Rock and Roll Hall Fame Class of 2020 is...

While John Peel, Kraftwerk, and the Pixies should have all been in years ago, Frank Sinatra does not deserve consideration. While he helped to pioneer the use of the microphone and the establishment of the album, his views were hostile to rock ‘n’ roll, both musically and ethically.

I’m paraphrasing, but ultimately Sinatra depicted rock ‘n’ roll at its nascence as brutal, imbecilic, vicious, rancid, and phony. He was certainly entitled to his opinion, but perspectives such as these only further widened the generation gap at the time. Suffice to say, Frank Sinatra’s views and ethos were not pro-rock ‘n’ roll nor his art
rock ‘n’ roll.

Fans of rock music may like Sinatra, but that doesn’t make Sinatra worthy of the rock ‘n’ roll pantheon.

Regrets—I’ve had a few,

Bill

 

Your musical preferences don't dictate who is deserving of the RnR HOF.

 

I’m glad you’re paraphrasing because ultimately I don’t believe he said such a thing, certainly not using such terms. There was reportedly a French-language magazine article from 1957 with a Sinatra quote along those lines, but I’ve never found a copy in print. Take your pick: poor translation, fake news, or myth?

I don’t think Frank Sinatra necessarily belongs in the RnR HOF, but that’s not based on the quoted nastiness. Certainly, Sinatra held a different opinion when he covered Elvis, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and other rock artists in later years. (Not to mention his own daughter.)

 

Your post inspired me to read the roasting Rolling Stone gave Grand Funk in 1971:

Grand Funk Railroad: Is This Band Terrible?

Brutal. And prescient.

 

You could put Pink Floyd and Radiohead in the top ten of Stretching Rock 'n' Roll to the Point of Unrecognizability.

That's as nonsensical as asking what are Creedence Clearwater Revival's defining music videos relative to Van Halen. Sam Cooke excelled in an era defined by the hit single and was dead years before the album became preeminent.

 

How many times have I had to post this: Soul is under the umbrella of rock 'n' roll. Time-Life's ten volume History of Rock 'n' Roll video series devoted one entire volume to soul.

 

Doo-wop has more to do with fifties and early sixties rock 'n' roll than heavy metal or progressive rock does, but I don't imagine you want to kick metal and prog artists out of the rock 'n' roll hall of fame.

 

Particularly idiotic given that the idea was to induct singles by artists not (yet) in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and then they inducted "Twist and Shout" by 1992 inductees The Isley Brothers.

 

It is not sacrilege to induct Madonna but not Frank Sinatra. Madonna's music has much more to do with rock 'n' roll than Frank Sinatra's does. Frank Sinatra stuck with pre-rock 'n' roll styles of music. The roots of Madonna's dance pop are rock 'n' roll.

 

Some of us were.

 

Who gets into the HOF doesn't depend on a) who you like and/or b) who's "aging badly".

I loathe the Doors and think their music's aged poorly, but not for one minute would I argue they didn't belong in the HOF. They deserved to be in 1st ballot.

Madonna's one of the most successful female performers ever, and Janet had a huge career. Only argument against them is the tired "they don't rawk, man!"

You didn't separate Sisters and Ravi into "influences", which is more logical than "performers". Think Sisters are a stretch even there, though - not sure what influence they had on rock.

And I don't think Ravi's influence is that substantial either. Yeah, he influenced Harrison, who added some Indian flavor to songs, and that spread a bit, but it's not like Indian-influenced rock was ever a big thing...

 

Yeah, I'm happy about that one. NIN were successful and influential and continue to be popular - not sure why it took THIS long!

 

So Mozart should be in the Rock Hall because you listened to his music... but Madonna shouldn't because you didn't play her "back in the day".



When did they change it to the "What Frangelico Likes HOF"?

 

Never advocated for the "kicking out" of any doo wop groups. That quoted post of mine was one in a series of posts. You need to read ALL my posts in context and not cherry pick one post or you misinform.

 

Exactly. All the "non-rock" artists who've been inducted have a connection to rock 'n' roll, but artists like Sinatra don't.

It's not that hard to understand!

 

I dont think the attractions, heartbreakers were inducted separately.
Half of the groups in there already have nothing to do with Rock and Roll, nor they very infulential.
EStreet apart from Springsteen are irrelevant.

 

She came along AFTER Bruce jumped the shark.

 

Lmfao. Congrats, you already won the most ridiculous post of the year award. E Street Band at its peak was the most dynamic kick a$$ Rock n Roll Live Band in rock history.Sorry you missed out. And Springsteen is a member of the E Street Band. It's his band, he's in it. Out of the millions and millions of performers and musicians that have performed in the rock and roll era, 719 are in the HOF. I don't think it's too big a stretch to induct and recognize the great E Street Band just as the Heartbreakers, Attractions, Crickets, Impressions etc etc were inducted and recognized, whether seperately or not. The HOF screwed up by not inducting them together, so they corrected that mistake accordingly.

 

Trent is still influential, and beyond successful with all the soundtracks he has been putting together.
NIN just released a trilogy of EPs and a new full album is expected this year.

I have to admit, NIN/Trent is just not the same with Atticus Ross involved though.

 

Agreed, people need to get off albums as the ultimate measuring stick. Geez, albums weren't important at all during rock and roll's early years.

 

How did I get quoted for that? I didn't say it!

 

These threads always turn into a big pissing match.
Can't we just keep it on the topic of the 2020 inductees, and leave all the shoulds woulds and coulds for a different thread?

 

They inducted a number of backing bands to correct the injustice of not inducting them initially along with their more famous frontmen. The E Street Band, The Comets, The Blue Caps, etc.

 

Madonna is one of only two female solo artists in the history of the Hall of Fame to get inducted in her first year of eligibility. The other is Janis Joplin. She breathes rarefied air.

But an essential part of Madonna’s legacy is also a big part of what blinds people to it: the right people didn’t listen to her, so they still believe, to this day, that she doesn’t matter. Madonna became the biggest female artist in the history of recorded music without their blessing, and opened the doors for countless other women to do the same. They’re still having arguments over who they’ll let in the gates, completely oblivious that the gates are gone.

 

That was me, not Oatsdad.