim

Despite having seven choices this year, I think many voters will still "vote strategically," and pick Tribe over them, or they'll just assume the Hall will induct them in Musical Excellence and save their votes for someone else.  For getting voted in, not this time, but hopefully eventually.

Odds: 10%

And with that, we wrap up another prediction.  Short and sweet.  I haven't kept track to see whose predictions I line up with the most, but there you have it.  How far was I off?  We'll find out Sunday.  Do I have any predictions for the other three categories?  No. No I don't.  I do think if they induct Eric B. And Rakim by fiat, it'll be in Musical Excellence rather than Musical Influence, but I'm not even banking on that to happen this time around.  I fizzled out on my #EveryDayWithCarolKaye tweets, and I truly feel guilty and sad about that.  I don't know if I could have made a difference if I kept it up, but the overall point is that you could put a different hit record on that she played on every day, and it would last for over a year... just the hits, even.  I hope Carol Kaye is announced for induction.  I also hope that for Estelle Axton.  I'd also like to see backing vocalists start getting recognized too, most preferably the Jordanaires.  Just no more lawyers or agents, please.  And no critics either.  See ya Sunday; it'll be the first time I intentionally tune in to "American Idol."

Slating the 2024 nominees

Making a pattern of falling behind, I'm late to even get a response to the nominees being announced, but since it's been so long and so many have already said pretty much everything that needed to be said, let's just quickly note that my slate of six correctly guessed nominees appears to be on the higher end of the bell curve, but only slightly.  And I think I was the only person to predict A Tribe Called Quest to return for a third consecutive nomination.  So, with that said, I'll jump right in with some rankings.  Since I'm behind, the way this will work is I'll give my I-5 analyses, and then I'll also give my estimation of their music on a personal taste level, with the favorite songs by each.  After the merit ranks, a quick bullet list of their ranks in terms of personal tastes, and composite scores. 

As a reminder, or for those new to my blog, the I-5 system of mine is a set of five categories for a nominee to be evaluated, and those categories all begin with the letter "I."  Innovation, Influence, Impact, Intangibles, and Issues are the five categories.  The first four are the ones that build a nominee's case for induction, and Issues is the negative one, examining potential reservations folks may have about that nominee.  Some quick caveats: one, by influence, I usually mean musical influence, not industry influence, which would probably appear under Intangibles; two, Impact doesn't inherently mean commercial success, but that is a big piece of the equation, just not all of it; three, the Issues listed are not necessarily reflective of my own personal beliefs, just potential ones that could be raised or that I have seen raised.  So with that, time to rank the nominees.

1. CHER

Innovation: She may not have invented Autotune, but she was a trailblazer in its usage and popularity.

Influence:  She's a major influence for a lot of female singers, especially those that sing in a lower and huskier register.

Impact:  Massive.  In addition to her string of massive hits, and her record-setting seven decades of chart presence, she is also an icon in the LGBTQ+ community, and an overall name, period.

Intangibles:  Her personality is massive, her talents extend beyond music, her style is influential.

Issues:  Some may not want to kill the chances of a Sonny And Cher induction by inducting her solo first.  Some consider her trailblazing of Autotune as a liability rather than an innovation.  And while everyone understands the importance of connections in the business, people hold it against you if those connections are at the genital level, and some have accused her of only having a career for being romantically involved with the right people at the right time.

Personal taste:  A lot of fun listening to her.  Really diverse catalog of fun stuff all around.  

Favorite song: "Strong Enough"

2. KOOL AND THE GANG

Innovation:  They found new, inventive ways of evolving their sound, first from jazz, to a fusion-like sound, through funk, and R&B ballads.  They stayed at the forefront of the changing tides of R&B music for over a decade, which requires innovative foresight.

Influence:  Not only one of the most sampled acts in music history, they also shaped the sounds of R&B as it was happening, which extended to their contemporaries.  

Impact:  A solid string of major hits during their imperial reign, and still a highly recognizable name.  The second biggest selling and charting singles group during the 1980s after Daryl Hall And John Oates.  

Intangibles:  The quality of musicianship that's associated with the name is top-notch, and they were able to have big hits with both instrumentals and vocal songs.  There's also something to be said in their legacy that the masses met them halfway, that they didn't have to drastically change or compromise their unique style to start to have major commercial success.

Issues:  Other than the tired argument of R&B not being rock, perhaps the cultural saturation of "Celebration" is as nauseating a detriment as it is a credit to them.  Also, some could argue that it's not really their songs themselves that endure, but more the isolated bits and pieces of their songs that can be used as samples that give them endurance.  They are also Vocal Group Hall Of Fame inductees.

Personal taste:  Strong contender for the top of the list.  I love the jazzy instrumentals as well as the songs that get White folks crunk and lit, as evidenced by the next line.

Favorite song:  "Get Down On It"

3. MARIAH CAREY

Innovation:  It's both musical and industry innovation and influence the way she helped infuse the world of hip-hop into the style of pop-R&B.

Influence:  In addition to setting a new pop-R&B template, she has been incredibly influential as a singer and interpreter of songs in her own right, inspiring a legion of female singers in her wake.

Impact:  The first, and possibly only to date, singer to land a number one Billboard Pop Chart hit in every year for an entire decade.  Second most #1 pop singles of the rock era, and far and away the most commercially successful singles artist on this ballot.  

Intangibles:  An underrated songwriter and creative controller in the direction of her music and affected change in the industry, as mentioned above.

Issues:  Allllllll I waaaannnn--Ow!  Ow!  Stop hitting m--Ow!  Seriously though, the kneejerk rage and hateful memes that one song has spawned on social media could fool a less knowledgeable person into thinking she's a one-trick pony, not to mention the hatred of that song itself because of its artery-clogging saturation in the public consciousness between Halloween and Martin Luther King Day (it takes time for it to abate completely).  Additionally, her music got very adult contemporary palatable really quickly, and if there's one format that is almost universally not considered rock and roll in the slightest... well, it's Contemporary Christian, but if there's a second one, it's Adult Contemporary.  Lastly, her personal life was at one point a veritable source of cheesy tabloid fodder that somehow has a way of damaging credibility for palpable reasons I can't fully articulate.

Personal taste:  I still love her music.  I'm glad "Free Guy" brought a minor resurgence of "Fantasy," and I still love "Hero" and "Someday."  "One Sweet Day" wasn't as dear to me as it was to many others though.  And please put away the bludgeons, truncheons, torches, and pitchforks...

Favorite song:  "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

4. ERIC B. & RAKIM

Innovation:  Not hugely innovative on the surface, but they did evolve the art form to use faster rhythms.

Influence:  In spades.  You can hear their influence in so many forms of hip-hop from the rappers of today to Christian rappers from the late 80’s like D-Boy and DC Talk.

Impact:  Their biggest hit was as guest credit on a Jody Watley record.  Even on the R&B charts, they weren’t ever top of the heap, but they stayed a name with a continuous album output.

Intangibles:  Unique combo of a master mixer and a consummate rhyme-buster, essentially boiling it down to the empirical essence.  

Issues:  Not very well known by the masses.  There's also still a bias against hip-hop artists that weren't so big that opposing them was like holding back the ocean with a broom.

Personal preference:  I'm into them.  I'm really into Rakim's flow and Eric B.'s samples and edits.  This duo is up there for me.

Favorite song:  "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em"

5. MARY J. BLIGE

Innovation:  She is a seminal figure in the creation of the hip-hop/soul merger, as a distinct and persistent style.

Influence:  She is cited as an influence by R&B and pop singers ranging from Beyonce to Taylor Swift, and beyond.

Impact:  She has at least a baker's dozen albums that made the Top Ten and a few dozen entries on the Pop charts, even more on the R&B charts.

Intangibles:  Royalty nicknames can be part of a marketing ploy, but when they endure, such as "Queen Of Hip-Hop/Soul," it's more than just marketing.  That's serious business.

Issues:  The endurance hip-hop/soul, as developed and defined by Blige, has been diminished by the rise of modern EDM, and the way rappers have jumped on that bandwagon.  Blige has adapted, but she no longer has home field advantage.

Personal taste:  For some reason, I didn't enjoy listening to her nearly as much as I did the last time she was nominated.  I still respect the creativity of the samples, but maybe I just wasn't having the best of days when I listened to her.  Or maybe the songs I liked didn't come up in Spotify's rotation.

Favorite song:  "Mighty River"

6. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Innovation: When you talk about about formative acts of the sound of '90s hip-hop, this outfit is near the top of the list.

Influence: Their influence on hip-hop and rappers to come, as well as on their contemporaries was massive. Widely influential.

Impact: A handful or two of charted singles. Albums charts, four top ten albums with a fifth that is critically well-regarded.

Intangibles: With their level of artistry, and renown of the individual members, they're a synergy, so much more than the sum of the parts.

Issues: You've heard of them if you're a music lover, especially of hip-hop. If you're a casual pop music fan, the name "A Tribe Called Quest" probably sounds like the name of a video game.  Also, lyrics like "This ain't rock 'n' roll 'cause the rap is in control" don't really align well with the narrative about the inclusive and attitudinal definition of rock 'n' roll that the Hall has been pushing since even before first trying to get Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five inducted.

Personal taste:  Once again, fun stuff to listen to and bob your head along with, but as far as being able to really feel it take root in me, it's not happening yet.

Favorite song:  "The Hop"

7. SADE

Innovation:  Taking the "quiet storm" style of R&B and incorporating a jazzy smoothness to it, their bass lines are particularly noteworthy.

Influence:  Five years ago, this would have been a much lesser category.  I don't think I'd even heard the term "quiet storm" then.  Nowadays, their influence is showing up in modern R&B and rap artists' styles, who include other elements, but still include them.

Impact:  Bigger than most would guess, as they have a decent amount of chart success, both with singles and albums.  

Intangibles:  The lead singer and namesake of the band has an image of cool and breezy that some call "rock 'n' roll."  Additionally, they are recognized as gifted and meticulous musicians who craft actual sonic art instead of just audio product.

Issues:  In the collective consciousness of the masses, they're mostly known for one song only.  A ubiquitous song, but only one nonetheless, samples notwithstanding.  And when one says that rock and roll is an attitude, not a genre, it probably should refer to an attitude that the music conveys and not the behavior of the artists, whether that behavior is wild benders, courting controversy, or just being indifferent to the input of anyone else.  To say "Sade is rock and roll because they do what they want on their own schedule" just doesn't hold up to scrutiny. 

Personal taste:  Hot take, I can't stand them.  When they first made the "Previously Considered" list on the Future Rock Legends site, I bought the anthology to clue in to them, and I kept falling asleep trying to listen to them.  Granted, I now fall asleep extremely easily if I'm not keeping my mind or body active, but at that time, not quite so much.  A couple bright spots listening to them again this time around, but they are not for me.  And I absolutely HATE "Smooth Operator."  Also, why do so many pronounce the name as if it has an R in it?  I swear, I hear so many calling them "SHAR-day" that it's grating.  Maybe that's more a "me" problem, but that's also why I'm bringing it up under personal taste, because other people can ruin an artist for someone.

Favorite song:  "Paradise"

8. OZZY OSBOURNE

Innovation:  Depending on your definition of the term, crafting a more melodic form of metal could ostensibly be deemed innovative.

Influence:  Between samples and way of singing, his solo career does carry a certain amount of influence to it, however heavy the asterisk may loom.

Impact:  Maybe not in terms of sales, but in terms of charts and songs that still are in the public consciousness, Ozzy's solo career might possibly be on equal footing with his former band.

Intangibles:  He is the singular figure that symbolizes and epitomizes heavy metal, in the minds of many, from the look to the behavior, to the musical festival named after him.  It's almost a mythos at this point.  

Issues:  When a band is as foundational to a genre as Black Sabbath was, the solo career of any member will always run the risk of being seen as a coattails thing or just plain inferior.  Additionally, the reality show surrounding his family nearly made him a punchline to an entire generation, rather than a legend.

Personal taste:  Maybe a relative thing, but Ozzy did fairly well here. And by relative, I also mean familial, referring to my two older brothers and one younger sister who have shared their love of metal and hard rock with me.  Some of it was familiarity with some of the songs, other times it was the catchiness of the hooks, and sometimes production mattered.  Good times all around.  

Favorite song:  "I Don't Wanna Stop"

9. JANE'S ADDICTION

Innovation:  Kind of at the beginning of the alternative movement, especially when it was first starting to break, so pretty innovative to that sound.

Influence:  Theirs is a name that will regularly appear in conversations about the most influential alternative and hard-rock bands of the last thirty-five years or so.

Impact:  They have a visible presence in the history of the Modern Rock Tracks charts, and even a modicum of crossing over to the mainstream consciousness.  A couple hit albums, as well.  But for the limited chart action, they're still a band with some name recognition.

Intangibles:  In addition to the industry influence of founding Lollapalooza, there's some individual name recognition and respect for members Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro.

Issues:  The arrow of longevity is not in their quiver.  While they do have some name recognition, it's really more for the oddity of the name itself rather than for any of their music.  You've heard of them, but don't really know how or why.

Personal taste:  Last time they were nominated, the band tanked on the Personal Taste rankings, and while I don't foresee them being quite at the bottom, this is still not a band I'll casually throw on, as evidenced by the fact a Grateful Dead tribute album contribution is their song I can most enjoy.

Favorite song:  "Ripple"

10.  SINEAD O'CONNOR

Innovation:  She's certainly a unique artist who drew inspiration from paths less traveled and incorporated into a unique and ineffable style of her own.

Influence:  She's been an influence to many female singers that came after her as well as some of the offbeat male bands that saw something worth taking from her music.

Impact:  Name recognition?  Check.  Iconic song?  Check.  And a bit of commercial success outside of that song. 

Intangibles:  She was a conscientious artist who not only strove to make high quality art, but also worked to improve the world at large through her music.

Issues:  This might be a moment where Joe Kwaczala's category, "Does my mom know who they are" is a liability rather than an asset.  If your mom knows who she is, it's probably more for the controversies, especially the big one, than for the music, and if she does know anything about the music, it's probably only the one song.  Additionally, the whole "Sinead was right" campaign is bordering on becoming a dog whistle.  As for all the artists citing her as an influence after her death, is that happening because the powers can't suppress her anymore, or is it a bandwagon they're jumping on?  And finally, though it shouldn't be to her detriment, there are those who are opposing her candidacy at this time, chiding the Hall for shamelessly trying to capitalize on her death for their own ends (though it should be noted, she was Previously Considered while she was alive, so someone on the NomComm tried).

Personal taste:  Which would shock you more: if I really enjoyed listening to her music or if I really did not?  Methinks I'll maintain the suspense until I rank the nominees by personal taste below.  No scrolling prematurely!  Don't even think it!

Favorite song:  "Mandinka"

11. FOREIGNER

Innovation:  I got nothing here.

Influence:  We're just now starting to see modern bands acknowledging the subtle and sometimes one-off ways that Foreigner influenced them.  Plus, a lot of the bands of that era kind of sparked and inspired each other, one of the reasons that style of music was so huge that it spawned the Album Tracks charts by the early 1980s.  

Impact:  Massive.  Serious run of hit singles that are still recognizable today, multiple albums going multiple times platinum, and currently recognized as one of the top ten programmed bands on classic rock stations.

Intangibles:  Peer respect, as the campaign launched since their nomination has shown a wide range of love and respect from other musicians.  Also, I'll give them cred for the Foreigner belt and their song titles being plot devices in "Revenge Of The Mooninites," one of my five favorite episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, but maybe that's just because I'm a... *guitar chord sounds* ... dirty White boy.

Issues:  Some could argue that the reason they're one of the most programmed bands on classic rock stations is because their sound is so generic to the format: that they're sand in the jar, rather than stones.  Second, while vocal R&B acts have had revolving door memberships long before Foreigner did, most of them at least had one member who was either a founding member or was a member on one of their major hit songs (Herb Reed with the Platters until his death, for example).  Foreigner, on the other hand, is currently touring as a machine made completely of replacement parts, thus injuring their artistry credibility.  Lastly, a lot of their songs just don't age well lyrically, as most of the major hits are, one way or another, about a guy trying to cajole (sometimes to the point of guilt-tripping) a woman into putting out with him.  Not a lot of substance there.

Personal taste:  Way down there.  Old-timers of the Future Rock Legends forum may remember that I have called the voice the most important instrument in the band, and I cannot stand Lou Gramm's voice.  Of the major hits, "Hot Blooded" is the most tolerable, but even the earworm that that song is makes me reach for the dial when they come on.

Favorite song:  "Until The End Of Time"

12. THE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND

Innovation:  Not a whole lot that one can glean on the surface, but given that Matthews himself is originally from South Africa, he probably infuses a unique musical heritage into his band's sound, a sound that is distinctly theirs.

Influence:  Not a lot that I can recall, but they probably did encourage some jam bands in their wake.

Impact:  Their album sales are immense, with several hitting #1 on the Billboard album charts.  If you go by number of charted albums, and the weeks and positions charted, as opposed to pure total number of units sold, this group is one of the biggest albums acts on the ballot.  A steady presence in the rock songs' charts too, they are at the threshold of being a household name.

Intangibles:  They were the most popular act among the "jam band" revival of the '90's, that still exists at some level to this day, with a level of dedication from their fans on par with the likes of the Grateful Dead and Rush.

Issues:  Sometimes, a celebrity's image problem is caused by the more annoying fans of that celebrity.  Examples include Jesus Christ, Oprah Winfrey, most recently Taylor Swift to a lesser degree, and I'm convinced that Parrotheads who wear shirts that say "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" are largely why Jimmy Buffett still can't get on the ballot.  In the case of Dave Matthews, much of the vitriol I've read has been geared toward what appears to be a stereotypical fan of the band: a frat-rat, dude-bro, Bernie-Madoff-disciple.  On top of that, they were not a critics' darling, and the current bent of music historians is less than favorably disposed toward them.  Their own level of success also contributed to them becoming something of a punchline in some corners of pop culture.

Personal taste:  I don't enjoy them.  They simultaneously annoy and bore me.  Just not my thing.

Favorite song:  "American Baby"

13. OASIS

Innovation:  They were one of the acts leading the charge for the Britpop movement.

Influence:  Leading the charge, they influenced a lot of British bands that came after them, and not just in Britpop, but rock bands in general that followed.

Impact:  A fair amount of commercial success here in the States, and immensely popular in the UK to the point of creating factions in the Britpop fandom circles.

Intangibles:  They have a bit of longevity, releasing albums over a course of fifteen years, and a bit of critical acclaim to go with it.

Issues:  The sibling drama.  You're either here for it or really not here for it, but either way, it distracts and maybe even detracts from the music.  I mean, how many members can you name that don't have the surname "Gallagher" without looking it up?  Also, while no one denies how important the Beatles were, some hold it against Oasis for sounding a little too derivative of the Beatles.

Personal taste:  They do have some really good stuff, and a lot that kind of fades in the background.  A song or two that I couldn't wait to be over, but nothing too annoying.  But it does get old after a bit, so prolonged listening, or bingeing on them, I don't recommend.

Favorite song:  "Cigarettes And Alcohol"

14. PETER FRAMPTON

Innovation:  He didn't really innovate so much as he popularized the innovation of the talk box, but even that's a little something.

Influence:  A lot of guitarists have cited his playing as one of their influences, most notably of late, Sheryl Crow.  

Impact:  Massive, but short-lived, though the songs that hit do still linger on, and his name continues to be recognized as one of the greats.

Intangibles:  Because of his few hits, he's gone largely underrated for his skill as a musician, but it's pretty impressive.

Issues:  His entire candidacy and career hang on the one live album, and not because he didn't try.  Between a series of personal setbacks and dwindling sales, he just couldn't replicate past success, and that leaves a bad impression for his merits overall.

Personal taste:  It's a shame he couldn't replicate his past success.  I think a lot of his later stuff is really great, but unfortunately sounds like the kind of music a legend who is banking on their name would be making.

Favorite song:  "Off The Hook"

15.  LENNY KRAVITZ

Innovation:  Not a lot to speak of, but maybe you could call him a unique synthesis of familiar elements that together sounds new-ish.  

Influence:  Very little, and those that do directly cite him haven't been wildly popular for a substantial amount of time.

Impact:  Sixteen Hot 100 hits, but only five broke the Top 40.  But still a bit of recognizability too on the Mainstream and Modern Rock charts, plus a lot of name recognition for his acting and fashion.

Intangibles:  His creative control is underrated, as a quality musician who plays all the instruments and writes his own songs.  Also, peer respect from the old guard is massive.  The heroes he grew up loving now love him back.

Issues:  He's derided for a seeming lack of originality, as well as discounted for being all image and little substance, like a cardboard cutout.

Personal taste:  This may actually be where Kravitz has a serious shot.  Besides being the insider industry darling, his music slaps for the most part.  Admittedly, I don't really care for his falsetto songs, both because of his falsetto voice itself and because of the arrangements that accommodate it.  His biggest hit is not one I care for.  As a personal parenthetical and utter non-sequitur, I have to dock him a couple points for co-writing and producing Madonna's "Justify My Love;" growing up listening to the radio a lot, that was the first song I can recall absolutely not liking when I heard it on the Top 40 station at the time.  I still don't like that song either, and it set me on a course to not being a fan of Madonna.

Favorite song:  "The Chamber"

And there you have it, my Merits ranks.  Admittedly, my Intangibles and Issues categories also included a lot of the "Why They Might Make It" and "Why They Might Not" aspects usually reserved for the seeding post, as opposed to the more meat-and-potatoes analyses I try to stick to in this type of entry; however, given how pressed for time I was last year, this might be the smarter move on my part anyway.  So, having given my personal taste analyses, the ranks for Personal Taste are as follows, with an average of the two ranks in parentheses:

1. Ozzy Osbourne  (average score: 4.5)

2. Kool And The Gang  (average score: 2)

3. Cher  (average score: 2)

4. Mariah Carey  (average score: 3.5)

5. Sinead O'Connor  (average score: 7.5)

6. Lenny Kravitz  (average score: 10.5)

7. Eric B. And Rakim  (average score: 5.5)

8. A Tribe Called Quest  (average score: 7)

9. Peter Frampton  (average score: 11.5)

10. Mary J. Blige  (average score:  7.5)

11. Oasis  (average score: 12) 

12. Jane's Addiction  (average score: 11.5)

13. Foreigner  (average score: 12)

14. Dave Matthews Band  (average score: 13)

15. Sade  (average score: 11)

So, by my numerical averages, my vote in the fan ballot SHOULD look like I'm throwing votes for Cher, Kool And The Gang, Mariah Carey, Ozzy Osbourne, Eric B. And Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, and then if I'm voting for seven, choosing some days to vote for Mary J. Blige, while some days voting for Sinead O'Connor.  And except for voting for Mary J. Blige every time I cast a ballot, that's exactly what I've been doing with my vote.  Those clear top six averages, plus Mary J. Blige.  No shade to Sinead--if only I had an eighth slot.  It's a fun and interesting ballot, and overall, I don't begrudge any of the nominees and won't necessarily call any of them undeserving.  I won't be upset if Frampton gets in, because he does score huge for influence.  I won't be upset if Lenny Kravitz gets in, because even if you do feel he's "the end of the line" for something, it's still good to include it to wrap up that "line" with a bow.  But who do I think will make it?  Hopefully, I'll be able to get that up quickly, as the fan vote will probably end before I can finish proofreading and hit "Publish."  Or the day after I do.  Stay tuned.