The nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2018 were announced this morning. The inductees should be announced sometime in December, and they will only induct five or six of the nominations (including the nominee chosen as the “Fan Vote”). Here are my thoughts of the nominees. Please tell me in the comments on the Facebook post the acts that you think should and will be inducted. The acts with a * in front of their name are the five acts that I think might be inducted.
Bon Jovi – Eligible since 2008; Nominated in 2011 and 2018
They are a very fun accessible hair metal band, with the lead singer dipping his toes into country. I love this band (I play “Livin’ on a Prayer” constantly), but I don’t that they will make it this year.
Kate Bush – Eligible since 2003; Nominated in 2018
I like Kate, but most people would only know her from the song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)”. I don’t think she will make it this year.
The Cars – Eligible since 2003; Nominated in 2016, 2017, and 2018
At first, I was thinking that this band might make it in this year, but with the number of acts who are being nominated for their third or more time, I’m re-thinking their chances. I usually only play The Cars when a party really wants to hear ‘80s music.
Depeche Mode – Eligible since 2006; Nominated in 2017 and 2018
They are another group who might have to wait a while, which is a shame…because they were a new wave group that were a precursor to industrial metal.
Dire Straits – Eligible since 2003; Nominated in 2018
Nope. Not this year.
Eurythmics – Eligible since 2006; Nominated in 2018
I don’t think that they will make it this year, but like Depeche Mode, they were pioneers of electronic music.
J. Geils Band – Eligible since 1995; Nominated in 2005, 2006, 2011, 2017, and 2018
This one is a maybe. At first, I was thinking that they were going to be the new Chic (meaning a group that has been nominated several times without being nominated, like the 11 nominations Chic has received). Then John “J.” Geils passed away in April, so they might be a sentimental favorite.
*Judas Priest – Eligible since 1999; Nominated in 2018
I think that will get in via the Fan Vote. It’s sad that they can’t get inducted by the simple fact that they were a groundbreaking metal band who popularized the metal look of black leather jackets with studs on them. Plus they were much harder than most metal bands.
*LL Cool J – Eligible since 2009; Nominated in 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2018
As the only rap act, I think that he will get in. They usually like to induct at least one rap act a year.
MC5 – Eligible since 1991; Nominated in 2003, 2017, and 2018
It might be their year. There are only three five punk bands inducted (Iggy & The Stooges, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and Green Day), and the MC5 were pioneers of the genre. I know I said that last year, so I might be wrong again this year. The only thing stopping their induction might be Judas Priest, because the Rock Hall isn’t going to induct four hard rock acts in the same year (the other acts being Bon Jovi and Rage Against the Machine), and I think that Priest are going to clinch the Fan Vote.
The Meters – Eligible since 1994; Nominated in 1997, 2013, 2014, and 2018
Maaaybe they might get in, or maybe they will become the new Chic.
*The Moody Blues – Eligible since 1989; Nominated in 2018
The only thing stopping Judas Priest’s induction as the Fan Vote choice might be the Moodys. They are certainly a fan favorite, and like fellow Fan Vote inductee Chicago, they combined rock with another a completely different genre (the Moodys combined it with classical music, and Chicago combined it with jazz).
*Radiohead – Eligible since 2017; Nominated in 2018
Of the two freshmen eligible nominees (the other one being Rage Against the Machine), I think that Radiohead has more of a chance. They have been critically acclaimed for the last 25 years, and I think that the Rock Hall was just waiting for them to become eligible.
Rage Against the Machine – Eligible since 2017; Nominated in 2018
I don’t think that they will make it this year for some reasons that I stated above. Judas Priest will most likely get the Fan Vote, and they don’t want to nominate more than one hard rock act. My other theory is that they don’t want to induct two eligible freshmen acts in the same year, but I was proven wrong last year though when both Pearl Jam and Tupac Shakur got in. The one possible reason why they might induct Rage is that they know that the band will stir up some controversy at the induction ceremony, which will result in ratings for the HBO airing of the ceremony.
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan – Eligible since 1999; Nominated in 2012 and 2018
There is a slight possibility that they might get in.
*Nina Simone – Eligible since 1983; Nominated in 2018
While Nina is more jazz than pop or rock, she is highly regarded amongst her peers, and she has been an influence to those who followed. I think that it’s going to be either Chaka or Nina getting in this year.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Eligible since 1963; Nominated in 2018
There are going to be many arguments about her nomination. For one thing…most of her career existed before the Rock Era (which started in 1955 when “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets hit #1 on the Billboard charts). There is already an Early Influence category, so the fact that she was nominated in the Performer category is baffling. Alas…she might get in, since she is the act that has waited the longest.
Link Wray – Eligible since 1983; Nominated in 2014 and 2018
I don’t about this one. While he has been an influence to guitar players since the 1950s…most people only know him from his 1958 instrumental hit “Rumble”.
The Zombies – Eligible since 1999; Nominated in 2014, 2017, and 2018
I think that they are going to have to wait a little longer.
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