AALIYAH

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Aaliyah is a top-tier icon of her era, and her influence is undeniable in future Hall of Famers like Beyoncé and Rihanna.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“MORE THAN A WOMAN”

JOHNNY ACE

INFLUENCE

THOUGHTS:
Here is the kind of OG that deserved to be inducted decades ago. Not the biggest name or most prolific artist, but certainly an important one.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“PLEDGING MY LOVE”

TORI AMOS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Easily one of the greatest songwriters of the last 3 decades, Tori Amos has more than enough song-recognition to be a lock at this point.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“WINTER”

FIONA APPLE

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Few artists have this perfect a track record, quality-wise. The fact that she has a legitimate, classic hit under her belt should really tilt the scales!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“I KNOW”

ASHFORD & SIMPSON

MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

THOUGHTS:
From Motown and beyond, it is unfathomable to me that one of the greatest songwriting duos of all time is not yet in the Hall of Fame. We all know the hits they wrote.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH” (PERFORMED BY MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL)
(songwriters)

ERIC B. & RAKIM

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
The RRHOF kinda said “nah!” to hip hop’s golden age, didn’t they? Seeing acts directly influenced by these two trailblazers get in first is bullshit.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“I AIN’T NO JOKE”

THE B-52’S

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
The B-52’s are the perfect paradox of past and future, Earth and Space, serious and so…so…so unserious. And they’ve got the hits to back it up!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“PLANET CLAIRE”

BABYFACE

MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

THOUGHTS:
He was one of the most in-demand songwriters/producers of an entire generation, and an unreal amount of his collaborators either are in the RRHOF, or will be.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“CHANGE THE WORLD” (ORIGINALLY PERFORMED BY ERIC CLAPTON)
(but this live collab is fire)

BAD BRAINS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
These guys INVENTED hardcore, and thus everything that came from it. I have no nice words to say about them not being inducted a long time go.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“PAY TO CUM”

ERYKAH BADU

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
She’s the unequivocal Queen of Neo Soul, and although she’s very much on the fresher-side of eligible artists, Erykah Badu deserves to be in the conversation.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“TYRONE”

THE BANGLES

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Honestly, these are just four great musicians who were definitive of their era! They can write, they can play, and they have the hits to stand on.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“IN YOUR ROOM”

BECK

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Beck’s got radio hits, big Grammys, undeniable acclaim, and even a previous nomination under his belt. He’s a visionary.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“DEVILS HAIRCUT”

THOM BELL AND
LINDA CREED

MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

THOUGHTS:
Both of these songwriters deserve to be inducted on their own merits (their signature work wasn’t exclusively in collaboration, to be fair), but together it feels like the right move. They ARE Philly Soul!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“THE RUBBERBAND MAN” (PERFORMED BY THE SPINNERS)
(songwriters)

THE BELMONTS

MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

THOUGHTS:
Dion DiMucci was promptly inducted as a solo act back in 1989, as he should have been, but leaving the rest of the Belmonts out of the equation entirely feels wrong.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“I WONDER WHY”

BIG BROTHER & THE HOLDING COMPANY

MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

THOUGHTS:
Janis Joplin receiving a solo induction was absolutely correct, but Big Brother & The Holding Company was such an enormous part of her story, they can’t just be ignored. Induct her twice, honestly!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“BALL AND CHAIN” [LIVE, MONTERAY POP FESTIVAL]

BIG MAMA THORNTON

INFLUENCE

THOUGHTS:
[Hide your children because I am about to unleash]
WHY THE FUCK IS BIG MAMA THORNTON NOT IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME?!?! Period.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“BALL AND CHAIN”
(the same “Ball and Chain” sitting right above this one. period period.)

BIG STAR

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Alternative rock as we know it would not exist without the heralding power chords of Big Star.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“FEEL”

BJÖRK

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
There are few truly singular, original, avant garde artists, but Björk is certainly one. For creating music so unpalatable to the masses, she is remarkably a household name and a legitimate legend.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“JOGA”

BLACK FLAG

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
They have one of the most recognizable logos in rock & roll history, but Black Flag are hardcore punk legends – an area of opportunity for the RRHOF.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“SIX PACK”

MARY J. BLIGE

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
She’s the Queen of Hip Hop Soul and one of the greatest voices to ever sing into a microphone. F–king duh.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“NO MORE DRAMA”

BLINK-182

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
This is a headlining act at an induction ceremony, if you ask me. Hits, influence, fans all over the world. Blink is definitive of several generations, and they’re only going to continue being re-discovered.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“DAMMIT”

BLUR

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
If this was truly a global institution, Blur would’ve been inducted as soon as they were eligible. They were the pioneers of Britpop and their catalog has endured decades later.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“THE UNIVERSAL”

BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Hip hop would not be the global juggernaut it is without BDP. It’s hard to embrace the genre so openly without including KRS-One’s influence.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“THE BRIDGE IS OVER”

BOYZ II MEN

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
These Philly boyz really are one of the all-time great vocal groups. They carried the torch for both Motown and Philly Soul for a whole new generation, and their hits are still staples today.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“WATER RUNS DRY”

GARTH BROOKS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Tell me Garth Brooks at his peak was not a Rock Star. He’s one of the biggest names in music period, and we need to keep this country induction train rolling!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“THE DANCE”
(Garth does not like streaming)

JEFF BUCKLEY

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Does one album get you inducted? When that album is Grace, yes. Let’s get real, some acts have been inducted because of one SONG.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“GRACE”

JOHNNY BURNETTE &
THE ROCK ‘N ROLL TRIO

INFLUENCE

THOUGHTS:
I mean, it’s all in the name, right? Rockabilly is foundational, and the Rock ‘N Roll Trio were incredibly influential. They should be inducted as Performers, but I feel like this is most realistic.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“TEAR IT UP”

GLEN CAMPBELL

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
When considering who deserves to follow Dolly and Willie, of pure-country artists, Glen Campbell is one of the first names that come to mind. His rock & roll influence might be considered an uphill sell, but his legend is too large.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“GENTLE ON MY MIND”

MARIAH CAREY

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Mariah is an absolute no-brainer. She’s one of the greatest vocalists and pop juggernauts there has ever been, and her continued relevance would make her the headliner of the ceremony.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“EMOTIONS”

CARPENTERS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Soft rock deserves as much merit as hard rock, but it would still make some people laugh at the idea of Carpenters getting into the Hall of Fame. Their songbook is immaculate, and Karen Carpenter is one of the great, influential voices of her time.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“(THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU”

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Not household names, per se, but Nick Cave is one of the greatest storyteller songwriters to ever exist and countless musicians count him as a major influence. It would be a very, very cool induction.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“THE SHIP SONG”

CHER

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
I know. Cher is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She was a legitimate rock star at her peak – of which she’s had several! Don’t tell me everybody under the sun wouldn’t show up to celebrate her at the ceremony!

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“I FOUND SOMEONE”

CHIC

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Let’s talk about it. Chic was nominated ELEVEN times, and never got in. So they gave up and inducted Nile Rodgers elsewhere. I, though, will die on this hill. INDUCT CHIC.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“EVERYBODY DANCE”

THE CHICKS

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Country doesn’t seem to really want ’em. The Chicks have had such incredible crossover appeal, with (objective) critics firmly in their corner along the way. Nothing is more rock & roll than their journey, to be honest.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“NOT READY TO MAKE NICE”

PATSY CLINE

INFLUENCE

THOUGHTS:
There are so many valid arguments as to why Patsy Cline could be inducted as a performer, and I support every one of them. I think the Hall of Fame would consider her an Influence, so that’s where I’ll pitch her. Regardless, this is painfully overdue. Like decades.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“SWEET DREAMS (OF YOU)”

JOE COCKER

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
I’m confused, because Joe Cocker is RRHOF bread and butter, and yet he’s not even been nominated. He is one of rock’s great interpreters of song.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“BYE BYE BLACKBIRD”

COLDPLAY

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
This was supposed to be Coldplay’s first year for eligibility, until the HOF pulled a sneaky little re-set making ’23 their year. There aren’t really any bands still this commercially relevant that could receive this honor, so they must be saving them for this year’s headliner.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“POLITIK”

JOHN COLTRANE

INFLUENCE

THOUGHTS:
Jazz feels very separate, but it belongs in the rock & roll conversation. Coltrane is such a culturally significant figure, and his works have fueled countless current inductees.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“RESOLUTION”

COMMODORES

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
Lionel Richie’s solo induction does feel like a nail in the coffin for this great Motown act, but I do believe they will eventually find their way in. There’s too many hits there that Lionel alone doesn’t represent.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“MACHINE GUN”

THE CRANBERRIES

PERFORMER

THOUGHTS:
The Cranberries are one of the quintessential acts of ’90s alternative. Everyone knows their hits, and the late Dolores O’Riordan is truly one of the all-time greats.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“SUNDAY”

CELIA CRUZ

INFLUENCE

THOUGHTS:
THE Queen of Salsa. Celia Cruz is a global superstar with an unmistakable presence, and a profound influence. It’s a pretty glaring omission.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING:
“GUANTANAMERA”