Listening for fun: the 2026 Nominees

At this point, I like to rank the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in order of personal preference.  There are a few reasons I like to do this.  One, I feel you can't accurately weigh in on each of the nominees without your personal tastes peeking through at some point.  And certainly some of the members of the voting body don't even try to do so.  Two, "unquestionable musical excellence" is nebulous and can include an interpretation to mean "Music I enjoy."  Three, it allows me to give some hot takes about artists and you can't argue with me or prove me wrong because it's my opinion.  So... neener neener.

As for you, the reader, what might be interesting to note is how this shapes my vote for the fan ballot.  Last year, my vote in the fan ballot was 6 out of the 7 inductees.  If I'd voted for Joe Cocker instead of Mariah Carey, it'd been a clean sweep.  Going back over past years' entries, my personal tastes' lists have included about half that year's inductees being the in the top five or seven.  I even went back through past entries and noticed something: the last time the #1 artist on my Personal Tastes' list did NOT get inducted that year was 2016.  That was before I had a smartphone, and therefore before I had Spotify.  I was using YouTube and buying CDs prior to that.  Or just going by the few songs I knew and heard out in the wild.  That's not helpful when gauging artists like Bad Brains, the Replacements, or even Soundgarden or Joy Division.  So, with the tech updated, I've apparently become a little more in line with members of the voting body.  But also, the push to go more mainstream really happened around 2016, when classic rock really showed up big on the ballots, and thereby the classes.  I don't feel as good about my favorite artist this year, and maybe just calling out the streak will jinx things, but I have to be honest about things when I do this. 

Which is also difficult in this compressed timeline, as I'm writing this before I've really had a chance to revisit all the returning nominees.  I'm trying to spend more time, but it's tough, so I'm having to rely on how much I liked the songs last time I binged them.  So ranking these now, it's a bit rockier and more fluid based on the timeframe that I'm trying to cram everything in.  The top spots are pretty secure in their spots, as are the ones on the bottom, but that "mushy middle" as we've hearing it called on the Patreon for "Who Cares About The Rock Hall?" applies not just to willingness to vote for an artist, but also how much I really like the artists.  But let's take a stab at it (he said while typing this sentence on the Ides Of March), and reveal my personal predilections.  

1. Shakira

The reason I think the trend might snap this year is because this is the first one you could call a sentimental favorite, as I remember when "Whenever, Wherever" came out, along with "Underneath Your Clothes" and "Hips Don't Lie," and so forth, and how I enjoyed those songs and the videos back in the day.  And I got quite a kick out of the Spanish material too, for the most part.  Not all of it, but also, I knew this would be the top spot for me because there were multiple songs vying to be the favorite song.  Her voice is magical to me. 

Favorite song:  "Ciega, Sordomuda"

Merits rank:  8

Average of ranks:  4.5

2. Luther Vandross

When I worked in commercial radio, we played three songs by Luther fairly regularly.  Finding out he was the voice on Change's "Glow Of Love" was awesome, and I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner.  I just enjoyed the heck out of that song.  As far as his oeuvre, I really like it, even though it is a little dated.  And to preemptively respond to those who wanna clown on my favorite song choice: no, YOU'RE crying!

Favorite song:  "Dance With My Father"

Merits rank:  6

Average of ranks:  4

3. Phil Collins

Despite ranking this high on the list, I'm not a huge fan of his.  In fact, I HATE "In The Air Tonight."  That song is just so boring.  Someone once asked me, "But what the AMAZING drum solo?"  My response to her was literally, "I don't know, I always lose interest before I get to it."  When I finally heard it, I thought, "That's a fill, not a solo.  What a crock."  I'm also not a big fan of the gated reverb.  It makes him sound like he's singing at one end of a tunnel, and the mic is at the other end.  Not my thing.  And yet, he also has some undeniably catchy bops.  I can't argue against it.  

Favorite song:  "Finding A Way To My Heart"

Merits rank:  2

Average of ranks:  2.5

4. Mariah Carey

I grew up during her imperial phase, and I never got all the shade toward her.  I can definitely understand those who have a hard time calling her "rock and roll" in the face of songs like "Hero" and "Anytime You Need A Friend" and "One Sweet Day," but those are pretty high quality slow songs.  Whether it's her or Tommy who's the puppet master who had the creative control of her catalog, it's quality music to listen to, through and through.

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

Merits rank:  1

Average of ranks:  2.5

5.  Oasis

It's a bit surprising that they rank this high.  They've never even been in the upper half of the Personal Tastes' list.  So either I'm really warming up to them or there isn't much here on this ballot to really enjoy.  It's actually a little bit of both.  Not much I'm personally ecstatic for, but also, I found myself singing along to "Little By Little" when bingeing their stuff this time around.  

Favorite song:  "Round Are Way"

Merits rank:  12

Average of ranks:  8.5

6. P!nk

A lot of this is familiarity with several songs.  I worked in radio for the most of the first decade when she really established herself as a star.  There were just so many songs I knew that the familiarity with them ingratiated her overall catalog to me just a little bit more.

Favorite song:  "Trustfall"

Merits rank:  10

Average of ranks:  8

7. Wu-Tang Clan

I only knew "Rules" prior to their nomination, because I played it on college radio.  And even then, it doesn't sound like I remember it.  But even though I can't really remember how most of their songs go, I do remember how their catchy rhythms put the swivel in my sides.  "Visionz" was particularly good, and shout out to "Act Of War" for sampling dialogue from one of my all time favorite TV shows, M*A*S*H.  Solid fun.

Favorite song:  "Rules"

Merits rank:  5

Average of ranks:  6

8. Melissa Etheridge

While I don't resonate with as many of her songs as other people, I'm a sucker for a solid blues-based rock artists that really feels bluesy.  l said earlier, her oeuvre feels a lot like power ballads that don't have distortion pedal.  There's just that much power in her voice and the way she plays.

Favorite song:  "Don't You Want A Woman"

Merits rank:  13

Average of ranks:  10.5

9. Iron Maiden

My appreciation for Bruce Dickinson's voice is hit or miss at times, and sometimes the songs really don't grab me, but they are a solid metal band that I'm less than likely to change the dial on.

Favorite song:  "Wrathchild"

Merits rank:  4

Average of ranks:  6.5

10.  New Edition

Listening to their earlier catalog reminded me of Lionel Richie's remarks when he was inducted, distinguishing between a creative artist and a created artist.  New Edition's early stuff makes them sound very created, to the point where I hear the formula for New Kids On The Block.  It's a bit hypocritical, maybe, because I grew up loving New Kids On The Block, and I would probably vote for the Monkees because their music doesn't sound prefab, at least not as prefab as Maurice Starr and Lou Perlman's boy bands.  That said, "Candy Girl" still slaps, and their later material sounds a lot better, even if it wasn't as big.

Favorite song:  "Leave Me"

Merits rank:  15

Average of ranks:  12.5

11.  INXS

Honestly, "Never Tear Us Apart" bores me, and "Need You Tonight" is kind of a sexy tune, but mostly doesn't move me at all.  I'd like "Devil Inside" a lot more if it was just a little bit shorter.  A couple really good songs, and a lot of stuff I wouldn't be mad about if my teammate wanted to put it on while we worked on a project together, if I was ever in that kind of profession where I'd be doing team projects.

Favorite song:  "New Sensation"

Merits rank:  7

Average of ranks:  9

12.  Lauryn Hill

"Wait, weren't you a teenager when Miseducation came out?  How is that not pivotal to your musical development?"  Yes, and because I grew up in a farm town where the top rated radio stations were the country station, the alternative rock stations, and the contemporary Christian station.  And I was listening to the Oldies station.  You had The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill; I had "Silly Songs With Larry," which was the part of the show where Larry came out and sang a silly song.  So this album isn't ingrained in me as it is for many of my peers.  That said, while it didn't grab me like the soundtrack song taking the top spot, it also didn't repel me.  It's kinda in the same vein for me as a lot of Mary J. Blige's discography, and she never did too well on the personal tastes' lists for her nominations either.  Also, I tried to separate the Fugees' material from hers, since there's a good argument that they deserve a separate induction.  And Frankie Valli's version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is better, imo.

Favorite song:  "Lose Myself"

Merits rank:  14

Average of ranks:  13

13.  Billy Idol

Honestly, Billy and Lauryn average out about the same.  Billy had a higher ceiling, but also a much lower floor.  It really came down to the fact that Billy's catalog had a lot more slower songs than people may remember, songs with the production values similar to "Eyes Without A Face" that I really don't care for.  

Favorite song:  "Can't Break Me Down"

Merits rank:  11

Average of ranks:  12

14.  Joy Division/New Order

In the past, I've given the two eras equal weight when calculating my enjoyment.  This really hurts this ensemble, because Ian Curtis always sounded off-key from the rest of the band.  Or atonal.  Or polytonal?  Either way, it's not fair because New Order has a much bigger catalog.  You either gotta thumb the scale in New Order's favor, or just try to accept it all as one catalog and kind of imagine Joy Division as being those woodshed albums when the band was still finding itself.  That's not how they should be discussed in terms of merit, because Joy Division was so innovative and influential, but in terms of listening to as much of it as I can and articulating my overall enjoyment, I have to use a different process.  Not easy to do, since Spotify basically treats them as two separate bands.  New Order is the far more enjoyable era by a mile, but even they had a number of tracks that just weren't doing it for me.

Favorite song:  "Your Silent Face"

Merits rank:  3

Average of ranks:  8.5

15.  The Black Crowes

They're basically a really good bar band.  Most of it didn't stick with me, but I wasn't annoyed by most of it either.  That said, by the end of deep dive, I was getting a bit sick of hearing Chris Robinson's voice.  But the axemanship was pretty solid.

Favorite song:  "Hard To Handle"

Merits rank:  17

Average of ranks:  16

16.  Sade

If I was forced to pick an act from the ballot and state that they were categorically NOT "rock and roll," it'd be Sade.  They're truly boring.  To me, Sade is elevator music.  Sade is hold music.  Sade is upscale cocktail lounge jazz.  And I absolutely loathe "Smooth Operator."  If it wasn't for the rhythm section that is conspicuously missing on some of the later songs, I might seriously argue that they are not rock and roll.  I seriously wonder if they consider themselves rock 'n' roll, like a Miles Davis situation.  That said, the rhythm section is partially responsible for keeping them off the bottom, and largely where I'd point to if someone asked how are they rock and roll.  Also, in the spirit of magnanimity, "Tar Baby" is well-written, and "Love Is Found" is a pretty cool track that sounds like it could've been either a Duran Duran song or a Britney Spears track.

Favorite song:  "Paradise"

Merits rank:  9

Average of ranks:  12.5

17.  Jeff Buckley

But worse than being bored is being irritated.  Grace mostly grates on me.  It's just not for me.  You can very much spot the Led Zeppelin influences in his style of singing.  Unfortunately, I'm also not that big on Zeppelin either.  I like my classic rock Beatle-based, not Zep-based.  His voice is much more palatable to me in its lower register.  His cover of "Everyday People" is alright, and I think My Sweetheart The Drunk is indeed unfulfilled potential.  But I probably would still rank him at the bottom for this year.

Favorite song:  "Nightmares By The Sea"

Merits rank:  16

Average of ranks:  16.5

So with all that work done, we see that for me, between merits and taste, the ranks go:

1. Mariah Carey

1. Phil Collins

2. Luther Vandross

4. Shakira

5. Wu-Tang Clan

6. Iron Maiden

7. P!nk

8. Joy Division/New Order

8. Oasis

10. INXS

11. Melissa Etheridge

12. Billy Idol

13. New Edition

13. Sade

15. Lauryn Hill

16. The Black Crowes

17. Jeff Buckley

The biggest surprises for me personally are how high Phil Collins made it and how low Lauryn Hill finished.  I feel like if Mariah Carey were already in, I would be probably be voting for Lauryn Hill in the fan ballot.  Be that as it may, looking at this composite ranking, it appears that I would be voting for Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, Luther Vandross, Shakira, Wu-Tang Clan, Iron Maiden, and P!nk.  And you'd be mostly correct.  It took me a week or so to settle into my daily seven on the fan ballot, but I never voted for any of the bottom seven composite ranks.  Melissa Etheridge on down never got a vote from me at anytime.  Of my final seven that I've been voting for everyday now, the top six are in fact in that daily seven.  P!nk, however, is not.  Instead of the seventh place being the seventh vote, I'm actually jumping down to a tie-breaker at number eight.  In fact, I have been voting for Joy Division/New Order everyday.  They are taking the Soundgarden slot this year: I don't like them all that much, but dangit, they're too important to not vote for.  In addition to Joy Division/New Order, I've also voted for Mariah Carey, Shakira, and Wu-Tang Clan everyday.  It took a little time to pan out, but I eventually got to Iron Maiden, Phil Collins, and Luther Vandross to get my vote everyday as well.  Which cuts off P!nk, Oasis, and INXS, unfortunately.  They got at least one from me, but no more.  

And with that, we've figured out how I probably should be and are voting.  But that's not the main event is it?  No it's not!  Coming soon, we'll figure out who I think is going to get in.  Stay tuned!

Merits Rank: The Ballot For 2026

 With a compressed time frame, only six weeks of voting, we are going to start looking at the objective merits for the nominees on this year's ballot for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  It feels like a little bit of a rush job, so maintaining objectivity while still getting a fair idea of what each nominee brings to the table to advance the evolution and perpetuation of rock and roll is trickier than normal.  And with this time frame, I'll also be probably leaning heavily on words of the past for returning nominees.  I usually do anyway, but this time, necessity demands it.

So as a reminder, the five categories that I'll be taking into consideration are Innovation, Influence, Impact, Intangibles, and Issues.  And a couple quick reminders about the Issues category: first, it's the negative factor, the potential arguments against an artist's nomination; second, these arguments in the Issues category are not always my personal arguments against a nominee, but rather arguments I've actually encountered elsewhere or ones that I could possibly see somebody making, even if I wouldn't agree with it.  And it's also important to remember, that if an artist makes the ballot, it's because there's an argument to be made in the first place.  Ranking low on this list is not the same as calling an artist unworthy of the Hall, so don't take anything personally.  This is, after all, about setting personal tastes aside.  I endeavor to give equal weight to each of the I-5 categories and let their own weights move the scales.  So, let's look at this year's crop and rank them by merits.

1. MARIAH CAREY

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

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

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

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

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

2. PHIL COLLINS

Innovation:  A pioneer of the "gated reverb" that was signature to his drumming style and also vocal style on his earlier works.

Influence:  He's more influential as a drummer than a singer, but his singing and solo records have had a modicum of influence as well.

Impact:  His commercial success and number of charts hits is extensive, including seven #1 hits.

Intangibles:  Revered as a drummer as well as a singer, songwriter, producer, and with collaborations with soul and rap artists, he has a decent amount of credibility among Black artists.  

Issues:  He's one of two artists that epitomize the trope of rock stars mellowing out and going Adult Contemporary (the other being Rod Stewart) to the point where he was the butt of the joke for some time, and in the Jon Sykes era, with the paradigm of defining rock and roll as youthful and having attitude, Adult Contemporary borders on anathema.  Additionally, some of solo career is indistinguishable from later Genesis works.

3. JOY DIVISION / NEW ORDER

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

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

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

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

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

4. IRON MAIDEN

Innovation:  They didn't invent heavy metal, but they elevated it with political themes and really helped cement the imagery of heavy metal that is often remembered.

Influence:  Easily one of the most influential bands in heavy metal and hard rock.

Impact:  A band of mostly middling album sales and nearly non-existent singles recognition in the U.S., they were much bigger in the U.K.  Plus, their tours historically sold well, resulting in incredible name recognition.

Intangibles:  Though not really a band member, their mascot Eddie just seems to be an X-factor for them.  Additionally, they have something of an underdog legacy, overcoming a limited airplay handicap to still be considered a major player in the pantheons of rock, even in the U.S.

Issues:  They're a band many know the name of, but not a band casual listeners would instantly recognize if one of their songs came on the radio or streaming service.  You've heard of them and know something about them because somebody you can tolerate in small doses is emphatic about them.  

5. WU-TANG CLAN

Innovation:  Not super innovative, but when you have that many members bringing their own unique perspectives, in addition to their frequent samples of kung fu movies, it certainly is unique.

Influence:  In addition to the solo careers they helped launch, they have been incredibly influential, including current big draws in rap such as Childish Gambino.

Impact:  Six studio albums that were in the Top 50 of the Billboard 200, and a seventh that would likely have been if they'd allowed the manufacture of more than one copy of it, plus multiple charting compilation albums.  Additionally, a handful of charting singles, a name that people have heard of, with members that people have heard of.

Intangibles:  As a production outfit, as a whole, they have a staggering amount of cache, especially for the artistry of their creations.  In addition, spawning so many solo careers, this was a proving ground of sorts.

Issues:  Much like Iron Maiden, they're a name you know, but probably aren't terribly familiar with their actual music.  Their legacy may be thought more of as the launching point for many solo rappers, or for the production skills, but not so much for the actual catalog.

6. LUTHER VANDROSS

Innovation:  Not terribly innovative, save possibly the way he updated the classic soul sound to the production techniques of the late '80s and '90s.

Influence:  With names like Usher, John Legend, as well as contemporaries like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston all taking influence from him, and Kendrick Lamar sampling him, he's got quite a bit.

Impact:  Twelve of his thirteen studio albums went platinum, and the one that didn't was still gold.  From a singles perspective, he was a mainstay on the R&B charts; a bit more sporadic on the pop charts, but still had four Top Ten hits, and smatterings across the Top 40 and Hot 100.

Intangibles:  Virtually a solitary figure of solo male soul singers during the time he was most relevant.  He also was very much at the helm, writing and producing his records, which the industry and the Rock Hall respect.

Issues:  The production values of some of his records haven't aged incredibly well.  May be considered a little too soft and slow to be called "rock and roll."

7. INXS

Innovation:  Not completely groundbreaking, but their blend of funk, soul, new wave, and other assorted rock influences culminated in a very unique sound.

Influence:  Several big name bands from the early 2000s and 2010s cite this band as a big influence on their sound, as did R.E.M. on some of their '90s albums.

Impact:  Seven Top Ten hits and several other hits here in the U.S., and eleven charted studio albums.  Overall, very high name recognition.

Intangibles:  The spelling of their name was a gimmick that worked in their favor, but don't overlook the singular charisma and vocal versatility of Michael Hutchence, the true INX-factor (sorry).

Issues:  Because they weren't as big as R.E.M. or U2, nor were they really a part of a musical movement, such as synth-pop or hair metal, they're a band that it's easy to forget about when discussing the music of that era.

8. SHAKIRA

Innovation:  She wasn't the first Latin pop artist, and probably not the first either whose style was Latin rather than pop, but she was there at the beginning when those things started to get fused with hip-hop, via the featured artists on her songs.

Influence:  Massively influential in the world of Latin music and even in the Latin dance music scenes.

Impact:  Widely considered the first South American artist to crossover to the U.S. market in a substantial manner, hits on the Hot 100 from 2001 to 2025, and in the Top Ten as recently as 2023, with even more hits on the Latin charts.

Intangibles:  She's a talented musician who has played guitar, drums, and even harmonica on her albums, further proven by her famous percussion demonstration during the Superbowl halftime show.  And while she has stayed mostly in the Latin pop lane, she has done dance music and post-British-Invasion styled rock, going back to her early records in the '90s.

Issues:  Because of the timing of her big crossover breakout, in 2001, at the same time as artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, and others; Shakira has sometimes been dismissed as a "pop princess," and a latecomer to the scene at that.  Additionally, Latin pop is a tougher sell as a genre for the Rock Hall because it's not as direct a line to draw from the blues roots that rock and roll comes from.

9. SADE

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

Influence: Prior to the 2020s, this would have been a much lesser category.  I don't think I'd even heard the term "quiet storm" before hearing of COVID.  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. 

10. P!NK

Innovation:  It might be a stretch to call her songs a blending of a riot grrl rock and pop or dance pop, but there is something a bit edgier in the energy of her songs, perhaps in her voice and the way she sings them.

Influence:  Very influential to artists ranging from Demi Lovato to Halsey to Bebe Rexha to Katy Perry to Adele and more.

Impact:  Fifteen Top Ten hits, including four that hit #1, plus nine studio albums that made the upper quarter of the Albums charts, only one of those not making Top Ten.  A name everyone knows.

Intangibles:  Her music is perhaps among the most honest and inspirational to young women, a blend of toughness and tenderness, telling her audience that being ready to throw hands doesn't make a woman less feminine, and that vulnerability doesn't make one weak, and either way, it's still okay to want to have a good time.

Issues:  A lot of the punk and riot energy to some of her songs comes from her aesthetics.  Would someone who's never seen her call her music punk-influenced, or at least to the same extent that those who know her aesthetic do?

11. BILLY IDOL

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

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

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

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

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

12. 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.

13. MELISSA ETHERIDGE

Innovation:  Not a strong category, but with her bluesy style and vocal power, it's almost like she found a way to do power ballads without distortion pedal.

Influence:  Tremendously influential to women in rock.  So much so, she's considered somewhat of an archetypal musician of the Lilith Fair scene despite never having played the Lilith Fair festivals.

Impact:  A stronger category than you may think.  Seven Top 40 singles and fourteen albums that made the upper half of the Billboard 200.

Intangibles:  With solidly bluesy roots, she is unquestionably a "rock and roll" artist; plus, her history of activism and her status as a legend in the LGBTQ+ community means she brings an oft-neglected perspective in the diaspora of rock and roll.

Issues:  Not much of her catalog has stuck around, standing the test of time.  It requires a deeper dive to remind listeners about her hits and her overall style.

14. LAURYN HILL

Innovation:  Not really

Influence:  Hugely influential in both R&B and rap, from artists like Beyonce and Rihanna to Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj.

Impact:  One major album with a few hits, a couple more as a featured artist, but a name with serious cache.

Intangibles:  Her chops from her time in the Fugees, another act that some feel should be inducted, gives her extra credibility and cache.

Issues:  Extremely limited catalog.  What we have is amazing, but it's really not much, so is it really a Hall Of Fame career?  Additionally, wouldn't it be more prudent to induct the Fugees before/instead of her?

15. NEW EDITION

Innovation:  Considered one of the frontrunners of New Jack Swing, bringing that to cultural relevance in the '80s. 

Influence:  A few big names, such as Bruno Mars, cites them as an influence, but also considered a template for modern boy bands.

Impact:  A handful of Top 40 hits on the Hot 100, and a much bigger run on the R&B charts, plus all their non-Christmas studio albums made the upper half of the Billboard 200.

Intangibles:  The group launched the solo careers of Bobby Brown and Johnny Gill, plus the members of Bell Biv Devoe.

Issues:  Their influence as an R&B vocal group doesn't reach far, ending at Boyz II Men, and with boy bands not taken seriously, this group is also not taken seriously in some ways.  In fact, even the name was indicative that they were kind of derivative of the Jackson 5.

16. JEFF BUCKLEY

Innovation:  Not super innovative, but some do credit him with updating the confessional, vulnerable singer/songwriter style to a more then-modern and indie sound.

Influence:  The exact range of influence might not be as huge as some of the others, but it is sizable, and the ratio of influence to output is extremely favorable to him.

Impact:  Only one completed studio album, and three songs on the Billboard charts, two of them posthumous.

Intangibles: Immense critical respect.  His version of "Hallelujah" was on the Rolling Stone 500 songs list before it charted, and some might argue that based on what we have, the unfinished second album held a lot of promise.

Issues:  Forget Grace, is "Hallelujah" enough?  Even though it's not his most streamed song on Spotify, it is far and away his best-known song, to the point where John Q. Public would not be able to name another song.  A lot of the heavy lifting is being done with that cover.

17. THE BLACK CROWES

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

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

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

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

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

And with that, I have ranked all seventeen of the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by an evaluation of their merits. Admittedly, this was in a very rushed time frame, so this ranking feels even more imperfect than it's been in other years.  There's always something to disagree with, but I definitely feel hesitant hitting "Publish" this time.  Like rushing the term paper before you have a chance to check all your references.  So feel free to light me up in the Comments or on social media.  Next time it'll be all subjective, my personal tastes ranking them.  And we'll average them out to see what lands where.  Until then, keep listening.

Off to the races: the 2026 Ballot

First off, as much as I love following the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, there was no way I was waking up at 3AM where I live for the live press release announcing this ballot.  Honestly, even if I was still living in my home state in the Eastern Time Zone, I wouldn't've set my alarm to spring up early to watch the live announcement.  It was much more fun to listen to Joe and Kristen break the news (and Greg, who looks much younger on Instagram than he sounds).  Admittedly, some of the commentary meandered, but it was very organic and still very entertaining.  By the way, congratulations to Kristen on becoming an official Rock Hall voter!  And now we have the slate of names who will be announced in May, and a bunch of names that will not, but are being fed false hope, both the artists and their fans.  That's a dark turn, but it's just a matter of fact that some will lose out this time around.  So let's look at this ballot.

Starting with my predictions, let's just laugh and get it out of the way.  As Gene Rayburn would say, I stubbed my toe on this round.  I was off on my logic for how many nominees there would be, and I only predicted five correctly anyway.  Ouch.  Even my "reserves" didn't net me any additional points.  Then again, I seldom do well on predicting the ballot.  Trying to guess who will be on the ballot proves one of the Murphy's Laws of combat, "Professionals are predictable; it's the amateurs who are dangerous."  And my correct predictions were highly predictable.  Oasis was probably the most predictable, since the Gallaghers appear to be playing nice for now.  Will that still be the case by the end of 2026, when the induction ceremony will be?  Anybody's guess.  With Alicia Keys becoming eligible this year, I was actually nervous that Mariah Carey would not be back.  Thankfully she is, and I'm tentatively hopeful for her, but the number of women on this ballot worries me that the haters will be able to exclude her from their vote while plausibly claiming that it's not hating her because she's a massively successful woman.  And Iron Maiden was pretty much the most obvious metal/hard rock act to go for with Ozzy and Soundgarden in, though there were a couple plausible alternatives.  And the first-time nominees were both pretty obvious as well.  Phil Collins is nominated as a solo artist.  He's the closest thing to a lock at this point, but at this early stage, I'm not willing to call him a shoo-in.  Lastly, it seemed like a wild guess, despite it being really reasonable, INXS has been nominated.  The grassroots campaign approach seems to be working.  It's a good way to get it done.  

So onto the names I didn't predict.  Well, big props to those who predicted Billy Idol to return.  I kind of figured he only got nominated because of his performance at the Ozzy induction.  I didn't think that would be enough to keep him aloft in the mix after missing out last year.  But he's just so darn well-liked that they went back for him a second time.  There were also some predictions about the return of Joy Division/New Order to the ballot.    I'm a little surprised, but not terribly.  Given the buzz among us hobbyists about the imperative need to induct this outfit, it seems like there's a focus of our collective cosmic energy that the indie/undie candidate that needs to get in next is this one, or the B-52's.  But if the Hall is going to hold up a nomination of the B-52's until Joy Division/New Order is inducted, then even I'm going to start voting for them in the fan ballot.  Turning to hip-hop, I look rather foolish in hindsight, but I thought when Eric B. And Rakim got their second nomination, the Rock Hall was showing us their hand where they'd go after Tribe and Outkast.  That's why I predicted fourth party instead of between the three favorites of De La Soul, Snoop Dogg, and the winner, Wu-Tang Clan.  There was a logic to my pick, but it didn't hold up against the lowered head and over the glasses stare that said, "Really?", and moved onto the more obvious choices.  That's one on me. 

Not very widely predicted, but there were a few murmurs that said Sade was gonna come back to the ballot.  I'm not sure how prog-adjacent the style known as "quiet storm" is, but I'm sure there are some who are really excited about this second nomination. Iykyk.  And there weren't many predicting them, but a few thought that between being nominated last year and their lead singer helping bookend the inductee tributes last year, there was a decent chance for the Black Crowes to come back.  While I can't decide which nomination is a bigger head-scratcher, I am nevertheless quietly snickering that THIS is the act that was involved in both the Bad Company and Joe Cocker tributes that got nominated.  Somewhere, Little Steven is trying to console Jon Sykes and Sykes is snapping back, "At least YOURS got nominated!"

Next, we come to what I will dub "Schrodinger's documentary."  A documentary comes out about an artist, and we wonder whether or not it will lead to that artist getting nominated for the Rock And Roll Of Fame.  This also applies to biopics.  And it applies to Luther Vandross in this case, though Kendrick's song probably played a part too.  I'm not dead set in which seven I'll be voting for daily in the fan vote, but I have a strong feeling that I'll be throwing a vote for him a few times before I settle on my daily seven.  I think on the "Who Cares" podcast, Greg Heller said a lot of the things I worry about for Luther's case though.  But it will be interesting to see if he sneaks through.  But the other nominee that may or may not have benefitted from a feature film is of course Jeff Buckley, who is, in my opinion one of the two biggest surprises on this ballot.  I've got thoughts, but I'll save them for later installments.

Moving on to the five that I don't think anyone saw coming, now.  If any of them could have been seen coming, it'd be New Edition in a moment of delayed returning of a favor.  No one really thought of them as playing ball with the Hall when they performed the tribute to the Spinners in 2023, maybe because very few had taken them seriously as prospects.  Their nomination is definitely a surprise.  Another one that maybe could have been seen coming is Melissa Etheridge.  Honestly, though, this one requires following the Hall closely enough to know that Sheryl Crow is a member of the NomComm, and that she had stated Melissa Etheridge as one of her top priorities.  It took a couple years, but she got her onto the ballot.  Now, if you had asked me who was the most likely newly eligible artist last year, I would not have said Linkin Park.  Their fans are the most rabid, but if you're thinking like the Hall, the one more likely to be nominated first from that crop would've been P!nk in my opinion.  She has enough accessibility to the older crowd in the voting bloc to be legible as a candidate.  That she made the ballot this soon in her eligibility is what surprised us.  Some names are worrisome when you see them on the ballot because you don't think they're worthy.  In this case, the nomination of Lauryn Hill worries me because she is worthy, and she's a contender.  Ms. Lauryn Hill is the artist you nominate to block Mariah Carey getting in.  Ms. Lauryn Hill is also a credible threat to Wu-Tang Clan.  We have yet to get two hip-hop acts in via the ballot in a single year.  I don't mind if either Wu-Tang Clan or Hill get in, but I do care about Mariah getting in this time around, and I think Lauryn is the vote for those who want to kill two birds with one stone.  Otherwise, I'd be thrilled at this nomination.  The last name on the list is Shakira, who seems to be the alternative to Mana this time around.  A Latin artist who actually had some crossover success in the English-speaking parts of the U.S., and is still alive to perform at her own induction.  I remember when she broke big in the States with "Whenever, Wherever."  I was in college at the time.  My feelings on this nomination are somewhat of a gender swap for Duran Duran.  Just as there were a lot of women who both genuinely liked the music and wanted to be Mrs. LeBon, Shakira was one of the women of early 2000's dance pop that I wouldn't have minded being the Mister to, and I genuinely liked the handful of songs that I encountered.  So instead of this nomination making me feel old, this makes me feel young again.  Suddenly, I'm back in the laundry room in the Gilchrist wing of Yakeley-Gilchrist Hall, watching her videos on College Television Network.

And with that, we have a recap of the ballot.  There are seventeen names instead of fourteen, but already I'm seeing some reactions that there were a few names that maybe didn't need to be on the list.  With little to nothing patently catering to the classic rock crowd, we shall see how that affects the vote.   Soon to come, the usual rankings of merits and personal tastes, so stay tuned for that.  I got a jumpstart in a way, taking some days to binge-listen to some names that I thought would be on the ballot, and a couple of them have proven to be good calls.  Time for the real fun to begin!

Predictions for the 2026 ballot

 Well, we've made it to 2026, and that means resolutions have already met with their demise.  It also means the Assembly Of The Giant Hoagie looms nigh.  Soon, the forces will descend like an avalanche with the ballot for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2026.  Within a month or so we'll know who's on the shortlist, and months later, who's on the even shorter list.  It's a new year, a new cycle, a new batch of predictions that almost certainly miss in some hilariously spectacular ways.  And here I am to be part of the bread and circuses of it all. 

To be honest though, I'm not sure if it's the new schedule we've had, or the fact that it's taken so long to get the Songs Of Proof for 2024 and 2025 up, but I'm just not as thrilled.  Maybe I didn't give myself enough rest between posts, but time waits for no man, let alone little old me.  So forge on we must.  Last year was a huge year for the Rock Hall, in my opinion.  Between Outkast, Bad Company, Carol Kaye, and Thom Bell all getting in, a lot of the names that various segments have been clamoring for have finally gotten their just due.  And for me personally, my former number one snub, Chubby Checker, has been enshrined.  For me, how big a snub an artist is proves to be some mathematical combination of merits and time elapsed.  Chubby was a very symbolic figurehead for a moment in the history of rock and roll, so despite not being number one on the Merits list this last go-around, he was my number one snub for the fact that I still felt he was very deserving and had been waiting since the beginnings of the Hall.  And now he's in.

So maybe I'm expecting to be let down this year after a huge win this past cycle.  You can't always get what you want, after all.  Last year saw me getting what I wanted with not just Chubby, but six of the seven acts that I voted for daily in the fan vote got enshrined.  And Thom Bell and Carol Kaye.  Big year for me.  So it'd be foolish to think that my new number one snub--the Marvelettes--will be nominated, but I do think there will be a nominee from the same era.  The Hall can be very reactive in their nominations, whether it be from who performed at the last ceremony, who passed away, who had a documentary come out about them, who received another prestigious music industry award, or who had a new moment of pop cultural relevance.  I suspect the Hall will try to tap at least a couple of those avenues.  I'm not entirely sure that John Sykes will finally get his way and get Bryan Adams on the ballot, though.  We'll put that one in the maybe column.  I do think they're going to put Beck back on the ballot.  John will ask the committee to remember how much Bryan did for the ceremony, and the members will hem and haw, and then someone will remember, "Oh Beck was there too!  How about him?" And that will be how the story goes.

As I said, the Nominating Committee tends to be very reactive to things going on, and another such incident was the way "Pretty Little Baby" took off during the spring of this past year.  I'm a little torn on whether or not that will yield a nomination for Connie Francis, but Chubby Checker did prove that there was a desire to honor pre-Beatles artists via the ballot, so I'm gonna shoot a shot that it could be in the cards for her, despite her passing away this past year as well.

Looking back to previous ballots and see who has a chance to return, I both hope and believe we'll see a third consecutive nomination for both Oasis and Mariah Carey.  Of the two, I think Mariah is more likely to return if the NomComm is thinking heavily about who is likely to show up and perform, whereas Oasis is being a tease at best about whether or not they'd show up and perform.  Either way, I'm willing to predict both to come back.  Looking back at the past few ballots, in addition to those two and Beck, I think Iron Maiden has a decent chance to return.  They gave them a break and put Ozzy on to show that metal could get in via the ballot, then pushed for Soundgarden, a representative of a harder style of rock, that being grunge, and now I think they'll go back to metal and push again for Iron Maiden.  Also, now that Outkast is in, the direction for hip-hop representation on the ballot is uncertain.  So, I'd like to think this guess is as good as any other, that they'll try to give as clear a lane as possible and make one last attempt for Eric B. And Rakim before relegating them to a category induction, most likely Musical Influence.

But so far, I've only predicted one name that hasn't been on the ballot before; however, the ballot is usually largely comprised of first-timers, so let's start looking at who some of those newly nominated acts may be.  First, we start in the classic rock lane.  With Bad Company inducted, the classic rock community may divaricate on who should be next.  But also with classic rock, it has to be really bad in order to divide against each other, so it may be a fuss over nothing.  For those who are thinking about the arena rock, the next name that seems to be at the top of the list is Boston, and those who maybe think we should take a beat to remember that prog is beloved in the classic rock format are clamoring most for Jethro Tull, especially since Jack White accidentally mentioned them twice in his acceptance speech.  I say, it will probably be a both/and situation, rather than either/or.

As we look at the "How much time do they have left?" contingency, the big name rising to the top is Phil Collins, and there's no denying that he's had a significant career that really needs to be reckoned with, one way or the other.  And while I don't think they'll make the ballot this time around, I'd also like to call attention to the fact that Huey Lewis is in pretty poor health too, and he and the News were a powerhouse, unique-sounding, hitmaking machine of the 1980s, so I hope they're not too far behind.

Overall, I believe the ballot will be 14 names, so the Hall can continue this merry little tradition of inducting half the ballot with the seven-vote system.  I'm not mad about it though.  It just means I gotta come up with five more names, and statistically, I should try to make them all new names.  I'll start with a perennial pick of mine, No Doubt.  They're going to get in eventually, right?  I do think that after a couple years' teasing about it, it's time for Coldplay to appear on the ballot.  Some are suggesting Alicia Keys, but I think they're going to stick with Mariah, rather than make her the next LL Cool J, where they replace her with Alicia one year, then Beyonce the next.  Also, the Hall sucks when it comes to non-hip-hop R&B FYE inductees.  The last one they had was Prince in 2004, and before that, Sly And The Family Stone in 1993.  So Alicia is not a bad prediction by any means, but I can't pull that trigger. Last year saw the appearance of Mana on the ballot, but it did not drive up traffic to the Rock Hall's website from Latin American countries.  However, when Nick Bambach had Carlos Alomar as a guest on "Rock In Retrospect," Alomar gave the insight that the lack of enthusiasm for Mana was because they didn't go with Soda Stereo first.  The rest of the world perhaps doesn't realize that the Rock Hall doesn't operate and induct chronologically.  Some argue that the Rock Hall would be smart to ease into that territory with more accessible acts such as Los Lobos, Selena, or the Miami Sound Machine, but I think the Rock Hall is thinking about what will drive traffic to their website.  What will bring the visitors to the site, much like Fela Kuti did on his first nomination.  For the traffic, I am willing to go wild and say it'll be Soda Stereo.  I'm also going to go with INXS for a first nomination.  They're a big name, a band that is undisputed as a rock and roll band, but moves the Hall's median sundial a few ticks forward.  A few.  For my last pick, I need a left-field choice, possibly more left-field than Soda Stereo.  One thing my ballot doesn't have yet is a national treasure--someone like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson--an artist that if you say you don't like their music, YOU'RE the problem, universally so.  There aren't too many currently eligible artists who fit that bill, but among serious music lovers, John Coltrane is such a figure.  So, let's pick that name.

There are a few other names that I considered.  I think the B-52's are due soon.  Alicia will get her nomination once Mariah is in.  Bryan Adams... a few years more, maybe?  And I'm not sleeping on Linkin Park, either.  I just think the NomComm has to get a few more younger voices before that happens.  Recapping, my predictions are for:

1. Beck
2. Boston
3. Mariah Carey
4. Coldplay
5. Phil Collins
6. John Coltrane
7. Eric B. And Rakim
8. Connie Francis
9. INXS
10. Iron Maiden
11. Jethro Tull
12. No Doubt
13. Oasis
14. Soda Stereo 

As I look this over, this seem like a very unlikely ballot.  But I like my reasons for each of them and that those very arguments could actually be made in the room.  What do you think?  Comment below or scream at me on social media.  Ballot coming soon!

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2025

 In an attempt to get caught up before the next ballot comes out, we're going to get to the Class Of 2025 for their songs to add to the Great Playlist.  A slightly smaller class than the previous one, but similarly chock full of amazing inductees that truly earned their spot in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  As I told Joe this past summer on my guest episode for the Patreon of "Who Cares About The Rock Hall?", I voted in the fan vote for six of the seven Performer inductees, and I was extremely stoked about most of the inductees in the other categories.  It was a great ceremony, given what they had to work with, doing justice to most of the people involved.  So what songs are appropriate to celebrate these thirteen inductees?  Let's get into the discussion.

Bad Company:  First to be inducted at the 2025 ceremony, first to be listed here.  The whole Paul Rodgers contingency has been satisfied--hopefully--with the induction of this band.  And Mick Ralphs was absolutely no slouch with an axe, with some hot licks.  If I were to make this selection based solely on what I felt the overall gestalt was of this band, lyrically, it'd be "Shooting Star," as that would be the quintessential song about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll--except that it ends tragically.  It also doesn't feel like we really get the quintessential Paul Rodgers vocal performance either.  When I first had them on the "Previously Considered" list, I was planning on using "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy," but in the end, it just doesn't stand up either.  But on the opposite end of the spectrum, I can't justify using "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love," either, as it's just not detached enough from the Free oeuvre.  And since we're leaving out the Brad Howe era altogether, we're pretty much left with "Feel Like Makin' Love."  There are a couple more we could have considered, but I think this one has low and high vocal rips, guitar riffs that are memorable, and ultimately summarizes their sound succinctly.  There's a reason it was performed at the ceremony, after all, so I'm using it here.

Thom Bell:  The maestro behind the sound of smooth Philly soul.  Philly soul is one of my favorite styles of soul, whether it was produced by Bell or not, but Bell's touch really seemed to be a defining style of the era.  Most famous for his work with the Spinners, but I'm actually not going with a Spinners' song, though "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" was a strong contender, and also a good indicator of what comes to mind first when I think of Philly soul.  I'm actually going with a song that is said to be one that the Spinners let get away.  "I'm Doin' Fine Now" by New York City is an absolute masterpiece with its string section, guitar playing with some fuzz, silky smooth vocals, tight harmonies, and a groove that made you want to dance.  It's almost the quintessential Philly soul song.  There are songs by the O'Jays that could have worked, as well as the Stylistics, the Delfonics, and the Manhattans, just to name a few.  But for my money, this is the optimal song to use.  One a side note, though, Bell's induction definitely begs for a follow up along this train of thought and means the next thing should be an induction for Linda Creed.  Inducting Bell alone was the right call, but the collaborations, along with her writing on her own, Linda is absolutely worthy of induction and would be a great induction for the Class Of 2026.  Let's hope it happens.

Chubby Checker:   The Song Of Proof for Chubby Checker will indeed by "The Twist," but that is by no means giving his entire career short shrift.  How many songs have been franchises?  You have some songs that are sequels or answer songs, but very few that became a musical franchise unto themselves.  There was the Snoopy one that was the Royal Guardsmen's, starting with "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron," but that franchise was insular, not really catching on elsewhere.  "The Wallflower" started with Etta James, had an answer song by The Midnighters, which spawned a song or two more involving Annie, but little to nothing more about Henry, staying in that moment between those two artists.  But "The Twist" as a song was a franchise, spawning a barrage of songs about or involving the twist, and the twist itself was a cultural touchstone to the point of being cultural exchange at the diplomatic level, as Jackie Kennedy demonstrated American cultural excellence by demonstrating the twist with foreign dignitaries.  But while it wouldn't have happened without Hank Ballard's original version, it didn't happen because of Hank's version either.  And you can't give all the credit to Dick Clark either for wanting that song to be performed on American Bandstand.  At some point, you have to acknowledge the talent of Chubby Checker as a singer and charm as a performer.  And his continued string of successful records that followed is a testament to his talent.  One big record can be a moment, but talent keeps you successful.  Chubby managed to keep coming back, and also helped make the Superbowl halftime show the rock and roll event that it is now.  And, as he said, it all began, but didn't end (though you could argue that it bookends) with "The Twist."

Joe Cocker:  I've made it clear in past entries what my opinion of Joe Cocker's music is, so we'll move on past the fact that he's the only Performer inductee that I didn't vote for in the fan vote.  The man's legacy as an interpreter of songs is well regarded, and his versions often bring the party.  And that's just the early career.  Songs like "You Are So Beautiful To Me" and "Up Where We Belong" cemented his legacy with versatility.  An electrifying stage experience, his Song Of Proof almost necessitates that it be a live 45 hit record, or at least one with all the energy of a live performance.  It's not required, but I do feel that is the lion's share of his credibility as a Hall Of Famer.  With all that in mind, I'm going to go with "Feelin' Alright," the studio version from his album With A Little Help From My Friends.  I couldn't justify using the title track because, while impressive, it doesn't feel like it exudes as much of Joe's image as a rocker who makes people feel good when they play his records and watch him perform as this selection does.

Nicky Hopkins:  The video package for Nicky's induction was amazing, showing the sheer number of records he played on and how his piano playing help give a song shape or tone to how the record will sound and feel by the time you're done listening.  However, where the video package really kept trying to steer the audience to pay more attention to his work with the Rolling Stones, I will not be using a Stones' song to represent Nicky Hopkins in this project.  That's not to say a Rolling Stones' song would be a bad selection.  The run of albums they had where he played with them stand out as some of the strongest in their entire catalog, but I simply felt pulled in a different direction.  Nicky played with a wide variety of musicians on some major hit records, including some major stars.  And when I think of songs where Nicky's playing really impresses but doesn't overpower, where it just feels like some good, fun rock and roll, and was a major hit, I have to go with Ringo's cover of "You're Sixteen."  Say what you want about Ringo singing this song or the problematic nature of the lyrics when you assume that the character played by the singer is anything but another sixteen year-old, or possibly seventeen, in a society that widely felt children shouldn't start dating until they were sixteen--whatever you want to say about all that, you have to admit that Nicky's tickling of the ivories instantly grabs your ears and takes you along for the simple rock and roll fun that this record is.  By the way, on the back cover of the album Ringo, the track listing includes the parenthesized "(You're Beautiful, And You're Mine);" however, the labels on the 45 RPM singles that were pressed, and therefore the song's listings on the pages of the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1973 and early 1974, do not include the parenthesized part.  So, either way to list the title is correct.

Carol Kaye:  The only living inductee who got a video package induction but did not have a a video message from the inductee accepting the honor.  And it's a shame.  I actually understand her indignance, first because of the "Wrecking Crew" label that she abhorred, but also because she thought of herself as a jazz musician, rather than a rock musician.  Because of the technical challenges that jazz frequently has that rock seldom does, I've heard that those who are accomplished as jazz players definitely feel it as an insult to be called or compared to a rock star.  Even so, I feel like if someone could have pointed out the induction of Miles Davis, explaining that even though he was a jazz musician, his music made an impact and had influence on the evolution of rock and roll, just like her contributions on all those records, they could have gotten a video message out of her as well.  Maybe.  And I think we can all agree that her video package induction was absolutely stellar.  Watching it, I boiled it down to two.  One of them was a song I had in reserve for a duo that is on the Previously Considered list, and the other is for a band that is not, and probably never will be at this point.  I actually like the latter song better, but the statement made by the former is just a little too on the nose to ignore.  Besides which, the duo is also probably never going to be inducted either, since the female half of the duo was inducted as a soloist the previous year.  In my midnight confessions, I have to come clean and concede that the better choice to represent Carol Kaye as her Song Of Proof is "The Beat Goes On" by Sonny And Cher.

Cyndi Lauper:  A stunning singer who was big, but also wasn't as big as she deserved to be.  A vast repertoire that covers multiple genres from country to EDM to pop and beyond.  Simultaneously beloved and controversial.  It's almost impossible to put into words, but just about everything screams Hall Of Famer.  And this is going to be one of those moments where I really have to disagree with the other members of the Rock Hall hobbyist community.  Her set when she performed at her induction was "True Colors," "Time After Time," and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."  That's what a couple of the podcasts either predicted or said they hoped it would be.  But I felt slightly slighted when one of the guests mentioned some of the other possibilities, saying that wasn't what she wanted, and saying, "I don't need to hear 'She Bop'" with a tone that I interpreted as dismissive.  Maybe that wasn't how she meant to sound, and maybe my own biases and tastes are blinding me, but I do need "She Bop."  "She Bop" is also feminist, boundary pushing, norms challenging, but also extremely catchy with a beat that is undeniable.  The only thing I would have done differently with this song would be to have a cowbell line.  For some reason, I think a cowbell would've really added to it.  But that's neither here nor there.  It's an exceptional, unusual song, and that's the one I'm naming for Ms. Lauper.

Outkast:  Proof that I need to pay more attention to what I'm doing, I've been having to change my mind multiple times when it comes to these Songs Of Proof.  I remember playing "B.o.B." back in college.  That, and "Ms. Jackson" were my introductions to Outkast.  And I loved "B.o.B." and when I saw how big they were blowing up, I was sure that that had been a big pop crossover hit.  So sure in fact, that was gonna be the song chosen.   And I was wrong.  No Hot 100 action.  I still could use that song, but I'm keeping to my guidelines.  And besides, the pop crossover cache is a huge part of their legacy, so it should be a song that made Top 40.  Unfortunately, a lot of the songs that crossed over, and where they are the sole artist of credit, are the slower ones.  The sole artist of credit rule, of course, disqualified "The Whole World" and "The Way You Move."  It's a bit of turnaround for me, given this song annoyed me when it first came out, but I've come to like it, it showed them having a serious message, it was a massive hit, and has a good flow.  I'm sorry, but it's "Ms. Jackson."  I am for real, for real.

Salt-N-Pepa:  It's usually a big "duh," but availability of the song is kind of necessary.  With the mechanics of the Great Playlist being digital now, being able to find the song on the streaming services is a prerequisite to adding it to a playlist.  In this case, though, we almost made an exception, for a couple reasons.  One, availability is a fluid thing.  When I first started putting my project on Spotify as a playlist, the only Dave Clark Five song available was a "Tequila"-like instrumental called "Chiquita."  The songs for Ray Charles, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell were all unavailable on Spotify at some point.  So, things could change, and for Salt-N-Pepa, I sure hope so, although it appears their suit for their rights is temporarily dismissed.  However, only recently, I was able to find the song on Spotify, and I have formally added "Let's Talk About Sex" to the playlist.  The second reason I'm determined to use that song is because of the importance of the song, socially.  When the Surgeon General of the United States, C. Everett Koop, wants to use and adjust a hip-hop song to fight the AIDS epidemic and to promote safe sex practices, that is noteworthy.  That's not just hip-hop smashing the wall in a similar way to Run-D.M.C. when they teamed up with Aerosmith; that is hip-hop changing the world and continuing the work of social conscience, similar to the work rock and roll music was said to do back in the late '60s, in a way that should have made Rolling Stone magazine proud.  If that's not part of the rock and roll attitude and spirit, I don't know what is.  No disrespect to the rest of the catalog, but this was not up for debate.

Soundgarden:  Trying to find a song for Soundgarden made two things abundantly clear: one, how woefully deficient my knowledge of grunge is; two, how much grunge may have had to adapt to break through to the mainstream.  The difference between hearing "Rusty Cage" at the induction ceremony, for example, and relistening to some of their songs that charted the highest on the Mainstream and Alternative Rock charts is slightly jarring.  Sure, some of that can be chalked up to the live experience versus listening through a laptop speaker, as well as having to adapt to a different singer's style, but it wasn't just volume.  It was tempo, it was overall feel, it was the emotions that were expressed.  Maybe there's a difference between angst and anger that is best depicted in those different types of songs.  I guess I always figured Soundgarden as more of angry grunge versus angsty grunge.  But the two are the same band, and the same is true for Nirvana and Pearl Jam.  The same band that gave us "Even Flow" also gave us "Jeremy."  That said, I feel like "Black Hole Sun" is too much of an outlier to accurately represent Soundgarden and what they did for grunge and for the evolution of rock and roll as a whole, outside of breaking through and being someone's introduction to the style.  And really, that was more of what Nirvana accomplished.  I'm going with "The Day I Tried To Live," from the same album as "Black Hole Sun", that being Superunknown, as it was a respectable hit on both of the two big rock charts at the time, but may not be super familiar to those who aren't big into grunge, and is a quality meshing of the angst and the anger that the entire band brought in the main guitar lines, the timely drumming that feels delayed, plodding bass, and of course, the lyrics and emotion expressed in the vocals.

Lenny Waronker:  The video package for Lenny Waronker made it seem like Waronker was the Mort Shuman to the Doc Pomus of Mo Ostin, at least in the sense that they were inducting the other half a good two decades after the first.  Business executives that in some sense might be considered joined at the hip seemed to be the way Lenny was presented, at least in his early career.  That said, I don't quite see it that way, and I definitely did not go in that direction with the song chosen.  When Mo Ostin was inducted in 2003, they really focused on the role he played in bringing up the whole singer-songwriter scene of the the early 1970s, especially the career of James Taylor.  If I were to go that route, the obvious artist to go with would be Randy Newman.  And yet, I couldn't bring myself to do it.  Maybe that's because Randy, despite all his critical acclaim and cache in the industry, is a one-hit wonder, and that really doesn't make the best case for a record executive when talking about enshrinement into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  It's also why anything by Van Dyke Parks was a non-starter.  The other factor is that the Rock Hall, when inducting these executives in the Non-Performer category, always tell the same narrative about how they respected their artists, listened to their artists, let the artists experiment sonically to best express themselves, and that's how they always ended up with the highest quality of music to bestow upon the masses.  I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it just seems like that's the story we always get when it comes to inducting record label owners and executives.  And the same is true here as well.  It was under his presidential tenure at Warner/Reprise that Prince had his meteoric rise to superstardom, and a lot of that was because Waronker let Prince be Prince.  He let Prince... go crazy... get nuts.  And let's face it, we could use a little more Prince in this playlist, so "Let's Go Crazy."

The White Stripes:  Every once in awhile, you have to go with the obvious.  So, the choice here is indeed "Seven Nation Army."  It's an enduring song, thanks to its prevalence at sporting events, was one of their biggest hits, showcases both Jack's guitar chops as well as Meg's drumming, the vocals are archetypal of how most people remember Jack's singing, and is a cultural benchmark for the aughts.  This band was certainly more than that one song, but it is a modern day touchstone for rock and roll music.  Even though there are some twenty-first century songs in this playlist already ("Vertigo," "Ain't No Other Man," i.e.), and despite having a couple singles and one album released before 2000, the White Stripes are basically regarded as the first inductee whose imperial reign was wholly in this new millennium.  That's a significant benchmark for the Rock Hall.  With a foot in the door and eyes fixed on moving forward, it makes sense to introduce that new momentum for the Hall with an obvious choice for the Song Of Proof, rather than an opuscule.  

Warren Zevon:  There's something somewhat satisfying about closing this chapter of the playlist with a song by a man known for incredible songwriting, whether it was his novel yet accessible ways to express universal emotions, or his wit which could be sardonic or just fun.  He didn't have a ton of hits on any Billboard chart, so I'm not feeling any pressure to have something that crossed over to the masses.  In fact, it's probably more fitting to use a song that was not a hit, possibly not even released as a single, but yet something that is known by those in the know.  He's the kind of singer-songwriter that one would say was so brilliant that he was ahead of his time.  And the song chosen I think echoes that esteem.  Roughly forty years before the #MeToo movement, Warren Zevon was calling out toxic masculinity, the way we excuse it, the stigmatization of mental health, and so much more with the song "Excitable Boy."  The character in the song was an exaggeration, but also not an exaggeration.  A social commentary that went unheeded for so long.  That song alone is just such a clear demonstration of what some of the great works of art seeks to accomplish, and shows exactly what kind of artist he was.

And with that, we complete our celebration of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025.  And we are caught up.  I fell behind there for a couple years for a couple reasons, both within and beyond my control.  But we're caught up and ready to face the upcoming nomination cycle.  I have my predictions all written up as a draft and ready to post, but I wanted to sneak this one in first, just to get back on track.  Hope you enjoyed this writeup and that I've given you something upon which to cogitate.  Which songs would you have chosen?  Is my reasoning reasonable to you?  Feel free to comment below or on social media.  As a recap:

Bad Company:  "Feel Like Makin' Love"
Thom Bell:  "I'm Doin' Fine Now" by New York City
Chubby Checker:  "The Twist"
Joe Cocker:  "Feelin' Alright"
Nicky Hopkins:  "You're Sixteen" by Ringo Starr
Carol Kaye:  "The Beat Goes On" by Sonny And Cher
Cyndi Lauper:  "She Bop"
Outkast:  "Ms. Jackson"
Salt-N-Pepa:  "Let's Talk About Sex"
Soundgarden:  "The Day I Tried To Live"
Lenny Waronker:  "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince And The Revolution
the White Stripes:  "Seven Nation Army"
Warren Zevon:  "Excitable Boy"

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2024

 After much lollygagging and procrastination, I'm finally getting around to revealing the Songs Of Proof for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2024.  This has been quite the interesting class, and a delightfully large one.  Yes, it made for a long ceremony, but aside from a glut of anecdotes during the acceptance speeches, it was time very well spent.  So, hopefully I can capture that idea of time being spent well with the songs that I'm choosing to honor all sixteen of these inductees.  As always, feel free to chime in in the Comments section with the songs that you would have chosen if, as the premise of this project states, you had to make the cases with one song for each inductee.  So here are my selections.

Mary J. Blige:  Addressing the elephant in the room, I did not go with "Family Affair."  I actually ruled that song ineligible, since a song with that title is already being used as a Song Of Proof.  Admittedly, it's pretty ticky-tack as far as my rules go, but it also pushes me to be more creative and really explore an artist's catalog a bit further.  Besides, this huge playlist was also originally conceived to be a terrestrial radio station's weekend special kind of deal, so you have to throw in the less obvious ones once in awhile to keep things interesting.  "Family Affair" is a great song, and it will probably be the song she is most remembered for, but since she is the Queen Of Hip-Hop/Soul, I chose another song with a flow that is also melodic, somewhat similar to a recitative in a baroque oratorio (which is also my default comeback to the lame argument that rap isn't even music because of the way rappers perform).  This song also has a much brighter feel that feels like it may have been more created with arrangements than samples, keeping it truer to the soul side of Blige's oeuvre.  It's a bit lesser of a hit, just missing the Top 20, but still solidly in the Top 40, I'm going with "Just Fine."

Jimmy Buffett:  For those who subscribe to the Patreon of the "Who Cares About The Rock Hall?" podcast, you'll recall that when I was the guest for a Patreon-exclusive episode back in 2024, I mentioned that I was still deciding some songs, and that I was working on Jimmy Buffett.  The teaser I used was, "Does it have to be 'Margaritaville?'"  At the end of the day, I have to conclude that yes, yes it does have to be "Margaritaville."  This is partially a middle finger to the myopic approach the Rock Hall took when inducting Jimmy during the ceremony, focusing almost exclusively on the coffeehouse singer/songwriter stylings of "Come Monday" and "A Pirate Looks At Forty," while trying their hardest to bury the fun side of Buffett, the usages of humor and cheerfulness as coping mechanisms for dealing with the struggles and foibles of life, as seen in songs like "Cheeseburger In Paradise," "Fruitcakes," and "Fins."  I ultimately have to conclude that "Margaritaville" is the middle ground for those two sides of the man's music.  There's the introspection that forces the narrator to claim partial, if not total, responsibility for the mess that is his life, but is ultimately met with a determination to party that accountability away and have a good time anyway, or at least appear to.  Plus, it's a crowd favorite.  It's THE crowd favorite.  It's the brand, and at the end of the day, it's a nearly perfect balance of silly and serious, between the complexity of the man and the simplicity of his persona that makes his music so accessible to his fans.  Parenthetically, I'm not a huge fan of the cocktail myself.  I seldom drink cocktails, but my faves include the Espresso Martini and the Adios Motherfucker.

Cher:  With Cher inducted as a solo artist, we can pretty much rule out any chance of getting her inducted a second time as half of Sonny And Cher.  Certainly the duo is a harder sell for induction in terms of merit as well as amount of time passed, but for their part of the cultural zeitgeist of the mid-to-late-'60s, I think there's a case to be made.  And while I'm not really stumping for his inclusion, Sonny Bono was a member of the murderer's row of session musicians sometimes referred to as the "wrecking crew" that really helped shape Phil Spector's "wall of sound."  So, you could make a couple different arguments for him.  But this is about her, not him, and she eclipses him in terms of stature in the world of rock and roll.  Controversial, yet beloved.  Sexualized, yet respected.  A fascinating person overall.  Choosing a song was pretty tough.  "Believe" would actually have been a decent choice, pioneering the use of Autotune, expanding her influence, and giving some representation of contemporary dance-pop into this playlist.  Which means I absolutely did not go that route.  I also could not go with "If I Could Turn Back Time."  I don't hate that song; I just feel it's too indicative of a moment.  It just feels very late '80s, and she was so much more than that era.  While she didn't have a very lengthy imperial phase at any period, I feel like the '70s was the closest she came to having that.  So, I'm going there, and I'm going to go with "Dark Lady," the story song with a misleading title and a cautionary tale.  Even though it was a huge hit at the time, I also feel like it's underrated when assessing her musical historiography, and I want to call attention to this one again.  So, that's the selection.

Suzanne DePasse:  I have to admit, when her name was announced as an inductee, I had no idea who she was.  I had to find out along with the rest of you.  That's not too surprising.  What is a little more surprising is that I wasn't fully sold on her credentials.  Not that it mattered, of course, she was getting inducted regardless.  However, the way she was presented in the press releases was underwhelming.  Most of the focus was on the television specials she produced, but these specials were not the kind that introduced America or the world to fresh new talent.  These were nostalgia specials, or more generously, historical retrospectives.  Look, I love history, and I've argued for Joel Whitburn to be an inductee.  But my argument for Whitburn was the amount of amazing or at least interesting music I've discovered just by randomly leafing through the pages of his books and discovering songs that the Oldies and classic rock stations abandoned.  In that spirit, I'm hoping the specials that DePasse helped make possible provided the same illumination for prospective talents.  Failing that, she at least also gets her credit as a talent scout.  Now, THAT I can get behind.  The two big names that kept getting mentioned as her big discoveries were the Jackson Five and the Commondores.  I couldn't use a Jackson Five song though.  Maybe it's some jumbled history, but I've also heard from syndicated Oldies programming back in the day that both Gladys Knight and Diana Ross have made claims to have discovered the Jackson Five.  Granted, I haven't done a whole lot of cross-referencing, and it appears I don't have to, as DePasse's claim seems to be the most credible, especially coming from Berry Gordy, Jr. himself.  But I had pretty much resolved to go with a Commodores' song instead.  I'm ashamed to say the obvious choice didn't hit me in the face until I did a dive on the Commodores' catalog for the express purpose of finding a Song Of Proof for the lady who brought them up to stardom.  It took way longer to realize than it should have, but the song must be "Lady (You Bring Me Up)."

Foreigner:  If you recall the analyses I've done of the ballot for 2024, I really skewered Foreigner, both for merits and personal taste.  Lou Gramm's voice really isn't my thing, and I overall find their music unimaginative.  That said, I'm not upset at their induction either, both because they were a shoo-in and because of that episode of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" that they had no involvement with, but were a big part of.  So the trick of finding the right song to symbolize their contribution to rock and roll, it's going to be a big hit with a rock edge that showcases rock and roll as the backdrop and soundtrack of our lives, whatever subgenre of rock and roll raised you.  Unfortunately, with Foreigner, that's not going to be a progressive sound or progressive set of lyrics.  But, as I said about Foo Fighters back in 2021, evolution involves a lot of good old-fashioned grinding it out and creating a population of it.  And Foreigner was a big part of that, hooks and lyrics that still hang around in the nooks and crannies of our skulls.  So, it's gotta be an earworm that doesn't piss you off completely, and by "you," I mean "me," since this is my vanity project.  That rules out a good chunk of the catalog, but what it doesn't rule out is "Hot Blooded."  Admittedly, the annoying Hot Pockets commercial that parodied the song nearly disqualified it, but the song withstood, while the commercial did not.  That's why Foreigner's in the Hall, and why that is the song for them.

Peter Frampton:  It doesn't have to be one of the three from Frampton Comes Alive, but it's gotta be one of the three from Frampton Comes Alive.  It's a little sad that it has to be that way, though.  Some of his later work, especially years after "I'm In You," is pretty awesome, and his decision to remind them of other songs, such as "Baby (Somethin's Happening)" was an awesome move.  But it would also be disingenuous to use either of those two songs in this playlist.  Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of using live cuts for the Song Of Proof, though I have done it before.  Going to the big three, though, it's pretty obvious that I'm not going with "Baby I Love Your Way."  Despite it having popular covers, it really doesn't speak to his influence as a musician, nor is it all that representative of his work.  "Do You Feel Like We Do" is a monster track that captures a lot of the essence, but it is over fourteen minutes long.  Unless it's a true disservice to not use the extremely long song, I try to keep them somewhat friendly to the hot clock, as a reminder that I once wanted this great playlist to be a special weekend long event on a commercial FM radio station.  I did it for Kraftwerk because the album and the title track "Autobahn" were so important, and I'll end up doing it for Fela Kuti when he gets in through a category because Afrobeat is by nature a genre of longer songs.  But for Peter Frampton, I don't think it's necessary.  I think "Show Me The Way" shows off the talk box, is rockin', but also punchy and short enough to ably serve in the overall scheme of this playlist.  So, that's the one I'm going with.

Kool And The Gang:  Selecting the song for this group really isn't as easy as one might believe.  No one was really thinking of using "Joanna," but it is worth acknowledging that it is ineligible because that is the group's Song Of Proof for the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame side project that I made.  For the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame selection though, they had a ton of hits, but they also had a lot of lesser known songs, and an entire era where they weren't charting well, but putting out high quality jazz music.  So how does one balance it out, honoring their jazzier era as well as their breakthrough era when they employed a lead singer?  Ideally, it would be a big hit that has hints of jazz and funk in the mix.  We actually have a large assortment of songs like that, although, I believe that rules out the big hit, "Celebration."  There a lot of songs from the '70s that could fit the bill, but I'm feeling dragged by the heart that it just has to be "Get Down On It."  As much as I love "Ladies Night," "Jungle Boogie," and "Hollywood Swinging," there's just that extra bit of pop sensibility while not abandoning the funk or jazz entirely, plus it stands out as a more unique track, in my humble opinion, while still remaining true to all the essentials that made this group worthy of induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Alexis Korner:  From a housekeeping standpoint, I kind of wish the Hall had just inducted Blues Incorporated in the Musical Influence with Korner being the only inducted member.  I'm just saying, they did it for Steely Dan with just two people, they could have done that too here with one name.  But that's more my minor hang-up.  Blues Incorporated is on the Previously Considered list over at the Future Rock Legends site, and it would have been cleaner to just move that name from one column to another.  After all, the project known as Blues Incorporated was the crux of Korner's legacy, as the bootcamp for a lot of British musicians who went on to be rock legends.  As an aside, he was also quite into some of the folksier American records too, as he recorded versions of "Midnight Special" and other folk songs.  Sadly, because I'm so rhadamanthine about these kind of things, I had to make the effort to distinguish between the two.  This proved particularly difficult, though, as Spotify and compilation makers call it all "Alexis Korner," even if it was Blues Incorporated, CCS, Breakdown Group, or New Church.  To color inside the lines, I'm going with a song from his 1975 album Get Off My Cloud.  The song is going to be the album opener, "I Got Cha Number," as it has a bluesy feel, but imitates the styles that some of his proteges would blaze their own trails with.

The Dave Matthews Band:  When "Who Cares About The Rock Hall?" reviewed the 2024 ceremony, they may have hit the nail on the head regarding why this band needed a second nomination to get in, despite running away with the fan ballot.  When going over the band's performance, Ross had difficulty recalling songs by their titles, and Joe had to walk through the set by referring to each song as "the one that goes..." and then imitating the prevalent arrangement.  Now, that can be said about any band when talking about their body of work with somebody who is not a huge fan.  However, when that many songs have so few memorable lyrics for so many of their songs, that could be a problem.  It may be a problem for Phish, and if so, Phish will have an even harder time because they're a band known for a being a live band, with studio albums one can ignore, and they never play a song the same way twice.  Getting to the song for the Dave Matthews Band, though, it's not going to be the one that goes "Wah. Wahwah-Wah.  Wahwah-Wah."  I don't need to have "Ants Marching" stuck in my head for thirty-seven weeks every time I hear it.  "I Did It" is a song that fans of the band generally hold in comparative mild disdain, so that's out.  I think the appropriate choice is "Funny The Way It Is," as it has a jam feel that hints at the potential of sonic secret passageways that can explored when performed live.  There's that moment moment of crowd involvement every time the title is sung, but still maintains a pop sensibility that a casual listener can still enjoy, too.  Honorable mention to "What Would You Say," which was a serious contender.

John Mayall:  I remember a lot of people thought it would be a savvy timesaver to induct John Mayall and Alexis Korner back to back, because of the commonalities of their cases for induction.  I'm glad that they didn't do that.  They showed respect to each of the inductees by showcasing them separately, despite their similar orbits and accomplishments.  They also played different styles of the blues.  Also, Mayall has a little more name recognition here in the States, because the name "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers" is slightly more known by American music lovers, even if they can't name a single song.  But being the stickler for technicalities that I try to be, it can't be a song credited to the Bluesbreakers.  But one final reason that Mayall is slightly better known here is that he had two songs that charted in the U.S., one on the Hot 100, and one on the Bubbling Under charts.  The one that made the Hot 100 has a real good feel of down-on-the-farm blues, and really distinguishes him from Korner.  In that reverent spirit, I'm going with "Don't Waste My Time."

The MC5:  I don't think a single person will be surprised to know the Song Of Proof for the MC5 is going to be "Kick Out The Jams."  As much as the Rock Hall tried to steer the narrative on this band towards their political activism, it's gotta come back to the music.  The use of distortion as a feature and not a bug is innovative.  They were pioneers of punk, their garage rock sound was hard and heavy, and not too many of their songs were really all that political.  "American Ruse," absolutely, and also "Motor City Is Burning" too, and I think you could argue the same thing about "Kick Out The Jams."  It's the same message of Woodstock, but played heavier, about celebrating who we are as a means to take down the system.  It's when peace is loud, and the serenity is found after the cathartic, loud jam.  In addition to being the hit song, it really has all the elements together in one punchy tune.  So let's kick 'em out.

Ozzy Osbourne:  Given that Ozzy only had about a half dozen hits on the Hot 100, I'm not as concerned as about having a crossover hit to represent him as I might for someone that had more pop presence.  For Ozzy as a soloist, it's about the songs that distinguish his career and solo identity.  In a similar vein, I'm also glad it only took one nomination to get him in, especially after it took eight to finally get Black Sabbath in.  But also, the fact that Ozzy died within a year of being inducted, you know that if he didn't get in on that nomination, and then passed away, they'd never have nominated him again, and probably wouldn't have put him in a side category either.  Just one and done and gone.  For those who follow along, you know that I already use "Crazy Train" to represent Randy Rhoads, so that's off the table.  But Blizzard Of Ozz was only one of the albums that he became really well-known for in his solo years.  I'm going with a song from a different album, to really distinguish himself as having a Hall-worthy career.  Black Sabbath took Ozzy to the heights of stardom, but with albums like Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman, Ozzy was indeed "Flying High Again."  And I feel like his solo career really dealt frequently with the subject of the trappings of fame, or could be construed as such, so that also makes it a solid choice for the solo induction.

Big Mama Thornton:  For those keeping track, "Hound Dog" is the Song Of Proof for Mike Stoller, one of the cowriters.  But that was Elvis's cover.  But for those who know the rules, I don't reuse a composition.  So either pick a new song for Stoller, or pick a different song for Big Mama.  I've chosen to go with the latter route, because for better or worse, Elvis's cover is an extremely important song that really made a seismic difference in the story of rock and roll.  And it also helps to remind everyone that Thornton's importance isn't just one song alone.  If it were, it would still be worth inducting her, but thankfully it wasn't.  Thanks to Janis Joplin, we also know about the importance of "Ball And Chain," which also helped bring a greater awareness to this inductee's importance.  But it's not "Ball And Chain" either.  I'm choosing to go with a bluesy song that has a lot of the same attitude as "Hound Dog," but it's a different animal altogether, literally.  "I Smell A Rat" is the blues record with the tasty guitar licks that shows the special importance of inducting Big Mama Thornton, as more than just the artist who first recorded a seminal Elvis record, into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

A Tribe Called Quest:  Choosing the Song Of Proof for A Tribe Called Quest helps take this Songs Of Proof vanity project into new territory, possibly.  "Can I Kick It?" might otherwise make a great choice, but it heavily samples another Song Of Proof, "Walk On The Wild Side."  It raises questions for me I'm not sure I'll be happy with the results, regardless of how I answer.  I suspect that if the Hall continues to induct hip-hop and rap artists, as they absolutely should, then it probably will be inevitable that one Song Of Proof samples another Song Of Proof.  Additionally, A Tribe Called Quest also had celebrated songs that credited featured artists, and features culture is currently a big part of hip-hop.  I'm not sure if there are too many Hall-worthy rappers who ever had a major hit where they're the only artist of credit, per my rules.  It may also be inevitable to revise that standard practice of this project.  Today is not that day though.  We're gonna kick those cans down the road just a little further.  One of this group's biggest hits was a song that had a smooth, but jazzy feel, and had lyrics that were smart, yet still accessible was from arguably their most venerated album, The Low End Theory.  Check it out, it's "Check The Rhime."

Dionne Warwick:  Somewhere, Future Rock Legends community member Bill G. is pointing at me and laughing, because Dionne Warwick is a Hall Of Famer, but I'm also laughing too, because it was a side category, an induction by fiat.  It's a debate that will never be resolved, but will remain in complete suspension in perpetuity because the argument is now moot.  This does, however, put a perplexing wrinkle in choosing a song for her.  Maybe.  It's somewhat funny though, because when I think of the sound of Dionne Warwick's records, at least of the Bacharach-David era, the song that first leaps to mind isn't even a Dionne Warwick record, though she did record a version of that song later on.  When I think of a record that epitomized 1960's Dionne Warwick's sound, it's actually Jackie DeShannon's version of "What The World Needs Now Is Love" that springs to mind, and I hate that record.  So this requires an honest wiping of the slate and reassessing her discography.  It also potentially requires leaving some obvious suspects in the cold, as there aren't a whole mess of Bacharach-David songs that make a good argument for their inductions into the Rock Hall as songwriters.  In my opinion, they're very MOR songwriters that happened to be very talented and wrote their best-known songs during the heyday of rock and roll's ascent, but weren't really part of the rock and roll movement.  That said, I suspect their inductions will be inevitable, simply because inducting national treasures has been a trend lately, and even deceased, they certainly are that.  As for Dionne Warwick, the song for her will do justice to her prime and to the two nominations to the ballot she received.  A song that I was surprised to find out was her and not from a girl group of the early '60s, we're going all the way back to "Don't Make Me Over."

Norman Whitfield:  Speaking of Bacharach and David, inductions like this are exactly why we have the "Mort Shuman" rule.  The obvious dome-scratcher for all of us is trying to understand why they didn't induct Barrett Strong with Whitfield.  Maybe in the near future, they can induct Strong and also Jerry Ragovoy, a frequent writing partner of Bert Berns, and oh yeah, Estelle Axton.  I'm gonna go with "Psychedelic Shack" by the Temptations as the Song Of Proof for Norman Whitfield.  The main reason for this is that the video package for Whitfield really focused on this aspect of his songwriting, especially for the Temptations.  After Dennis Edwards replaced David Ruffin in the group, Whitfield is credited with steering the Temptations into this new creative direction.  However, since "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" was the song that is historically remembered as being the song that really spurred the Temptations to leave Motown, I figured it would be inappropriate to use that track for him.  Since his writing is considered a pioneering part of the psychedelic soul movement, it would be appropriate to call him an architect that built the psychedelic shack, so it's fitting and proper to use that song.

And with that, we put a ribbon and bow on this review of the inductees from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2024, through the songs chosen that represent and symbolize their contributions to rock and roll music as a whole.  Some required a lot of thought, deliberation, and last minute changes.  Some I knew as soon as I heard them would be the chosen ones.  All of them are important and have expanded musical horizons for me and for all who listen.  Given the time frame and how far behind I fell, the next you'll hear from me on this blog will be a prediction for the nominees for the 2026 ballot.  Hopefully I'll also be starting a rough draft to get caught up on the Songs Of Proof for the Class Of 2025.  As for this list, are there any songs you would have chosen instead?  Let me know in the Comments or on social media.  Recapping:

Mary J. Blige:  "Just Fine"
Jimmy Buffett:  "Margaritaville"
Cher:  "Dark Lady"
Suzanne DePasse:  "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" by the Commodores
Foreigner:  "Hot Blooded"
Peter Frampton:  "Show Me The Way"
Kool And The Gang:  "Get Down On It"  (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Joanna")
Alexis Korner:  "I Got Cha Number"
The Dave Matthews Band:  "Funny The Way It Is"
John Mayall:  "Don't Waste My Time"
The MC5:  "Kick Out The Jams"
Ozzy Osbourne:  "Flying High Again"
Big Mama Thornton:  "I Smell A Rat"
A Tribe Called Quest:  "Check The Rhime"
Dionne Warwick:  "Don't Make Me Over"
Norman Whitfield:  "Psychedelic Shack" by the Temptations