The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame released the fifteen nominees for the Class of 2016 around midnight today. Eight of the fifteen nominees are getting their first nomination, but none of the acts are in their first year of eligibility. To be eligible, it must be 25 years since their first recording (album, EP, and/or single). They usually induct five or six of the nominees. Aside from the five or six performers inducted, they will also announce those inducted in the non-performer, sideman/backing band, and/or early influence categories (which are decided by special subcommittees).
I am going to give you their names, their first year of eligibility, the number of times that they have been nominated (including the current one), and my predictions of if they will get in. For the fourth consecutive year, the public gets to vote for one nominee to get in (the previous three were Rush, KISS, and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble). As in the past years, you can go to http://www.rollingstone.com and vote for only five of the nominees. You have until December 9th to get your votes in.
The Cars (eligible since 2003 [13 years]; first year of nomination)
I like the band, but I don’t think that they will get in this year.
Chaka Khan (eligible since 2003 [13 years]; first year of nomination)
Technically this is her second nomination. In 2012, her band Rufus was nominated. Despite the fact that she is on “Dancing with the Stars” this season, I don’t think that she will be nominated this year.
Cheap Trick (eligible since 2002 [14 years]; first year of nomination)
Love the band, but they will probably not get inducted this time.
Chic (eligible since 2002 [14 years]; tenth year of nomination)
They are the Susan Lucci of the Rock Hall. Eventually even Lucci won her Emmy, so this might finally be the year for them.
Chicago (eligible since 1994 [22 years]; first year of nomination)
I’m honestly surprised that it took them so long to give this band its first nomination. They were one of the pioneers of jazz-rock fusion. Please don’t dismiss the band because of their cheesy soft rock from the ‘80s (though I love cheesy soft rock). They might possibly get in.
Deep Purple (eligible since 1993 [23 years]; third year of nomination)
We need more metal in the Rock Hall. KISS was inducted in 2014, and Rush was inducted in 2013. If you count punk (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Green Day) and grunge (Nirvana), then hard rockers appear at least once per year. Deep Purple is the only nominee that is hard rock or metal. It has to be their year…or Eddie Trunk, one of the hosts of VH1 Classic’s “That Metal Show,” may have his head explode. [Edit: I forgot about Cheap Trick being a hard-rocking band as well, so Deep Purple does have some competition. I still think that they will get in though.]
The J.B.’s (eligible since 1995 [21 years]; first year of nomination)
This nominee is a curious one. Even though they had their own solo hits like “Gimme Some More” and “Doing It to Death,” they are mostly known as James Brown’s backing band from the ‘70s to the early ‘80s. I think that this band might have more success in the sideman/backing band category. Hey…it worked for Ringo Starr! Besides…if Brown’s backing band from the ‘50s and ‘60s, The Famous Flames, could get inducted…then the J.B.’s might have a chance as well.
Janet Jackson (eligible in 2007 [9 years]; first year of nomination)
This one is an iffy. On the plus side…Janet is the second most successful kid in the Jackson family. She also has an album that came out last Friday called Unbreakable that is expected to top the Billboard 200 Albums chart next week. On the minus side…it took the Rock Hall nine years to give Janet her first nomination. Her last album Discipline came out seven years ago, so she might get in just to suck up to her and get more tickets for the induction ceremony sold. She has been a big star since 1986’s Control, but she hasn’t done much musically in the last few years, so the Rock Hall probably figured that they could justify her nomination because she was finally getting back into music. If Will Smith ever decides to bring out a new album, then DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince might end up getting a nomination (they have been eligible since 2012).
Los Lobos (eligible since 2003 [13 years]; first year of nomination)
Another iffy one. On the plus side…the Rock Hall might want to diversify their inductees. Of the hundreds of acts or music personnel that have been already inducted, there have been only three of Latin origin (Herb Alpert, Ritchie Valens, and Santana). They have a chance to rectify that slightly by inducting them. They had a chance last year with the nomination of War, but the group didn’t get in. On the minus side…despite having a loyal and devoted fan base (of which I am a member), most people only know of them for singing a cover of Valens’ “La Bamba.” Check out 1984’s How Will the Wolf Survive? or 1992’s Kiko, and you will see that they are a awesome band.
N.W.A (eligible since 2012 [4 years]; fourth year of nomination)
The forefathers of gangsta rap have been nominated every year that they have been eligible. With the huge success of their biopic Straight Outta Compton though, I think that this might be their year to be inducted.
Nine Inch Nails (eligible since 2014 [2 years]; second year of nomination)
I’m actually surprised that Trent Reznor’s group didn’t get inducted last year. They were second in the fan vote behind Stevie Ray Vaughan. My only theory is that they didn’t want to induct two first year eligible nominees in the same year, so they went with Green Day. He is one of the earliest and most successful industrial rock artists, so I’m pretty sure that he will get in this year.
The Smiths (eligible since 2008 [8 years]; second year of nomination)
This is the only artist that I personally don’t like. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t worthy. I just really don’t like the whiny, depressing voice of Morrissey. I’m sure that the Rock Hall would want some ‘80s alt-rock inducted, so they might get in.
The Spinners (eligible since 1986 [30 years]; third year of nomination)
Chic may have the most nominations…but The Spinners have been waiting the longest. They have been waiting as long as the Rock Hall started inducting performers. Technically, they could have been inducted in the first year…along with artists like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard. Last year, the inductee who had to wait the longest was The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (I’m not considering Ringo Starr or The “5” Royales as the acts that have had to wait the longest, because they were inducted by the subcommittees. I’m just talking about the main performers). The Spinners’ biggest success came in the ‘70s, but they still should get in.
Steve Miller Band (eligible since 1993 [23 years]; first year of nomination)
While they have been waiting a while, I don’t think that they will get in this year. The fact that they got nominated in the first place means that they will be in serious consideration in the future, along with the other first time nominees.
Yes (eligible since 1994 [22 years]; second year of nomination)
When they were first nominated in 2014, I would have said that they weren’t going to get in that year. They were competing with Peter Gabriel, and before he became a successful solo artist, he was a member of the already-inducted Genesis back when they were a prog rock band. This year they have no other performer to compete with, so their chances are good.
My predictions are Chicago, Deep Purple, N.W.A, Nine Inch Nails, Yes and maybe The Spinners. As of this writing, here are the standings:
Chicago 13.58% (26596 votes)
Deep Purple 10.38% (20320 votes)
Cheap Trick 10.35% (20255 votes)
Yes 10.04% (19649 votes)
The Cars 9.87% (19318 votes)
Janet Jackson 9.64% (18869 votes)
Steve Miller 9.27% (18153 votes)
The Spinners 4.78% (9350 votes)
Nine Inch Nails 4.65% (9114 votes)
Chaka Khan 4.07% (7970 votes)
N.W.A 3.85% (7546 votes)
The Smiths 3.58% (7018 votes)
Chic 3.00% (5864 votes)
Los Lobos 1.85% (3631 votes)
The J.B.’s 1.09% (2138 votes)
Vote for your five favorites here: http://rockhall.com/voting/2016-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-nominees-vote/
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