Even if he was still Cat Stevens, he wouldn’t belong.
The only one on that list that is truly deserving is Nirvana.
When did they ever play a rock-n-roll song?
Nirvana...maybe someday. All they really did is stem in after hair metal became a parody. And Kobain grabbed the James Dean mantle for his generation via shotgun.
Kiss? Definitely based on historical impact and album sales. Hall and Oates? Defined white soul.
Here's something to make you feel old. The baby on the Nevermind cover, Spencer Elden, is now old enough to buy alcohol.
Actually, Linda Ronstadt is head & shoulders above everyone else on that list.
KISS might not be musically noteworthy but they really changed the game in terms of the spectacle of the rock concert. I think last year’s crop was better. Heart is legitimate and Rush was long overdue (yes, I think they’re the greatest band ever) but they also inducted Public Enemy. That certainly isn’t rock.
In any event I think KISS belongs even if only in the sense of innovation or entrepreneurship. Gene Simmons is a marketing genius even if he really isn’t qualified as a bass player or vocalist.
I agree. I like Linda Ronstadt but she wasn’t rock and roll. Kiss was a mediocre band that would have never done anything without the makeup. Nirvana wasn’t incredible or anything but they did create a temporary genre of music called grunge rock that lasted for a bit. Like em or hate em — they did have some impact on rock and roll.
Although I will say that a real and roll hall of fame should not feel compelled each year to have to induct bands. It should be an exclusive club or otherwise it is meaningless. As it is the R&RHoF is full of mediocre acts
“The only one on that list that is truly deserving is Nirvana.”
Kiss belongs there. Nirvana was short lived but they did usher in the Grunge period, earning them a spot. Hall & Oates? Had some number ones, but they were pop music.
The place should be renamed the Music Hall Of Fame.