Stacking up: the 2025 nominees.

 As is the custom, it is now time to rank the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's 2025 nominees by merits.  This is an attempt to be objective, take our heart off our sleeve and put it back in the ribcage, and use our thinking brain to gauge the nominees, and determine who's the most worthy.  How do we do that?  By having metrics by which we try to measure each of the nominees, applying the same standard all around.  What standards might those be?  Those who've been reading long enough know we're catching the on ramp to my I-5:  Innovation, Influence, Impact, Intangibles, and Issues.  The first four are the positive aspects to a nominee's candidacy, and the last one is the other side of the coin, the negative side that might detract, because we need to give as well-balanced an analysis as you can.

So we're about to rank the nominees by order of merit according to these metrics.  As a reminder, in case you're tempted to get your dander up, just because an artist lingers down near the bottom of this list, that doesn't mean they're not worthy.  You can't only compare them to the other nominees, but you have to remember that they stick out from among thousands upon thousands of musical acts that are never going to be on the ballot.  So if they're worthy of the Hall, why bother ranking them?  Two reasons: one, a voter can only vote for seven, so there theoretically should be reasons why or why not; two, making lists is fun.  So let's do this.

1. 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.

2. OUTKAST

Innovation:  They made hip-hop that sounded like neither East Coast nor West Coast.  There was an originality to what they did.  

Influence:  Massively influential, they influenced Janelle Monae, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and Lil' Wayne, just to name a few.

Impact:  They were extremely successful in terms of sales with hit singles and albums, and furthermore, college radio played them back in the day.  Also, they made hip-hop that was accessible to White people over thirty, completing the canvas of American cultural ubiquity.

Intangibles:  Their talents are unique, both individually and collectively, they were lauded by critics, and their image of an oil-and-vinegar type of combination all add to making an indelible impression.

Issues:  In a somewhat self-contradictory twist, there's some sense that they need to reunite and put out new stuff before folks should be willing to vote for them.  As much as everyone loved Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, they're equally unhappy that they didn't give the public another album like that, and Idlewild is an unsatisfying closing chapter.  Some may not want to enshrine them until they get another top flight album.

3. JOY DIVISION / NEW ORDER

Innovation: Early post-punk band that helped define the style and on the ground floor for a lot of the synth-pop dance sounds of the '80s.

Influence: Both incarnations were influential in their respective styles that they helped pioneer, often namechecked as influences.

Impact: Two major albums from Joy Division, more from New Order, whereas New Order had more albums and a few charted singles on the pop charts, and much more a force to be reckoned with on the dance charts.

Intangibles: The ubiquity of the album cover for Unknown Pleasures gives them a cultural presence outside of the music itself.  

Issues: They've got a few. The infamy of Ian Curtis's death almost outstrips the legacy of Joy Division's music. The stylistic differences between Joy Division's catalog and New Order's are pretty significant, and New Order formed too quickly, relatively speaking, for that difference in styles to be a natural evolution of Joy Division's sound--when put together, it speaks to argue against the joint nomination. Additionally, the fact that both band names have had to be repeatedly defended against allegations of ties to white nationalism doesn't help all that much.

4. SOUNDGARDEN

Innovation: Despite spending more years paying their dues, they were one of the first on the scene to help define the sound of grunge.

Influence: While not as big as a few of the major grunge bands, they were an incredibly influential band, due in part to their being among the first grunge acts.

Impact: They had a serious string of hits on the Album/Mainstream Rock and Modern/Alternative Rock charts.

Intangibles: As another band with a mythos surrounding their lead singer, it helps elevate their legacy.

Issues: They're not Nirvana. Or Pearl Jam. They will always pale in comparison to those two, and maybe even next to Alice In Chains, and that will make them look less worthy, perhaps unfairly.

5. CHUBBY CHECKER

Innovation:  He might want to take credit for innovating "dancing apart from the beat," but sonically, I gotta call this one a goose egg.

Influence:  He was massively influential for a short period of time, that being in the wake of the twist as a dance craze.  So many records about the twist itself, in addition to the entire fad of different dance records that lasted until about the arrival of the Beatles.  Additionally, some of his early '60s dance records were remixed by EDM producers and deejays during the '00s, so a brief resurgence in his reach of influence.

Impact:  The name is universally known, and he had a strong string of hit singles through the early '60s, including two #1 hits, one of which was Billboard's biggest single of all-time (by their metrics) for nearly fifty years.  Additionally, the first rock and roller to play the Superbowl halftime show, which is now one of the biggest events in American music culture, and something of a dream gig to land.  Plus, he's the only African-American musician worthy of mention in Billy Joel's musical synopsis of the cultural zeitgeist of the Cold War, "We Didn't Start The Fire."

Intangibles:  Respected by a lot of the rock and roll community, including his contemporaries and the immediate generation following him, he is held in high esteem by most inside players, seemingly.  Even rockists who don't think rock and roll TRULY existed before the Beatles or Rolling Stones are willing to give a hat tip to Chubby Checker as an early, quasi-foundational figure.  And as John Sykes frames rock and roll music as a matter of youth culture, Chubby is a strong symbol for youth culture in the early 1960s, especially considering those twisting teenagers grew up to be the first wave of Rolling Stone readers as late teens and early twenty-somethings who wanted to fight the power and change the world, which is what Sykes typically means when he talks about youth culture.

Issues:  When I tried to tell a good friend of mine that Chubby was a lot more than "The Twist," he responded, "No, he's less than 'The Twist.'"  Considered a one-trick pony who beat that horse to death, his talent and skill are greatly downplayed by some.  It doesn't help much either that the in-house songwriters of the Cameo-Parkway empire were frequently derivative at best, plagiaristic at worst, and the results tend to get laid at the artists' feet.  Lastly, with his stunts in campaigning to get in the Hall, he comes off as a bit "thirsty" for it, which may turn some voters off.

6. MANA

Innovation:  Admittedly, I'm way outside my ken here, but I do hear some fusion of reggae and other Latin American rhythms and rhythmic structures that feels like it must have been novel at the time.

Influence:  Again, not something I'm having a ton of luck finding stuff on, but in a spaghetti-on-the-wall kind of way, one would have to imagine that they can't be that huge without having some modicum of influence in their wake.

Impact:  This band is huge in the parts of the Western Hemisphere south of the Rio Grande.  And even as far as U.S. penetration goes, on the U.S. Latin charts, their string of hits is bigger than on the Pop charts in Mexico or Spain, charting high over the course of nearly thirty years.  They even apparently made the Billboard Hot 100 twice.  And it's probably not an overstatement to say they're a sizeable part of some SoCal subculture and scene.

Intangibles:  They generate a little cred by having drawn influence themselves from reggae, which the Hall has recognized in a couple inductions.  Additionally, they are deeply immersed in charitable causes and humanitarian efforts, which is part of the rock and roll spirit and the emblem of youth culture that Sykes wants to bind rock and roll to: the youth movement that is enraged at injustice and takes down the establishment by using their powers of being young and being rockin'.  

Issues:  If you don't speak Spanish, their being announced as a nominee is very likely the first time you've heard of them.  Additionally, some are wondering why Mana instead of Los Lobos, Selena, or Gloria Estefan And The Miami Sound Machine.  Furthermore, much of their catalog has a more "cool" feel than "edgy" with the distortion pedals and vocals that push boundaries.  There's a very ambient, background feel for many of their songs.

7. THE WHITE STRIPES

Innovation: While rock and roll is itself most predominantly based in the blues, they upped the bluesy level into a distortion-driven alternative rock style.

Influence: Their credit as one of the last great rock bands is partially due to the number of alternative-rock bands that took cues from them.

Impact: Three Top Ten albums and eleven charted singles on the Alternative Rock Charts (in the States)

Intangibles: Jack's continued career as a producer and solo artist has only heightened the production values and musicianship of the duo's catalog.

Issues: Relatively limited catalog, due to breaking up near the height of their powers, so not a lot of longevity.

8. BILLY IDOL

Innovation:  A unique combination of punk-rock moorings and synth-pop that was contemporary at the time.

Influence:  His influence was stunted by the arrival of grunge, but as some, like Miley Cyrus, are discovering him, he's had some influence.

Impact:  A dozen or so pop hits, most of them making the Top 40, and a fair amount of album sales as well.

Intangibles:  The sneer, the image of a bad boy and tough guy.  The punk-rock cred from his time in Generation X.

Issues:  His image and sound are really only seeing a resurgence recently, and most would say they overall didn't survive, period.  The slower and more synth-laden songs have a production style that is timestamped and is hit or miss with how well it's aged.  Additionally, some would probably protest it should be Generation X instead of Billy Idol getting nominated.

9. BAD COMPANY

Innovation:  Like a lot of the arena rock bands, they started about at the same time and had a big part of defining what that sound and movement would be.

Influence:  This is hard to parse out because, again, those bands all came out about the same time, so maybe it's a matter of them being part of something that was synergistically influential, which in turn lets them claim credit as a band themselves.  But Paul Rodgers does stand out as an influential vocalist, so they have that in their arsenal.

Impact:  They perform remarkably well in this, with several hits still in classic rock rotation, and even continued to make the Album/Mainstream Rock charts until the end of the twentieth century.

Intangibles:  Paul Rodgers is the secret weapon, being one of the most highly regarded rock vocalists, especially of the 1970s.  

Issues:  "Sex, drugs, and rock and roll" may be the unofficial motto of rock and roll, but it's also the depth and breadth of Bad Company's catalog, in terms of subject matter.  And because they were one of several bands to emerge in that lane at that time, they are sometimes considered generic-sounding. Also, there's the whole "Should it be Bad Company, or should it be Free that is how we encase Paul Rodgers in amber?" discussion.

10. 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.

11. CYNDI LAUPER

Innovation:  Not a strong category for her.

Influence:  More so for her style than the music, perhaps, but her brand of pop has had ripples that still continue to reach.

Impact:  Several Top Ten hits, with some additional hits on top of that.  Plus, she's a name that keeps coming up, whether it's her songwriting or her part in Cosentyx commercials, she keeps resurfacing.

Intangibles:  Her songs have aged better than a lot of songs from the '80s, she is a heavily awarded artist, and some may have even forgotten that she duetted with none other than Frank Sinatra.  Even if it is a Christmas song, that's not a gig one could have landed without being incredibly talented.

Issues:  Those less prone to carefully compare and contrast might dismiss her as a K-Mart brand Madonna. Additionally, there's a difference between being a song interpreter and being a songbook interpreter, and some may feel she became the latter after having too short-lived a prime period.

12. JOE COCKER

Innovation:  As a vocal stylist, he's a unique blend of the blue-eyed soul reminiscent of the Righteous Brothers and working-class rock and roll such as Bob Seger.

Influence:  Maybe it's just me, but I can kind of hear his singing style as being influential to singers ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Michael Bolton.

Impact:  He doesn't have a ton of hits, but they are spread and spackled out enough to where he has name recognition to multiple generations.

Intangibles:  His recordings, both live and studio, have a palpable concert energy that can really draw an audience in.  Plus, he has stylistic versatility to rock out as well as croon.  Lastly, his iconic status achieved by his presence at Woodstock solidifies him as a symbol of that point in history.

Issues:  He was kind of an inconsistent performer, in terms of output and also reliability in the studio, which resulted in an inability to steadily maintain momentum at any point of his career.  Some of that was his alcoholism, and some of that was his seemingly low social battery he had as a humble introvert.  Unfortunately, the result remains the same.

13. PHISH

Innovation:  I heard one musician comment about their sound being a blend of Grateful Dead-styled jamming and prog rock.  I can't argue against that, so... sure!

Influence:  I would say Phish, more than the Dave Matthews Band, really helped whet the appetite of Gen X (the demographic, not the band) for jam bands, which helped spawn a league of said outfits.

Impact:  In terms of hits, they had very few, virtually none. But they are a name that every college student has heard of, and their music, while not a staple, was semi-regularly rotated in college radio programming.

Intangibles:  This band garnered a lot of respect and credibility for the level of success and name recognition that they have achieved despite not being with a major label for a large part of their history.  Even when they were signed with Elektra, the business model still remained much the same, and that level of grassroots growth is both authentic to their brand and amazing that they were able to become successful enough that they are now nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Their musicianship and live shows are noteworthy, even getting a genuine shout-out from Drew Carey when he appeared on "After Midnight."  And I'll also give them props for their "Phish Food" ice cream with Ben & Jerry's.  On a personal note, and mostly non-sequitur, I'm mildly disgruntled that virtually every flavor that Ben & Jerry's churns out now almost HAS to have fudge flakes/chunks/swirls and/or bits of brownie, like they're just making new variants of "Half-Baked," which is their most popular flavor, but one of my absolute least favorites.  I think the only one I *HATE* more than Half-Baked is "New York Super Fudge Chunk."  Phish Food has the fish-shaped fudge chunks in it, and is a chocolatey ice cream to boot, but I actually like that one.  It might be in my top twenty all-time flavors of Ben & Jerry's.  So that's a plus for the band in this category, in my opinion.  But I really miss "Red Velvet Cake."

Issues:  Most people have heard of Phish because... they've heard of Phish.  Unless you're a really big fan of the band, you probably can't name a song, or certainly not more than three.  Their songs just don't have widespread recognition, and their concerts are lauded more for the experiences while in attendance--the people you meet and bond with, the strains of weed you partake, the overall vibe, and even the demonstrations of musical virtuosity when they "open a song up" and jam--than the actual songs themselves.  That's what has made them successful, but it doesn't help them play in Peoria.  If the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is about the music, Phish definitely suffers for not having their songs being widely recognizable.

14. THE BLACK CROWES

Innovation:  Very little, one might give them a little credit for modernizing the classic rock sound.

Influence:  Hard to find, but they may have been an influence on the likes of Kings Of Leon and the Black Keys.

Impact: The Black Crowes perform surprisingly well in this category.  Though they only had a half dozen songs on the Billboard Hot 100, they've had almost thirty hits on the Mainstream Rock Charts, including six #1s that spent a combined half year in the top spot on that chart.  

Intangibles:  Despite the drama between the brothers, the revolving door of membership, and the multiple breakups; when they get back together, stow the drama, and get back into the music and into the studio, it's like riding a bicycle almost.  They just seem to pick up where they left off and get right back to work.  There's something to be said for that level of journeyman consistency that has proved efficacious for them.

Issues:  Despite their string of hits on the Mainstream Rock charts, they're mostly remembered for one or two hits, one of them being an Otis Redding cover.  Additionally, "modernizing the classic rock sound" could be an epaulet worn by any number of non-grunge rock bands that came out of the '90s, including other Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees like Foo Fighters.  Lastly, their imperial phase occurred during the same time as another rock band with an ornithologically similar name.  With both being a kind of alternative rock at the same time, it's very easy for the general public to conflate the two.  It's not necessarily or entirely either band's fault if the general populace made no effort to differentiate the two, but being essentially in the same lane does hurt their abilities to establish separate identities.   I simply can't help but wonder how many people left a Black Crowes concert upset that they didn't play "Mr. Jones," or left a Counting Crows concert upset that "Hard To Handle" wasn't in the set.

And with that, I will once again remind you, dear readers, that finishing low on this list is not the same as calling them unworthy of induction.  Names on a ballot are not the same as proposals on a ballot, where you can vote to approve each one and possibly have fourteen inductees.  Voters are only allowed to vote for seven, and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame won't induct all fourteen this year.  So, decisions have to be made, and reasons why you vote for one and not another have to be determined.  And this list I've just given provides some of those reasons.  However, this is not a definitive list of reasons.  Tune in for the next chapter, where I'll be ranking reasons that come from the connection between the ears and the heart, instead of the ears and the head.  I'll be ranking the nominees based solely on my personal tastes.  

And then there were 14: the Ballot of 2025

Today, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame announced their ballot for the Class Of 2025.  There are fourteen nominees, which is a little on the smaller side, but not too small, well within the statistical standard deviation of the past decade or so.  So far, I've only heard two podcast episodes about this ballot, and awaiting at least one more.  In a weird way, I feel a little underwhelmed by what's on the plate here.  There's a lot of good stuff.  Once again, it's a ballot where I don't really take exception to any single nominee, but that the sum of its parts doesn't exactly look like the mighty Megazord.  But there's really nothing wrong with the nominees themselves, except my own lack of familiarity with most of their discographies at large.  That's something I will rectify over the next several weeks and will hopefully have a better understanding of what a good class we could potentially have.  

Starting first with the fact that I correctly predicted six names, and even that deserves an asterisk.  I also predicted eighteen nominees, so when you do the math to figure out the proportions, you could argue that I should only be credited with 4.67 correct names predicted.  Or not.  This isn't a math class.  I've got six names on the board, but it's kind of telling that the furthest left-field pick of mine to make it is Bad Company.  It means I'm really bad at guessing where new ground will be broken.  Really though, I'm more relieved than excited at their nomination.  If they get in, it means we can finally stop hearing about Paul Rodgers needing category treatment or just about this band being a huge snub.  Nothing will ever mollify the classic rock crowd until every artist that was ever played in the format has been inducted, but at least this is one that makes sense to put up for nomination.  Seriously, I'm already seeing whining about Mariah's nomination, as she's "not rock," also complaining about Whitney Houston's induction in 2020.  I--I just... ugh.  The groundhog came out and saw its shadow, which means six more years of bellyaching about R&B and hip-hop being considered rock.  That said, I'm excited for Mariah Carey to be back, even though I didn't predict her but almost did, as it hopefully means she was on the bubble last year, or at least near it.  

Speaking of hip-hop, I did predict Outkast and am breathing a sigh of relief.  Top flight artistry, it's ridiculous they had to wait, but I refuse to be mad about it.  They're on the ballot, and I love it.  The rest of my correct predictions I'm not as personally thrilled about.  Billy Idol is an artist that was ruined for me during my radio days, partially by drunken or literally mentally handicapped callers, and partially by the fact that the songs of his we played tended to be "long" for me, which in this case meant over four minutes.  Oasis is a band that last year, I said I could enjoy in small doses, but that binging them made me sick of them.  We'll see if I still feel that way this time around.  Cyndi Lauper is an artist I like, and even enjoyed playing her songs when I worked in radio, but not one whose music I'm in love with necessarily.  Much the same can be said about the return of the White Stripes, though I really did discover a lot of great music that I appreciate.  But they too are a band that I don't get the whim to throw on randomly.

In fact, the only artist on this ballot whose music I'm a huge fan of and even had in my CD collection prior to them even being on the "Previously Considered" list (other than Outkast) is Chubby Checker.  I love his music, I'm excited by his nomination, and I love what his nomination potentially could represent.  There's a lot more than meets the ear upon first listen.  I really hope people take the time to explore his music further.  Yes, he did get stuck in that "American Bandstand dancing music" niche, but I do think that small pond is big enough to warrant enshrining this big fish for it, especially given the epoch of the rock era it looms large in.  But I'm meandering.  Speaking of meandering and big fish, nearly on the opposite end of the spectrum is jam band Phish, whose music I'm honestly not familiar with at all.  I'm not opposed to jam bands being enshrined, but if my experience in exploring Phish's catalog runs a parallel course to my first deep dive into the Dave Matthews Band back in 2019 for the Class Of 2020, I'm bracing myself to be simultaneously bored and irritated.  Hopefully not though, but being from farm country, being the fourth of five children in a middle class family whose parents taught that thrill-seeking and pleasure is not the end-all-be-all in life, live music experiences were always viewed as a luxury at best and a frivolity at worst; I will literally be fighting my nurturing environment to make space to appreciate what Phish represents.

But they probably won't be the toughest act on the ballot for me to relate to.  Seeing as I don't speak Spanish, that honor will probably go to Mana, starting with the fact that I want to same the name twice to get that Muppets song stuck in your head, because I'm still five years old sometimes.  Also, I'm too lazy to pull up the special character that is the letter "a" with the accentuation mark over it to spell it technically correctly.  But don't worry, I also won't be doing that for Husker Du or Queensryche either.  Deal with it.  But if music is a universal language, then maybe I'll enjoy the melodies without necessarily understanding the lyrics, much in the same way "Macarena" took over the USA in the mid-'90s.  But this is a curious nomination, and I have two conspiracy theories about their nomination, probably neither of them are true.  One is a woke hypothesis, and the other is cynical.  One suggests that the NomComm put a band from Mexico on the ballot in protest Trump's renaming the Gulf Of Mexico, and also to piss off the MAGA faithful.  The other hypothesis is that this is bait to drive up traffic from the primarily Spanish-speaking world to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's website to drive up the numbers in the fan vote for them, much in the way the website's traffic boomed when African people flocked to the website to vote for Fela Kuti on his first nomination, thinking that 110,000 votes on the fan vote equaled 110,000 votes in the tallying office, instead of just being the one fan vote that it actually was.  It might be that this is just bait to drive up those clicks to the website to make them seem bigger and more relevant.  Again, the truth is probably neither of those scenarios, but it's sometimes fun to harmlessly stir up irrelevant shit.

Moving on from there, we also have a nomination for Joe Cocker, a name that many in the hobbyist community have been crying out for for a long time.  Chubby Checker famously said he wants his flowers while he's still alive, but in Cocker's case, there's nothing wrong with placing some fresh ones on his grave, to let the world know he's still a beloved figure.  We also have a nomination for the Black Crowes, a band I'm currently not stoked about, but also admit that I only know the one song by them, a song that I think is okay.  Definitely one I'll need to research, but I'm willing to do it.  We also have a return of Joy Division/New Order to the ballot.  Last time they were nominated, I did what I thought was a fair amount of work in listening to their catalogs, trying to find the evolutionary missing link that made the transition between the eras that each name represented more seamless.  I don't think I found it last time.  I hope I'll find it this time.  Maybe it doesn't exist.  Maybe Ian Curtis was so singularly in control of the creative process that when the others had to move on without him and bring Gillian Gilbert aboard, it was inevitable that the New Order releases would sound vastly different.  

The last nominee is the most nominated artist on the ballot, this being the third time, and it is Soundgarden.  This is going to be an interesting one for me to watch for a particular reason.  And if you want to know what that reason is, become a Patreon subscriber for "Who Cares About The Rock Hall?" and check out the exclusive episode that I did as part of the listener takeover series.  Hint: I'm mildly bummed at Phil Collins not being nominated as a solo artist on this ballot.

So there we have it, a brief rundown of the nominees for this year's class.  And like Joe & Kristen, and also Mary & Eric have noted, this is a very homogeneous ballot.  There may be some stylistic diversity, but in terms of demographics and representation... yikes.  But as someone who has taken part in parliamentary procedures, I can also attest that when individuals and individual interests all coalesce to collectively fight for those individual interests, it's often a natural result that the needle is not greatly moved, if at all.  Hopefully, we'll get some balancing out in the categories.  But until then, I hope you all avail yourselves of the chance to research the nominees too. Enjoy the tunes.

Predicting the 2025 Ballot

 Time to play some parlor games.  Time to predict the ballot for the Class Of 2025 for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

To be honest, I really debate posting this at all.  I really don't see myself having any unique bent on how the ballot will shape up that hasn't already been shared by other bloggers including Tom Lane and Michelle Bourg, or by others on Facebook, or on the Rock In Retrospect episode drafting this class.  Also, big shout out to both the Hall Watchers podcast and Michelle Bourg for their commentary on the shadier side of this past ceremony.  I was mostly zeroed on trying to understand their rationale, but not actually concluding whether or not that point of view is justifiable or valid.  I failed tremendously on that front, whereas Eric, Mary, and Michelle came through.  I cared more about actually acknowledging the symbolism, and also saying how awful some of the performances sounded and maybe why.  That's really on me.  

Either way, this post feels like one of those cooking competition shows, where we're all trying to make the tastiest dishes, even though we're all being forced to use mostly the same ingredients.  So here is my presentation of Turducken Flambe.  And in my defense, the recipe said to first "clean the birds," and the oven I was using had a "clean" button on it.  Shut up, that's why.

First, let's recognize those who played ball with the Hall.  That absolute shill of a segment of the ceremony advertising the museum has to mean a return to the ballot for Cyndi Lauper.  Not just the segment itself, but the very fact that it made it to the ABC broadcast of the ceremony.  We can't show Tom Morello's speech for the MC5 or give any dignity to Suzanne DePasse's induction on ABC, but we have to have this commercial... sorry, promotion.  If it's relatively in-house, it's a promotion.  But given how much of DePasse's career was in television and especially music-based television specials, her segment being clipped out entirely feels somewhat ironic.  

Also playing ball was Billy Idol, performing a very British version of "No More Tears" during the Ozzy Osbourne segment.  And despite the lack of heavy hitters from the Golden Age of MTV in this past class, I think there'll be at least two.  The tribute to A Tribe Called Quest offered at least two eligible and feasible possibilities.  But unfortunately, I don't see Queen Latifah getting nominated for two reasons: one, the Hall still has a problem with recognizing induction-worthy women in many aspects of the rock and roll diaspora; two, the other possibility has at least been Previously Considered, and she hasn't.  That other possibility is De La Soul, who is more similar to A Tribe Called Quest in style and approach.  I'm predicting them to make the ballot, but a lot of depends on how well Eric B. & Rakim fared on this past ballot.  

On the tails of A Tribe Called Quest though, we also may see Outkast finally get nominated, and since the NomComm has no problem putting two hip-hop acts on the ballot, I think we could see those two together.  The fact that both members have been part of the past couple ceremonies, one way or another, doesn't hurt either, as Andre 3000 was in a video package this last time.  Speaking of '90s acts that have been involved in video packages, I have to confess my befuddlement regarding the hold up in nominating No Doubt to the ballot.  This one may be my Iron Maiden or Devo, where I keep predicting them every year until they finally make it.  They might be a little lower in the order of consideration for various members of the committee, but I have to imagine that if they were actually submitted, there'd be some nodding along by others in the room as a distinct possibility of getting supported.    And speaking of Iron Maiden and Devo, there's always a chance that one of those two could show up, even though the hobbyist community has widely agreed that neither one of them is getting in via the ballot.

Looking at the list of newly eligible artists, there are several that I think have a shot at getting inducted: P!nk, Nelly, Linkin Park, Joe Bonamassa, Gorillaz, and maybe Regina Spektor.  Ryan Adams might have been feasible if he hadn't gotten canceled.  But none of those are going to be high priority.  Nelly might have been if Tribe could've gotten in on their first nomination.  P!nk has played ball with the Hall, but I think she'll still have to wait.  Joe Bonamassa is a blues legend already, but this isn't the NomComm or voting body that held the door wide open for Buddy Guy or Albert King.  Of all those, the one with the best chance of getting on this year would be Gorillaz, but they might be a little too indie, and also too kitschy with their whole avatars shtick.  So dialing back over some acts that recently became eligible, I'll opt to predict Coldplay to get their first nomination, and also for the White Stripes to return.

Combing back over the recently passed over nominees, I'll select a return for the likes of Warren Zevon and Oasis.  The optics are better for the latter, and the former fills a singer-songwriter spot that is hit or miss for nominations.   And if this class taught us anything, it's that the only way the lanes will be crowded for classic rock artists is if you have more of them than a person can vote for.  I don't think there'll be eight of them, but Zevon already has one of those spots, and you can never rule out Thin Lizzy returning to the ballot, and I think that it really is a matter of time for Bad Company to be nominated.

But with all the names I've put in bold so far, I have almost no women.  Cyndi, plus the Gwen-fronted band, and the Meg-backed duo.  That's it.  Even the Hall isn't that pitiful, at least not anymore.  So, let's include The Pointer Sisters, because they're a logical successor to Kool And The Gang, and the demand is really getting to echo chamber levels at this point.  With Sheryl Crow on the Nominating Committee now, there's a chance she could get Melissa Etheridge on the ballot, though I'm less sure of her chances of getting in.  And even though the Hall is almost a year late to the party, that also tends to be par for the course for them, so I think there's every possibility that Tracy Chapman gets put on as well, even if the moment has passed.  Lastly, with two women and LGBTQ+ representation, plus just so much fun to listen to, I'm gonna say Joe Kwaczala will go two for two with The B-52's getting nominated.  And since I have yet to have picked anyone that hasn't already been predicted or drafted, I'll go all the way to eighteen names and go somewhat left field with Huey Lewis And The News.  Huey's health decline is also well-known, they're part of that golden age of MTV, and are pretty much Disney approved; so, let's make them a left field pick, even if it is only shallow left field.

And with those eighteen names, I'm gonna put a bow on my predictions and present it to the critics, and wait to see what actually comes out in February.  There are a lot of excellent names that there could have been, but this isn't like the Hall in 1986 or 1987 with nearly thirty-ish names.  That's what I'll go with, and that's how silly I"ll look when I get maybe only four names correct.  Until then, we wait.

Eine kleine Fanfic 4: Obliteration

 That's right, Chris and Josh, I named a season (year) of something "Obliteration," because it's a cool title!

Okay, so since that line crosses two sections of my personal interests, almost literally no one will get that joke.  And that's fine; it's one for me.  Anyway, it's a quick turnaround from revealing the previous list, and to be honest, I wasn't sure I would keep posting them.  In the previous entry, I said there were a couple reasons, but I only gave one: that "Playlist Wars" was officially done.  Another reason is that I didn't love the 2023 playlist, at least not as much as I loved the previous two.  I think it's because I'm trying my hand more and more at this whole "curation" thing, where I try to make it seem as naturally flowing as possible, with as few hard pivots as possible.  Unfortunately, that leads to halves being more themed, but the halves themselves feel like opposite sides of the coin rather than layers of a culinary masterpiece.  I ended up doing that again with this year's list, because this class kind of felt like a two-sided balance as well.  I think next year, I may just avoid the curation thing altogether and go with what feels like it shouldn't work but ends up working, like following Foo Fighters with Gil Scott-Heron.  

Which brings us to this year, and even though this has been the case for the past few years, what's really noticeable is the use of the categories to induct artists that could have been Performer inductees.  Even Alexis Korner was "Previously Considered" to be nominated, as part of his Blues Incorporated group.  Aside from the two Motown people, all the inductees were recording artists that could have been Performer inductees, even Big Mama Thornton, considering John Lee Hooker and Ruth Brown are Performer inductees.  So how do we pick this apart?  Well, obviously, the eight who got in via the ballot must be included, per my rules, but this class had ten nominees, either from this ballot or past ones, that were inducted.  Ten, the magic number.  No hints of mystery to this one really.  The artists present themselves naturally.  So, let's competitively celebrate this class.  Ding ding.

Track 01: "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne

So, yes, this was the "Honorable Mention" candidate from the 2021 list for Randy Rhoads, but on "Playlist Wars," from one episode to another, songs got reused a fair bit.  So, a Metallica song could be on the Metallica episode as well as the episode dedicated to road trip playlists.  No rule against reusing songs, so in that vein, I'm bringing this one back.  There were a few songs that really could have kicked this one off, but I just couldn't resist getting things started with that iconic "All aboard!  Hahahahahaha!"  It's iconic, gets everyone's attention, and starts the party in spectacular fashion.  So, here's to reusing songs now and maybe later, depending on who gets inducted in the future.

Track 02:  "I Did It" by the Dave Matthews Band

First off, apologies to all the Firedancers or Daveheads, or whatever they call themselves.  Apologies to the Warehouse.  I understand this particular track is among the least favorite for the diehard fans.  Supposedly, this is basically the Dave Matthews Band's song for people who don't like the Dave Matthews Band.  Admittedly, that is me, and this is one of the more palatable ones for my taste.  But that's not the reason I chose it.  Of all the "traditional rock" acts in this class, this is the one whose overall sound blends in the least with the other said acts.  But this track isn't a complete sore thumb.  It's a little more rhythmic in places, but the overall style of guitars for "I Did It" is more similar to that of Foreigner and Ozzy, and I believe this flows out of "Crazy Train" relatively smoothly, as both give off a vibe of "Something ain't right, and that's what's right about it," whereas the former's protagonist is a little off mentally and the latter's protagonist is a little off relationally, possibly socially, maybe even legally.  So, with that explanation, I hope the fanbase will graciously understand my choosing this song for the first follow-up slot, because I sure as shit wasn't using "Ants Marching"... I don't need that earworm stuck in my head for three and a half weeks again.

Track 03:  "I Can Only Give You Everything" by the MC5

The most nominated act in this year's class, and the only nominated act to not get a performance of any kind at the ceremony.  And a track that wasn't on any of their original albums.  This is a track from the vault and was released in the '80s.  Because this is one of the more obscure songs from this obscure band, it's an odder choice to fit into this playlist, but it does have a nice rhythm to it, almost to the point of being a groove.  It's a little on the brash side, which is part of what lends itself well to lead out of "I Did It."  The hard ending with the guitar sting gives a sense of finality and closure, which helps allow for the playlist to pivot after it, which in this case proves to be useful.

Track 04:  "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner

Up until two days ago of my writing this, Foreigner was track five with "Feels Like The First Time" and what is now the fifth song was here.  But I had a change of heart, feeling like the pivot wasn't necessary  Apologies to Kristen, using the song that is the soundtrack to a catcall, but at least there's some lyrics about it needing to feel alright, and leaving the ball in her court by offering her a key.  Okay, that's weak.  I was looking for something, but even that's cringe.  But the song is so darn catchy, and it follows the MC5 selection pretty well, both being about bold and bawdy men trying to attract women, which admittedly could be any number of classic rock songs.  But with the heavy guitar sounds, it leads out of the MC5.  And yet, the higher guitar line has a traveling smoothness to it that allows for a more melodic song to follow it up.  A last-minute switch, I feel this one works well in this slot.

Track 05:  "Baby (Somethin's Happening)" by Peter Frampton

To date, I don't believe I've used a live track; it's all been studio recordings.  That trend continues here, but if there were to be an artist where that trend would be bucked, this would be that artist.  But since Peter performed this when he was inducted, I felt a slight sense of amusement at finding a way to work this song into the playlist.  That subtle sound that I described as "traveling" in the previous selection continues on this song, with the help of some piano.  Not a lot else to say about this song.  The fading at the end kind of wraps up the first half pretty well, the post-British Invasion connotation of rock driving this half.

Track 06:  "Hollywood Swinging" by Kool And The Gang

But now we need to switch it up a bit.  I wanted to save Kool And The Gang for Track 07, but if we're pivoting and making a clean break, this song announces that change in direction brilliantly with its fanfare right from the jump.  It brings back the raucous party, but takes it in a smoother direction.  One of the all-time classics by this band, there's not much to say that hasn't been said.  But in addition to simply having a nasty, funky groove, for the purposes of this playlist, it's a hidden asset the way this song dissolves at the end as it does.  It has that lingering effect that maybe we don't want the party to end, and we're hanging out to try to keep it going, kind of like a Midwestern goodbye.  So slap your lap and say, "Welp," because it's gonna be a spell before we actually wrap things up here.

Track 07:  "Electric Relaxation" by A Tribe Called Quest

Slipping in the seven slot is the inductee that was the most difficult to choose a song for and curate a spot.  But I decided that the dissolving crowd feel at the end of the previous track works as a good segue to the main pulsating sample of this song.  One of the songs that was a hit for the group, but wasn't a part of the tribute performance at the induction ceremony, this mellower track serves as a bridge for what's coming.  Admittedly, this is a song that isn't going to get stuck in my head, but it helps set the mood or change the mood.  One of the really underrated parts of this song is the way Phife Dawg adapts to the samples.  The more hype rapper manages to find the pocket where his flow can still elevate the song.  

Track 08:  "Not Gon' Cry" by Mary J. Blige

Not as easy as a transition, but we now go from hip-hop to hip-hop-soul.  And this one definitely focuses more on the soul aspect, but there's a solid beat behind that story of sadness that Mary sings about.  It's time we got things slowed down and bring a little dramatic flair to it.  This song is strangely catchy in a way that isn't so obvious the way a song like "Family Affair" is.  But it's absolutely catchy, and eventually, even the stoniest grinch is swaying back and forth and sympathizing with the other woman that Mary's character is in this tune.  People kind of forget about that part, but it doesn't diminish the humanity.  In fact, Mary's singing enhances it.  But it's also a stark reminder that once you've done something wrong, setting things back to right is almost certainly also going to involve someone getting hurt.

Track 09:  "I'll Never Love This Way Again" by Dionne Warwick

Even though Dionne was technically an optional choice for this exercise, like the MC5, she was a Past Nominee, so I made that the theme of this playlist.  And because Dionne was going to be an artist on this list, that almost guaranteed that there would be a slower song, a ballad, on the list.  So that's another place where the Mary J. Blige song made good sense.  This song is the big ballad number before we get to the finale, and it's a song about love that will never be supplanted, not fully.  Whether it's the first love that is special because it's the first, or it's the one that lasted the longest, or was the most fiery, or maybe all of the above, this one stands out in the narrator's mind.  Complete with a pearl of wisdom that love teaches about life, the lyrics are a lingering farewell that capture that moment when you've simultaneously let go and decided to never let go.  As a big production ballad, this showcases Warwick's musical excellence, but maybe also depicts why some may have had a difficult time checking a box for her on the ballot.  Nevertheless, as a piece of the playlist, this really sets the stage to bring the official close of the playlist on deck.

Track 10:  "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher

On paper, without any knowledge or input of the fan vote, Cher is the headliner of this year's class, end of discussion.  Piggybacking off the previous song, this takes the idea of never being able to love quite the same way again and amps it up by wishing to have the Time Stone and choose an alternate path.  This song has closing energy on top of that.  "I'll Never Love This Way Again" has show-stopping energy, but this song has show-ending energy, from an artist who needs no introduction.  It's also an extremely well-known song, so it closes on a familiar note.  As a point of personal commentary, this song came out when my age was still in single digits, and I grew up without MTV.  So, this wasn't and doesn't represent any kind of awakening for me; I just think it's a pretty awesome song about wanting someone back that they let go, as a good way to officially close the playlist of inductees who had been nominated at some point or another.

Hidden bonus track:  "Come Monday" by Jimmy Buffett

And there's the one that could have been a Performer, and would have done well on the ballot had they been nominated.  The whole case with Jimmy Buffett is curious, to put it generously.  As I said in my review of the past ceremony, based on the cases by the speeches, it almost would have made more sense to induct Jimmy Buffett as a Performer and Peter Frampton in Award For Musical Excellence.  But given that the ten official tracks are all by inductees that were nominated at one point, and that Jimmy never was but could have or should have been nominated, this is where he is best qualified to serve.  And I chose to use this song as the hidden bonus track for a couple reasons.  First, it has a subdued feel to it, in stark contrast to the big vibes of "If I Could Turn Back Time."  The other reason is that this song actually pairs quite well with the Cher song.  Both songs are about missing someone.  The Cher song is definitely about a breakup, while this song is a case where Buffett's writing leaves room for ambiguity, but it's almost certainly about a breakup, and not about missing someone on a business trip or serving a tour of duty.  I've taken the approach that this song is about a breakup that was so sad and tough on the narrator, that they're processing it incorrectly by deluding themselves that the loved one will be back after the weekend.  In fact, between this and the Cher song, the only real incongruity is who actually walked out the door.  Maybe he did, and in her remorse, she left, but then he came back and waits for her to return.  In any event, I felt this was a good afterthought and bonus track.

Honorable mention:  "Get Off My Cloud" by Alexis Korner

The reason why Alexis Korner gets this make-believe honorable mention spot and not Big Mama Thornton or John Mayall is because Alexis Korner had been "Previously Considered," or at least Blues Incorporated had been.  It's more thematically congruous to have Korner than either of them.  I really have nothing glowing to say.  When I listen to these fanfic playlists on YouTube, I don't include the honorable mentions.  The bonus hidden tracks are included, but not these.  But the honorable mention was a part of the Playlist Wars gestalt, so I tip my hat to them by throwing one on here.  Given the love that both Brian and Gomez have for the Rolling Stones, and how much Brian especially loves blues-rock and cover songs, it's not outside the realm of possibility that this little nugget might have cropped on one of their lists.  And with guest vocals from the improbably alive Keith Richards, it's even more fun of a reimagining for that reason.

And that wraps up this edition of "Playlist Wars: The Rock Hall Fanfic 'Episodes'."  What are your thoughts?  Would you have done this class as intentional as I did?  What directions would you have taken it?  Depending on what we get for the Class Of 2025, I may abandon such careful curation and be more sonically stochastic.  It almost feels more fun when it is, and sometimes, you just come across a song you know has to be on there, and maybe even where on the list it has to go.  That didn't quite happen this time, but I still think this is a coherent playlist.  Until next time, enjoy the tunes.