Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project: #100-91
Our Project begins with an eclectic group of grunge, power pop, new wave, hip-hop, folk and R&B artists. They all have one thing in common: they have never been nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
#100: Liz Phair
Eligible Since 2019
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “F*** and Run” (1993), “Never Said” (1993), “Supernova” (1994), “Whip-Smart” (1994), “Polyester Bride” (1998), “Why Can’t I?” (2003)
When Liz Phair graced the cover of Rolling Stone in October 1994, they proclaimed “a rock & roll star is born” and with good reason. While attending Oberlin College as an art student, Phair became more interested in music when the indie music scene began blossoming in the late 1980s. She would become a musician who would eventually sign with the independent label Matador Records in 1992. She would work on her debut Exit in Guyville (1993), a landmark alternative album concentrating on female independence and sexual angst in the midst of an utterly chaotic life. A song-by-song response to the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street (1972), she even reworked the title which takes a lot of nerve for a debut album. Phair’s confessional songwriting style and detached vocal style perfectly fit with the increasingly visible and highly successful female singer-songwriter boom of the early 1990s (e.g., PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan). The album also became a smash with mainstream music critics (e.g., Rolling Stone, Spin, Pitchfork). Even The Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop Critics Poll ranked Exit in Guyville #1 on their end-of-year list in 1993, ahead of Nirvana’s In Utero. Not bad for an album that barely charted on the Billboard 200 (peaked at #196!) and took several years to be certified Gold. Album sales rarely ever mattered to Phair but she instead concentrated on her artistry. She only scored one top-40 hit, the uncharacteristically poppy “Why Can’t I?” (2003), but she never became a full-fledged mainstream artist. She pioneered both the 90s alternative rock scene and the singer-songwriter revival that resulted in her becoming a feminist icon. Artists including Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple and Jewel all took cues from Phair’s bold aesthetic choices. In the most recent update of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums list, Exit in Guyville is ranked at #56 which is one of the highest rankings of any non-Rock Hall inducted artist who is currently eligible. Phair’s legacy is well-secured especially by critics who often hail her as one of the decade’s most visionary artists. There might be a few bigger names that might have to get inducted before she’s even considered, but she has a decent shot of securing a nomination in the not-so-distant future. She did publish her first memoir last year and will be releasing her first new album in over a decade next year so that could give her some much-needed Rock Hall buzz.
#99: Brook Benton
Eligible Since 1986
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Endlessly” (1959), “It’s Just a Matter of Time” (1959), “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)” (1960), “A Rockin’ Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love” (1960), “The Boil Weevil Song” (1961), “Rainy Night in Georgia” (1969)
Although he’s now considered a forgotten figure, Brook Benton remains one of the most talented and successful artists in the first decade of rock and roll. Although he initially played in the gospel music circuit in the postwar years, he eventually turned to secular music and became a successful songwriter who penned hits for Clyde McPhatter and Nat King Cole. He found success as a recording artist with the smash “It’s Just a Matter of Time” (Pop, #3) and it be the start of over two-dozen top-40 pop hits over the next decade. He worked with the legendary (and highly temperamental) Dinah Washington (class of 1993 inductee) on two top-ten hit records in 1960 “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)” and “A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love.” Benton’s baritone voice and ability to adapt to different genres and styles (e.g., R&B, Rock, Pop, Easy Listening) made him one of the most consistent hitmakers of the early 1960s. But, just like many American recording artists, the Beatles’ arrival stalled Benton’s momentum and he would be released from his RCA Records contract by the end of 1966. He would sign with Cotillion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, soon after but still struggled to capture the same chart success as he did earlier in the decade. But Benton’s luck would change with the release of “Rainy Night in Georgia” in December 1969. The melancholic song, also his last gold-certified seller, would become Benton’s comeback hit (Pop, #3). When Rolling Stone initially compiled its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, “Rainy Night in Georgia” was ranked #498 (although it was taken off in the 2010 updated version). Benton never scored another hit again, but still actively toured until his death in 1988. On an episode of Who Cares about the Rock Hall, co-founder and 2005 inductee Seymour Stein casually mentioned his desire to see Benton inducted someday. Although current chairman John Sykes expressed his intention for the Rock Hall to move past the 1950s and 1960s, hopefully a Brook Benton nomination happens in just a matter of time.
#98: Queen Latifah
Eligible Since 2015
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Ladies First,” (1989), “Wrath of My Madness” (1989), “Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here” (1991), “Just Another Day” (1993), “U.N.I.T.Y. (1993), “It’s Alright” (1998)
While Queen Latifah might have not been the first female solo rapper, she was the first to become a bona fide feminist icon and among the genre’s first crossover superstars. She became involved with the Native Tongues movement, a New York City-based collective supportive of positive Afrocentric principles, in the late 1980s. Perhaps more than any artist of that era, her African garb visually captured the iconography of the collective. Just take a look at the cover of her debut album All Hail the Queen! (1989) as a prime example. Taking cue from the collective’s socially-conscious lyricism and jazz-influenced sounds, she brought an unapologetic feminist stance that refused to be ignored. It also helps that she’s an amazingly-talented MC who commanded the listeners attention with every verse. Her first major hit “Ladies First,” a collaboration featuring fellow rapper Monie Love, is an unapologetic plea for feminism at a time when women’s roles were largely marginalized in hip-hop. Her blunt lyricism featured lines such as “Who said the ladies couldn't make it, you must be blind” made her a feminist icon. The song is featured on the Rock Hall’s “Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll” list. She would score another hit with “U.N.I.T.Y.” (1993), another feminist smash that became her sole top-40 hit (Pop, #23) and won the 1995 Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. Even at the height of her popularity as a musician, Queen Latifah also dabbled into acting roles and starred on the popular sitcom Living Single (1993-98). She focused more of her time and energy on her acting career and became a bankable leading lady in her own right. She even earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination in the hit musical Chicago (2002). But Queen Latifah continued releasing new music into the new millennium and exploring other genres such as jazz, blues and pop standards. Her latest album Persona (2009) marked her return to hip-hop in almost a decade and featured collaborations with Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes. Yes, Queen Latifah is primarily known for 2 hit songs and her acting career eclipsed her beginnings as a rapper. But there’s no denying her importance to the evolution and progression of hip-hop. It’s absolutely absurd, but not entirely shocking, the nominating committee has yet to nominate a female rapper. The likes of Salt N Pepa and especially Latifah are essential figures who broke down barriers for women in hip-hop and their place in history is undeniable. And against all odds, they were among the most commercially-successful and respected rappers of their time. Sometimes the Rock Hall needs to induct artists whose primary case for inclusion is name recognition and Queen Latifah is one of the most famous household names on this entire list. Come on Rock Hall, all hail the queen of hip-hop and induct Ms. Latifah.
# 97: Squeeze
Eligible Since 2004
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Cool for Cats” (1979), “Up the Junction” (1979), “Another Nail in My Heart” (1980), “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” (1980), “Tempted” (1981), “Black Coffee in Bed” (1982)
Squeeze are one of the great unsung musical talents of the New Wave era. The songwriting partnership of Chris Difford and Glenn Tillbrook is one of the strongest of the late 20th century, which led many critics at the time to dub them the next Lennon and McCartney. Difford and Tillbrook’s lyrics are clever, intellectual, literary and unequivocally English. Akin to the great songwriting partnership of Elton John and Bernie Toplin, Difford wrote the lyrics and Tillbook composed the music. Not bad for a couple of working-class lads from London who idolized the Beatles and The Kinks. Forming in 1974, Difford and Tillbrook played at local bars and decided to name their group Squeeze after The Velvet Underground’s final album. They signed to A&M Records and, ironically, John Cale produced their 1978 self-titled debut album. Cale’s non-mainstream aesthetic worried record executives about the commercial viability of Squeeze. But their debut single “Take Me I’m Yours” was produced by the band themselves, not by Cale, and became a top-20 hit in the U.K. Their sophomore effort Cool for Cats (1979) featured their highest-charting singles on the U.K. pop charts: the title track and “Up the Junction,” both peaking at #2. Argybargy (1980) ensured their popularity with the great tunes “Pulling Mussels” and “Another Nail in My Heart.” Ironically Squeeze’s most well-known song isn’t sung by Tilbrook, but from former Ace and Roxy Music member Paul Carrack. “Tempted,” off the album East Side Story (1981) produced by Rock Hall inductee Elvis Costello, is a soul-inspired song that stalled at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 but arguably became the band’s most popular song. Even though Squeeze scored two top-40 hits late in the twilight of their initial run in 1987, “Tempted” is probably their best-known song in America and probably should’ve been a top-10 smash. In hindsight, it’s shocking Squeeze didn’t strike it big in America because all the ingredients were there. They combined New Wave, Power Pop and Soul and made some fantastically terrific records that stood the test of time. But Roxy Music and T. Rex barely made a dent on the American charts and they still got inducted into the Rock Hall, so why can’t Squeeze? Well, they do have the support of at least two current nominating committee members. Questlove co-produced an updated version of the band’s debut single “Take Me I’m Yours” for a Squeeze tribute album. And Dave Grohl played drums with Squeeze on their 1982 hit “Black Coffee in Bed” at a music festival in Kentucky last September. Squeeze has more going for them than most probably realize and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them on a ballot very soon.
#96: The Bangles
Eligible Since 2007
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Hero Takes a Fall” (1984), “If She Knew What She Wants” (1986), “Manic Monday” (1986), “Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986), “Hazy Shade of Winter” (1987), “Eternal Flame” (1989)
I was in the audience when Susanna Hoffs inducted The Zombies into the Rock Hall in March 2019 and I remember it like it happened yesterday. She gave an eloquent speech discussing her affection for the British Invasion hitmakers and mentioned she recently turned 60. The audience, literally, gasped because it was so hard to believe and Hoffs looked stunningly beautiful that night. But something else dawned on me: what are her band The Bangles’ Rock Hall chances? Their name rarely comes up as potential Rock Hall contenders yet they were one of the most popular American bands in the mid-to-late 1980s. The Go-Go’s might get most of the attention, but The Bangles had more hits over a longer period of time. Heavily influenced by the psychedelic sounds of the British Invasion era (e.g., The Beatles, The Zombies), late 60s west-coast rock (e.g., The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield) and 70s Power Pop (e.g., Big Star, Cheap Trick), The Bangles combined those three styles within a new wave aesthetic. They also wrote some of the most melodic and catchiest lyrics of any mainstream rock band that still resonates with listeners today. They emerged from the Paisley Underground scene in L.A. where they became known for their energetic live sets. They eventually signed a deal with Columbia in 1983. Despite the videos “Hero Takes a Fall” and “Going Down to Liverpool” receiving heavy airplay on American college radio stations and their videos getting played on MTV, their debut All Over the World (1984) was not a huge commercial success. But someone very important would listen to the album and wanted to work with them: Prince. After meeting them, he gave them “Manic Monday” which would become the lead single for their sophomore album Different Light (1986) and it became their first top-ten hit. The album also featured the smash hit “Walk Like an Egyptian,” which would become the #1 song on Billboard’s year-end chart in 1987. Their cover of the Simon & Garfunkel classic “Hazy Shade of Winter” appeared on the Less Than Zero (1987) soundtrack and peaked at #2 on the pop charts, even higher than the original. Their third album Everything (1988) featured their last #1 hit “Eternal Flame,” an uncharacteristic ballad from the usually high energy Bangles. Mismanagement and internal conflict caused The Bangles’ to break up in 1989. They would reunite in 1998 that would lead to a reunion tour and two new studio albums over the next decade. Although their time at the top was relatively short, The Bangles created some truly memorable and iconic pop songs of their time. More importantly, they serve a necessary reminder than women can indeed rock.
#95: Billy Idol
Eligible Since 2007
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Dancing with Myself” (1981), “White Wedding” (1982), “Rebel Yell” (1984), “Flesh for Fantasy” (1984), “Mony Mony” (Live) (1987), “Cradle of Love” (1990)
Whenever I talk about the Rock Hall to my father, Billy Idol is one of the names he always mentions as a potential inductee. I did not initially believe Idol was a Rock Hall-caliber talent, but I’ll admit I was wrong. Originally the lead singer of the British punk rock band Generation X, Idol began a successful solo that made him one of mainstream rock’s most popular stars. His early music videos became MTV sensations and one of the network’s first superstars. Much of Idol’s career is being at the right place at the right time. Similar to, say, Duran Duran, it’s hard to say whether he’d as big of a star without MTV. But Idol, perhaps more than any performer of the early-to-mid 1980s, made MTV must-see television and helped built his legendary reputation. It’s not hard to understand why Idol was one of the networks’ biggest stars. Idol looked like a punk rocker, but he also experimented with other genres (e.g., new wave, metal, hard rock) and achieved crossover success. At his very core, Idol has great pop sensibility and became one of the mainstays of the Second British Invasion movement that dominated the U.S. charts in the early-to-mid 1980s. He’s one of the very rockers whose music plays on both classic rock and alternative/new wave stations without anyone batting an eye. His wide-ranging appeal made him a profitable live performer who could sell out stadiums in his prime. His chart success carried over into the 1990s and he was still at the top of his game when a near-fatal motorcycle accident stalled his career. Overcoming substance abuse and other personal problems, Idol would continue making new music and even appeared in a highly-memorable scene in the nostalgic Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy The Wedding Singer (1997). It’s worth noting Idol currently hosts the bi-weekly SiriusXM “Live Transmission” on First Wave, which is important given the Rock Hall’s close ties with the satellite music empire. Idol’s Rock Hall candidacy has greatly increased in the current John Sykes, who co-founded MTV and president of iHeart Radio, era. It seems like the Rock Hall is starting to focus more closely on MTV-era stars going forward and few were bigger than Idol. While he might lack the innovation and influence the nominating committee usually looks for in potential nominees, there’s no denying Billy Idol’s place among the best hitmakers of the righteous 1980s. And one thing, Idol appears as one of the interviewed subjects in T. Rex’s video package. There is even a clip of Bolan introducing a fresh-faced Idol with Generation on Bolan’s 1977 variety show.
#94: Tracy Chapman
Eligible Since 2014
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Baby Can I Hold You” (1988), “Fast Car” (1988), “Talkin’ ‘bout a Revolution” (1988), “Crossroads” (1989), “Give Me One Reason” (1995), “Sing for You” (2008)
When David Letterman’s Late Show was wrapping up in May 2015, Tracy Chapman performed a haunting acoustic cover of Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me” (one of Letterman’s favorite songs). The performance was widely seen on YouTube and later appeared on a Greatest Hits compilation that same year. Although Chapman stopped recording new music and touring, the performance reminded viewers what made her special in the first place. Her discovery is almost on par with Jon Landau’s discovery of Bruce Springsteen in 1974. While a student at Tuffs University in the mid-1980s, Cleveland-born Tracy Chapman played original folk-inspired songs at nearby cafes. Brian Koppelman, one of her fellow students, heard her in the audience one night and recommended her to his father Charles, who oversaw the independent music publisher SBK. Her demo would lead her to sign with Elektra Records and she would record her self-titled debut album. Released in 1988, the album’s lead single “Fast Car” would become a surprise top-ten hit after Chapman’s rousing performance at Nelson Mandela’s Birthday tribute that summer. Selling over 6 million copies, the album would catapult Chapman to stardom and would become essential listening in the age of Reagan-era disillusionment. She won 3 Grammys in 1989 including Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. By the end of the decade, Chapman’s debut would be chosen as the #10 album on Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of the 1980s and later ranked #256 on their 500 Greatest Albums list. “Fast Car” would be #167, one of the highest-ranked songs from an artist not inducted into the Rock Hall. Just those rankings, alone, should put Chapman high on any Rock Hall watcher’s list of prospective Rock Hall candidates. And she inducted The Impressions into the Rock Hall back in 1991, so at least there’s some existing connection already in place—even if that happened three decades ago. Here’s something also worth noting: Chapman has collaborated and toured with many inductees over the years including Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Buddy Guy and Peter Gabriel. Proving she’s no fluke, Chapman would continue recording steady sellers including the five-times platinum New Beginnings (1995). More importantly, Chapman helped revive the singer-songwriter tradition in the late 1980s with her brand of socially-conscious music. Her stripped-down productions and confessional songwriting could’ve easily thrived in the 1970s, but she paved the way for more singer-songwriters to gain a mainstream audience without compromising their artistic vision. And oh yeah, she’s from Cleveland.
#93: Tommy James & The Shondells
Eligible Since 1992
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Hanky Panky” (1966), “I Think We’re Alone Now” (1967), “Mirage” (1967), “Crimson and Clover” (1968), “Crystal Blue Persuasion” (1968), “Mony Mony” (1968)
When Tommy James began releasing music in the mid-1960s, rock music was becoming more introspective and socially-conscious, thanks in large part to the Beatles and Bob Dylan. The music of Tommy James & the Shondells represent the joyousness of rock and roll that embraced dancing and having a good time. Although the band’s origins began as early as 1959, they didn’t hit their thrive until the mid-1960s when they recorded the Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich-penned “Hanky Panky,” initially a throwaway single written famously in under 20 minutes. The Shondells’ cover, their debut single, became an instant hit and went to #1 in the summer of 1966. In the short time span of just 3 years (from 1966-69), Tommy James & The Shondells scored 14 top-40 hits, half of them peaked in the top ten. Compared to Rock Hall inductees such as Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Doors, The Shondells’ run of hits is as impressive as nearly any mainstream artist of their era. Records such as “Crimson and Clover” and “Crystal Blue Persuasion” are highly lauded for their production techniques and innovations. And despite dabbling in psychedelic rock by the end of the decade, they couldn’t shake off the bubblegum label given to them by the press and James especially hated the term. James also famously turned down playing at Woodstock, something that probably would’ve increased their Rock Hall chances in later years. They campaigned for Hubert Humphrey’s 1968 presidential campaign for several months in 1968—at the height of their popularity—and Humphrey even wrote the liner notes for the Crimson & Clover album. The Shondells’ songs breathed a second life in the 1980s with a string of hit covers. In fact, two Shondells covers—Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” and Billy Idol’s “Mony Mony”—went to #1 back-to-back in November 1987 and this is the first time that happened in Billboard Hot 100 history. James has been active in recent years. He appeared onstage at Joan Jett’s induction ceremony where they, along with Miley Cyrus, performed James’ “Crimson and Clover.” That appearance caused many to predict them as prospective Rock Hall candidates, but nothing transpired from it. James was even inducted into the New Jersey Music Hall of Fame in 2017 by…none other than Little Steven, who serves on the nominating committee and a longtime proponent of 60s-era artists. Just last year, James was nominated for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In February 2018, Tommy James began hosting the show “Getting’ Together” on SiriusXM’s 60s station which allows him to play some of his favorite records and share stories of the music industry. On the heels of The Moody Blues and The Zombies’ recent inductions, Tommy James & The Shondells seem like a no-brainer as one of the next artists from the 1960s to appear on a ballot. As long as people such as Little Steven are still on the nominating committee, then they have a decent shot for a nomination.
#92: Carpenters
Eligible Since 1995
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “(They Long to Be) Close to You” (1970), “We’ve Only Just Begun” (1970), “Rainy Days and Mondays” (1971), “Superstar” (1971), “Hurting Each Other” (1972), “Top of the World” (1973)
Are the Carpenters “rock” enough for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? For rock purists, the Carpenters are too mellow, safe and uncool to qualify as rock stars. Their detractors, most often music critics, describe them as bland and squeezy-clean but such an evaluation greatly undercuts their importance in the landscape of popular music in the early 1970s. They are innovators of the modern power ballad that would become a staple on the radio throughout the rest of the decade, but for the rest of the 20th century. Their carefully-crafted songs, masterfully overseen by brother Richard, are forever ingrained in American popular culture and could easily be placed in the great American songbook. Karen Carpenter is simply one of the greatest female vocalists of all time, bar none. At once, her voice is soft-spoken, beautifully-sounding and instantly recognizable. It’s no wonder she’s one of the most influential singers of the last half-century, inspiring the likes of Christina Aguilera, k.d. lang and Shania Twain. Rock Hall inductees including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson have sung her praises. The Carpenters, oddly enough, were hugely influential on alternative rock stars as diverse as Kurt Cobain, The Bangles, Matthew Sweet and Sonic Youth. As critically derailed as they were in their heyday, the Carpenters had to be doing something right. Karen and Richard grew up in New Haven, Connecticut and Richard would move to California and initially performed jazz music (Karen would follow not too long after). The siblings quickly secured a record deal from Herb Alpert at A&M Records in 1969. They, literally, became superstars the following year and even won the Grammy for Best New Artist. They were very prolific in their 14-year career, recording 10 albums and had a dozen top-10 hits (including 3 #1’s on the pop charts). By the end of the decade, tragedy struck the Carpenters: Richard became addicted to Quaaludes (which he overcame after a stint in rehab) in 1979 and Karen suffered from anorexia. She would, sadly, died of heart failure at the age of 32 in 1983. The Carpenters’ legacy has only grown in recent years and they have sold over 100 million records. Billboard even named the Carpenters as the second most successful duo of the rock era, behind only Hall & Oates. Linda Perry, the latest person to join the nominating committee last year, said this in an interview recently: “Richard is up there with Brian Wilson. He had the same kind of perfectionism and did such interesting things with the production and arrangement he put together.” Perhaps the Carpenters’ Rock Hall chances have only just begun. And please have Kim Gordon induct them into the Rock Hall and perform “Tunic (Song for Karen).”
#91: Alice in Chains
Eligible Since 2016
Never Nominated
Essential Songs: “Man in the Box” (1990), “Down in a Hole” (1992), “Rooster” (1992), “Would?” (1992), “I Stay Away” (1994), “Heaven Beside You” (1995)
Of the “Big Four” in Grunge, Alice in Chains were the most indebted to metal and the first to achieve international fame—almost a full year before Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden brought grunge to the mainstream. They didn’t have the punk sound readily present as the other three bands but Alice in Chains had the heaviest sound and pioneered alternative metal. Or to put it another way, Alice in Chains owed more to Black Sabbath and Deep Purple than Ramones and Black Flag. Success didn’t come naturally for Alice in Chains who went through multiple style and lineup changes before becoming one of the biggest rock bands of the 1990s. Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley formed one of modern’s rock great partnership that resulted in several hauntingly beautiful songs. Their songs were all over modern rock radio and MTV throughout the decade. Their first 3 studio albums—Facelift (1990), Dirt (1992) and Alice in Chains (1995)—all went multi-platinum. Jar of Flies (1994), also a multi-platinum seller, became the first EP to debut at #1. Despite their hard rock and metal instincts, Alice in Chains also took artistic risks by making acoustic records that is most famously heard on their MTV Unplugged (1996) album. But even at the height of their notoriety and fame, the band experienced lots of turmoil due to their constant touring schedule and substance abuse issues The departures of Mike Starr, fired in 1993 and died in 2011, and Staley, died in 2002, were heavy blows to the band and they would break up in 2002. Cantrell would revive Alice in Chains with Pat Lachman as Staley’s replacement in one of rock’s great comeback stories. The band experienced a resurgence in popularity that included Black Gives Way to Blue (2009) debuting at #1, receiving multiple Grammy nominations and becoming a top touring band once again. Given their status as one of the premier bands of the 90s, Alice in Chains will undoubtedly be a top priority once the nominating committee further explores important rock bands of that decade. When the Rock Hall’s museum first opened in 1995, the Claymation dolls featured in the video for “I Stay Away” (1994) was one of the first items on display. Cantrell even commented on his band’s eligibility, mentioning a potential induction is “a nice thought” and he even appeared at the 2013 and 2018 ceremonies. Nirvana and Pearl Jam waltzed right into the Rock Hall in their first of year eligibility and Soundgarden scored their first nomination this past year, so an Alice in Chains nomination cannot be too far away.
Thoughts? Comments? Let me know in the comments section below and/or on Twitter.
Credit for Photos: Liz Phair, Brook Benton, Queen Latifah, Squeeze, The Bangles, Billy Idol, Tracy Chapman, Tommy James and the Shondells, Carpenters, Alice in Chains
