This year, 16 new nominees are eligible to become the Class of 2014 in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, joining some of music’s greatest. This honor has previously been awarded to Guns N’ Roses, Run D.M.C., Madonna, Van Halen and many more.
The newest nominees are: Nirvana, KISS, Cat Stevens, Hall & Oates, LL Cool J, Linda Ronstadt, Peter Gabriel, N.W.A., The Zombies, Chic, The Replacements, Yes, The Meters, Deep Purple, Link Wray and Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
Nirvana, the band that gave Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl their stardom, is a grunge-rock band formed in the late 1980s and made revolutionary music for seven years. They made it big with their hit song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” from their second album “Bleach” in 1991.
Nirvana is still influencing the world with their music, even after the death of Kobain in 1994.
Senior Elise Felixson thinks Nirvana definitely deserves a space in the Hall of Fame, having been listening to them for a long time.
“They’re my childhood,” Felixson said.
Senior Carolyn Leung agreed, saying the group is “nostalgic.”
Other bands nominated all have different musical backgrounds and sounds and have made rock history because of it. KISS, known for their signature makeup and crazy stage presence, are known to be the epitome of rock stars, selling out tours and making number one hits again and again.
The Zombies, a British band that gave the world the sounds of blues and rock with their last album, “Odessey and Oracle,” made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The progressive rock band Yes, who is still on the road after 45 years, has had hits like “Roundabout,” “The Gates of Delirium,” and “Owner of A Lonely Heart,” a song still played on the radio today.
The Meters, from New Orleans, are funk musicians who focused on the sound of instrumentals. Their songs have been featured in tracks by hip-hop artists and have been covered by some of rock’s greats like The Grateful Dead.
The Replacements weren’t just a rock band, but punk, indie, alternative and college rock. Their influence lives on in those genres today.
Hall & Oates was a successful rock and pop band, getting 34 of their songs on the “Top 100” list.
Deep Purple were the first of their time to create a rock orchestral concert, leading critics to use the term “heavy metal” for the first time.
Chic remade disco in the late 70s with groove and soul. They then continued on into early hip-hop.
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band collided rock and country blues with their songs “Drivin’ Wheel” and “Blues With a Feelin’.”
The solo artists that have been nominated are Link Wray, Cat Stevens, Peter Gabriel and Linda Ronstadt, all who worked hard on their own and made a name for themselves with their instruments, lyrics and vocals.
Wray is a rock guitarist who still has an astounding influence on rock musicians today. His instrumental song “Rumble” merged punk and heavy rock into one.
Stevens is a London-native solo musician who sang and wrote songs, his most notable being “The First Cut is the Deepest,” which was covered by artists such as Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow.
Ronstadt not only performed rock, but also country rock, which was rare for rock singers in her time. She recorded a variety of different genres, like Motown, classical and Mexican music, and according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s press release, is the only artist to win a Grammy in the categories of pop, country, Mexican American and Tropical Latin.
Gabriel, the former frontman of Genesis, went off on his own and created a soulful rock that bands like U2 have taken influence from.
“Peter Gabriel is great, great music,” Felixson said.
This year the, Hall of Fame inductees include two hip-hop artists, N.W.A. and LL Cool J. N.W.A. made three albums, their most memorable being “Straight Outta Compton.” Other hip-hop members of the Hall of Fame include Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E, artists whose careers skyrocketed even after N.W.A.
LL Cool J started out when he was 17 and made history on Billboard’s R&B Singles’ chart.
Senior Shannon Collins was surprised to hear about LL Cool J’s nomination.
“I was never a fan of him musically but I know him from ‘NCIS’ and hosting the Grammy’s,” she said. “I didn’t think he made such a mark on music like other Hall of Famers have.”
To be eligible for a nomination, artists had to have released their first album or single 25 years prior. Fans are able to vote until Dec. 10 online at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website, Rolling Stone or USA Today. Then, the inductees are chosen by a secret ballot. Voters include past inductees, critics and historians.
So who should be given the honor of joining the Class of 2014?
“These nominees are all over the spectrum,” Felixson said, “but they’re a good mix.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in April 2014 and will be aired on HBO.
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bdonova2@ramapo.edu
