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Sedaka is pop. Or did I miss the implied /s?

No. There is plenty of overlap between rock and pop. Plenty of his music has a rock beat, even if it has a string laden arrangement with tra-la-las. In the context of his peak (early '60s), he counts as Rock and Roll as much as Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson do, and MUCH MORE than the Rap acts that are there now.

No one contests Elton John being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Neil Sedaka composed the #1 song "Bad Blood" with Elton happily contributing. Neil Sedaka is on the short list of artists (along with Buddy Holly and Bobby Vee) who influenced Elton John's musical formation.

Sedaka also co-wrote the #1 of year hit for the Captain and Tennille "Love Will Keep Us Together". If you played "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" or his "Stairway to Heaven" when he released them, they were universally recognized as Rock and Roll, moreso than some of the Beatles covers (and some McCartney crooners) on their early albums ("Til There Was You" anyone?)

Neil Sedaka studied the Pop-Rock music as he labored in the Brill building and came up with his own formulae for hits. Just as some of the progressions and themes from Chuck Berry and early Blues wind up everywhere, so does a lot of Sedaka stuff. Light Rock IS Rock. Every non-boring performer outside of Heavy Metal and Punk does plenty.

You cannot come up with a definition of rock and roll that keeps Sedaka out without kicking out a lot of other great rock and roll talent as well.