The FM Radio Class: 2016's Rock Hall Inductees

Five is an odd number. Even odder in some ways, perhaps, is the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class: Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, and N.W.A.

Look, justice is being served in some quarters here. Most definitely with Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, and Chicago: all forever-snubbed, still-touring artists that deserve at place at Cleveland's table. N.W.A., the only inductee to form after the 70s, is the welcome wild card. This transgressive yet sociopolitically significant Compton rap group took no prisoners, gave no fucks, and exposed an American reality too many were ignorant of, to funky, multiplatinum effect.

Still, this is a small class and it's not entirely diverse; you could almost dub it the "FM Radio Class." Janet, Nine Inch Nails, or even Los Lobos would have made this group feel a bit more well-rounded and cross-generational. And what's the deal with Steve Miller (sans "Band")? Considering the 15 nominees as a whole, he seems unexpected. Miller is likable, and much like Chicago, Cheap Trick, and Deep Purple, radio airplay has endlessly woven his music into the American fabric. But I would have predicted the voters to go for Yes or even the Cars over the Space Cowboy/Maurice. Miller just seemed like one of those first-time nominees that would need 2-3 nominations before being inducted. I also felt the same way about Cheap Trick somewhat, though I can understand how they made the final cut as they are so beloved:

(Side note, induction ceremony producers: If this Damone clip doesn't kick off the Cheap Trick induction film, you're doing it wrong. Call Universal Pictures and get the rights now.)

In any case, here we are, the Class of 2016. Fifteen worthy artists entered the ballot Thunderdome, just five are left standing. But damn, this is far too many nominees if only five acts get in. For 2017, the Hall should offer up 10-12 nominees maximum. Ditch Chic, forget Sting, stop nominating The Smiths (a proper English bummer, but the voting body isn't checking a box for them at this point) and serve up a ballot with 10 worthy nominees, with the intent of inducting at least six. Janet Jackson, a stunning omission this year, likely would have made the cut if there were six or more.

If the five-performer-inductees-only thing is because the ceremonies are excruciatingly long (and, if you're in the room and not watching the HBO edit in May, they are), throw more solo artists into the mix, and/or limit the speech length by playing people off, as they do at the Oscars. And no, don't do that to Paul or Ringo, but if the seventh speaker from the Paul Butterfield Blues Band is going long or, horrors, stepping to the mic to a forehead-slapping second time, nudge them along. If speeches of an enforced length equal another inductee, it's absolutely worth offending an errant windbag or two.

Coming in late January, apparently, is the held-back announcement of various "Non-Performer" or "Musical Excellence" honorees. Since the inductee list was low on the surprise meter, the real Rock Hall shocks may come here. Nile Rodgers, Musical Excellence? Heck, even Janet under Musical Excellence? Anything could happen; they folded Ringo Starr in last year under that category and he wasn't even on the ballot.

Finally, what is April 8, 2016's end of night all-star jam? "Smoke on the Water" might be a bit obvious, but there are a lot of graying Baby Boomers with guitars in this class that could send that riff into the stratosphere. I credit my wife for the idea of N.W.A.'s "Express Yourself" with Chicago's horn section (brilliant, really).

Congratulations, Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, N.W.A., and Steve Miller. This club seems to get more exclusive all the time.

Predictions: 2016 Rock Hall Inductees

Here are E-Rockracy's predictions for the final nominees to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2016: 

Chicago - Currently leading the bot-driven, irretrievably corrupted fan vote, and it appears they will triumph. History is likely to repeat; all winners of the fan vote in the past 3 years have been inducted (Rush, KISS, Stevie Ray Vaughan). Plus, even avowed "rock guy" Eddie Trunk voted for them! So there's that.

N.W.A. - It just feels like their year, doesn't it? The critically and commercially well-received biopic helps immensely. Straight outta Compton and right up to that podium. 

Janet Jackson - Besides the fact that people are loving her new album, she's a pop legend and MTV icon. There's a very short list of artists (Madonna comes to mind) that have had her level of success on both radio and MTV, deftly balancing sound and vision. Plus, the HBO broadcast needs a headliner with mainstream appeal for the broadcast in May, and she fits the bill.

Deep Purple -  3 previous nominations and perceived as one of the Rock Hall's biggest snubs. Since this year's nominee list surprisingly included FM radio staples like The Cars, Cheap Trick, and Steve Miller, there's some "clean up" going on, and I sense Deep Purple probably needs to get in before the others go. Their induction also clears the way in the future for other overdue hard rock/metal names like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, and Thin Lizzy.

Chic - Amusing thought: If Chic performs, they should substitute "10" for "Good" in  their hit song "Good Times"... "10 Times... nom-in-at-ed 10 TIMES!" But I digress. No way they made the nominee list yet again if the Hall doesn't plan to simply sweep them in, regardless of any voting tallies. Nile Rodgers, if you're performing at Coachella in April, have a private jet ready, coordinates set for NYC.

Of course, predicting the Rock Hall is nearly impossible. If an inductee list of the Cars, Steve Miller, the Smiths, the Spinners and  Yes was announced, I wouldn't be shocked (and even strangely happy with that list). But with the current nominee pool, it seems like the Cars, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, and Yes will be splitting votes, thereby cancelling each other out. If Chic suffered through a whopping 10 nominations, it's not a reach to think those acts will have to wait a few years too.

Here's a bonus prediction:

Inducted under "Early Influence": The J.B.'s - James Brown's band. Influential, but their inclusion in the nominee list seems strange. Nothing against their musical contribution, but nominee slots are limited, and inductee slots, even moreso. Ideally, the J.B.'s could be a special "add-on" inductee, much like 2012's backing band clearinghouse induction of the Crickets, Blue Caps, Comets, Midnighters, Miracles, and James Brown's other sidemen, the Famous Flames. The J.B.'s are likely to get in under a special category outside the 5 "Performer" slots, either "Early Infuence" or possibly "Musical Excellence." 

Also, it's reasonable to anticipate a producer and/or a music industry veteran to be part of the December announcement as the Hall typically folds in some extra honorees.

...and, finally, just for fun, my personal five choices, if I had a ballot:

Cheap Trick

Deep Purple

N.W.A

The Smiths

The Spinners

Bonus personal pick under "non-performer" or "musical excellence": Rick Rubin

"A Polite Directive" - Put Harry in the Hall

For serious music geeks, campaign season isn't about Donald, Hillary, Bernie, nor the eyeroll-inducing Republican clown car. It's about artists that passionate, vocal fan bases are campaigning to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Let's consider some history around passed-over Rock Hall artists. There was a several-year public outcry for Rush's induction, remedied in 2013. There remains a hard rock legion out there smacking their forehead daily that Deep Purple isn't in yet. Guitar pioneer Link Wray has his evangelists as well. There is the steadfast, always impressive campaign of Induct Janet, there's Induct Whitney, and of course, untold millions of fans bleating on comment boards about Chicago, Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Carole King (as a performer this time!) and well, _____ (fill in the blank/your favorite artist [HERE]). 

A more recent entry to the Rock Hall campaign race gaining steam is "Harry in the Hall," which according to the website (harryinthehall.wordpress.com), is a "polite directive" and was "created by the fans of the Harry Nilsson Facebook Community to promote, educate, and provide undeniable justification for the induction of Harry Nilsson into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016."

With a Facebook account, an active Twitter, and a sense of urgency, this appears to be one of the more organized and spirited efforts to encourage the nomination and induction of an artist.

Why not? Best of luck, Harry in the Hall. If he gets nominated (knock wood) and inducted (gasp!), your energies here in the service of this legendary, justifiably respected singer-songwriter will be a campaign that was worth running. And if not? As Cubs fans always say, there's always next year.

(Side note: As a Captain Beefheart fan, I might have to follow in Harry in the Hall's enthusiastic footsteps next year with the same strategy..."Beef in the Hall?" "Beef with the Hall?" Hmm... maybe I need to work on that moniker...)