Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame "As It Should Be" - 2004, Part Three - The Inductees

2004 was the last year that the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame inducted more than five artists in a single class. This is bad news for artists that are on the waiting list for my Hall, but that news is countered by a mostly weak slate of 80's artists that they'll be competing with. That being said, the seven artists that made my Hall this time around are more than worthy, but many should be happy they got in when they did.


The following "Class Of 2004" were inducted in their first year of eligibility:


Echo And The Bunnymen - One of the most under-rated bands in all of rock n roll, Echo and the Bunnymen are a brilliant New Wave / post-Punk band with a long string of brilliant songs but little or no radio airplay to speak of.

Prince - The best pop singer of the late 70's and early 80's, Prince is a virtuoso who can play dozens of instruments and wrote an astonishing number of great songs over the last three decades.

Van Halen - A divisive band to be certain, Van Halen is either the last great band of the classic rock era or the first and most influential band of the abysmal hair band 80's. I think that the band has enough merit to earn their spot in the Hall Of Fame. Eddie Van Halen's game-changing guitar work is the most notable aspect of the band's greatness, but the vocals and personality that frontman David Lee Roth brought to the table were also significant. Even replacement lead singer Sammy Hagar was good for a few great albums before his ego got the best of him.

The Dead Kennedys - The first great political punk band of the post-Clash era, The Dead Kennedys refused to pull punches, mixing the intelligence of The Clash with the attitude of the Sex Pistols. DK were daring, in your face and insane without sacrificing melody and clarity.


The following artists has been inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2004:


Joy Division - Although they weren't insanely popular during their run in the late 70's and early 80's, Joy Division has become the most influential band on the current indie rock scene. Their lyrics are gloomy and dark, their lead singer was a mentally imbalanced individual who eventually killed himself and their sound was one of the most important to come out of the post-punk era.

The Police - The complete opposite of Joy Division, The Police were an up-tempo New Wave band with reggae and ska influences. They were also one of the most successful and popular bands of the 80's. Their success launched Sting into the stratosphere of popular music, so it hasn't all been good, but the band made a lot of great music in a short period of time and that can't be overlooked.

The Cars - A hit-making New Wave band from the late 70's, The Cars seemed like they might just be another pop band, but there was actually a lot of style and substance to their work and one of the better bands of the New Wave era.

Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame "As It Should Be" - 2004, Part Two

The following "Class of 2004" artists are worthy of consideration, but are unlikely to make it in any time soon:

Au Pairs
Def Leppard
Descendents
Dexys Midnight Runners
Rickie Lee Jones
Rosanne Cash
Sugarhill Gang
Survivor
Teena Marie
The Buggles
The Chesterfield Kings
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Slits
The Specials


The following "Class Of 2004" artists are worthy of induction, but may have to wait awhile for their turn:

Adam and the Ants
Killing Joke
Madness
Simple Minds
The Motels
The Psychedelic Furs
Twisted Sister


The following "Class Of 2004" artists are worthy of induction and will likely make it in the near future, but didn't quite make the cut this time around (*="ASAP" inductee status):

Iron Maiden
The B-52's
Lucinda Williams
“Weird Al” Yankovic
Pat Benatar
Bauhaus

Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame "As It Should Be" - 2004, Part One

1979 wasn't quite as great as the past two years were. Only two bands that debuted in '79 are in the actual Hall. The bad news for rock n roll and good news for nominees is that the 80's weren't a great time for new bands, so there will be many opportunities for backlisted bands to sneak in before the alt-rock revolution of the 90's.


The following artists from the "Class of 2004" have been inducted into the actual RNR Hall Of Fame:

Prince
Van Halen


The following artists from the "Class of 2004" have been removed from consideration from my hall:

Accept
Bryan Adams
Fad Gadget
Harlequin
The Adicts

Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame "As It Should Be" - 2003, Part Three - The Inductees

For the first time since the late 60's, the "Class Of 2003" will see an ASAP inductee wait until at least next year for induction. This is due to the institution of smaller inductee classes going forward from this point. There will be seven inductees in 2004, but from then on no more than five at any point.


The following "Class Of 2003" were inducted in their first year of eligibility:


The Clash - The greatest punk band of all-time and one of the greatest rock bands for that matter, The Clash bounced from genre to genre inspiring legions of great bands in their wake.

Elvis Costello - One of the most innovative performers in all of rock n roll, Elvis Costello has changed his style of music more frequently than anyone this side of Bowie but with rare exception succeeded wildly at everything he's tried. Costello remains a prominent force in the indie rock scene to this day.

The Cure - It's surprising that the band isn't in the actual hall of fame. They're often pigeonholed as a "goth" band because of their appearance and videos, but in reality the band has written some of the most beautiful love songs of their generation while maintaining a high level of artistry and quality throughout.

Devo - One of the weirdest bands in all of rock n roll, Devo was unique and incredibly creative, deconstructing multiple genres and creating some of the most bizarrely brilliant music ever made.

Siouxsie & the Banshees - An amazing goth/New Wave band that has played a tremendous role in the current wave of indie rock bands, Siouxsie Sioux and her band have never gotten the recognition that they deserve, but their style and musical sensibilities make them one of the greatest bands of their generation.

Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame "As It Should Be" - 2003, Part Two

The following "Class of 2003" artists are worthy of consideration, but are unlikely to make it in any time soon:

Crass
Eric Johnson
Gary Numan
Japan
Magazine
Molly Hatchet
Ronnie Montrose
Steve Forbert
The Birthday Party
The Blues Brothers
The Human League
The Rutles
The Television Personalities


The following "Class Of 2003" artists are worthy of induction, but may have to wait awhile for their turn:

Chaka Khan
David Gilmour
Generation X
Harry Connick Jr.
Kate Bush
Los Lobos
Midnight Oil
Pere Ubu
Public Image Ltd.
Rick James
The Cramps
The Fall
The Misfits
The Neville Brothers
The Undertones
Toto


The following "Class Of 2003" artists are worthy of induction and will likely make it in the near future, but didn't quite make the cut this time around (*="ASAP" inductee status):

Joy Division*
The Police
The Cars
X
Squeeze
Dire Straits
Black Flag
Gang of Four
Joe Jackson

Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame "As It Should Be" - 2003, Part One

1978 was another great year for rock n roll as the punk revolution continued and New Wave bands began to enter the fold. Sadly, only five artists were inducted in 2003, so there will be a significant waiting list involved from here on out.

The following artists from the "Class of 2003" have been inducted into the actual RNR Hall Of Fame:

The Clash
Elvis Costello
The Police


The following artists from the "Class of 2003" have been removed from consideration from my hall:

After the Fire
Bobby Caldwell
Saga
Streetheart
Tim Curry
Whitesnake