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.

Eine Kleine Fanfic 3: Live Free And Fanfic

In the lull of the downtime between the inductions announcement and the ceremony, I've taken to creating a playlist of songs by the inductees that is different from the Songs Of Proof, at least mostly.  I wasn't sure if I was going to be sharing this or even undertaking this task again, for a couple reasons.  One, with Brian Colburn firmly established in his new podcast, My Weekly Mixtape, where he is without a co-host, and Gomez on his Sleevie G Show, the sun has officially set on Playlist Wars.  But I decided to keep doing it because it's fun to do, and besides which, we wouldn't be following the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame if we weren't music lovers, right?  That applies to me as well.  So having another curated playlist is just part of the music lover side that I imagine most everyone who reads this blog has to them.  So even though Playlist Wars has been goodnighted, I've decided to keep doing this as an additional celebration of the music of each of the subsequent classes for the foreseeable future, as long as we have at least ten inductees to celebrate.

So just to remind everyone, Playlist Wars celebrated music in a competitive manner; so while there was an objective to win the votes of the listeners, the truth is, winning is truly secondary to having a great list of songs that folks can enjoy, and even maybe remind people of some true gems.  Put together a list of ten songs on an artist or theme, and having a sense of flow or curation for the process really helps.  And one other rule I have for these playlists: every Performer inductee must be on the list.  No shorting any Performer inductee you don't like.  The Performers are prerequisite; the other categories are elective.  That's the gist of it.  So what creation would I bring to the rumble?  Ding ding.

Track 01:  "Get Ur Freak On" by Missy Elliott

Kicking if off big, with big attitude.  This song sets a mood.  As soon as that opening riff starts, the spell is cast and a mood overtakes the room.  And everyone knows this song too, so no one is exempt.  It's not necessarily bold, but it is in your face.  You know what's going on.  But it sets a high bar because you have to maintain the energy after kicking it off with the Misdemeanor.  She had the energy to close down the induction ceremony, and we need that same energy to kick off a playlist.

Track 02:  "Rumble" by Link Wray

There are a few marked differences between this song and the leadoff track.  This song is a little slower, albeit slightly, and is bereft of vocals, which is the primary driving force of the previous song's energy.  But this instrumental has attitude.  Admittedly, having the title "Rumble" probably has a big part of the attitude.  If the song had been titled "Tire Change" or "Dentist's Drill" the imagery evoked by the music would probably be very different, and it also wouldn't have been flagged for aggressive lyrical content.  But it's "Rumble," and for me, the imagery is approaching the scene, slowly sizing up one's foe, displaying an unwillingness to back down, and getting ready to throw down.  It maintains an attitude, but shifts the vehicle for that attitude to a more guitar driven sound.

Track 03:  "A Change Would Do You Good" by Sheryl Crow

The transition between tracks two, three, and four is that sense of guitar phrasing.  "Rumble" had attitude, and the guitar line has remnants of that attitude in the lingering of the jangle of the guitar on this song.  It doesn't linger like Wray's guitar does, but the rhythmic structure of this song keeps that sense of attitude going.  Plus, the lyrics corroborate that attitude with the insistence that getting away from the rat race would be beneficial, and it's coming from a place of being fed up.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the lyric, "If you'd like to reach me, leave me alone!"  The song is still a little bit playful, though, and has a fun spirit mixed in with that sense of being fed up.  Works well in this slot.

Track 04:  "Shotgun Willie" by Willie Nelson

I thought about killing two birds with one stone and using one of the many duets of Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson, and create an extra space for the one inductee who was a recording artist also that I did not get to include.  However, given that they're both inductees in the Performer category, I figured I'd better give them each a slot of their own.  I chose this song to follow "A Change Would Do You Good" based on the guitars' rhythm lines of the two.  They're not identical, obviously, but they do carry over well and segue well.  This is a fun ditty musically, although the lyrics are obviously not so whimsical.  Nevertheless, I liked the overall feel of this song, and was a chance to dig a little deeper and remind everyone that Willie Nelson has decades of music to his name, and not just a few hit songs and a legacy of weed.

Track 05:  "Know Your Enemy" by Rage Against The Machine

Well, I did say that the defining feature for the first stretch of the playlist was attitude, and what better depicts attitude than Rage Against the Machine?  Musically, this doesn't flow out of the Willie Nelson track well, but aside from attitude, I had another reason for placing this particular song here.  Back when "Playlist Wars" was active, they frequently referred to how if the playlists were mixtapes or vinyl records, the fifth track would be the end of the first side.  I wanted to end this potential first side with this song because of the song's ending.  Imagine the needle on the vinyl or the spools of the cassette stopping just after you've heard Zack De La Rocha screaming "All of which are American dreams" repeatedly.  It's just the most beautifully jarring and puzzling way to end a side.  After that, where do you go?

Track 06:  "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush

Where do you go?  Running up that hill, of course!  Duh!  Because of the wonderful diversity of styles that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame tries to have in their classes, at some point, you're going to have some pivots.  This seemed like a pretty good place to make that pivot.  By this point, everyone knows this song.  There's not much left to say about why I would use this song.  If I were playing this topic competitively, you need a couple of solid slam dunk big hits, especially if it's a topical episode.  Actually, in a topical episodes, having any deep cuts is borderline suicidal, as I found out on the Motown episode I crashed and burned on.  But yeah, to start a clean slate, let's go to Kate Bush.

Track 07:  "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan

Speaking of slam dunk songs, this has to be the lynchpin of the entire playlist.  This is just such a jam, and it kind of continues a theme of strong pride that I wasn't intentionally building.  Though Kate Bush's song lyrics don't explicitly say it, it can be interpreted as having a hubris that she could do a better job of running the universe than the Almighty.  This song proudly declares that she's every woman and that she can in fact do it all.  She takes pride in all her abilities, and she rattles them off in front of an absolutely danceable beat that no one can ignore.  Chaka belts it out, and it's simply amazing.

Track 08:  "Citizen Jane" by Bernie Taupin

And in a weird, yet congruous twist, we keep the theme of femininity in play, going from women being acknowledged for their strength to women being objectified.  This was the only charted hit for him as an artist, to the best of my knowledge.  I could be mistaken, but either way, it fits pretty well here.  The glamour and fashion industry, presenting a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional person, and making feminine beauty cutthroat and narrowly defined.  Since Bernie Taupin is remembered primarily as a songwriter, and rightfully so, it's understandable if you've never heard this song.  I only knew of its existence thanks to the Record Research books.  Much smoother than the rest of the tracks on this side, or the rest of the playlist, for that matter.  Nevertheless, I feel it works well thematically, and in the eighth slot, it's a good place to put an emotional nadir of a song so that we can pick it back up.

Track 09:  "Faith" by George Michael

With all the Performer inductees being the prerequisites, the last two slots are at least revealed in terms of who they could be, which means there's not much ability to segue gracefully if it has to be to one of those two.  That said, this playlist does go from objectifying women that we don't know to respecting one that we do so much, that even going with the flow feels wrong despite feeling so right.  Stylistically, it is a pivot once again, and it's even a little more fitting maybe on Side A with its beat.  However, the cathedral organ opening is probably a better lead-out of "Citizen Jane" than even I might be giving it credit for.  But this is a tight little song that's kind of fun and takes us to an even more fun official closer.

Track 10:  "The Rubberband Man" by the Spinners

Admittedly, when first organizing this list, I thought I might use "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" as Track 07 because I love that song so much.  However, I quickly realized this track had the energy to close things out on an upbeat note.  Just like ending the proverbial Side A with "Know Your Enemy" might leave the listener with a perplexed look before flipping the tape or record, "The Rubberband Man" closes definitively and positively and sends the listener away satisfied and in a good mood.  It's pretty much impossible to be unhappy after hearing this at the end of a ten-song streak.  You won't need any further happiness.

Hidden Bonus Track:  "Happiness" by Mr. Green narrated by Kool Herc

But in case you do need more happiness, here we go.  So, I forget which podcast it was, but someone mentioned that DJ Kool Herc put out one or two albums late in his career.  Despite my best, albeit fledgling, efforts to track it down, I couldn't find what I was looking for.  What I did find, though, the Mr. Green's album, The Last Of The "Classic Beats."  It credits Kool Herc with narration.  Go listen to this whole album on whatever streaming service you have.  Released in 2019, it's a short album of ten cuts, all of which include interview clips with DJ Kool Herc and then short little musical pieces that feel somewhere between hip-hop instrumental and ambient electronica.  Love the whole album, and this track closes it.  With it opening and closing with interview clips with Herc, it has the perfect feel to be the bonus track after twenty to thirty seconds of silence while the physical medium keeps going round upon completion of the Spinners' "The Rubberband Man."  

Potential Honorable Mention:  "I Stand Alone" by Al Kooper

And of course, there needs to be an honorable mention.  Since Don Cornelius didn't really put out records himself (I don't think), that means there's one person left who could be that honorable mention.  Nothing really against Al Kooper.  The Blues Project and Blood, Sweat, And Tears were both Previously Considered, but neither could sneak onto the ballot.  Had either of those gotten in years ago, I doubt he'd have been inducted this way in 2023.  But it's almost fitting too, since the Blues Project just couldn't break through and since he was gone from Blood, Sweat, And Tears before they finally broke big.  Missing out on the brass ring, he also fails to make it as a canonical part of this playlist.  But had this actually been an episode, I could see Brian's musical nerdiness wanting to sneak something by Kooper, perhaps in lieu of Bernie Taupin.  Who knows?  As is, though, yes, Al, you do indeed stand alone.

And that wraps up my fanfic for Playlist Wars regarding the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Class Of 2023.  As I said, I'm gonna keep doing this for now, for the foreseeable future.  It's another celebration of amazing music, and making playlists is fun, at least for me.  If you have a song you would have had to include in your version of such a playlist, comment below!  We may even let the other readers vote on it, in true Playlist Wars fashion.  Meanwhile, good night, and thanks for listening.

Recapping the 2024 Ceremony

Last year, I combined my thoughts on the induction ceremony at the same time as I revealed the Songs Of Proof.  I've decided not to do that this time and just do a separate post for the ceremony.  Listening to a couple podcasts, there is noticeably, again, a marked difference between being there and watching it on Disney+, especially in terms of performances.  So, let's break it down.

Starting with the Cher induction, I admit I only knew it was Dua Lipa who came onstage because she was announced as one of the performers for this segment.  I'm not a Dua Lipa fan by any stretch (also not a hater, I'm just not in her target demographic, and she'd probably have a worse night's sleep if I were a rabid fan and she knew that).  Despite a couple missed notes, the only thing I can really say is that this probably wasn't in her key, because they were playing for Cher to join her onstage.  In which event, I think they could've done a key change, possibly.  Maybe it wouldn't have worked well, because they would have had to modulate downward, which wouldn't have been a good sonic aesthetic.  I do think the moment between them though was supposed to symbolize a passing of the torch, or at least a shared hold on it, Cher giving her blessing to Dua Lipa.  Zendaya was a curious choice.  The speech was fine, but it didn't answer the question of why she was inducting Cher.  There was no personal connection to the music or even the image.  It was cosplay.  I think they were trying to call attention to the breadth of her talent, that she was just as importantly influential to female actors as she was to female musicians.  In this case, I think they were just trying to do too much.  This is a music award and a music award show.  They should have just stayed in their lane.  The video package did a great job of addressing both the Sonny aspect, as well as autotune elephant while taking nothing away from Cher's immense talent.  As far as "If I Could Turn Back Time"... well she's not as young as she used to be.  Had it been a smaller class, we would have probably gotten a third song, one from her Sonny And Cher era.  I'm sad that we're never gonna see a Sonny And Cher induction, because that incarnation should be inducted and Cher should be a double inductee.  Good speech from Cher; it didn't feel long.

Alexis Korner... I don't know if I really learned anything about him that wasn't said in the class reveal episodes on the podcasts.  It's another weird induction into the Musical Influence category, because he's not really being inducted for his music, but more for what he did.  Like yes, he played the blues in England at a time when it wasn't hip in England to do so... but what songs is he known for, his renditions of?  At least he had a catalog, unlike DJ Kool Herc, so putting him in this category is at least justifiable.  I have to admit, I almost wish they would have made it an induction for the Blues Project instead, just to clean up the Previously Considered list.  They could have inducted the band with Korner being the only inducted member of the group.  Also, contrary to what others have said, I'm glad they separated the inductions of Korner and John Mayall.  To combine them, or play the video induction packages simultaneously would have diminished the inductions of both of them.  Even though their inductions are both pretty much for the same reason, and clearly championed by the same person in the room, they are separate inductees, and they deserved their individual moments, because they were not going to get one inductor who would be given extra floor time to do justice to each inductee, the way Carole King was given in 2010 for all the songwriters, or Smokey Robinson was given in 2012 to address the importance of each of the retconned groups.  If you paint yourself into the corner with that big a class that you can't give an inductor extra time to wax eloquent on Korner and also wax eloquent on Mayall, then at least separate the inductions so people don't think they're a duo.  The Hall got this one right.  That's my hot take.  

Onto Kool And The Gang, Chuck D's speech was awesome.  The metrically loose rhyming poetry of his speech was clearly well-rehearsed and well delivered, the video package was okay but fell a little short.  I think that's just because the Kool And The Gang story and impact is simply too big for the amount of time they had to cram it in.  But the performance... they should have been the headliner.  Kool and JT absolutely slayed, as did the band behind them.  Also, someone should have started a train in the audience during "Celebration."  Maybe that would have been too White, but honestly, who would have blamed them?  Great moment from Kool to say the names of all the inducted members.  That was important to do.  JT's speech was tight, and it was appropriate for him to also read the names of the band who are no longer with us.  Beautiful.  

Dionne Warwick's induction is when the technical issues really came to head.  The microphone at the stand was clearly fixed for shorter people.  There didn't seem to be any problems with Zendaya or Cher.  But Teyana Taylor was a little too tall for the microphone to pick her up without her being bent down a little while also reading a teleprompter.  And no, apparently the teleprompter team still hasn't been to class.  Put your speech on your phone or on paper.  And that really detracted from Teyana's speech.  I feel the video package made a better argument, talking about the crossover appeal, which really is what made rock and roll so culturally relevant.  Taylor's speech at least made it clear that you needed to put some respect on her name.  No issue with Jennifer Hudson's performance for me.  Seeing Dionne perform though, was something.  I've made it abundantly clear I'm not a fan of hers, but seeing her perform those two songs, it was made abundantly clear why Gen Z and Gen Alpha are absolutely bonkers for her.  With really no choreography, except for some walking on "Walk On By," she commanded the stage by just being a sweet old lady who exuded so much positivity that it's impossible to not want to grab a pillow and afghan and just curl up and listen to her tell stories.

If there's going to be a presenter speech, there should be a tribute performance.  That's most of what I have to say about the induction for the MC5.  I still maintain that Patti Smith would have been the absolute best choice to do a tribute performance. Thanks for your service Tom.  If nothing else, that did do some justice for their six nominations.  But I really wish he would have talked about at least one or two other songs of theirs.  And even though the museum is in Cleveland, there's still something wrong about telling a Michigan band "Welcome home" to Ohio.  Toledo War, all I'm saying.  Video package kicked ass though, and that closing quote about "being young, but we were right" is exactly what Sykes means when he says "rock and roll" is an attitude and the music of youth culture.

Foreigner... Sammy Hagar's speech was okay.  I really didn't like how he started by trying to make induction a numbers game, that induction should be more quantifiable than not.  Even though I do that with my I-5 system, that's just more the list-making side of me that also is about comparing nominees because we can't vote for everyone.  Ultimately, it's not and shouldn't be solely or even primarily a numbers game.  That's unfortunately what seems to be the guiding force behind this populist turn of the past few years.  The pendulum will swing eventually, and we'll probably be complaining that there's no big name to really latch onto for the public.  Or not.  The video package was okay, but probably rightly focused on punching the audience in the face with all the big hits.  All killer, no filler kind of things.  It didn't make me any bigger of a fan, but not like they need my validation either.  The performance was serviceable, which again, is probably high praise from a non-fan like me.  Also, I think Sammy was just trying to ask Slash to go out drinking with him later when he looked right at him while singing that line.  Just my theory.  I will give props to Lou though, for still being able to hit the notes while duetting with Kelly Clarkson.  Mick Jones's daughter gave a great speech, and I'm glad the other two members up there who weren't Lou were up there too to say a quick piece without mugging and milking too much.

With Norman Whitfield, I'm hoping the lack of almost any mention of Barrett Strong means his induction is coming one of these years.  That really should be a thing.  The only real guff I'll give about the package is using "Just My Imagination" to exemplify the first era of the Temptations, when truthfully, that hit #1 well after the Temptations were into their funk era, after songs like "Cloud 9" and "Psychedelic Shack."  Unforced error.  Also, Jimmy Jam sounded like Barack Obama.  Just an observation.

Roger Daltrey made the right move using the handheld microphone, if for no other reason than the fact he was too animated to stand behind the podium.  The problem with his speech for Peter Frampton wasn't that it was long though.  Like the song "American Pie," I think people will be pretty forgiving about length as long as it's entertaining and on point.  Roger was for most of the speech.  No, the problem with the speech was that it really made a better argument for Musical Excellence than Performer, by talking about the entire breadth of his career with equal weight, for the most part.  Like, maybe he and Buffett should have swapped categories.  Kudos to Peter for playing the one song of his that I've heard on classic rock stations that wasn't from "Frampton Comes Alive," also, with "Baby (Somethin's Happening)."  As far as Peter's speech, it was good, but asking for Humble Pie's induction was a bit of a reach, although I have seen others post on the Future Rock Legends forum in favor of it too.  Just don't think it's gonna happen though.  Also, if I had been planning the ceremony, Frampton wouldn't have been the headliner, but "Do You Feel Like We Do" would have been the all-star jam: just give all the inductees, presenters, and even people who pitched for inductees to have a moment on the talk box.  Just get everyone involved, since the talk box just allows a little fun, and even Suzanne DePasse could have given a quick moment to speak into the mic during the jam.  Missed opportunity for maximum possible inclusivity.  But given how long it ran, maybe for the better.

Big Mama's video package was great.  It certainly called attention to "Hound Dog" and "Ball And Chain," but it made certain you knew those weren't the only important songs of hers.  I knew there'd be no tribute performance for her, just based on the opening credits that listed her under "Also celebrating."  Yeah...

Someone with better historical knowledge can correct me, but I think Dave Matthews is the first person to be both an inductee and a tribute performer (all-star jams not included) for another inductee in the same ceremony.  It was odd, and I felt it was unnecessary too.  White James Taylor (as opposed to JT from Kool And The Gang) gave a fabulous speech, although I somewhat question how well it spoke to the musical legacy aspect of Jimmy Buffett.  The video package is what it was.  But the tribute performances were both sweet and disingenuous.  "Come Monday" and "A Pirate Looks At Forty" both were touching in their solemnity and celebrated his skill as a songwriter.  But it's also disingenuous because they ignored his fun side.  It's that fun side of his music that made him an empire.  It's why Parrotheads are a thing.  But Parrotheads are also probably a big part of the reason Jimmy was snubbed by the Hall for so long.  They're the "great unwashed" whose musical taste the Hall desperately does not want to validate by enshrining their beloved artist.  It's both authentic of the Hall and disingenuous of the induction of Jimmy Buffett to do only those two songs specifically.  And it's further proof that this induction was a reactionary attempt to jump on the bandwagon as it was pulling away.  For us in the hobbyist community, the result was a faceplant on the ground, just missing the wagon; for the Parrotheads, it's probably good enough.  We'll call it a draw.

As with Korner and Mayall, I think putting space between the inductions of Whitfield and Suzanne DePasse was the smart move so that the casual observer who was there to see the Dave Matthews Band wouldn't assume those two inductees were joined at the hip, a duo of sorts.  I wish the video package did more.  But I think this is more an issue of my bias.  When it comes to this category, the Non-Performer category, I like to be able to draw that straight line that screams volumes about the inductee's merits.  Suzanne discovered the Jackson 5, although she kind of shared credit on that with Bobby Taylor in her speech, and also the Commodores.  They showed pictures of other artists, and played a little more music, including Rick James, and Lionel Richie said she made and saved careers... but didn't give more detail.  I'd have liked to have more on who and how she made and saved.  The Motown TV special doesn't mean a whole lot to me, nor does the "Lady Sings The Blues" movie, except for whatever hand she had in the soundrack.  A slight bobble from her in her speech in saying Jackie twice and missing Jermaine, but we can attribute that to nerves.  She maybe could have trimmed a little, but her speech didn't drag, I thought.  

Dave Chappelle's speech for A Tribe Called Quest was probably the greatest, in my opinion, really talking about how they changed music and culture.  He came off as reverent and even humble, even when calling out the crew for a crappy mic.  The video did its job.  Jarobi's speech was mostly tight, Q-Tip's was not.  He knew he was rambling on and kept going anyway.  It started out well, acknowledging the other inductees.  While a couple of the speeches went a little long, his was the one that really made you feel conscious about the passage of time.  I do have to give him credit for showing the connection between doo-wop and hip-hop, showing why hip-hop is a part of rock and roll from a musical perspective.  I have tried to explain it saying that hip-hop is doo-wop turned inside out, making it part of the rock and roll diaspora, and I feel very validated by Q-Tip's comment there.  Phife's dad talking was sweet at first.  Could've done without the dad jokes that came off as flirting with Cher and Dionne.  The tribute performance crushed though.  

The commercial for the museum was cute, but the big takeaway was Cyndi Lauper stumping to get on next year's ballot and in the class.

I didn't have much of a problem with two inductors for Mary J. Blige.  Dre clearly had teleprompter issues.  Jordan The Stallion... I mean Method Man was definitely much better rehearsed and gave a more enjoyable speech, albeit a little longer, as he really emphasized her strength as an artist, her uniqueness as a talent, and her merits as an inductee.  In terms of performance and induction speech, I think Mary J. Blige was a victim of following Tribe and a commercial no one asked for, but everyone begrudgingly accepted.  Had she been slotted earlier in the evening, I don't think anyone would be complaining about her set.  Well, maybe the speech could have been two or three minutes shorter, but a lot of that was because of either the fans cheering or her being winded.  The only quibble I have, and it's very minor, is with the hat on during her performance and speech, you couldn't really see her eyes.  You only got to see both of them when they briefly cut to her waiting backstage, and when she got up from her crouch concluding the performance.  I really wanted to see the emotion on her face and in her eyes, especially during her speech, and we didn't get that.  At least she didn't struggle unnecessarily because of her headwear, like Sia last year.  Other than that, I had no problem with it.  She was stylish and slayed the performance.  And yeah, they should've gotten her that water immediately when she asked for it.  I guess maybe someone had to run to the closed concession stand to get one?  But given how winded and dehydrated she was at the moment, the pace of her speech was understandable.

Once again, the In Memoriam was fantastic in its breadth of musicians covered, regardless of style, and those involved in the business, from executives, to journalists, to jockeys.  Really a great job done.  Just a missed opportunity to segue into John Mayall's induction.  But again, it might have been better, to not confuse people that the In Memoriam segment was just really, really long on this one guy.  Eh, whatever.  

For the little I post on Twitter, I did comment about one of the inductors who was announced.  I loathe Jack Black.  I don't think he's funny.  His persona is that of an annoying man-child, who uses profanity as half of his jokes' punchlines.  He's what Seth Rogen would be if Seth shotgunned RedBull instead of wake-and-baked-and-baked-and-baked-and-baked.  Jack Black is what Peter Pan syndrome would be named if Barrie had chosen a different career path.  But enough about Tenacious D-bag.  The video package did a great job of showing how Ozzy is, or at least was a persona for John Osbourne, as well as really focusing on his talent and contributions as a solo artist.  The tribute performance was apparently significantly different in the room than on the tube.  At one point, I sang along with "Mama, I'm Coming Home" just to make sure I wasn't being unfair in being underwhelmed with Jelly Roll's performance, though it was really only on the tagline where he fell short.  Maynard rocked; Billy Idol was passable, given he's no spring chicken either.  I'm not a Billy Idol fan either.  But he'll probably get on the ballot after this.

John Mayall really should have been earlier in the night. probably after Suzanne DePasse's speech.  Again, like Alexis Korner, the video induction wasn't all that revelatory, except for maybe drawing attention to the Bluesbreakers' song "Crocodile Rock" and calling attention to one album in particular.  But overall it wasn't as educational as I'd hoped.  This is where I could've used a episode from Joe and Kristen, though I don't blame them for not wanting to exert the energy, either.  The only acceptable "two birds with one stone" way to do the British blues guys' inductions justice would have been to have Jack Bruce there in Cleveland as their presenter, as he was see in both video packages. 

Okay, so we have a class with Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Kool And The Gang, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, and our headliner is... the Dave Matthews Band?  Is it because the others had to go to bed?  Sorry, having DMB as the closer just feels wrong.  Just in terms of legend status, it feels wrong.  I get that the place was crowded with their fans, but really?  Even Dave acknowledged it, saying he felt like they were swimming in deep waters.  Julia's speech maybe could have lost the story of her online research.  Sometimes it's amusing, but this time it wasn't.  Other than that, it was on point.  The video package didn't sell me, but I wasn't looking to buy, either.  The performance was tight, even if not my thing.  Smart move letting Dave speak for the whole band.  But what a change it is for Dave to go from inducting or paying tribute to being the honoree.  The toe-in-the-sand, "Oh willikers!" veneer was gone, and he was an ebullient man eager to speak.  I didn't like his humor, but I did appreciate the grace with which he spoke about those who couldn't be there, even letting Boyd off easy, even wishing him the best in this cancel culture.  The Talking Heads tribute would have been better with other inductees there, but at this point, I don't think anyone was that invested.  

But that's a wrap on the ceremony from my armchair perspective.  Very stream of consciousness, and hopefully not too rambling.  Thanks for reading.  More to come soon as we go forward and look back.

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.