As is the custom, it is now time to rank the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's 2025 nominees by merits. This is an attempt to be objective, take our heart off our sleeve and put it back in the ribcage, and use our thinking brain to gauge the nominees, and determine who's the most worthy. How do we do that? By having metrics by which we try to measure each of the nominees, applying the same standard all around. What standards might those be? Those who've been reading long enough know we're catching the on ramp to my I-5: Innovation, Influence, Impact, Intangibles, and Issues. The first four are the positive aspects to a nominee's candidacy, and the last one is the other side of the coin, the negative side that might detract, because we need to give as well-balanced an analysis as you can.
So we're about to rank the nominees by order of merit according to these metrics. As a reminder, in case you're tempted to get your dander up, just because an artist lingers down near the bottom of this list, that doesn't mean they're not worthy. You can't only compare them to the other nominees, but you have to remember that they stick out from among thousands upon thousands of musical acts that are never going to be on the ballot. So if they're worthy of the Hall, why bother ranking them? Two reasons: one, a voter can only vote for seven, so there theoretically should be reasons why or why not; two, making lists is fun. So let's do this.
3. JOY DIVISION / NEW ORDER
Innovation: Early post-punk band that helped define the style and on the ground floor for a lot of the synth-pop dance sounds of the '80s.
Influence: Both incarnations were influential in their respective styles that they helped pioneer, often namechecked as influences.
Impact: Two major albums from Joy Division, more from New Order, whereas New Order had more albums and a few charted singles on the pop charts, and much more a force to be reckoned with on the dance charts.
Intangibles: The ubiquity of the album cover for Unknown Pleasures gives them a cultural presence outside of the music itself.
Issues: They've got a few. The infamy of Ian Curtis's death almost outstrips the legacy of Joy Division's music. The stylistic differences between Joy Division's catalog and New Order's are pretty significant, and New Order formed too quickly, relatively speaking, for that difference in styles to be a natural evolution of Joy Division's sound--when put together, it speaks to argue against the joint nomination. Additionally, the fact that both band names have had to be repeatedly defended against allegations of ties to white nationalism doesn't help all that much.
4. SOUNDGARDEN
Innovation: Despite spending more years paying their dues, they were one of the first on the scene to help define the sound of grunge.
Influence: While not as big as a few of the major grunge bands, they were an incredibly influential band, due in part to their being among the first grunge acts.
Impact: They had a serious string of hits on the Album/Mainstream Rock and Modern/Alternative Rock charts.
Intangibles: As another band with a mythos surrounding their lead singer, it helps elevate their legacy.
Issues: They're not Nirvana. Or Pearl Jam. They will always pale in comparison to those two, and maybe even next to Alice In Chains, and that will make them look less worthy, perhaps unfairly.
5. CHUBBY CHECKER
Innovation: He might want to take credit for innovating "dancing apart from the beat," but sonically, I gotta call this one a goose egg.
Influence: He was massively influential for a short period of time, that being in the wake of the twist as a dance craze. So many records about the twist itself, in addition to the entire fad of different dance records that lasted until about the arrival of the Beatles. Additionally, some of his early '60s dance records were remixed by EDM producers and deejays during the '00s, so a brief resurgence in his reach of influence.
Impact: The name is universally known, and he had a strong string of hit singles through the early '60s, including two #1 hits, one of which was Billboard's biggest single of all-time (by their metrics) for nearly fifty years. Additionally, the first rock and roller to play the Superbowl halftime show, which is now one of the biggest events in American music culture, and something of a dream gig to land. Plus, he's the only African-American musician worthy of mention in Billy Joel's musical synopsis of the cultural zeitgeist of the Cold War, "We Didn't Start The Fire."
Intangibles: Respected by a lot of the rock and roll community, including his contemporaries and the immediate generation following him, he is held in high esteem by most inside players, seemingly. Even rockists who don't think rock and roll TRULY existed before the Beatles or Rolling Stones are willing to give a hat tip to Chubby Checker as an early, quasi-foundational figure. And as John Sykes frames rock and roll music as a matter of youth culture, Chubby is a strong symbol for youth culture in the early 1960s, especially considering those twisting teenagers grew up to be the first wave of Rolling Stone readers as late teens and early twenty-somethings who wanted to fight the power and change the world, which is what Sykes typically means when he talks about youth culture.
Issues: When I tried to tell a good friend of mine that Chubby was a lot more than "The Twist," he responded, "No, he's less than 'The Twist.'" Considered a one-trick pony who beat that horse to death, his talent and skill are greatly downplayed by some. It doesn't help much either that the in-house songwriters of the Cameo-Parkway empire were frequently derivative at best, plagiaristic at worst, and the results tend to get laid at the artists' feet. Lastly, with his stunts in campaigning to get in the Hall, he comes off as a bit "thirsty" for it, which may turn some voters off.
6. MANA
Innovation: Admittedly, I'm way outside my ken here, but I do hear some fusion of reggae and other Latin American rhythms and rhythmic structures that feels like it must have been novel at the time.
Influence: Again, not something I'm having a ton of luck finding stuff on, but in a spaghetti-on-the-wall kind of way, one would have to imagine that they can't be that huge without having some modicum of influence in their wake.
Impact: This band is huge in the parts of the Western Hemisphere south of the Rio Grande. And even as far as U.S. penetration goes, on the U.S. Latin charts, their string of hits is bigger than on the Pop charts in Mexico or Spain, charting high over the course of nearly thirty years. They even apparently made the Billboard Hot 100 twice. And it's probably not an overstatement to say they're a sizeable part of some SoCal subculture and scene.
Intangibles: They generate a little cred by having drawn influence themselves from reggae, which the Hall has recognized in a couple inductions. Additionally, they are deeply immersed in charitable causes and humanitarian efforts, which is part of the rock and roll spirit and the emblem of youth culture that Sykes wants to bind rock and roll to: the youth movement that is enraged at injustice and takes down the establishment by using their powers of being young and being rockin'.
Issues: If you don't speak Spanish, their being announced as a nominee is very likely the first time you've heard of them. Additionally, some are wondering why Mana instead of Los Lobos, Selena, or Gloria Estefan And The Miami Sound Machine. Furthermore, much of their catalog has a more "cool" feel than "edgy" with the distortion pedals and vocals that push boundaries. There's a very ambient, background feel for many of their songs.
7. THE WHITE STRIPES
Innovation: While rock and roll is itself most predominantly based in the blues, they upped the bluesy level into a distortion-driven alternative rock style.
Influence: Their credit as one of the last great rock bands is partially due to the number of alternative-rock bands that took cues from them.
Impact: Three Top Ten albums and eleven charted singles on the Alternative Rock Charts (in the States)
Intangibles: Jack's continued career as a producer and solo artist has only heightened the production values and musicianship of the duo's catalog.
Issues: Relatively limited catalog, due to breaking up near the height of their powers, so not a lot of longevity.
8. BILLY IDOL
Innovation: A unique combination of punk-rock moorings and synth-pop that was contemporary at the time.
Influence: His influence was stunted by the arrival of grunge, but as some, like Miley Cyrus, are discovering him, he's had some influence.
Impact: A dozen or so pop hits, most of them making the Top 40, and a fair amount of album sales as well.
Intangibles: The sneer, the image of a bad boy and tough guy. The punk-rock cred from his time in Generation X.
Issues: His image and sound are really only seeing a resurgence recently, and most would say they overall didn't survive, period. The slower and more synth-laden songs have a production style that is timestamped and is hit or miss with how well it's aged. Additionally, some would probably protest it should be Generation X instead of Billy Idol getting nominated.
9. BAD COMPANY
Innovation: Like a lot of the arena rock bands, they started about at the same time and had a big part of defining what that sound and movement would be.
Influence: This is hard to parse out because, again, those bands all came out about the same time, so maybe it's a matter of them being part of something that was synergistically influential, which in turn lets them claim credit as a band themselves. But Paul Rodgers does stand out as an influential vocalist, so they have that in their arsenal.
Impact: They perform remarkably well in this, with several hits still in classic rock rotation, and even continued to make the Album/Mainstream Rock charts until the end of the twentieth century.
Intangibles: Paul Rodgers is the secret weapon, being one of the most highly regarded rock vocalists, especially of the 1970s.
Issues: "Sex, drugs, and rock and roll" may be the unofficial motto of rock and roll, but it's also the depth and breadth of Bad Company's catalog, in terms of subject matter. And because they were one of several bands to emerge in that lane at that time, they are sometimes considered generic-sounding. Also, there's the whole "Should it be Bad Company, or should it be Free that is how we encase Paul Rodgers in amber?" discussion.
11. CYNDI LAUPER
Innovation: Not a strong category for her.
Influence: More so for her style than the music, perhaps, but her brand of pop has had ripples that still continue to reach.
Impact: Several Top Ten hits, with some additional hits on top of that. Plus, she's a name that keeps coming up, whether it's her songwriting or her part in Cosentyx commercials, she keeps resurfacing.
Intangibles: Her songs have aged better than a lot of songs from the '80s, she is a heavily awarded artist, and some may have even forgotten that she duetted with none other than Frank Sinatra. Even if it is a Christmas song, that's not a gig one could have landed without being incredibly talented.
Issues: Those less prone to carefully compare and contrast might dismiss her as a K-Mart brand Madonna. Additionally, there's a difference between being a song interpreter and being a songbook interpreter, and some may feel she became the latter after having too short-lived a prime period.
12. JOE COCKER
Innovation: As a vocal stylist, he's a unique blend of the blue-eyed soul reminiscent of the Righteous Brothers and working-class rock and roll such as Bob Seger.
Influence: Maybe it's just me, but I can kind of hear his singing style as being influential to singers ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Michael Bolton.
Impact: He doesn't have a ton of hits, but they are spread and spackled out enough to where he has name recognition to multiple generations.
Intangibles: His recordings, both live and studio, have a palpable concert energy that can really draw an audience in. Plus, he has stylistic versatility to rock out as well as croon.
Issues: He was kind of an inconsistent performer, in terms of output and also reliability in the studio, which resulted in an inability to steadily maintain momentum at any point of his career. Some of that was his alcoholism, and some of that was his seemingly low social battery he had as a humble introvert. Unfortunately, the result remains the same.
13. PHISH
Innovation: I heard one musician comment about their sound being a blend of Grateful Dead-styled jamming and prog rock. I can't argue against that, so... sure!
Influence: I would say Phish, more than the Dave Matthews Band, really helped whet the appetite of Gen X (the demographic, not the band) for jam bands, which helped spawn a league of said outfits.
Impact: In terms of hits, they had very few, virtually none. But they are a name that every college student has heard of, and their music, while not a staple, was semi-regularly rotated in college radio programming.
Intangibles: This band garnered a lot of respect and credibility for the level of success and name recognition that they have achieved despite not being with a major label for a large part of their history. Even when they were signed with Elektra, the business model still remained much the same, and that level of grassroots growth is both authentic to their brand and amazing that they were able to become successful enough that they are now nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Their musicianship and live shows are noteworthy, even getting a genuine shout-out from Drew Carey when he appeared on "After Midnight." And I'll also give them props for their "Phish Food" ice cream with Ben & Jerry's. On a personal note, and mostly non-sequitur, I'm mildly disgruntled that virtually every flavor that Ben & Jerry's churns out now almost HAS to have fudge flakes/chunks/swirls and/or bits of brownie, like they're just making new variants of "Half-Baked," which is their most popular flavor, but one of my absolute least favorites. I think the only one I *HATE* more than Half-Baked is "New York Super Fudge Chunk." Phish Food has the fish-shaped fudge chunks in it, and is a chocolatey ice cream to boot, but I actually like that one. It might be in my top twenty all-time flavors of Ben & Jerry's. So that's a plus for the band in this category, in my opinion. But I really miss "Red Velvet Cake."
Issues: Most people have heard of Phish because... they've heard of Phish. Unless you're a really big fan of the band, you probably can't name a song, or certainly not more than three. Their songs just don't have widespread recognition, and their concerts are lauded more for the experiences while in attendance--the people you meet and bond with, the strains of weed you partake, the overall vibe, and even the demonstrations of musical virtuosity when they "open a song up" and jam--than the actual songs themselves. That's what has made them successful, but it doesn't help them play in Peoria. If the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is about the music, Phish definitely suffers for not having their songs being widely recognizable.
14. THE BLACK CROWES
Innovation: Very little, one might give them a little credit for modernizing the classic rock sound.
Influence: Hard to find, but they may have been an influence on the likes of Kings Of Leon and the Black Keys.
Impact: The Black Crowes perform surprisingly well in this category. Though they only had a half dozen songs on the Billboard Hot 100, they've had almost thirty hits on the Mainstream Rock Charts, including six #1s that spent a combined half year in the top spot on that chart.
Intangibles: Despite the drama between the brothers, the revolving door of membership, and the multiple breakups; when they get back together, stow the drama, and get back into the music and into the studio, it's like riding a bicycle almost. They just seem to pick up where they left off and get right back to work. There's something to be said for that level of journeyman consistency that has proved efficacious for them.
Issues: Despite their string of hits on the Mainstream Rock charts, they're mostly remembered for one or two hits, one of them being an Otis Redding cover. Additionally, "modernizing the classic rock sound" could be an epaulet worn by any number of non-grunge rock bands that came out of the '90s, including other Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees like Foo Fighters. Lastly, their imperial phase occurred during the same time as another rock band with an ornithologically similar name. With both being a kind of alternative rock at the same time, it's very easy for the general public to conflate the two. It's not necessarily or entirely either band's fault if the general populace made no effort to differentiate the two, but being essentially in the same lane does hurt their abilities to establish separate identities. I simply can't help but wonder how many people left a Black Crowes concert upset that they didn't play "Mr. Jones," or left a Counting Crows concert upset that "Hard To Handle" wasn't in the set.
And with that, I will once again remind you, dear readers, that finishing low on this list is not the same as calling them unworthy of induction. Names on a ballot are not the same as proposals on a ballot, where you can vote to approve each one and possibly have fourteen inductees. Voters are only allowed to vote for seven, and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame won't induct all fourteen this year. So, decisions have to be made, and reasons why you vote for one and not another have to be determined. And this list I've just given provides some of those reasons. However, this is not a definitive list of reasons. Tune in for the next chapter, where I'll be ranking reasons that come from the connection between the ears and the heart, instead of the ears and the head. I'll be ranking the nominees based solely on my personal tastes.
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