Cannes Film Festival 2013

The next 10 acts who should go into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Let the debate begin: Kiss, Rush, and Chic top the list

From L-R: Kiss, The Monkees, Heart
From L-R: Kiss, The Monkees, Heart

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2012 over the weekend amid a slew of no shows and controversy, once again, over acts that have not been invited to join the Cleveland edifice.

Here are the 10 acts that should be the next to get in. The Hall only inducts five performers at a time so we know they aren’t all going in in 2013, but all are eligible. Some of them have been on the ballot before and been denied, others, like Kiss, like to shout it, shout it out loud, that they have been wronged over and over.

The acts are listed in alphabetical order, not by any ranking of preference.

Who should be in next in your opinion?


*Chic: They will always be debate on this one between the folks who just can’t get their head around that Chic was much more than a disco act. They melded all different types of music in innovative and creative ways. “Clams on the half shell and roller skates” for all.

*Hall & Oates: The most successful pop/rock duo of all time, whose songs have aged even better than Daryl and John. Well, except for “Man Eater.”

*Heart: If they had testicles, they would have been in the first year they were eligible.  Having said that, Ann and Nancy Wilson have more balls than 99% of the rockers out there. Ann’s voice hasn’t diminished a bit--it can still peel the paint from the walls.

*Judas Priest: It seems impossible that they aren’t in yet. Like prog rock, heavy metal has also been slighted. Otherwise (and we know they’re all different shades of metal)  Deep Purple and Iron Maiden would already be in as well.

*KISS: No one thinks they should be in as much as Gene Simmons, but there’s no denying when you look at their influence, contributions to rock, and longevity that KISS deserves to be in. No question.

*The Monkees:
Scream all you want, they deserve it There are plenty of acts in the Rock Hall, including many of the acts produced by Phil Spector, who didn’t produce or write their own material but who were pivotal figures who deserve inclusion. The outpouring of grief over Davy Jones’ death from “legitimate” music critics only proved the point.

*The Runaways: Joan Jett should be in period, whether it’s as a member of this seminal, pioneering female rock group or as a member of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (as she was presented on the ballot this go round) or just as Joan Jett. Just get her in.

*Todd Rundgren:
As true a rock innovator as anyone who has ever come along. If we can’t get him in as an artist, what about as a groundbreaking producer?

*Rush:
This Canadian power trio is, to many fans, the Rock Hall’s most obscenely glaring omission, although the Hall has shown a shocking lack of respect for any act that even remotely borders on prog rock, so Geddy, Neil, and Alex certainly have company.

*Stevie Ray Vaughan: Have the voting members heard him play? Think of every word you would use to describe rock and roll and you’d use it to describe Vaughan’s fire, virtuosity and passion.

Follow Melinda Newman on Twitter @HitfixMelinda

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  • Madmen_icon_talkback_profile

    LJA

    Nile Rodgers needs to be in the Hall of Fame whether it's with Chic or a producer or whatever. He's earned it, he deserves it, end of story.

    April 16, 2012 at 8:59PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Madmen_icon_talkback_profile

      LJA *or AS a producer

      April 16, 2012 at 9:10PM EST
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    JLPatt

    Radiohead.

    April 16, 2012 at 9:29PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Hal_9000_talkback_profile

      DylanS not eligible yet, i don't think. They will surely be in when they are though

      April 16, 2012 at 9:59PM EST
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    Guy Smiley

    "*The Monkees: Scream all you want, they deserve it"

    Damned right they deserve it! The fathers of music video, and a bunch of great pop/rock records that have endured for decades... Songs written by Hall of Famers like Carole King and Neil Diamond, and in 1967 they sold more records than the Beatles and Stones COMBINED (look it up). Plus, they made a great, crazy-ass psychedelic cult classic movie ("Head").

    Not entirely true about them not producing/writing their own music though. Mike Nesmith wrote a great many Monkees songs, Peter Tork wrote a fair number too, and even Micky and Davy (co-wrote, in Davy's case) some songs eventually.

    They also produced a couple of their albums (including the "Head" soundtrack), and, after they won more artistic freedom, played on more of their albums and recordings than most people realize.

    Hell... Micky Dolenz bought one of the first Moog synthesizers ever made and played it on several recordings (first use of a synthesizer on a rock record).

    April 16, 2012 at 9:39PM EST Reply to Comment
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      Andrei If the Monkees were to get in (and even as a big fan, I have my doubts whether they should), it would be for the way they rose up against their Kirshner overlord and took control of their career ("that could have been your face!"). That's a true rock 'n' roll legend, regardless of their prefab origin.

      April 17, 2012 at 9:04AM EST
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    GF

    Deep Purple!!!

    April 16, 2012 at 9:41PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Guy Smiley

    Also, it's a shocker that Stevie Ray isn't in the Hall yet. One of the truly great guitarists ever, and no one did more to bring the Blues back to the masses in the 1980s, and his Blues were the real deal.

    It was thanks to him that greats like Buddy Guy were able to find an audience again. A bigger audience than ever before, in fact!

    April 16, 2012 at 9:42PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Shaun

    Other artists not mentioned here that deserve in:

    Joe Cocker

    Peter Gabriel (in with Genesis, but not as a solo act
    where he's had far greater success)

    Chicago (the original band, with Terry Kath)

    Moody Blues

    Deep Purple

    Yes (not really a fan, but they deserve it)

    John Mayall

    Bruce Hornsby

    April 16, 2012 at 9:47PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Madmen_icon_talkback_profile

      LJA Yes totally deserve it.

      April 17, 2012 at 2:12AM EST
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    Shaun

    Melinda,

    Interesting that you mentioned maybe letting Rundgren in as a producer... He should be in, period, but you got me thinking about other producers that should be in there too: Tom Dowd, Roy Halee, Phil Ramone, T-Bone Burnett, and Rick Rubin all come to mind.

    Also, is Pat Benetar in the Hall? She's another performer who should be in if she's not already.

    April 16, 2012 at 9:53PM EST Reply to Comment
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      melinda Tom Dowd FINALLY went in this year, which is absolutely insane. He should have gone in decades ago, literally!

      April 17, 2012 at 2:15AM EST
    • Default-avatar

      Andrei Love the producer ideas - is there a time criterion for producers like there is for artists?

      April 17, 2012 at 9:31AM EST
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      melinda Yes- same requirement: 25 years after first record/album

      April 17, 2012 at 2:14PM EST
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    AndiMarie

    Warren Zevon. Still don't know why he hasn't been inducted yet.

    April 16, 2012 at 10:29PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      melinda Agree... I decided to cap the list at 10, but he would be in my top 25.

      April 17, 2012 at 2:15AM EST
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    Steven Flores

    I can absolutely agree to this list! Right on! I want to add some more. Big Star/Alex Chilton. If it wasn't for that band, there wouldn't be REM, the Replacement, or 90s power-pop like Teenage Fanclub and Fountains of Wayne. Joy Division/New Order, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, the MC5, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, the Moody Blues, King Crimson, Yes, Scorpions, UFO, and Television.

    April 16, 2012 at 11:52PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Andy

    My top choices would be Stevie Ray Vaughan and Los Lobos. But the fact of the matter is the Hall (ie. Jann Wenner) cares more about the concert and who will show up or reunite than it does about the "integrity" of a Hall of Fame.

    April 17, 2012 at 12:25AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      Shaun YES to Los Lobos (I can't believe I forgot to mention them... I love those guys!), and to Warren Zevon (mentioned by Andimarie above) too.

      April 17, 2012 at 9:49AM EST
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    Son of Mecha Mummy

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

    April 17, 2012 at 1:55AM EST Reply to Comment
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    bg

    its kraftwerk's year, finally translators will be needed at the inducrion--probably a first

    April 17, 2012 at 7:03AM EST Reply to Comment
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    bg

    lets not forget al kooper prob as a producer like todd

    April 17, 2012 at 7:31AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      Shaun Somehow, I thought Kooper was in. As a sideman/producer/songwriter/music historian he definitely should be in too.

      He deserves it just for playing on "Like a Rolling Stone"!

      April 17, 2012 at 9:50AM EST
    • Default-avatar

      Guy Smiley Al Kooper does a great weekly column at themortonreport.com called "New Music For Old People." I've discovered a lot of great music there that I never would've heard otherwise. Check it out!

      April 18, 2012 at 9:01AM EST
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    jho

    i don't like kiss or rush but COME ON if there were any acts deserving of a spot it would be these two!!!! my votes go to duran duran, gogos, eurythmics, peter gabriel solo, and we are coming up on eligibility for radiohead and my bloody valentine.

    April 17, 2012 at 9:28AM EST Reply to Comment
  • Stewie_vader_avatar_talkback_profile

    mcspinelli

    From this list: Heart, Kiss, Hall and Oates, SVR, Rush or the Monkees.

    Heart is no doubt worthy. Their music is great and still holds up today as solid rock music. Kiss is a legendary rock band and every band since has tried to emulate their on stage theatrics in one way or another. They are obvious picks.

    Stevie Ray Vaughn is mentioned in the same sentence as Hendrix, Page, and Clapton. Enough said. Hall and Oates were great and may be cheesy today, but they were superstars throughout the 80's.

    The toss-up IMO is Rush and the Monkees. Rush was a musically transcendent band, while the Monkees were entertainment icons. At the end of the day, I'd go with the Monkees due to the fact that they had a much bigger impact on music and pop culture.

    April 17, 2012 at 12:34PM EST Reply to Comment
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    firekittie9

    They like this

    April 17, 2012 at 1:58PM EST Reply to Comment


  • Having been a diehard fan of Rush since 1978, when Hemispheres came out, it was the reason I picked up the guitar, then the bass. After watching the documentary Beyond The Lighted Stage, in which the great Gene Simmons gives full props to Rush (and Geddy gives props to Kiss as the hardest working band in the biz), the question remains why isn't the band who had influenced so many others to pick up instruments and become musicians ALREADY in the HOF?

    Only the Beatles and Stones have more consecutive gold and platinum albums.....does that not stand for something....they're ahead of ABBA, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and EVERYONE ELSE for that matter.

    Seriously....the album after this one Should be named "That's Bulls#it" if the RRHOF doesn't pull their head out of their collective butt.

    Or, does the committee have a fiscal interest in Rush not being nominated? Would the quality of musicianship increase to the point where people would need to learn an instrument, and not ProTools?

    AND how many bands that were active in the mid-70s are writing new music today, and haven't just phoned it in for decades (cough, cough, Stones, Kiss, Who)

    But I'm not bitter. I may sound like I am, but they are like the other largest cult (Rocky Horror Picture Show), they are the biggest cult band, and I will gladly go see them on tour again.

    Rock on Alex, Geddy, and Neil.

    Lifelong fan,
    Jon Hill

    April 19, 2012 at 11:48PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Jim D

    Bah ... the elitism shown by the hall's voters is so over-the-top, I really couldn't care less who they let in and who they deny. Too many rock critics come off as pompous twits who are overly impressed with themselves, so I've never needed their blessing to enjoy a band's music.

    April 24, 2012 at 12:36PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Surgeman

    Judas Priest should have been there years ago hands down along with Kiss..No exscuses!!!

    May 8, 2012 at 11:22PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Jen

    I love the music these guys make. The one and only time I have seen them live was in a little club in LA .. Great show, tickets were cheap at http://concerts.ticketpolice.com/los-lobos-tickets/

    June 15, 2012 at 6:20AM EST Reply to Comment
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    SavoyBG

    Too many white acts. Don't you know anything about black music? Why not Kool and the Gang, Wynonie Harris, the Clovers, Roy Brown, the Ravens. Joe Tex.

    August 14, 2012 at 3:01PM EST Reply to Comment
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    BJB

    Herman's Hermits

    August 20, 2012 at 12:06AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Dan Novi

    I have an even longer list of legitimate candidates before some of these, except for Heart, Rush and Stevie Ray. So here I go in no particular order: Procol Harum, War, Roxy Music , Chaka Khan & Rufus, Tower of Power, The Buzzcocks, Paul Weller, Joe Jackson, Graham Parker, The J.Geils Band( listen to their fist 7 albums),The Faces, Bad Religion, Cheap Trick, Patti Labelle and Labelle, Alejandro Escovedo and ,personally, what I feel is the most glaring omission, Los Lobos.

    August 22, 2012 at 12:53PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Stosh

    Deep purple, Def Leppard, Yes, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer? Why the hell aren't they in at all?

    August 31, 2012 at 12:12PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Dave

    Thanks for mentioning Stevie. Long overdue. Although with the plebs they have been inducting lately, not sure if I'd want him in there now! :)

    September 18, 2012 at 2:43AM EST Reply to Comment

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