This year’s six inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were announced Wednesday morning, and they are Whitney Houston, Depeche Mode, the Notorious B.I.G., Nine Inch Nails, the Doobie Brothers, and T. Rex.
Notably absent from the Class of 2020, however, was Pat Benatar.
The fact that Benatar — one of the most successful female artists of the 1980s, who undoubtedly set the template for female hard rock singers at a time when few female hard rock singers had a presence on the charts or at rock radio — had never been nominated before had been a subject of annual Hall protest. She was widely predicted to be a lock this year, especially considering that last year’s inductee, Janet Jackson, had implored in her Rock Hall acceptance speech to thunderous applause: “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, please, 2020: Induct more women!” (Only three female artists total were on this year’s Hall ballot, the other two being Houston and passed-over four-time nominee Rufus featuring Chaka Khan. Women make up less than 8 percent of all Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees.)
Benatar actually came in second in this year’s online Fan Vote. Also not making the Class of 2020 cut were the Dave Matthews Band, who actually topped the Fan Vote by a wide margin. (It is noteworthy that the seven previous winners of the Fan Vote had all been inducted in their years).
Along with Benatar, hard/classic rock in general was passed over, with nominees Motörhead, Thin Lizzy, Todd Rundgren, the MC5, and two other artists that made the top five of the Fan Vote, Judas Priest and Soundgarden, all not getting in.
It was also interesting that six-time nominees Kraftwerk were passed over in favor of their logical successors Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails, since it could easily be argued that all electronic music can be traced back in some way to the German techno pioneers. [Reply]
Originally Posted by rabblerouser:
Could've swore the Yardbirds are already in.
Yeah, inducted in 1992.
Yep - my bad. I don't really pay a great deal of attention anymore. It has gotten to be such a joke that it's hard to take it seriously any longer. [Reply]
Originally Posted by rabblerouser:
'Out of rock acts!?'
Soundgarden
Faith No More
Black Crowes
KISS
Humble Pie (Frampton and Marriot!!)
Canned Heat
Bad Company
Def Leppard
Boston
Blue Oyster Cult
Joe Fucking Cocker
Steppenwolf
Ten Years After (Alvin Fuckin' Lee!)
War
Johnny Fucking Winter
Thin Fucking Lizzy
Television
Flying Burrito Brothers/Gram Fucking Parsons
New York Fucking Dolls
Mott the Fucking Hoople
Little Feat
King Crimson
Judas Fucking Priest
Iron Fucking Maiden
Love
The Guess Who
Grand Funk
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends
And that's just off the top of my head.
Thats a fine fucking list off the top of your head. Needs Warren Zevon added though:-) [Reply]
Chaka Khan is more rock and roll than Whitney ****ing Houston.
****ing Janet ****ing Jackson is more rock and roll than Shitney Houston. "Black Cat", anyone?
Sorry, I took on a turn on Carnal Blvd and got lost. Not sure how much rock and roll any of them are. But they could all sing and looked damn good doing it. Give me 70's Chaka, 80's Whitney and Janet... all on a 5 day bender in Las Vegas and I would die a happy man. [Reply]