5 Rock Hall 'snubs' that will (probably) never be inducted

[tater1977]

5 Rock Hall 'snubs' that will (probably) never be inducted

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/ ... e_5_s.html

By Troy L. Smith, Northeast Ohio Media Group
September 09, 2015

CLEVELAND, Ohio – This year's nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are due within the next two months. And you could make a case for more than 50 acts that have been snubbed over the past two decades.

Some of those acts have come close making it in, while others have received very little consideration. The following are five artists that probably should make their way into the museum at some point, but are more likely doomed to miss out over and over again:

Yes

Why they should get in: Yes is clearly one of the biggest and best progressive rock bands of all-time, having taken such a complex and technical brand of musicianship and made it popular, a la Rush.

Why they won't: Yes has been eligible for two decades, but nominated just once. One of the biggest arguments fans make for Yes is how popular the band is. But a better way to approach an act like Yes is to see how its influence has affected those who aren't die-hards. In that sense, Yes falls short of inductees like Genesis and Rush, whose music has made more of a cultural impact.

Chicago

Why they should get in: Chicago is one of the more underrated bands in music history. The group became one of the biggest acts of the 1970s and 1980s while maintaining a high level of musicianship.

Why they won't: Chicago's shift from jazz fusion to pop later in its career hurt the group's reputation among music snobs and (apparently) Rock Hall voters. Of course, the band wasn't the only act to shift into pop territory during the 1980s (See: Rock Hall inductee Heart). But Chicago has been eligible for 20 years and has yet to be nominated.

Journey

Why they should get in: Journey is one of the biggest rock bands of all-time, with some of the more timeless anthems of the last 30 years. Journey has sold nearly 50 million albums in the U.S. alone, making it one of the 30 best-selling bands ever.

Why they won't: There are several arena rock acts that peaked during the 1980s and are not in the Rock Hall. There's a stigma attached to the era that has kept artists like Def Leppard, Boston, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and Journey on the sidelines. Despite fan support, Journey seems like the least likely of those acts ever to get in.

Bad Company

Why they should get in: Few bands have embodied the spirit of stadium rock better than Bad Company, one of the first supergroups to live up to that label. The band, featuring members of Free, King Crimson and Mott the Hoople, scored two No.1 albums on the Billboard charts.

Why they won't: It's not surprising Bad Company hasn't been nominated for the Rock Hall, considering the members' previous bands have also received minimal consideration. Like Journey, Bad Company's music, while popular, has been unfairly thrown into the bar-band sing-a-long heap.

Eric B. & Rakim

Why they should get in: Unlike some of the other acts on this list, Eric B. & Rakim have been nominated for induction into the Rock Hall (in 2011), mainly on the strength of Rakim. The emcee's influence can be found in virtually every major rap act – Nas, Jay Z, Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, etc. – of the 1990s/2000s.

Why they won't: The duo never reached the mainstream heights of other hip-hop acts on the list of Rock Hall snubs like LL Cool J and N.W.A. There will soon be a logjam of rappers up for induction over the next few years which includes 2pac, Biggie and several others.

[perryfan61]

I know there is a "stigma" attached to that era, but as a music lover, I don't know why. Is it because they were perceived as" selling out" to achieve success? Well, if they weren't successful, no one would know their music, so what would that accomplish!

The snobs that run that place have their own agenda. The bands mentioned were, and still are, very popular and successful.... Kind of the point, one would think, of being a musician. Apparently that is not allowed, which is what I don't understand.

[jrny84]

There's no excuse or reason for Journey or Chicago to not be in the hall of fame. Its just absolutely ridiculous. They are two of the most successful American rock bands of all time. Journey is one of the best selling rock bands out there, pretty much inventing the power ballad. Chicago invented a unique sound with their rock/pop music being centered around the horn section. I have read that Peter Cetera hates Rolling Stone and there is bad blood between the two. Here's some info/stats on why I think they should both be in the hall.

Chicago 1967-present
-What other band has been around this long, is still a decent concert draw, and has had as much success?
-From 1972-1975, they had 5 straight #1 albums
-Only second to the Beach Boys, in terms of charted singles and albums
-21 top ten singles
-20 top 40 albums
-Sold 40 million in the states, 100+ million worldwide
-Have had a charted single in every decade from 1960-00s
-At one time had three singers all with charted billboard singles
-Among the top 40 best selling artists (#38)

Journey 1973-present
-After losing their legendary lead singer, have reached a second wind, and still sell out arenas. Consistently in the top 40 concert boxscores
-18 top 40 singles
-Seven straight multi-platinum albums from 1978-88
-11 top 40 albums
-Two diamond albums (10 million plus sold) with Escape-10 million and GH 15+ million
-Sold nearly 50 million albums in the US and 90 million worldwide.
-Among the top 40 best selling artists of all time (#28)
-Most downloaded catalogue track in history
-Grammy nomination
-Massively successful stadium tours from 1982-83, including appearances at the Rose Bowl, Astrodome, Cotton Bowl, and JFK Stadium
-One of the first bands to use computerized lighting, TV screens, and elaborate stage designs.

[TageRyche]

Yes, Bad Company is definitely a huge snub.

[FamilyMan]

What's the one thing each of these bands have in common? They all went the route of replacement lead singers. HOF not a fan of this practice.

[slucero]

KISS got in after Tom Morelo was made a part of the nominating committee and tore the old farts on the committee new assholes...

Journey has no advocate like Tom Morelo on the HOF nominating committee.. and as long as Jan Wenner is in anyway running the HOF.. Journey won't be considered..

[Pacfanweb]

What's the one thing each of these bands have in common? They all went the route of replacement lead singers. HOF not a fan of this practice.

Yet they inducted Van Halen...including Sammy Hagar.

Guess there was just no keeping that band out. It was just too strong, for too long.

[TotoFan77]

They inducted Van Halen AFTER they got their original singer back though.

[rsimpson]

They inducted Van Halen AFTER they got their original singer back though.

Bad Company has their original singer back.

[DracIsBack]

Chicago and Yes were just nominated. There's hope for other wrongs to be corrected.