2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominee Predictions
I took the photo above when I attended the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Barclays Center last March. It was an absolutely thrilling experience and I can say that I had finally attended a Rock Hall ceremony. Part of the motivation to attend the ceremony was that the class was so stacked and featured many artists that I felt were long overdue for induction. In particular, The Cure, Roxy Music, Radiohead, and Janet Jackson were some of my biggest personal snubs and I’m happy they finally got their due. I firmly believe 2019 had one of the strongest classes in recent memory. It was so fantastic that it makes me quite nervous to see where the Rock Hall goes from there.
I’m hopeful that the inductions of The Cure, Roxy Music, and Radiohead will open the floodgates for alternative rock artists to be seriously considered by the larger voting body. The populist push of the past decade allowed once critically-lampooned yet highly successful Classic Rock artists get on the ballots and swiftly inducted. The 2019 ballot featured fewer Classic Rock artists and led to a diverse class that cleared some of the biggest Hall snubs in one fell swoop. But, as always, there’s still a ton of artists vying for so few spots and continually get overlooked. My hope is that the Rock Hall takes a cue from the 2019 class and decides to induct more artists each year.
About two months ago, I started an online campaign to get music writer and scholar Evelyn McDonnell on the Rock Hall’s Nominating Committee. Although she has been a successful music writer for over 3 decades, she wrote a piece on the lack of female representation in the Rock Hall that resonated with many Rock Hall watchers. Some powerful and thought-provoking arguments by one of the sharpest writers in her field. She is currently a voter in the larger voting body, but I don’t think that’s enough and she deserves serious consideration as member of the Nominating Committee. In that piece, McDonnell calls for an all-female ballot for the 2020 class (which I do not think will happen, but it’s something worth pondering). She, like many commenters over the years, has routinely and rightfully criticized the Rock Hall for not including more women in their induction classes. Janet Jackson used her induction speech as a platform to support gender equality in the Hall and her were them to “induct more women.” They should follow Ms. Jackson’s cue and do the right thing. Hopefully my campaign helps McDonnell get a rightful seat at the Nominating Committee meeting next month and the Rock Hall takes more serious action to combat the issue of gender imbalance. And once again, thank you to my readers and followers who signed and shared the petition. Your support means the world to me and hopefully the Rock Hall becomes more gender inclusive in the near future.
For this year’s predictions, I placed an emphasis on performers who still actively tour, release new music and/or are the subjects of books, articles, films, etc. Basically, artists who still have some sort of relevance in our culture. There are some artists who have passed on, but should be honored nevertheless. I tried to include more women in my predictions and pick artists that I think would have a viable shot for induction. Finally, I included a lot of artists who have never been nominated on an official ballot and that is a very risky move for any predictions list. But oh well, here goes nothing...here’s my predictions for the 2020 Rock Hall nominees:
The B-52’s (Eligible Since 2004; Never Nominated): I’ve written extensively about The B-52’s’ Rock Hall candidacy earlier this summer and they are probably the sole artist in my “Rock Hall Contenders” series so far that I feel could appear on the official 2020 ballot. A lot of articles and stories have been written in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian about The B-52’s’ importance in popular culture. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of their self-titled debut album and currently on tour with Berlin and O.M.D., the time is now to honor one of the most experimental, entertaining, and forward-thinking bands in contemporary music.
Cher (Eligible Since 1990; Never Nominated): There are very few artists with a mononymous name as famous as Cher. For more than half-century, she has entertained audiences worldwide with appearances in film, television, theatre, and of course music. Although I agree with Alex Voltaire that there’s tons of women who I’d rather see inducted before Cher, she has one key characteristic vital to her legacy: she’s an iconoclastic willing to reinvent herself to ensure relevancy. Longevity is also a huge advantage for Cher’s Rock Hall candidacy. She’s one of pop culture’s great chameleons and one of the very few rock performers (besides maybe Santana?) to have hit songs (#1s no less) in 4 different decades. Part of the reason why I chose Cher is that her name appears in the Top 8 of the Rock Hall’s Fan Kiosk at the Museum. Beyond Iron Maiden and maybe Weezer, I don’t really see the merits of Blink-182, Styx, and Freddie Mercury as a solo artist (please, don’t get me started on the sheer stupidity of the fans voting for Mercury simply because that Bohemian Rhapsody biopic). Cher is the only woman listed amongst the top names on the kiosk and beyond Motley Crue, the only other name I can see on the final ballot. And even if you’re not a fan of Cher’s music (I’m not), she’s definitely long overdue.
Depeche Mode (Eligible Since 2006; Nominated in 2017 & 2018): The Cure’s 2019 induction is a watershed moment for Alternative/Post-Punk artists in the Rock Hall. Now they are inducted, more artists of that era have a far better shot for induction. Perhaps less Classic Rock definitely increased the chances for a Cure induction, but I tend to think voters finally woke up and realized the brilliance of Robert Smith. Now The Cure are inducted, The Smiths and Depeche Mode are probably the next two Alternative bands to be considered by the Nominating Committee once again. Both bands received consecutive nominations in different years (The Smiths in 2015 & 2016; Depeche Mode in 2017 & 2019), so there’s already existing support for each of them. The Smiths are easily one of the top-five biggest Rock Hall snubs, but Morrissey’s outspoken and highly controversial political quips aren’t doing The Smiths’ Rock Hall candidacy any favors. And this is a shame considering Morrissey and Johnny Marr are currently touring (not together) and Seymour Stein believes he can make a Smiths reunion possible. Until Morrissey lays low and shuts up, the Nominating Committee will probably nominate Depeche Mode for their third nomination in four years.. I’ll go on record and say Depeche Mode has one of the most prolific catalogues of any artist not currently in the Rock Hall. And I’m not just saying this because I love Depeche Mode (easily one of my favorite bands), but because they are pioneers of electronic music. When you listen to modern-day pop and alternative music on the radio, traces of Depeche Mode’s influence can be readily heard. If nominated, I think Depeche Mode’s chances are infinitely better, especially if there’s less Classic Rock artists on the same ballot. They still actively tour, create new music and they would graciously show up to perform if inducted. I mean, a Depeche Mode induction is all I ever wanted and needed.
The Go-Go’s (Eligible Since 2005; Never Nominated): Not too much to add from I felt about The Go-Go’s when I predicted them last year, but something noteworthy was revealed about their Rock Hall prospects in the aftermath of the 2019 Inductee announcement. Nominating Committee member Alan Light mentioned Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, and The Go-Go’s were considered by the Nominating Committee but the female members in the room lobbied together for Stevie Nicks (who ultimately got the nomination). If Cher appears on the ballot, I do not think Cyndi Lauper would also appear (just a hunch). And Pat Benatar should appear on this year’s ballot, but I don’t think this is her year quite yet. Instead, I see them going with The Go-Go’s, who hold the distinction as the first all-female rock band to write their own lyrics and top the Billboard album charts. Along with a new Showtime documentary, the time is right to nominate this pioneering female band and ensure five-living women could become new voters in an otherwise male-dominated voting body.
The Guess Who (Eligible Since 1990; Never Nominated): Recently I watched the documentary Bachman which focuses on the life and career of musician Randy Bachman. The film featured interviews with famous Canadian musicians such as Neil Young and Alex Lifeson. But as a Rock Hall blogger, one particular interview captured my attention: Paul Shaffer, who’s been a longtime Nominating Committee member. He mentioned seeing an early Guess Who concert in mid-1960s Canada and was completely memorized by their sound. Now that Shaffer’s beloved Zombies got inducted this past year, I believe The Guess Who will be Shaffer’s next priority. Besides Shaffers’ fondness for The Guess Who, Alan Light mentioned a while back that fellow Nominating Committee member David Fricke chose The Guess Who as one of his two picks. If nominated, The Guess Who would be one of the few 1960s-era artists on the ballot and that would help them with the overwhelming number of Baby Boomers in the voting body. And The Guess Who’s music is still constantly played on Classic Rock radio, so the likeliness of getting inducted dramatically increases with the push for populism in recent years. They are probably the biggest Canadian rock band not yet inducted into the Rock Hall and they deserve the honor.
Whitney Houston (Eligible Since 2009; Never Nominated): Should Whitney Houston be considered for the Rock Hall? Absolutely. She is in the same class as other exceptional female vocalists such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Gladys Knight, and no one is complaining about their status as Rock Hall inductees. Beyond Houston’s stunning vocal range, she was a pioneer for other black women to achieve mainstream success in mid-1980s-era MTV. Houston was the first black female artist to receive heavy rotation on MTV and helped laid the groundwork for other black female performers including Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Anita Baker, and recent Rock Hall inductee Janet Jackson. Whitney Houston is as symbolic of a figure in the age of MTV as Michael Jackson earlier that decade. With sales of over 200 million records (including 2 Diamond-certified albums) and 11 #1 singles (and the only artist to have 7 consecutive #1 hits) on the Billboard Hot 100, Houston is simply one of the greatest vocalists in the history of popular music. Her debut 1985 album sold over 13 million copies in the U.S. alone and appears on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums at #257. Enough time has passed since Houston’s 2012 death and the fact that Jackson is newly inducted into the Rock Hall, Houston seems like the next logical choice in the trajectory of supremely importantly female singers that needs to get inducted into the Rock Hall. Plus, a Whitney induction would probably then lead to a Mariah Carey induction which needs to happen.
The J. Geils Band (Eligible Since 1995; Nominated in 2005, 2006, 2011, 2017 and 2018): The J. Geils Band gets a bad reputation among Rock Hall watchers, most of whom believe the Boston-based band are two-hit wonders from the early 1980s with the novelty hits “Centerfold” and “Freeze Frame.” Their biggest admirers—Steven Van Zandt and Jon Landau—are among the most powerful and influential members of the nominating committee and, as a result, are accused of cronyism. Peter Wolf is friends with many artists already inducted into the Rock Hall and he has consistently appeared at Rock Hall ceremonies over the years. Even Jann Wenner, one of the co-founders of both Rolling Stone and the Rock Hall, expressed his desire to see the them inducted. At first glance, they have one of the weakest resumes of any Rock Hall prospect ever nominated. But this discounts the band’s impact as an electrifying and influential live act in the 1970s. If you don’t believe me take a listen to Live: Full House (1972) and Blow Your Face Out (1976) as proof. Wolf has one of the one distinctive voice combining the blues, rock, and soul and remains one of Rock’s most underrated frontmen. If nominated again, this will be the band's sixth nomination which makes them tied with early rocker Chuck Willis for the second-most nominations in Rock Hall history. After the April 2017 death of their namesake guitarist, 2018 would have been the perfect year to enshrine them in the Rock Hall but that didn’t happen. On a less competitive ballot, The J. Geils Band might sneak their way to induction.
Jethro Tull (Eligible Since 1993; Never Nominated): The Rock Hall has largely neglected Progressive Rock throughout most of its existence. Sure, Pink Floyd and Traffic were inducted, but they did not start taking a closer look at this genre until the early 2010s when both Genesis and Rush becomes inductees. In that aftermath, Yes and The Moody Blues followed suit, but there’s one important and big name missing that deserves enshrinement: Jethro Tull. In short, Jethro Tull is one of Progressive Rock’s best-selling artists with sales of 60 million records. They have two undisputable classic albums-- Aqualung (1971) and Thick as a Brick (1972) --and an array of recognizable songs still heavily played on Classic Rock radio (“Aqualung,” “Living in the Past,” “Bungle in the Jungle” among others). And Ian Anderson’s use of the flute helps them stand out in the sea of Classic Rock artists waiting for induction. Currently on their 50th anniversary tour, Jethro Tull would be ready (and willing) to play if inducted next year.
Kraftwerk (Eligible Since 1995; Nominated in 2003, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019): Here’s something that almost every Rock Hall watcher can agree on: Kraftwerk is currently the most egregious Rock Hall snub. Nominated 5 times in the last 16 years (4 nominations this decade), I’m guessing the Nominating Committee will continually put Kraftwerk on the ballot until they get finally get enough votes for induction. But let’s also face a startling realization: Kraftwerk is polarizing. Despite the enormous wide-spread influence Kraftwerk had on popular music in the last 40 years (especially on electronica, New Wave and Hip-Hop), polarizing and genre-specific artists usually have a much tougher time getting inducted and often require multiple nominations to build momentum. Just like Black Sabbath, The Stooges, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, it might take Kraftwerk 8+ nominations before they get inducted. And don’t even get me started on the Rock Hall’s voting body’s problematic relationship with synthesizer-based music, but hopefully the tide is turning and more voters recognize the importance of these foundational German musical pioneers. Plus, I would love to see what a Kraftwerk-Rock Hall performance would look like!
Motley Crue (Eligible Since 2006; Never Nominated): To be coy, I’m predicting Motley Crue because they are currently sitting atop of the recently-installed fan vote kiosks at the Rock Hall’s museum. Stevie Nicks and Def Leppard were the top-two choices on the fan kiosks last year which, I think in large part, led to their first-time nominations and eventual inductions. The recent success of their Netflix biopic The Dirt renewed Motley Crue’s relevancy and this will be their best shot for a HOF nomination (if it’s gonna happen). This year will be the litmus test to see if the fan kiosks play a significant factor in the Nominating Committee's decisions, especially when Nikki Sixx has repeatedly mentioned the band will never receive induction from their crude and reckless behavior over the years. But I don’t buy that for a single second, especially when many rock stars done terrible things over the years. Honestly, I don’t see the artistic merits of Motley Crue’s musicianship and, quite frankly, there’s dozens of artists I’d rather see get a first-time nomination before them. But a Motley Crue nomination will be served them on a silver platter, just like the abundance of cocaine featured in The Dirt.
Nine Inch Nails (Eligible Since 2014; Nominated in 2015 and 2016): Let’s face it, Trent Reznor should’ve been a first-ballot Rock Hall inductee. One of the most forward-thinking and inventive musicians of our time, Reznor’s outfit Nine Inch Nails brought industrial sounds to mainstream rock music and fundamentally influenced many contemporary artists in the last three decades. Let’s not overlook the fact Nine Inch Nails finished second on the 2015 online fan vote and one of just 3 votes to finish in the top-five of a fan vote and still not inducted into the Rock Hall (Judas Priest and Todd Rundgren share this dubious honor). With Reznor inducting The Cure at this year’s ceremony and slowly changing his once-hostile attitude towards the Rock Hall, a third nomination seems likely. Reznor’s name is still highly relevant: getting co-writing credit for the sampling of Lil’ Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (which just broke the record for the longest consecutive reign at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100’s chart history), Miley Cryus covering “Right Where It Belongs” for Netflix’s “Black Mirror” and the 25th anniversary of Reznor’s now-legendary and mud-filled set at Woodstock ‘94. And he’s also from Cleveland, so next year’s ceremony is the ideal place to honor one of rock music’s most visionary artists.
The Notorious B.I.G. (Eligible Since 2019; Newly Eligible): It’s almost bittersweet to think an artist like The Notorious B.I.G. is newly eligible for the Rock Hall, considering his 1997 death at age 24. Although his output was very slim (two albums, one of which was released posthumously two weeks after his death), Biggie is often considered one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. If 2Pac got nominated and inducted as an FYE in 2017, I cannot imagine the Rock Hall neglecting Biggie. When the Rock Hall’s inductees were announced on SiriusXM’s Volume last December, Nominating Committee member Alan Light specifically mentioned Biggie’s eligibility. One of the more prominent hip-hop advocates on the Committee, it’s unlikely Light wouldn’t bring up Biggie’s name next month. Plus, a Biggie induction would lead to an all-star tribute performance, a la 2Pac’s induction, and Sean Combs would likely induct him.
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (Eligible Since 1999; Nominated in 2012, 2018, and 2019): Oh, Chaka, you’re like the bridesmaid of Rock Hall nominees! Nominated 5 times in 8 years (including 2 nominations for her solo work), clearly the Nominating Committee wants Khan to become an inductee even she does not care about it. Now that Janet Jackson is inducted, Questlove can now put all his energy towards a Chaka Khan induction and she absolutely deserves the honor. Often hailed as “The Queen of Funk,” Khan is one of the missing links for exceptional female soul singers from the 1960s (e.g., Aretha Franklin, Etta James) to the 1980s (e.g., Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston). It does not help she has appeared on some of the most competitive ballots and she keeps getting the short end of the stick. Given the right ballot, I think Khan could get inducted and 2020 might be her year. She still actively tours and releases new music, so Chaka Khan will be ready to perform at the ceremony if inducted.
Sonic Youth (Eligible Since 2007; Never Nominated): Despite being one of the most critically-acclaimed bands in modern rock, Sonic Youth has yet to appear on a Rock Hall ballot. They are pioneers of American alternative rock and largely laid the groundwork for noise rock and lo-fi that influenced countless bands in their wake. It’s always worth noting, Daydream Nation (1988) was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2005 and appears at #328 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums. Last week, a Rolling Stone article spotlighted Kim Gordon’s involvement with the Nirvana tribute performance back in 2014 and pondered why Sonic Youth has not been nominated by the Hall yet. Well, if it appears in Rolling Stone (many Nominating Committee members have ties to the magazine over the years), then there’s a strong likeness the band could see their first nomination very shortly.
The Specials (Eligible Since 2004; Never Nominated): Fusing Punk and Reggae, Ska has hardly been explored by the Nominating Committee. Sure, The English Beat and Madness are indicative Ska bands who found mainstream success in their native England, but The Specials are arguably the most important and influential. One of the U.K.’s most politically and socially conscious bands, The Specials’ lyrics focused on controversial subjects such as poverty, racism, unemployment, urban decay, and apartheid. Don’t be fooled by their mod-style clothes, The Specials were anti-Thatcher rebels who scored 8 top-ten singles on the U.K. Singles charts (including 2 #1 hits: ” Too Much Too Young” and “Ghost Town”). Earlier this year, they released Encore, their first new album since 2001 and the album reached #1 on the U.K. Albums chart (their highest charting performance in their native country). More significantly, Encore marks lead vocalist Terry Hall’s return and the first new material he made with the band since “Ghost Town” (1981). With a new album and European tour dates on the horizon, this would be a great time for the Nominating Committee to evaluate the Rock Hall prospects. Heck, even the City of Los Angeles declared “The Specials Day” earlier this summer. Although they have flown under the radar by most Rock Hall watchers, momentum and timing is on The Specials’ side and could result in their first Rock Hall nomination.
To recap, these are my predictions:
The B-52’s
Cher
Depeche Mode
The Go-Go’s
The Guess Who
Whitney Houston
The J. Geils Band
Jethro Tull
Kraftwerk
Motley Crue
Nine Inch Nails
The Notorious B.I.G.
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Sonic Youth
The Specials
The following are 15 artists I also considered:
1. Pat Benatar: Along with The Go-Go’s and Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar’s name was brought up in last year’s Nominating Committee meeting to determine the 2019 ballot. If that’s true, then Benatar could show up on a future ballot any year now. She was one of the most successful female performers in the 80s and has a ton of songs still heavily played on Classic Rock radio. If any woman could top the online fan vote, look no further than Pat Benatar.
2. Commodores: Lionel Richie is a top-touring act who recently released an album that peaked at #2 on the Billboard Albums chart. Not sure if the Nominating Committee will go for Richie’s solo work yet, but they should definitely consider his former band The Commodores for the next ballot. They are arguably the most successful post-60s Motown act that is currently not inducted into the Rock Hall.
3. Devo: They showed up on last year’s ballot and finished 7th on the Rock Hall’s online fan vote (surprisingly well). Dave Grohl apparently pushed for their induction and Tom Morello recently mentioned his desire to see Devo as future Rock Hall inductees, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see them get another nomination. It was a toss-up between The B-52’s and Devo as the fringe art-rock artist and I went with The B-52’s. Plus, my predictions already include Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, and Nine Inch Nails, so adding Devo might be too much synch-based music for the Nominating Committee to consider on the same ballot.
4. The Doobie Brothers: They recently appointed the mighty Irving Azoff as their manager and apparently the latter helped get both Bon Jovi and Stevie Nicks (both clients of Azoff) get nominations in the last few years. Although I predicted them last year, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them nominated this year.
5. Duran Duran: Simon LeBon and John Taylor inducted Roxy Music this past year, so many Rock Hall watchers believe these New Wave giants will appear on this year’s ballot. Although I love Duran Duran, I think that would too circumstantial for the Hall to consider immediately after their first-ever Rock Hall appearence. Instead, I think Duran Duran will show up when the ceremony comes back to New York and they will be the final New Wave-era act to top the online fan vote once nominated.
6. Eurythmics: Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart are amongst the most talented, innovative, and successful duos in the history of rock music. They showed up on the 2018 ballot and nearly snuck their way to the top-five of the online fan vote that year. They were highly supportive and gracious of their past Rock Hall nomination which leads me to think another nomination is just around the corner.
7. Tommy James and the Shondells: Although I initially chose them as one of my shortlist of candidates for the 2020 ballot back in April, I think the Rock Hall will wait to include them. The Nominating Committee will wisely choose 2 pre-1960s artists for the foreseeable future in hopes of 1 (or both) get inducted. I’m going with Jethro Tull and The Guess Who this year, but Tommy James and the Shondells would be a fine representative.
8. Jane’s Addiction: Jane’s Addiction is a seminal late 80s/early 90s American band who were nominated back in 2017 and could reappear once again. Plus, Dave Grohl lobbied for them and will probably continue to do so.
9. Rage Against the Machine: Although I thought maybe they would pop up on the ballot given the 2020 Presidential election and the sheer fact Tom Morello is on the Nominating Committee, I think the Rock Hall will hold off on them for a year or two and see how other 90s-era icons fare on the ballot.
10. The Replacements: Nominated back in 2014, The Replacements are one of the foundational American alternative bands born out of the 1980s and influenced hundreds (if not thousands) of bands in their wake. Seymour Stein apparently lobbies for them every year, so they have a strong shot of getting another Rock Hall nomination in the near future. Plus, it helps a new retrospective box-set will be released in the Fall and many books and artists written about them as of late.
11. Todd Rundgren: Despite finishing third on the online fan vote last year, Todd Rundgren surprisingly did not get inducted for the Class of 2019. With his cavalier attitude towards the Rock Hall, I am not expecting Todd Rundgren to get a second-consecutive nomination. When tensions cool off in a year or two, maybe bring him back onto the ballot.
12. The Spinners: It pained me not to choose The Spinners for the Rock Hall once again. Nominating Committee member Cliff Bernstein lobbied for The Spinners in the past and hopefully he continues to do so. Last week, President Obama revealed his list of favorite Summer songs and The Spinners’ “I’ll Be Around” ranked at #2. With some recent media coverage, maybe that is what The Spinners need for their fourth Rock Hall nomination.
13. T. Rex: With the induction of Roxy Music this year, I thought maybe the Rock Hall would continue honoring important Glam-era artists and Marc Bolan is perhaps the biggest snub of them all. Although he achieved more success in his native U.K., Bolan’s T. Rex is one of the foundational Glam artists who inspired hundreds of artists in a wide-number of genres and styles (e.g., punk, New Wave, alterative). Also, notice how many times Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott mentioned Bolan and T. Rex in their video montage and acceptance speech.
14. War: Ironically, War has been nominated in three-year intervals (2009, 2012, and 2015) when the ceremonies took place in Cleveland. Although it’s been more than 3 years since a War nomination, I think they have a decent shot to reappear on the ballot. Their blend of rock and funk along with socially-conscious lyrics makes their music more relevant than ever before.
15. Weezer: This is Weezer’s first year of eligibility and they are currently in the top-eight of the Rock Hall fan kiosks. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them on this year’s ballot, but there more important 90s-era artists that need to be considered before them.
Thoughts? Comments? Let me know what you think of my 2020 Rock Hall predictions in the comments section below or on Twitter - @NickDBambach.
