Today, the increasingly irrelevant Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees for 2017 were announced, and there are a few surprises, but nothing that exciting. Jane’s Addiction, Pearl Jam, Yes and Bad Brains are among the more rock-leaning of this year’s nominees, who needed to have had their first single or album released in 1991 or earlier. It’s a little bit of a changing of the guard, in that many artists are appearing on the ballot for the first time. Bad Brains, Depeche Mode, Electric Light Orchestra, Jane’s Addiction, Joan Baez, Journey, Pearl Jam, Steppenwolf and Tupac Shakur are appearing on the ballot for the first time. Here’s the whole list:
Bad Brains
Chaka Kahn
Chic
Depeche Mode
Electric Light Orchestra
J. Geils Band
Jane’s Addiction
Janet Jackson
Joan Baez
Joe Tex
Journey
Kraftwerk
MC5
Pearl Jam
Steppenwolf
The Cars
The Zombies
Tupac Shakur
Yes
It’s pretty much a given that Pearl Jam is going to get in pretty much instantly. They’re the kind of crowd-pleasing fan favorite band that the Rock Hall was made for, a live band that has a massive album that no one is going to complain about. It’s surprising that Electric Light Orchestra hasn’t been nominated before, and they’re probably another lock. Due to the band’s legacy, “Mr. Blue Sky,” and the fact that Jeff Lynne toured this year, it’d be a nice victory lap for the band. As pioneers of hardcore, Bad Brains should have been potentially nominated years ago, but the illness of Dr. Know and H.R. might have pushed the Hall to nominate them for the first time. Yes has been nominated twice before, but still have yet to make it in, since the Hall doesn’t really care for prog or metal.
This article started by us saying that the Hall is increasingly irrelevant because as an art form, rock music as we know it is changing. They’re going to either have to change the name of the organization, or keep looking back, because there just aren’t as many iconic acts popping up. Meanwhile, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth still have yet to be nominated, since as we mentioned, the Hall has an aversion to metal. How about retroactively naming Dio to the Hall? That’d make sense, right? Not in their world.
One change this year is that only certain members will be nominated from bands. The Journey lineup with Steve Perry is nominated, suggesting that if they make it in, there might be a reunion. Pearl Jam has had five drummers, but only Matt Cameron and founding drummer Dave Krusen would be inducted. Once again, the public has a vote – kind of. Fans can head to Rolling Stone to vote for up to five nominees, and the top five acts will count as a “fan ballot” that are one of 800 cast. So you have a voice in an election, kind of! But not really!
[via Rolling Stone]
