Seven acts — from Roxy Music to Stevie Nicks to The Zombies — will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year. Here’s a recap and videos of the Class of 2019.
Rock Hall Inductee: Janet Jackson, shown here during a 2015 Van Andel Arena concert, is in the Class of 2019. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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It’s that time of year again.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its 2019 inductees – just a week after Grammy Award nominees for next year were revealed – and it’s a roster of artists that’s admittedly all over the board when it comes to this all-encompassing definition of “rock.”
Of course, plenty of musicians – including many in West Michigan – likely count these acts as an inspiration for their own music:
THE CURE – This influential post-punk/gothic rock/New Wave English band has been nominated before so devotees will surely be singing a “Lovesong” about the fact that the group is finally in.
DEF LEPPARD – Def Leppard first became eligible for induction way back in 2005 and has been rocking stages in hard rock/hair metal/pop style since the late 1970s. So, in some ways, it’s curious that it’s suddenly strutting the red carpet. But hey, it’s never too late for some rock ‘n’ roll “Hysteria.”
JANET JACKSON – Considering she’s sold over 100 million records (and has been nominated for induction three times), there’s no denying the popularity or cultural impact of this pop/R&B star, who will now join her brother, Michael, and the Jackson 5 in having her name inscribed on the hall wall.
STEVIE NICKS – Some critics might question this nomination, partly due to the recent flare-up within Fleetwood Mac that jettisoned longtime bandmate (and one-time duo-mate) Lindsey Buckingham. But there’s also no doubt Nicks has influenced a generation of female rockers, so she’ll just say “Stand Back” and take her trophy home.
RADIOHEAD – This induction was inevitable (and surprised some when it didn’t happen last year). It’s almost impossible to quantify the transformative impact that Thom Yorke and England’s Radiohead have had on music – and the music business – with their boundary-pushing rock. Longtime critics’ darlings, they’ve also cultivated a diehard following of Radiohead-heads.
ROXY MUSIC – Hallelujah. If there was any justice in the world (or in the Hall of Fame induction process), these artfully rocking guys would have been inducted way back in 1997 when they were first eligible. Boasting such iconic members as Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Brian Eno and Andy Mackay, this acknowledgment is way overdue.
THE ZOMBIES – Hallelujah, Take Two. (See Roxy Music above.) These U.K. rockers with a psychedelic slant have been waiting even longer and were nominated four times before hitting paydirt. Guess it’s finally the “Time of the Season.”
So there you have it. All in all, it’s actually a solid class in this “School of Rock,” and I won’t even get into the annual travesty involving the omission/oversight/slight of Jethro Tull in this imperfect process.
And, of course, legendary songwriting fave John Prine and the iconic Michigan band MC5 were nominated but not inducted this time around, so there’s that.
No matter. Fans can revisit the Local Spins review of Wayne Kramer’s potent MC50 anniversary tour that stopped a few months ago at Grand Rapids’ 20 Monroe Live. Kramer clearly doesn’t need Rock Hall endorsement to “Kick Out the Jams.”
Copyright 2018, Spins on Music LLC
