2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees POLL

But, you know, he was covering Big Fat Mamas Are Back in Style and Who Drank My Beer (While I Was in the Rear)?, not Moon River.

those early buster shows at tramps were a hoot

yes! the schtick was good until he leaned so far into it that the schtick basically swallowed him.

The longer you stare into the abyss...

the longer the abyss gets HOT HOT HOT!

Man, motherfuck Todd Rundgren. Devo, Fela Kuti and Iron Maiden all locked out but that cocksucker gets in?

Well they have to make sure that all of the 70s classic rock dudes get in, even the third tier ones.

I wish they'd just stop nominating Chaka at this point. It's just getting cruel.

I misread and thought the Dolls had gotten in and was going to say Little Richard was turning over in his... SHUT UP!

man that Buster Poindexter clip on Carson is a hoot ("tout suite").

TWO GERMS IN THE HALL!

It's a shame Fela didn't get in, but I'm not terribly surprised. Foo Fighters was a band custom built to appeal to RRHOF voters, so that's no surprise.

I forgot that Smear wasn't included with Nirvana.

Foo Fighters : Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame :: H.E.R. : Grammys

Jay-Z also kind of the perfect hip hop star for RRHOF.

For me, the Foo Fighters are silly, but a friend made me somewhat more receptive to the idea that there's a case there (all those extra words are code for "For me, the Foo Fighters are silly). I also consider the Go-Go's kind of weak.

And as Greil Marcus chimes in every year, what about the Shangri-Las?

he's so known as public/business figure there are probably people who voted for him that don't know his music

I've only heard maybe three Foo Fighters songs in my life. All three were perfectly competent, big-catchy-chorus pop-rock. But shouldn't there be more to a "Hall of Fame" act than "perfectly competent"?

Exactly how I'd put it. I always draw baseball analogies: it'd be like putting steady, competent Tom Candiotti in the HOF. (And even if Tom Candiotti were really popular and a super-nice guy, should that make a difference?)

think about Foo Fighters getting in before Soundgarden

Winner of a popularity contest happens to be a likeable dude, pundits shocked.

Except you guys keep ignoring the fact that the RRHOF is also somewhat of a popularity contest and branding extension - mediocre or not, the Foo Fighters have maintained a really high level of popularity for 25 years now and continue to notch up Grammys and #1 rock radio songs, plus Grohl is great at inserting himself into the "rock and roll history ambassador" role he loves so much.

I don't know if this has historically been a popularity contest, though...I think you could find a lot of exceptions to that.

"rock and roll history ambassador"

I agree, that's the biggest factor. One day, Paul Shaffer will be inducted.

xpost - Exceptions sure, but c'mon, the RRHOF is a huge popularity contest.

I don't know if this has historically been a popularity contest, though...I think you could find a lot of exceptions to that.

There was a greater tolerance for/embrace of weirdos from previous generations for sure. The "modern" acts that get inducted are much more complacent, "safe" representatives of their generation — Green Day and Foo Fighters yes, Jane's Addiction never.

Don't get me wrong, there are easily 3 dozen artists/bands nominated that deserve induction before the Foos, not defending them, but they were the easiest to predict shoe-in in years.

I don't know where I'd draw the line--1960? 1970? later?--but there's a line in there where on one side 97% of the picks make perfect sense to me, and on the other side, I'm lost when it comes to who belongs and who doesn't.

OH MY GOD THE ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME IS A POPULARITY CONTEST AND MARKETING DRIVEN
*passes out*

Those 70s weirdos were commercially huge, much more so than Jane’s Addiction etc.

Foo Fighters, the Harold Baines of HOF inductees?

(xpost) But clearly Todd Rundgren isn't there because of his popularity and/or marketing prowess. I completely agree that that statement applies in some, maybe the majority of cases. But it's not always the guiding consideration.

Those 70s weirdos were commercially huge, much more so than Jane’s Addiction etc.

Their record sales aside, Jane's Addiction were a massive cultural force just by virtue of, you know, starting Lollapalooza.

Sure, Rundgren isn't super popular, but he's also a lifer that has a good rep among rock writers of a certain generation so, again, not that surprising.

I've always been baffled at the Go-Gos being considered a major band. Are they considered very influential?

I mean, they literally "got the beat".

But clearly Todd Rundgren isn't there because of his popularity and/or marketing prowess

didn't todd rundgren produce bat out of hell?

I love the Go-Gos unreservedly and will do so forever, but you do you

That said: why do you hate fun?

FWIW, the HOF website's copy for Foo Fighters literally begins: "Foo Fighters carry the torch of rock authenticity..."

dad-rock authenticity

didn't todd rundgren produce bat out of hell?

Probably a strike against him in the eyes of many critic voters.

I've always been baffled at the Go-Gos being considered a major band. Are they considered very influential?

Yes, to a number of female artists of a certain age/generation in particular. Also: Beauty and The Beat was one of the main albums to pull New Wave into the mainstream.

Huh

The inclusion of Turner, King and The Go-Go's makes it the first time three female artists have been inducted in the Performers category in a single class.

Re: Foo Fighters: no other band has done as much work to combat Foo.

Some artists have either been apathetic in the struggle against Foo. Some have even actively supported Foo.

they were the easiest to predict shoe-in in years.

i'm no fan of the foo, but this is otm. at a certain point, you have to induct the popularly-beloved war horses. this is all basically an advertisement for a museum that people buy tickets to go visit.

The Go-Go's three albums >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Foo Fighters' discography

didn't todd rundgren produce bat out of hell?

He was inducted as a performer, though, tbf. In the US, he had one gold album and one top 10 hit, with 8 songs making the hot 100 altogether. For comparison, Jane's Addiction had three gold albums, one platinum, and one double-platinum album.

Jane's Addiction has a platinum (Nothing's Shocking) 2X Platinum (Ritual) and Gold record (Strays)

Rundgren only has one Gold album in his entire career (Something/Anything) nothing else

Go-Gos have one 2X and one Gold

ah shit sund4r

Foo Fighters fail for not having a Greatest Hits album called "Best of Foo"

Oh one of those golds is for a video, oops. One also a comp. xp lol