Top Ten Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers (for 2015)

Another year of Rock n Roll Hall Of Famers have been inducted and as in the past few years there was a fair amount of drama revolving around one of the inductions (Kiss this year, Guns n Roses last year) and amazingly the drama DID NOT involve Courtney Love.

So, now the speculation begins. Who’s going to get in on the next round? We have a ton of eligible bands and artists but who’s really deserving of going in? Well, I stand by last years list as my top two bands (Nirvana and KISS) got in so I’m feeling kind of lucky. But like the last two times I’ve done this, I’ve got some rules and regulations.

Number 1: We are only looking at musical acts this round, no producers, managers, etc. We’ll tackle them in another list.

Number 2: Anyone who has declined their nomination is not eligible for this list mainly because according to the Hall’s official website, they are inducted anyways (The Sex Pistols and Axel Rose).

Number 3: We are going with the HoF’s rules in terms of eligibility. But bear with me as my math can sometimes be suspect but I’ve done my best.

Now these are in no particular order:

10) The Smiths

As I’ve stated in the past, I think the main issue here is their fame in the US is not as great as in the UK where they influenced a metric ton of bands and genres but that doesn’t mean they are any less deserving.

9) Soundgarden

Since Nirvana has opened the doors to the grunge movement, Soundgarden makes more sense then ever to go in. They are the bridge between hard rock / metal and grunge.

8) Kraftwerk

Innovators of electronic music and quite frankly, don’t you want to see these guys as an awkward part of the induction concert jam?

7) The MC5

Another band that amazes me aren’t in the Hall of Fame yet. A direct forerunner of punk, they never sold much but they were important. Just ask Hall of Famers Iggy and the Stooges.

6) N.W.A.

N.W.A. have gone on to influence so many hip hop artists that came after them, they should be an automatic shoe in next year. They brought a new style and sound to hip hop.

5) Gram Parsons

Introduced the world to the idea of country rock and influenced everyone from The Stones to Wilco.

4) Deep Purple

Much like Kiss, there has been outcry due to the fact that Deep Purple has yet to be recognized. They are part of the beginnings of metal and earned their spot a long time ago.

3) Blag Flag

One of the most important bands in punk history, they helped bring about the hardcore genre.

2) Joy Division / New Order

I’m not certain you can honestly just induct one band here because they are so interwoven and so influential for separate reasons. Joy Division influenced goth, industrial, pop and rock bands while New Order brought dance and house music to both rock and the masses. And hey maybe we could get a reunion between the band and Peter Hook for one brief moment… yeah right, this is also going to full fill your drama quota for the awards.

1) “Weird” Al Yankovic

I will not give up on this crusade and I said it best a few years ago. Weird Al is a “novelty” act right? A “novelty” act that has been making hit albums for 30 years. Yes, a large portion of his catalogue is made up of the music made by others with re-written lyrics but how is that any different from a number of the Motown acts that are in the Hall? And to be fair, Al is a pretty solid comedic song writer, Devo has stated that Dare To Be Stupid is the best Devo song ever written despite the fact it’s not an actual Devo song. His parodies are often seen as a rite of passage in the music industry. You’ve made it if Al has covered you. Doesn’t all of this earn him a slot?

Now as always, I want to hear from you guys. Follow the rules above and list your Hall of Fame suggestions below.