Does Ringo Starr Belong in the R-N-R Hall of Fame?

Hits and sales is not part of the induction criteria.

https://rockhall.com/inductees/induction-process/

 

Ringo is John Wayne, and this is for True Grit. Even if everyone knows it's really for those John Ford films he did.

 

If we only take post Beatles into consideration then honestly I don't know how Paul could go in that way either. John and George I think would be solidly in though.

 

Huh?

 

John got in because he was dead
George got in because he was dead
Paul got in because of the success of his solo career
Ringo got in because of fame, charisma, being an ex-Beatle, having a solo career that was a big success for a few years and has been very long lasting and prolific both live and in the studio, and the other 3 being in.

I have no idea how plenty of other folks got in there, particularly rap artists and other non rock musicians.

 

Put me down in the "no, but who even cares?" column.

There are numerous reasons why the Hall of Fame is just a sham anyway, and nobody should aspire to be in it. The Sex Pistols' response was the most gracious of all, and got to the heart of the matter fast.

So, let's get the illegitimacy of the Hall out of the way first. It has always been largely Jann Wenner's personal playroom: a club for his friends or those he supplicates. It is also a very Catholic reading of rock and roll history that is as much bogus as it is boring. Obviously, rock and roll as a cultural artifact had little to for with museums and pillars and statues and pedestals and things like that. It is also a Hall that has paid scant attention to real achievers who deserve a little recognition for their huge contributions to rock as an art form, and a lot of attention on mediocrities who sold a lot of records. Even at the height of their popularity, I never heard anyone claim that Heart was a great band or that they were anyone's favorite or anything like that, if Wenner was stung by the criticism of so few women in the Hall (and there has been criticism), why not Fairport Convention, a far more influential band with a better critical reputation? Not so many sales, that's why. ABBA was almost the antithesis of rock just as surely as disco was, but they sold more records than god. Speaking of god, if Eric Clapton's solo career gets him in, why doesn't JJ Cale's? Are artists who hit their peak in 1970 and are washed up by 1975 really worthy of Hall of Fame inclusion? So, the Hall is kind of a stupid concept with a lot of bogus inclusions. Eventually, it will get around to Journey and Def Leppard and Starship and Nickelback; as long as you had a platinum record, you'll get in sooner or later.

Now, let's address Ringo. Even by the Hall's standards or lack of same, Ringo's inclusion is particularly anomalous. He was a fine drummer, but not the best who ever lived, maybe not even the best in Liverpool. His solo career sales-wise is poorer than almost any of the 60's-and-onward rock acts already in; two top-ten albums is beaten by almost every name on the list, and he could barely crack the top-100 again after that. His overall critical reputation, including with Rolling Stone, was tepid at best, Ringo or no Ringo. Nobody has ever gone on record as saying their music is inspired by Ringo's solo albums, so as a solo act, he was not influential. Classic rock stations seldom-to-never play his hits or new songs. I'm tempted to call Ringo a poor man's Robert Palmer, minus the voice and good looks, which doesn't feel very Hall-worthy to me. Or a budget-priced Seals and Crofts minus the mysticism and harmonies but with longer staying power, kind of. But even those guys still get played more often on the radio.

Not to mention, there has been no precedence for any band to have all of its members also included as solo musicians. One could say the Fabs are fab and gear and special that way, but I don't think they are special enough to make Ringo's dreary solo career noteworthy. It cheapens them to some slight degree, in fact.

So why would it happen? Methinks Wenner and his cronies want to see Ringo as a guest at future Hall of Fame galas because it makes them look good. So they butter him up with baubles and accolades, and hope for the best.

 

Methinks it's time for a "Ringo RNR Hall Of Fame Appreciation" thread.

 

ringo is in with the beatles. thats good enough. 5 guys who should be in the hall in some form because of the great work they have been involved in.

michael schenker
leslie west
richie blackmore
greg lake
rob halford

with all of the projects those guys have done how none f them are represented in the hall at all is shocking

 

Is Ringo not the most FAMOUS , as well as richest, drummer that ever lived?

 

how much of his fame has anything to do with anything he did on a drumkit?

 

You're right. He made all that money and fame as an actor.

 

You kind of have a point there. It is the Hall of FAME, not the Hall of I Really Liked His Solo Career. He is famous. I'll give him that. Didn't like his solo career so much...

 

no he made all of his money being known as the guy who played drums for the beatles. thats totally different from guys like terry bozzio, cozy powell, carl palmer, etc who actually made their money playing the drums and playing them well

 

Sad Chicago's not getting in. Getting in the RRHOF is probably going to take so long the only people that are going to be left are Lee Loughnane and Terry Kath's great-granddaughter rolling him onstage.

 

Honestly, it is not "shocking" at all that some of those names are not in the Hall.

Michael Schenker? He couldn't even get nominated, c'mon. Let's be realistic.
Leslie West? Minor figure (with a pretty major figure actually!)
Richie Blackmore? I love Deep Purple but he sure ain't getting in for what he's been doing since!
Greg Lake? No way.
Rob Halford? Do you mean for Priest or are you talking about his solo HALFORD band and that thing he did with Trent Reznor? You must know that not a lot of metal artists get in the Hall, so I think this one is a reach.

DISCLAIMER: Please read everything I wrote above knowing that I think the whole concept of the Hall is a joke and that it is a meaningless honour except for the old blue, R&B, soul and rock 'n' roll performers who can maybe get a little more exposure. I refuse to feel sorry for millionaires who tour arenas around the world for screaming fans that they are so hard done by that they didn't get asked to join this stupid little club.

 

Everyone seems to have missed the fact that Ringo is receiving the special "Award for Musical Excellence" .

..he's certainly well-qualified for it.



read more here:
https://rockhall.com/inductees/ringo-starr/
https://rockhall.com/inductees/induction-process/

 

this was just a list of 5 guys who are hugely influential to rock yet aren't in for any of the bands they have been in

-Michael Schenker? He couldn't even get nominated, c'mon. Let's be realistic. (should be in with UFO or the scorpions. are you saying neither of those bands should ever be in? influenced tons of guitar playes including kirk from metallica who is in the HOF already)
-Leslie West? Minor figure (with a pretty major figure actually!) (should be in with mountain. played at woodstock. influnced zakk wylde and eddie van halen to name two guys. was also in west, bruce, laing)
-Richie Blackmore? I love Deep Purple but he sure ain't getting in for what he's been doing since! (should be in with deep purple or rainbow. hugely influential player)
-Greg Lake? No way. (should be in with king crimson or emerson lake and palmer)
-Rob Halford? Do you mean for Priest or are you talking about his solo HALFORD band and that thing he did with Trent Reznor? You must know that not a lot of metal artists get in the Hall, so I think this one is a reach. (should be in with judas priest. the man is the metal god. maybe the most influential hard rock/metal singer since robert plant)

in the end this just shines a light on a few important people in rock, 3 of the people names were in more than 1 influential band, yet aren't in the hall at all yet ringo gets more recognition from the hall as as solo artist after getting in with the beatles

 

he's not being inducted as a solo artist performer...read post above ^

 

Radio.com said, "The Award for Musical Excellence is decided on by a committee, and has gone to Leon Russell and Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band in recent years." If we must have a R&R HOF, or any HOF for that matter, this type of special ruling will eventuate. I don't know if Ringo's solo career passes the test, but that's not exactly what the award is for.

 

yes they can't get him in as a solo artist so they need a way to praise the last member of the beatles who isn't in as a solo artist .this award should have gone to someone who isn't in the hall already but has done a lot to contribute to rock music. they could have given this to johnny winter or keith emerson or cozy powell or todd rundgren or richie blackmore or jim steinman or steve lukather but nope they give it to ringo. everyone already knows his impact on the music by being a member of the beatles

 

Jim Steinman??? Hahahaha!

 

he has composed more hits and produced more albums then ringo has in the last 30+ years. he has written and produced hits for 7 or 8 different artists in the last 30 years. thats an impact. what did ringo do since 1977 worth noting?

 

It's a show. Having half of the Beatles there doing a couple of songs means a lot more in terms of tickets/viewers than they are going to get with the likes of Jim Steinman. It's really as simple as that.

 

Only on this board could Ringo get more than zero votes, no offense to Ringo. Peace and love!