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.