What's up with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Connie Francis Neil Sedaka Chubby Checker
An Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is the secret ambition of most pop music stars.
It looks great on the resume, and will forever become their descriptive introduction...
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Clay Cole!" (Applause, Applause, Applause)
I'll admit, I too have had those Rock Hall acceptance speech fantasies. But the reality is, not one of the legendary pop-stars represented here are among the annual Rock Hall inductees, and with each passing year, probably never will. To most fans of rock 'n' roll, the record buyer and concert goer, an Induction is irrelevent -- they simply don't give a damn.
It's a self-congratulatrory milestone event.
Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artists’ contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.
We are now at the 25-year entry point for punk-rock, heavy metal, disco, hip-hop and rap artists. This will effectively slam the door on 50s/60s doo wop, pop-rock, teen idols, girl groups and the Brill Building crowd.
Is Connie Francis less relevant than Joni Mitchell?
Is Chubby Checker's 60s twist frenzy not notable?
Is Neil Sedaka's 50 years as a songwriter, producer, and chart-topping recording star and concert artist
to be ignored?
The real question is: Can Jann Wenner, the Publisher of Rolling Stone magazine and new Hall of Fame Chairman, ever replace the seat left vacant by the passing of a rock and roll innovator, Ahmet Ertegün?
rock 'n' roll: a genre of popular music originating in the 1950s;
a blend of Black rhythm-and-blues with White country-western; rock is a generic term for the range of styles that evolved out of rock 'n' 'roll; A popular music form incorporating music styles of rhythm and blues, gospel and country music.
Rock 'n' Roll Evolved from Be-Bop to Hip-Hop in the past 50 years
Big-Band/Be-Bop Dizzy Gillespie,Johnny Otis, Cab Callaway
Jazz
Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis
Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Miles DavisPop Singers Frank Sinatra, Patti Page, Eddie Fisher, Perry Como
Gospel Staple Singers, Drinkard Singers, Mahalia Jackson
Staple Singers, Drinkard Singers, Mahalia JacksonRhythm & Blues Clovers, Dubs, Dells, Harptones, Moonglows
Clovers, Dubs, Dells, Harptones, Moonglows Blues Dinah Washington, Muddy Waters, B B King
Dinah Washington, Muddy Waters, B B KingCountry-Western Don Gibson, Patsy Cline, Jimmy Dean
Folk Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, Harry Belafonte
Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, Harry BelafonteRock and Roll Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard Rock-a-Billy Elvis, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley's Comets Doo Wop Dion & Belmonts, Mystics, Crests, SkylinersTeen Idols Paul Anka, Bobby Vee, Bobby Rydell, Jimmy Clanton
Folk-Rock Byrds, Bob Dylan, Mamas & Papas, Judy Collins Protest-Rock Joan Baez, Barry McGuire, Phil Ochs
Byrds, Bob Dylan, Mamas & Papas, Judy Collins Protest-Rock Joan Baez, Barry McGuire, Phil Ochs Twist Chubby Checker, Hank Ballard, Joey Dee
Chubby Checker, Hank Ballard, Joey DeeBritish Invasion Beatles, Rolling Stones, Hermits, Kinks, DC5
Beatles, Rolling Stones, Hermits, Kinks, DC5Girl Groups Chantels, Shirelles, Dixie Cups, Shangri Las
Chantels, Shirelles, Dixie Cups, Shangri LasBoy Bands Rascals, Lovin' Spoonful, Cyrkle, Association
Rascals, Lovin' Spoonful, Cyrkle, AssociationMotown Miracles, Four Tops, Temptations, Supremes
Miracles, Four Tops, Temptations, SupremesAcid Rock Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Tommy James
Hard Rock AC/DC, Who, Van Halen, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith
Heavy Metal Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple Arena Rock Styx, Queen, Foreigner, Journey, Genesis
Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple Arena Rock Styx, Queen, Foreigner, Journey, Genesis Disco Gloria Gaynor, K. C. and the Sunshine Band, LaBelle Punk Rock New York Dolls, Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash Hip Hop Afrika Bambaataa, Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash Rap Run-D.M.C., Snoop Dogg, Sean "Puffy" Combs'
Gloria Gaynor, K. C. and the Sunshine Band, LaBelle Punk Rock New York Dolls, Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash Hip Hop Afrika Bambaataa, Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash Rap Run-D.M.C., Snoop Dogg, Sean "Puffy" Combs' 
Carole King Bobby Rydell Bobby Vinton Neil Diamond
Neil Sedaka
Bobby Rydell
Bobby Vinton
Neil Diamond
Chubby Checker
Paul Anka
Freddie Cannon
Mitch Ryder
Bobby Vee
Gary U.S. Bonds
Ron Dante
Ben E. King
Jimmy Clanton
Tony Orlando
Jack Scott
Lou Christie
Johnny Maestro & Bklyn Bridge
Jay & the Americans
Danny & the Juniors
Lee Andrews & the Hearts
Harptones
Five Satins
Skyliners
Commodores
Crests
Tom Jones
Sonny & Cher
The Five Keys
The Tokens
Kool & the Gang
The Miracles
and Sid Bernstein!
Connie Francis
Carole King
Patsy Cline
Tina Turner
Dionne Warwick
Gloria Gaynor
Mary Wells
Linda Ronstadt
Judy Collins
Patti LaBelle
Darlene Love
Chantels
Crystals
Leslie Gore
Jackie DeShannon
Melanie
The Moody Blues
Tommy James & the Shondells
Herman's Hermits - Peter Noone
Paul Revere & the Raiders
The Spencer Davis Group
Manfred Mann
Hollies
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blues Project
The Monkees
Procol Harum
Association
Three Dog Night
The Turtles
Genesis
Ringo Starr
Overlooked:*
"The Miracles" exclusion alone is a travesty.
Jann Wenner’s own Rolling Stone magazine ranked the Miracles among the Fifty Greatest Artists of all Time -- the highest ranking of all Motown artists.
Neil Sedaka's Avery Fisher Hall 50th Anniversary celebration benefited the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, with $12 million in assets, gives no money to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, other than to maintain its archives, tosses a few crumbs to indigent musicians, but pays its own director upwards of $300,000 a year.
Danny and the Juniors should definitely be Hall of Famers. Forget "At the Hop" as a major hit, just the fact that they announced "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay" and were ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!! And, the use of these tunes over and over again in TV shows and movies over the last 50 years is a testament in itself. Lastly, it's time for people to realize At the Hop didn't begin it's life as a Sha Na Na song at Woodstock. -- Rick Rydell
As the prolific and versatile author of more than 1,000 songs, the accolades showered on Neil Sedaka have been numerous. Among the honors he has received, Sedaka has been inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a street named after him in his hometown of Brooklyn. With a career spanning six decades, a rare feat in the music-biz, Sedaka never ceases to amaze.
Signatures are gathering on a petition:
Eligible since: 1989 Moody Blues "Go Now" and "Nights in White Satin" - nominees should have influence within the history of R&R. Does anyone doubt that they have met that criteria? They were light years ahead of their time and extremely accomplished musicians. Breathe deep the gathering gloom, y'all! - Lynda B
Paul Revere & the Raiders are an American rock band that saw enormous mainstream success in the 1960s, best-known for hits like "Indian Reservation" (1971), "Steppin' Out" & "Just Like Me" (1965), "Kicks" (1966), "Let Me" (1969) and "Hungry" (1966). They may have been TV stars, (Where the Action Is), but they were really just a great R&R garage band that made good.
Carole King Eligible since: 1984
Here's what I don't get: it blows my mind every time that the woman who made Tapestry, the gold standard in female singer - songwriting, still hasn't gotten her due as a performer. How can Madonna be in the Hall when the woman who sang and wrote
"It's Too Late" and "So Far Away isn't?"
- Leslie Gray StreeterNeil Diamond Eligible since: 1991
Forget for a moment that Neil wrote
"I'm a Believer, " one of the most solid and infernally catchy pop songs ever created. And stop snickering about the sparkly suits and the over-the-top Vegas-y production. Isn't rock supposed to be about excess? Neil's about an embarrassment of emotional riches wrapped in undeniable lyrical strength. Hello, again? Hello?
- Leslie Gray StreeterCheck-out a new alternative:
This page was last updated: September 28, 2010
and, uncovering the future of the
Rock Hall website
To learn more, see The Rock Hall of Shame
4/10/2008
THIS IS BULL--SHIT I'M NOT EVEN MENTIONED IN YOUR LIST AND TO BE HONEST I AM REALLY A ROCKER AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.
SO THE HALL IS FULL OF IT AND SO IS THIS LIST. C'MON WAKE UP.
FREDDY "BOOM BOOM" CANNON
Freddie.
The list is meant to reflect glaring examples of Artists Overlooked. You belong on the list.
My apologies. - CC
* This is not meant to be a definitive list, rather a random roundup of some glaring omissions, to make my point. - Clay
For a detailed examination of the current Rock Hall, click here for Roger Friedman's Hall of Shame.
Don Kirshner reinvented the Brill Building. He created the sound of The Monkees, gave Neil Diamond, Carole King and so many other songwriters their start. His Rock Concert shows are considered a precusor of MTV.
So why isn't the man in? Ace
Tommy James & the Shondells
From the mid 60’s until the early 70’s this group was a tour deforce, During 1968-69 they sold more single records (45’s) than any artist in the world, including The Beatles. Tommy has had 23 gold singles, 9 gold and platinum albums, and has sold over 100 million records. -SF
-SF
My choices for induction:
#1 The Guess Who
#2 The Moody Blues
#3 Neil Diamond
#4 The Hollies
#5 Chubby Checker
#6 Jethro Tull
#7 Connie Francis
#8 Tom Jones
#9 Paul Anka
#10 Neil Sedaka
#11 Chicago
#12 The Carpenters
#13 Carole King
#14 Kool and the Gang
#15 Dick Dale and the Deltones Raysa
One of the main problems is validity of the award. What is the value of the award? It needs to be hard to get, and very special.
In the words of Joe Terry (Danny & The Juniors) They hand the awards out like hot dogs at a ballpark.
1. How is the recipient picked?
2. Who are the people that pick the person to get the award.
3. What are the guidelines for being considered?
This is where the Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame dropped the ball. They were so eager for TV sponsorship and ratings that they early-on failed to recognize the great pioneer's from the early days of Rock n' Roll. This diluted the award by giving it to newcomers before the legends of the business, and they also gave it to everyone. As of today they have inducted over 400 people. The award has no value when everyone has been given it?
The Comedy Hall Of Fame, after 17 years has only inducted 21; the same goes for the other famous Hall of Fame's.
Tony Belmont
Founder and Chairman
The National Comedy Hall of Fame
Joe Long of The Four Seasons belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Most fans of The Four Seasons were shocked to learn that do to a minor technicality Joe Long was the only member of the band not fully inducted to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We are working to correct this oversite and have Joe Long join the other members of The Four Seasons already inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Thank you for your support!
The Committee to Send Joe Long to Cleveland
848 N. Rainbow Blvd,Suite 1990 Las Vegas NV 89107
Bobby Vee, eligible since: 1985 has previously never been considered.
Well-loved by both fans and people in
the music business, Bobby is an ideal candidate, but has been tragically overlooked by the Rock Hall.
Another group that should be in the Hall of Fame and on your list of artists that have been overlooked is The Tokens. These guys have incredible vocals. Who doesn't know and love "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"? They have many other superb songs as well as this one.
They still sound great, too!
Terry Melcher, producer of Paul Revere and the Raiders and the Byrds, sang many surf/beach hits (Bruce & Terry, Beach Boys, etc.), has also been overlooked by the Rock Hall of Fame and your list. His voice is the one you hear on "Hey Little Cobra", "Three Window Coupe" and many more. Singer, producer, musician, arranger, songwriter, surf rock pioneer - this guy should be honored! Dee, My Way
In the 1950s, Pat Boone and Elvis were the two most popular recording artists. Granted it's difficult to forgive him for those Little Richard covers! But, what Pat did falls into the category of rock and roll. - Ronnie Allen
I don't understand how great bands that have been eligible for years have still not been inducted into the Hall. Gound-breaking bands like KISS and Chicago have been eligible since 1999 and 1992, respectively, and still don't have their signatures in the Hall. Both bands had hits in multiple decades.
Chicago charted "Make Me Smile" and "25 or 6 to 4" in 1970, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" in 1982, and "Here in My Heart" in 1997. These hits fall among dozens of others the band has had throughout the years, and the fact that the band is still touring after 40 years only adds to Chicago's impressiveness.
KISS broke through in 1974 with "Strutter" and quickly followed up with the classic anthem, "Rock and Roll All Nite." They even had hits in the 1980's during the non-makeup era, such as "Lick it Up" and "Heaven's on Fire." After reuniting with the original lineup and returning to their costumed alter-egos in the 1990's, they struck gold with "Psycho Circus," which reached number one on the U.S. Mainstream Rock charts.
The Rock and Roll "Hall of Fame" [Foundation] is by far the biggest
rip-off in the music business.Unfortunately, as long as Jann Wenner's pulling the strings, true rock fans will likely be left disappointed.
-- Carrie Wood, Towson University considered by the judges for almost 20 years.
Diamond said he is disappointed that the panel repeatedly turns him down, even though he thinks he has made a very important contribution to the industry.
"It makes me wonder. I've paid my dues, I think, and I think I've done good work. I'd like to be in there with my peers,": Contactmusic quoted him, as saying.
"Maybe you just have to keep doing it and I'll get in there some day," he added. -- ANI
Neil Diamond has revealed his desire to land a spot in the
Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
The Sweet Caroline singer said that he is desperate for the accolade - because he thinks he has 'paid his dues' to the music industry. He said he is eager to be awarded the prestigious recognition, as he has been
"Little Steven" Van Zandt, E Street Band guitarist and Rock Hall nominating committee member, was recently asked: "Who's on top of your list now of bands that ought to be in? Who he will push for induction into the Rock Hall later this year?"
Steven: "Right now the priority is the Hollies. Johnny Burnette is still high on my list. Paul Revere & the Raiders deserve to be in. Herman's Hermits deserve to be in. People forget how important Herman's Hermits were when they started. We all get very elitist about who should be in and who shouldn't, but I consider great, great, great '60s pop music absolutely essential to the development of the art form."
