Rock & Roll HoF : No Class of 1980!

[Decker]

Taken from latimes.com:

1980 really that bad for rock music?

Artists become eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first record, but the hall's nominating committee couldn't find anyone from the newly eligible class of 1980 to put on the 2005 ballot that was sent to voters this week.

That could mean a long-awaited induction for such longtime wallflowers as Black Sabbath (on the ballot for the eighth time), Lynyrd Skynyrd (seventh), the Sex Pistols and Stooges (fifth each). And Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, which last year became the first rap act ever nominated, could become the first from its field ever inducted.

Also on the list are Blondie, the Paul Butterfield Band, Chic, the Dave Clark Five, Miles Davis, the J. Geils Band, John Mellencamp, the Sir Douglas Quintet, the Patti Smith Group, Cat Stevens and Joe Tex. The inductees will be announced before the end of the year.

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What the don't say is who was in the Class of '80. I was thinking that was the year of Go Go's and Eurythmics, but maybe that was '81 instead.

[nodeerforamonth]

Does anyone really take this RnR Hall of Fame seriously?

[Giantrobo]

BIG JOKE + MUSIC SNOBS = RnR Hall of Fame :down:

[Adam Tyner]

I was thinking that was the year of Go Go's and Eurythmics, but maybe that was '81 instead.Right -- 1981 for both groups.

[DRG]

Inxs?

[rw2516]

Def Lepard is 1980. I think Billy Squire is too. Pat Benetar? Not a lot of first records that year.

[wm lopez]

I thought U2 was 1980.
And why do they keep putting off VAN HALEN?

[Decker]

I thought U2 was 1980.
And why do they keep putting off VAN HALEN?
U2 was 1979 and was inducted (of course) last year. How is it that VH isn't even nominated? Do these people even know what Rock & Roll is?
Figure Skynard finally gets in this time. And Mellencamp (to make VH1 happy; gotta have a MOR favorite).

Grandmaster Flash seems to get a lot of love (see the Blender 500 thread), but personally I dunno. The only Grandmaster Flash song I ever heard growing up (White Lines) wasn't even him as I recently discovered. As a pioneer, yeah, you want rap represented. But I can wait for Run DMC.

[Dubya]

I thought U2 was 1980.
And why do they keep putting off VAN HALEN?

U2 (as well as The Pretenders) did release their debut albums in 1980, the article was incorrect. It should have said 1981. VH will likely get in at some point but I think they are deliberately waiting to nominate certain acts in order to have a ceremony each year due to the lack of worthy nominees that debuted in the 80's. Mellencamp is a perfect example because he wasn't on the ballot last year...what made him less worthy last year than this year? The Cure and Peter Gabriel are eligible but have yet to be on the ballot.

As for the probable inductees, I would guess Mellencamp, Skynyrd, The Stooges, Miles Davis, and Sabbath.

[Count Dooku]

The Pretenders have already been inducted.

[Decker]

U2 (as well as The Pretenders) did release their debut albums in 1980, the article was incorrect. It should have said 1981. ...
I dunno. From an online bio of The Pretenders :

Later in the year, they recorded a version of Ray Davies' "Stop Your Sobbing" produced by Nick Lowe. The single made it into the British Top 40 in early 1979. "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket," the group's next two singles, also were successful. Their self-titled debut album was released in early 1980 and eventually climbed to number one in the U.K. The Pretenders were nearly as successful in America, with the album reaching the Top Ten and "Brass in Pocket" reaching number 14

And one for U2:

Their reputation for intense and electrifying live shows meant that U2 soon built up a dedicated following of fans. One was Bill Graham, a journalist with the music paper 'Hot Press', who was an early champion of the band and also introduced them to their manager, Paul McGuinness. A three-year contract with CBS Ireland soon followed, and with it the release of their first record in September 1979 - a three song EP entitled 'U23' comprising Out of Control, Boy/Girl, and Stories for Boys. A second single followed, before the band signed a world-wide contract with Island Records in March 1980.

Having secured the all-important record deal, the rest of 1980 was spent touring extensively. Despite this, the band also found time to record their first LP, 'Boy', which received widespread critical acclaim on its release in October.

So even though both had their debut albums in 1980, I think they actually are considered Class of 1979 since they released recordings in that year.

[Rypro 525]

could metallica be a possible contender next year (didn't kill em all come out in 81?)

[Dubya]

could metallica be a possible contender next year (didn't kill em all come out in 81?)

1983, along with R.E.M. and Run DMC.

[Dubya]

So even though both had their debut albums in 1980, I think they actually are considered Class of 1979 since they released recordings in that year.

You are correct, I forgot about EP's.

[wm lopez]

Anybody think that maybe they are putting off Van Halen, because the Hall doesn't want to be embarrassed by the feud with Roth & the Van Halen brothers?

[B5Erik]

I still say the list of groups NOT nominated is better than those nominated: Deep Purple, KISS, Rush, Ted Nugent, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Van Halen - and those are just the bands I like. I'm sure there are tons more that I'm less familiar with who are just as deserving who weren't nominated.

I mean - the Sex Pistols, but not KISS? I know the Sex Pistols were influential, but they were one of the few bands that made the original KISS line up look like musical pridigies. I don't like some of the bands who are in the R&RHOF, but I won't deny that they belong there - unfortunately those who vote for the "hall" don't share that view. It comes down to who they like, not necessarily those most influential and/or successful.

Once again, very predictably, the list of nominees shows why it really is the Rock and Roll Hall of Sham.

[MovieExchange]

I don't know if it's just urban legend or not, but from what I've heard Sabbath has no interest in the R&RHOF and have refused to be inducted, citing that many of the people that vote are the same critics that have panned on Sabbath for years.

As for Kiss, they certainly belong there. Alive was the first live recording to sell worth a damn, they had a string of platinum records, and most importantly their stage show was so revolutionary that not only did it change the way music was performed live... every show ever done on a stage was changed because of what Kiss did on stage.

[hdtv00]

Heres the top 40 songs of the year, or so I think this is accurate....

01 Blondie - Call Me
02 Pink Floyd - Another Brick In Wall Part 2
03 Olivia Newton-John - Magic
04 Michael Jackson - Rock With You
05 Captain & Tenille - Do That To Me One More Time
06 Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
07 Paul McCartney - Coming Up
08 Lipps, Inc - Funkytown
09 Billy Joel - Its Still Rock And Roll To Me
10 Bette Midler - The Rose
11 Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
12 Gary Numan - Cars
13 Smokey Robinson - Crusin
14 Spinners - Working My Way Back To You - Forgive Me Gir
15 Air Supply - Lost In Love
16 Elton John - Little Jeannie
17 Christopher Cross - Ride Like The Wind
18 Diana Ross - Upside Down
19 KC & The Sunshine Band - Please Dont Go
20 Styx - Babe
21 Billy Preston & Syreeta - With You Im Born Again
22 Manhattans - Shining Star
23 Commodores - Still
24 Teri Desario & Kc - Yes, Im Ready
25 Dr Hook - Sexy Eyes
26 Robbie Dupree - Steal Away
27 Ambrosia - Biggest Part Of Me
28 Kenny Loggins - This Is It
29 Spinners - Cupid - Ive Loved You For A Long Time (Medl
30 Jermaine Jackson - Lets Get Serious
31 Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes - Dont Fall In Love With A D
32 Christopher Cross - Sailing
33 Dan Fogelberg - Longer
34 Kenny Rogers - Coward Of The County
35 Kool & The Gang - Ladies Night
36 Kool & The Gang - Too Hot
37 S.o.s. Band - Take Your Time
38 Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer - No More Tears
39 Kim Carnes - More Love
40 M - Pop Muzic
41 Pretenders - Brass In Pocket (Im Special)
42 Ray, Goodman & Brown - Special Lady
43 Stevie Wonder - Send One Your Love
44 Shalamar - The Second Time Around
45 Cliff Richard - We Dont Talk Anymore
46 Brothers Johnson - Stomp
47 Eagles - Heartache Tonight
48 Rocky Burnette - Tired Of Toein Line
49 Dr Hook - Better Love Next Time
51 Bob Seger - Against The Wind
50 Rupert Holmes - Him

[rw2516]

Alice Cooper hasn't gotten in yet has he? He really shook things up in the early '70s.

[B5Erik]

Alice Cooper hasn't gotten in yet has he? He really shook things up in the early '70s.

I knew I was forgetting someone...

Yeah, Alice Cooper (the band) was the #1 group in America around the time of Billion Dollar Babies, and they had huge success with Love It to Death, Killer, School's Out, and even Muscle of Love. Alice (the singer) went on to solo success immediately after the Muscle of Love tour ended. Alice had a great comeback in the late 80's/early 90's and still draws crowds of 1,000-2,000 per show today. Not bad for an act with over 35 years in the business. Hugely influential, Alice definitely deserves to be in.

But, of course, he (and the Alice Cooper Band) are not even nominated....

[Jason]

Is it time to make my yearly complaint that Rush are not in the HOF already?