The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2009 inductees this afternoon, and the lucky five legends are Metallica, Run-D.M.C., Bobby Womack, Jeff Beck, and Little Anthony & the Imperials. Seems like a pretty strong list to me, covering a nice variety of eras and sounds. It’ll be fitting to see Metallica honored after the blockbuster year they’ve just had. And I’m particularly happy to see Run-D.M.C. in there. They’ll become only the second hip-hop artist to enter the Hall, after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in 2007. Now, I know that not everyone agrees with me on this, but as far as I’m concerned Run-D.M.C. made as much of an impact on the past 25 years of music as any recent inductees. More, in many cases. So please spare me the kvetching about how rappers don’t belong in a "Rock and Roll" museum. Any canon broad enough to encompass the Everly Brothers, Van Halen, and Miles Davis can make room for Rev Run, D.M.C., and the late Jam-Master Jay, can’t it? But you tell me. What do you think of this year’s slate of honorees?
More on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and this year’s inductees:
EW Gallery: 24 Metallica Career Highs and Lows
Run-D.M.C.’s Raising Hell is one of EW’s New Music Classics
PopWatch mulled over who got snubbed when the ’09 nominees were revealed
I found some of last year’s inductees a little underwhelming
Metallica and Run-DMC inducted in the same year? I am in music heaven right now!
I love Metallica, so if they failed to make it that would have been a snub of Black Sabbath proportions for them not to make it. As far as Run-DMC, absolutely they belong. And Public Enemy better follow quickly behind.
will dave mustaine and jason newstead be welcomed?
will dave mustaine and jason newstead be welcomed?
Metallica in the RnR HOF wouldn’t be complete without a tribute to Cliff Burton.
Once again RUSH is dissed–for the ninth time since they became eligible in 1999–they’ve been given the cold shoulder.
The real irony is that without Rush there would have NEVER would have been a Metallica. So far a band the Canadian trio inspired to be inducted first is absurd. Someday, I hope, the critics will wake up and give Rush their props AND their proper place in the Hall of Fame. Surely after selling more than a million records a year for 35 years–as well as still being one of the most popular live acts, they deserve it. If you support their induction, google “The Rush Hall of Fame Campaign Petition” site. As for RunDMC’s induction–I don’t really see their place in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (nor Miles Davis, tho’ I love his music). While Rap was obviously influenced by rock (and now returns the favor), surely no one would claim RunDMC is a rock band.
Once again RUSH is dissed–for the tenth time since they became eligible in 1999–they’ve been given the cold shoulder.
The real irony is that without Rush there would have NEVER been a Metallica (or, especially a Cliff Burton!). So for a band the Canadian trio inspired to be inducted first is absurd. Someday, I hope, the critics will wake up and give Rush their props AND their proper place: the Hall of Fame. Surely after selling more than a million records a year for 35 years–as well as still being one of the most popular live acts, what MORE do they have to do? If you support their induction, google “The Rush Hall of Fame Campaign Petition” site.
As for Jeff Beck, ’bout time!
As for RunDMC’s induction–I don’t really see their place in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (nor Miles Davis, tho’ I love his music). While Rap was obviously influenced by rock (and now returns the favor), surely no one would claim RunDMC is a rock band.
(double post is a goof!!)
wait a sec… you don’t see Miles Davis’ place in the rock hall?!
I also love the entry of Run DMC they are pioneers in music. There is a huge variety of musicians in the rock hall and why not accept a rap group, especially one that integrated rock so much into their style (with or without Aerosmith)
Why is it heavy groups like Metallica get in, but the legends like Alice Cooper, Kiss, Judas Priests, etc…still don’t even get on the ballots? The RnRHoF is a joke. I bet the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears get in before any of the legends that should be there do.
Ummm…yeah Run DMC and the Beastie Boys are the only to hip hop acts to have an arguement for inclusion into the rock n’ roll hall of fame. The Beastie Boys definately, they were hugely successful and influencial. Run DMC were marginally successful for a few years, their case is based on there influence, so yeah they should be there. I’m just concerned someone down the road is gonna be saying Puffy or Kanye should be in. I mean Madonna doesn’t deserve to be there, but she is because her being involved makes the Hall of Fame money. But yeah Rush definitely deserves to be there and the reason that a lot of deserving bands like Rush will never get in is because the Hall of Fame is a business and they are looking to include everyone…ie..(ok, you get one rock act, one oldies act, one pop act, one urban act). Its just like the Grammy nominations are staged to give every segment of music one nomination for best album or record so everyone watches…
g-spot I agree with you on the Metallica front. Their opportunity would be in question without alice and judas! The Rnr is easily blinded by record sales of the past 15 or so years. (not to mention that no one watched anymore so they are banking on viewers with Metallica.)
Why did it take so long for Little Anthony to get in? I mean “Outta My Head” was one of the best!
That’s a good question, rey. Mustaine, Newsted, Burton. Maybe they’ll all be honored.
But G-spot makes a good point, too. I shudder at the thought
Good selection overall of artists to be inducted, but Little Anthony & the Imperials? Seriously? KISS, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden are nowhere to be found and Del Shannon, The Ventures, and The Ronettes all reside in the Hall? I am not a exclusively a fan of heavy metal , nor attacking those three artists but I really don’t believe they made a bigger impact on music than KISS or Priest.