Ah, my favorite time of the year. For us growing legions who follow the Rock Hall (there are now dozens of us! Dozens!), we wait in anticipation to see which artists will get nominated. And then, about ten weeks later, we’ll know who will get inducted…and then, we watch the ceremony unfold, with its manifold dramas, happy reunions, tributes, and performances. With now two Rock Hall podcasts operating, a growing blogging presence from Jason Voight and Nick Bambach, and many of the old crew of bloggers still doing their thing, I look forward to seeing who will make everyone’s list of predictions.
Here’s mine. Last year, we had 7 acts– each either very deserving or very well-known- get in. Genres that hadn’t had much success lately like 80s alternative (The Cure), and 80s & 90s R&B (Janet) and art rock (Roxy Music) broke on through to the other side. A good part of my thinking can be reduced to either “who is next in line?” or “who might the people who nominated those acts turn to next?”
I also realize I’m jumping the gun and posting a little early. There’s a good reason for this. While visiting family in Maine, my 7-months-pregnant wife began to complain of blurred vision and uncomfortable swelling. We checked into a hospital where she was diagnosed with severe pre-eclempsia that required an immediate emergency c-section. And so, little Alex Jr. was born at only 32 weeks. Mrs. Voltaire has been discharged and is doing fine, but it will take tiny Alex a while to get his little lungs developed in the NICU. He’ll make it, but my life is now slow, long, repetitive days in a hospital. I needed some distraction, and as often happens, I turned to the Rock Hall community as one venue of solace among many.
- Mötley Crüe: Currently in the lead at the Rock Hall’s kiosks where you can vote for who you want to see in the Hall of Fame. Def Leppard and Stevie Nicks took this route to nomination and induction, so I’ll go along with it until it isn’t predictive. This band has also enjoyed a year of big publicity, with The Dirt hitting Netflix. Yet their infamy is a liability (as infamy usually is). Mötley Crüe’s rap sheet, which includes battering women, foggy recollections of sexual assault, and racism directed at Sylvia Rhone will hurt them. Let the record show that for a number of reasons, I do not support their nomination. If Mötley Crüe’s talent for playing music was as great as their talent for almost killing themselves and others, then they would have been inducted a decade ago.
- Cher: The highest-ranked woman on the kiosks. Cher also had a good past 18 months, culminating in a Mama Mia sequel. Her long career continues to roll on, as an outspoken icon and sartorially daring performer on her eighth round of farewell touring. I can think of a great many women who should be inducted before Cher in terms of merit, talent, and influence, but I’m fine with the prospect of her getting in.
- Depeche Mode: The Cure busted down the doors of bleak 80s alternative big time last year. With two relatively recent nominations under their belt, Depeche Mode seems likely to be next in line– especially if the Hall understandably doesn’t want to deal with Morrissey’s bullshit. If the ballot isn’t overstuffed with 70s classic rockers, expect them to have an excellent chance of making it this year.
- Kraftwerk: Just a little German band that basically all subsequent electronic music (including Depeche Mode!) is heavily indebted to. They have been nominated five times.
- Rufus and Chaka Khan: If my guess is right, this ballot may be light on funkiness, making it likely that Chaka will get nominated with her old band. With Rufus or without, this is now the free space at the center of the bingo board.
- New York Dolls: Roxy Music is in! And rightly so. Maybe T-Rex, the other big 70s band that was a bigger deal in Britain than in the US might be next. But maybe, if we’re looking at glam androgyny, a punk direction is called for. And New York Dolls were nominated– but that was way back for the class of 2001, when the nominating committee had a markedly different lineup.
- The B-52s: Maybe there’s room for another avant-garde group on the ballot. Nick Bambach has done some great work on The B-52s’ prospects. They pioneered a daring, retro-future style and made rock and roll campy and fun again, like the 50s B-movies they sent up. With high-profile articles in New York Times and Rolling Stone in recent months, it’s easy to see enough people in the room agreeing to give the B-52s a turn. With two movies about gay rock musicians breaking box office records this year, The B-52s–four out of five of whom identified as LGBT–would also be timely.
- Eurythmics: The Rock Hall loves soulful vocals, and recent changes in the nominating committee reflect a friendliness toward MTV, VH1 and music videos. Can you pick a more 80s moment than Annie Lennox in a suit, with a pointer and a globe? They were nominated two years ago, and I don’t think it was a one-and-done affair.
- The Doobie Brothers: These guys have seen so many of their contemporaries get in, it’s almost embarrassing. They were and are major classic rock artists. I understand the Nom Com moving a step away from that after the Moody Blues/Dire Straits/Cars year, but the Doobies are one of the last bands from that genre that really does deserve to get in. They still tour, had plenty of hits in two distinct eras, and were one of the few racially integrated groups to have achieved that level of success. It’s also pretty easy to get an HBO-friendly reunion with Michael McDonald. Let’s see if signing with Irving Azoff paid dividends.
- Tommy James & the Shondells: Well, The Zombies finally got in! But the Nom Com is still filled with old guys reliving their sixties’ youth. According to Future Rock Legends, Tommy James has been previously considered, and it’s not hard to see Little Stevie, Paul Shaffer, and some of the others make a case for this band. A couple years ago, Miami Steve inducted James into the New Jersey Music Hall of Fame, for those of you keeping notes.
- Notorious B.I.G.: Look, I think LL Cool J is now one of the five most inexplicable snubs, but the voters aren’t having him. To avoid making the hip-hop backlog worse than it already is, Cool J may be iced in favor of first-year-eligible Biggie. I don’t especially like Biggie and I struggle to see why he was such an icon, but I doubt the Rolling Stone Industrial Complex sees it that way.
- A Tribe Called Quest: Who Cares About the Rock Hall did a bang-up job on this Native Tongues outfit and the continued relevance they have today. Possibly the most critically acclaimed hip-hop group ever, they could very well sneak on to the nominating list. Two rap acts have shared a ballot before, after all. With Janet Jackson in, Questlove gets to advocate for someone else, and his Mo Meta Blues is so generous in its praise of ATCQ, I have to think they are next in line.
- Big Mama Thornton: It went under the radar, but Holly George-Warren recently gave a presentation on this seminal blueswoman. She did “Hound Dog” before Elvis. She was with Johnny Ace when he died. She played the drums and harmonica! Warren wants to make “make a compelling case for Thornton’s place in the blues and R&B pantheon.” This might help her efforts. If Big Mama shows up, don’t be surprised if this culminates in an early-influence induction, a la Sister Rosetta.
- Weezer: In exceptional years, two FYE (that’s First Year Eligible) acts might show up. Think Green Day/Nine Inch Nails. Think Radiohead/Rage. Think Pearl Jam/2pac. Biggie/Weezer fits nicely into this pattern. With Weezer you have a band that had pretty impressive longevity, several indispensable songs anybody who was young in the 90s remembers, a couple iconic albums, and a deep influence on how indie developed. Oasis is eligible too, of course, but the Gallaghers rival only The Smiths as a nightmare reunion to manage. Remember, bassist Scott Shriner was involved in the 2018 ceremony, deputizing for Benjamin Orr during The Cars’ set.
- Richard Thompson: What list would be complete without a left-field choice? As previous years have shown, a long-shot act like John Prine or Los Lobos can appear without much warning. Rolling Stone has been touting Shoot out the Lights, recorded with his then-wife Linda as one of the iconic albums of the 80s whenever they gin up a “Greatest Albums” list to boost their sales. His stunning lyricism, deep mystical philosophy, his shimmering creativity, and his singular guitar work could very well commend him to the Rock Hall powers.
So, if I had to guess, I’d say Motley Crue, Cher, Doobies, Biggie, and Depeche Mode would get in, adding B-52s if six, and Eurythmics if seven. My five votes on the fan ballot would go to Kraftwerk, Eurythmics, Big Mama Thornton, A Tribe Called Quest, and The B-52s.
Alex, congrats on the birth of your son. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family that your son will be okay.
You make some interesting picks for the 202 ceremony. Question about Richard Thompson, do you think the Rock Hall will nominate him and Linda together to cover both of their solo careers and their collaborative efforts? I certainly think so.
Also, for Tommy James you left out that he was involved with the mob by the infamous Morris Levey. So notorious that Tommy James wrote about, and it is on the level of a Scorcese film.
I just read the autobiography- it would certainly make for a great film. I’d have no problem with Linda being co-nominated, but as you suggest, their careers weave in and out of each others- and as much as I’d like more women in the Hall, Richard had the superior oeuvre.
What about blink-182? They are in 2nd place at the Rock Hall and last year Def Leppard and Stevie Nicks were in 2nd and 1st place respectively.
the hall has gotten populist, but perhaps not that populist. You never know, but I think they haven’t gotten quite the body of work or the prestige in pop culture that nominators look for.
I think that out of your list of predictions for the 2020 Rock Hall nominees, I think that The B-52’s, Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Eurythmics and The Notorious B.I.G. will get in. As much as I love Cher and Motley Crue, I just can’t see either of them ever getting nominated (let alone being inducted) IMO.
I hope you are right, Richie. We’ll see how much pull those kiosks have.
If Cher were to be nominated, she would be a shoo-in for induction. She’s a total populist style of pick. A huge multi-media celebrity. *Everybody* knows her name, over multiple generational groups and can name a number of her songs, whether they were fan enough to buy her music or not. I’ve no idea why Richie would dismiss her so easily as uninductable.
She’s a bigger star attraction than Stevie Nicks due to her success across multi-media.
22 top 40 hits as a solo artist with a 33 year span between the first and the last, along with an additional 11 hits in her duo act with Sonny (Hall watchers will argue that those should be considered separately, but the reality is that most voters will likely still be considering those part of her overall resume for the HOF induction). So she has a deep catalog and an impressive length of popular recording relevance. She transcended genres and musical style evolutions.
She has deep industry connections in the entertainment industry from her recording success, her TV success, her motion picture success, and her touring success. She’s a reliable pro. She’s a huge personality. She would be great for ratings for the ceremony and she could attract a huge celebrity to induct her to double-down on that ratings draw. You could pick the modern diva of your liking, I think even Madonna would make herself readily available for Cher.
Shrek,
I know, but I think that there are other Divas who deserve induction into the Rock Hall more than Cher like Tina Turner, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. as well as other women like Pat Benatar, Carole King, Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, The Go-Go’s, Chaka Khan, Kate Bush and Bjork among others, so for that reason, I just don’t see Cher being nominated or inducted this year (let alone ever) IMO.
Alex-Iron Maiden has been Top 5 at the RRHOF voting for 2 years. They have a great chance. I like Bad Company because Paul Rodgers is 1 of the biggest musician snubs. He is a great singer, pianist, guitarist etc. I’m split between Diana Ross/Chaka Khan/Tina Turner. Tina’s around 80 years now and over in Switzerland. It seems that’s plenty of travel and red tape for her to arrive here. On your choices, I like Motley Crue a red-hot buzz this year. They also are logical after Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. I think it’s a few years early for Weezer but the Nom Com usually has a few surprises. EX: John Prine. I’ve been wondering why they haven’t inducted Willie Nelson yet. A slam dunk for me. Tommy James & The Shondells have missed my cut for a few years. I think Tommy James is plenty deserving when you look how many great artists covered his songs. Depeche Mode probably easiest choice this year. They check every box. 1980’s a great time for music. Longevity and of course the important Influence and Innovation. KING
Great reply 🙂
j Giles band should be in with the Doobie Brothers and Tommy James the rest give me a break two songs does not make a hof band Eurythmics:
It would help your commentator gravitas if you learned to spell the names of the bands that you advocate, as well as educate yourself on the actual accomplishments of groups you are evaluating. For instance, you criticize the guess of Eurythmics due to an insufficient number of important songs, but advocate for the J *Geils* Band. In fact both bands have exactly the same number of American top 40 hit songs. 9 each. Both have a single #1 hit. Eurythmics have two other top ten songs, J Geils has one other top 10 song. So Eurythmics has a minor advantage in hit recordings. J Geils has a bit better overall album resume with one multi-platinum album, one Platinum album, two gold studio albums and two gold live albums. Eurythmics has two Platinum studio albums, a multiplatinum Greatest hits compilation, and two gold studio albums. Both have been nominated in recent years, so a prognosticator guess for one or the other or for both to be nominated can not logically be dismissed; there is obviously appetite for both on the nominating board (and so far, not enough appetite for either one with the HOF main voting block).
Still hoping The Go-Go’s get a shot. And would be nice to see Labelle on the ballot.
It would indeed! I keep hoping we’ll see Lauper or Go-Gos or Pat Benatar, but it keeps never happening.
The Go-gos have a Showtime documentary coming out later this year. Add that to the Broadway show they had last year, and it seems like their time is now if it is ever going to happen.
All my best to your tiny little young one Alex. And to you and your wife in what must be an anxious time, waiting for your baby to be ready to bring home. I have to say, I’m having the hardest time ever settling on a list of predictions this year. It just seems like there are so many competing currents of pressure competing for attention at the HOF, and this year I just don’t have a real feeling in my gut as to which ones may be likely to win out. Every list I make just looks wrong to me. If yours were to turn out to be right; I’m not sure yours looks right either, but it would be an interesting ballot – a bit of something for virtually everybody to root for but also an overall slate that is not that likely to totally please anybody.
No hating on Weezer, but Beck operates in almost the same stylistic field, but he is so much more influential… lets swing some momentum in Beck’s direction!
I was a little surprised Beck didn’t get a nomination his first year eligible.
Firstly, all the best to your Family and congratulations! Some great choices, as usual. I’m still wondering if Duran Duran can get the fan vote-methinks they can! I would sooner go with Pat Benatar or Cyndi Lauper than Cher. My guesses for 2020 nominations are: Big Mama Thornton (early influence), Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Todd Rundgren, The B-52’s, Doobie Brothers, Kraftwerk, Chaka Khan/Rufus, Tommy James & The Shondells, Judas Priest, Notorious B.I.G. & War. thanks, K-Tell
No problems for me if that’s the ballot. I think Duran Duran will get in by a few year’s time one way or another. I just think Duran Duran and Depeche Mode the same year is a bit too “matchy-matchy”.
I’m pondering…..hope Alex Jr. is doing well!
he is! Got off his ventilator this week, and didn’t need surgery we scheduled in Portland. For us, those are big wins.
Alex,
I think that out of your picks for the 2020 Rock Hall nominees, I think that the following acts would get inducted:
The B-52’s
Depeche Mode
The Doobie Brothers
Eurythmics
The Notorious B.I.G.
As much as I love Cher and Motley Crue, I just don’t think that either of them is deserving of a Rock Hall induction, so because of that, I just don’t see either of them ever getting nominated (let alone being inducted).
What do you think?.
I agree that Motley Crue isn’t a sure thing, but if they are nominated, they’re probably winning the fan vote, and I’ll believe the fan vote winner doesn’t get in when I see it! Cher, though, I need to disagree more fully– her love within a very insular music industry is profound, deep, and generations-spanning. If she’s on the ballot, I’d strongly bet on her getting in.
Alex,
My predictions for the 2020 Rock Hall nominees are:
1.) Depeche Mode (The Cure finally broke the 80’s alternative logjam last year, so expect either Depeche Mode or The Smiths to reappear on the ballot this year, I’m going with the former because they had more hits worldwide and similar acclaim)
2.) Devo (They did pretty well in the fan vote last year and this year’s ceremony is back in Cleveland, so expect one of the biggest acts to ever come from Ohio to return for a second consecutive nomination)
3.) The Doobie Brothers (One of the biggest snubs left from the Classic Rock era by far, plus they have Irving Azoff as their manager and Irving helped Journey, Bon Jovi and Stevie Nicks (solo) to all get nominated and inducted in the last three years, so expect The Doobies to finally get their first nomination and I expect that they’ll top the fan vote if nominated)
4.) Eurythmics (They were surprisingly weren’t nominated last year after being nominated in 2018, but with The Cure finally kicking down the door for 80’s Alternative/New Wave acts, I expect that they’ll reappear on the ballot again this year)
5.) Jane’s Addiction (They were nominated back in 2017 and could reappear once again on the ballot, Plus, Dave Grohl lobbied for them and will probably continue to do so)
6.) Jethro Tull (Easily the biggest snub of all the remaining Prog acts, Plus, they’re also one of the biggest snubs left from the Classic Rock era by far, I really think that they’ll finally get their first nomination this year and get in right away as well)
7.) Judas Priest (Most are picking Motley Crue for this spot because of the success of their Netflix flim biopic The Dirt and their performance in the Voice Your Choice poll at the museum, I don’t see it, I think that their rap sheet will hurt them, so I think that their unpalatable past will keep them out for now, so instead I’m going with Judas Priest, They did poorly on the voting tally when they were nominated for the 2018 class, so that’s why they didn’t get nominated again last year, but this year marks Priest’s 50th anniversary and they have the support of nominating committee member Tom Morello, so I think that they’ll return this year for a second nomination)
8.) Kraftwerk (Easily the biggest snub of the Hall by far, but voters are hesitant to honor electronic music, so I think that it’s more likely that acts like Depeche Mode, Eurythmics and Nine Inch Nails get inducted before them, but I think they’ll keep putting Kraftwerk on the ballot until they get in, They have been nominated five times now including last year, so I expect them to get their sixth nomination this year)
9.) MC5 (they finished dead last in the fan vote last year, so their time might be up, but they have the support of nominating committee member Tom Morello and they have been nominated four times previously, so I think that they’ll return for one final nomination this year)
10.) Nine Inch Nails (they have shockingly haven’t been nominated the last three years despite being nominated the first two years that they were eligible, but with Trent Reznor inducting The Cure last year and this year’s ceremony back in Cleveland, I expect that they’ll return for a third nomination)
11.) The Notorious B.I.G. (Look, I love LL Cool J and I really think that he should get in soon, but he has failed five times now and it’s likely that they will take a break from nominating him for a few years because of bigger Rap names becoming eligible the next three years (Biggie, Jay-Z and Eminem) and Biggie is the only artist that is newly eligible this year that I can see getting nominated and inducted first ballot, and if Tupac can get nominated and inducted first ballot, so can Biggie, I think that Biggie will be the only act that’s newly eligible this year that will get a nomination this year)
12.) Rage Against The Machine (They have been nominated the first two years they have been eligible, so it’s likely that they will return for a third straight nomination this year)
13.) Rufus With Chaka Khan (Chaka has been nominated five times now (twice solo and three with Rufus), Plus, she and Rufus have the support of nominating committee member Questlove, so I think that they’ll appear on the ballot once again this year)
14.) Todd Rundgren (A lot of people were shocked when he wasn’t one of last year’s inductees (he finished 3rd in the fan vote last year and was the only one to finish in the top five of the fan vote to not get inducted), His salty attitude towards the Rock Hall might hurt him, but I think that he will return again this year for a second straight nomination)
15.) War (They have been nominated three times now (all when the ceremony’s in Cleveland that year), so I think that they will return to the ballot this year after a few years absence and they will get their fourth nomination this year)
Out of my picks for the 2020 nominees, I think that the following acts would get inducted (if there are seven inductees again this year):
1.) Depeche Mode (I think that The Cure getting in last year has helped them big time, so I think that the third time will be the charm for them this year if nominated)
2.) The Doobie Brothers (They would easily win the fan vote and they have Irving Azoff as their manager, so I expect them to sail in right away on their first try if nominated this year)
3.) Eurythmics (They faced a tough ballot going up against Classic Rock acts when they were nominated in 2018, but The Cure getting in last year has also helped them, so I think that they’ll be the female representative this year with Annie Lennox if nominated and I think that they’ll get in on their second try if nominated this year)
4.) Jethro Tull (A lot of Classic Rock acts have gotten nominated and inducted on their first try this past decade like Genesis, Rush, Cheap Trick, Chicago, Steve Miller, Electric Light Orchestra, Journey, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues and Def Leppard, so I expect that like I mentioned earlier with The Doobie Brothers, I also expect them to sail in right away on their first try if nominated this year)
5.) Nine Inch Nails (with Nirvana, Green Day, Pearl Jam and Radiohead now in, plus the ceremony’s back in Cleveland (Trent Reznor’s hometown) this year, they will be the next act from the 90’s to get in and like I mentioned earlier with Depeche Mode, I think that the third time will be the charm for them if nominated)
6.) The Notorious B.I.G. (I think that he will not only be the next Rap/Hip-Hop act to get inducted, but also, the next act to get in first ballot, I really think he will get in this year on his first year eligible)
7.) Todd Rundgren (Out of all of the returning nominees that didn’t get in who I’m predicting to get nominated again this year, I think that Todd has the best chance of getting inducted and I think that he will get in on his second try if nominated again this year)
That is my predictions for the nominees and inductees for the Rock Hall this year coming up, We should be hearing about the nominees sometime in early October, and I’m so excited and can’t wait to see who gets nominated this year.
What do you think?.
[…] Jason’s Rock Hall blog, Iconic Rock Talk Show, Troy Smith’s work, Charles Crossley, my own predictions, and two lists made by frequent posters commenting on said prediction, Alec Reyna and Richie. If I […]