The Rock Hall and Solo Artists: Who's Worthy?

"Going solo." The concept comes off as self-serving, even egotistical. A self-important singer ditches his band, because he doesn't need those other guys (see: David Lee Roth). But sometimes, a performer legitimately outgrows their original group, spreads their wings, and soars even higher artistically and commercially (i.e. Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel, Joan Jett, George Michael, Beyoncé). 

For the purposes of this piece, let's define "solo artist" strictly as a person that separated, either permanently or temporarily, from the existing group that made them famous in the first place. So, Sting (The Police) and Phil Collins (Genesis) would fit this bill, but someone like Janet Jackson would not; Janet is a solo act of course, but her career was not preceded by involvement in another successful musical group. 

As far as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and solo artists, the question is this: Who's worthy enough to be inducted as a solo entity, especially if they've already gotten into the Rock Hall with their original group? The institution's history shows that each Beatle, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Paul Simon, Gabriel, and Lou Reed fit the bill, to name a few. However, "demonstrating musical excellence," the oft-repeated Rock Hall induction criteria, is evidently tough for voters to quantify in this subset. Ben E. King, inducted with the Drifters in 1988, has been nominated three times, but has not yet entered the Hall as a solo artist. Sting was nominated for 2015, didn't get in, and then disappeared from the nominee pool for the 2016 ceremony. (Maybe that lute album torpedoed his chances?)

So what does a solo artist have to do to make the Rock Hall cut? Being in a popular band and doing a solo album is hardly enough. Rock history has seen so many go it alone, with various results. There are wildly successful solo acts, middling successes, and solo forays that went over like a lead balloon. All four Beatles had largely terrific solo careers, but let's face it, no one is persuasively touting the replay value of Mick Jagger's She's the Boss at this point. Tina Turner raked in the Grammys after Ike, King had "Stand by Me," and Gabriel and Collins pulled an exodus from Genesis and became huge '80s icons... but have you been bumping much Mike & The Mechanics lately? Then there's the lesser-appreciated solo work that's neither a failure nor a triumph; it was laudable, but just met with less fanfare. The solo careers of Pete Townshend, David Byrne, and Lindsey Buckingham come to mind; later examples might be the work of Thom Yorke (Radiohead) and Jim James (My Morning Jacket). Finally, is anyone (unironically at least) still playing Andrew Ridgeley's 1990 LP Son of Albert, or late Ramone Dee Dee's rap album under the name Dee Dee King? 

Clearly, there exists a bumper crop of solo artists as they are defined here. And in the busy realm of the Rock Hall-related blogosphere and Twitter, the following individuals have been broached as potential inductees:

• Björk (group: Sugarcubes, who are not inducted)
• Phil Collins (group: Genesis, inducted)
• Ice Cube (group: N.W.A., inducted in 2016)
• Ronnie James Dio (groups: Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath; Black Sabbath only one inducted, but Dio was actually not inducted as a member)
• Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones, inducted)
• George Michael (Wham, not inducted)
• Morrissey (The Smiths, not inducted)
• Chaka Khan (Rufus, not inducted)
• Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac, inducted)
• Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, inducted)
• Teddy Pendergrass (Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, not inducted) 
• Keith Richards (Rolling Stones, inducted)
• Tina Turner (Ike and Tina Turner, inducted)
• Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith; Traffic only one inducted)

It's an entertaining/infuriating list, and in some cases, their original bands aren't even enshrined yet in Cleveland, muddling the argument. No need to expound on every one of them, but perhaps just a few. One could predict that the Sugarcubes will never be inducted, but Björk is a relatively likely future nominee. The Smiths have been nominated twice to no avail, so to suggest Morrissey is a swell idea, but as unlikely as the Pope of Mope actually showing up to a ceremony in either case. Chaka Khan was just nominated, so it's reasonable to think she could appear on the ballot once again. But with N.W.A. going in this year, Ice Cube being considered for his solo work could unfortunately take decades, if it ever happens.

All things considered, there are numerous solo artists that genuinely deserve Rock Hall consideration. But maybe the conversation should really start with individuals that have never been honored. The thing is, the Rock Hall is having a math problem as of late. 15 nominees in 2015 (for the 2016 ceremony), but only 5 got in; that's brutal. Considering the increasing exclusivity of this club, how logical is it for the nomination committees to submit previously-inducted people as solo acts when only five or six inductees might get in each year? Sting is in with the Police; is it truly vital to induct him for his solo work, as accomplished as it may be? All due respect, but Reed was in with the Velvet Underground and had passed away before he was even nominated as a solo act, anyway; could it have waited? Should it be "3 nominations and you're out" for Ben E. King so they can move onto others? Also, there are legions of deserving groups that have been snubbed or have never seen a nomination. While the Hall has been doing some clean-up the past few years, inducting such long-overlooked fan favorites as Rush and KISS—and this coming April, Chicago, Deep Purple, Cheap Trick—they might want to prioritize acts that have never had a seat at the table.

Rock Hall 2016: Feelin' the Berns

So... Bert Berns is receiving the Ahmet Ertegun Award for Lifetime Achievement. Rock Hall followers might be scratching their heads today, but it's fair to look at the basic facts. From the Rock Hall website: 

"Bert Berns was one of the great record men of the New York rhythm and blues scene of the 60s. Berns produced 51 chart records in seven years, most of which he also wrote. His songs have been recorded by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin. Janis Joplin made her career with her version of his “Piece Of My Heart,” a song he wrote and produced for Erma Franklin, Aretha Franklin’s sister, only weeks before his death on December 30, 1967 at age 38."

Also a fact, and blowing up up the Rock Hall social media channels today is that Steven Van Zandt and Paul Shaffer are producing a Broadway musical about Bert Berns. And per the Future Rock Legends Twitter (@futurerocklgnds), Van Zandt and Shaffer are both on the committee that picked Berns for this honor, raising the issue of a conflict of interest. Wow.

But let's take one step back here. One positive to extract is that a rock n' roll luminary from the '60s is being inducted, giving hope to many a snubbed artist of that era and maybe earlier. Despite recent Nomination Committee purges, the door is evidently still open, in theory, to worthy artists such as Mary Wells, Link Wray, Joe Tex, the Zombies, Chuck Willis, Dick Dale, and Captain Beefheart. Berns deserves the honor, but the timing feels suspect now. He could have been honored previously, maybe even in an inductee-heavy year like 2012, where producers Glyn Johns, Tom Dowd, and Cosima Matassa got the Award for Musical Excellence, and Don Kirschner was given the Ahmet Ertegun Award. What's another Ahmet Ertegun Award when there were multiple "Musical Excellence" honorees? 

In any case, the Rock Hall, true to form, continues to confound. Not only with inductees vs. snubs, and the worsening inductee gender gap that people are really starting to pay attention to, but also with the relatively meager count of inductees they're putting in this year (now 6 total). Speculation that ceremony length is an issue seems legitimate, but ultimately, the HBO broadcast will be edited. So if say, the J.B.'s were announced alongside of Berns last night in the "Musical Excellence" category, at least we would have gotten Bootsy Collins out of the deal, bringing some bass magic to the end-of-night jam.

Berns, with all due respect, isn't bringing viewers to HBO nor is his name selling tickets to the ceremony. So the question becomes, "Why Bert Berns, and why now?" Honoring someone overdue? Well, there's a long list of those. Yet another head-scratcher is waiting until January 27 to "officially" announce this decidedly non-flashy inductee choice, especially when as of January 12, Bert Berns' Facebook page had already announced it. Couldn't they have determined last month that Berns was going in, and then rolled his name out on December 17 alongside of Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, and N.W.A.? There's some unprecedented stuff happening, and it raises legitimate questions.

But, here we are. Six inductees, five of them mostly mainstream and crowd-pleasing, and this last one controversial out of the gate. 

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...)

Predictions: The 2016 Rock Hall Nominees

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Don Henley, inducting Randy Newman in 2013, may have put it best when he called it a “peculiar, perplexing organization.” 

Can't argue with Don on that point; this is one unpredictable enterprise. And this month, the Rock Hall Nomination Committee, which recently underwent some dramatic membership changes, will reportedly meet to come up with a roster of artists for potential induction in 2016. That nominee list is typically announced in October.

Here are E-Rockracy's predictions of the 2016 nominees, based more on likelihood than personal taste, as well as a touch of guesswork based on some early buzz out there:

Chic - That sound you hear? It's Nile Rodgers shaking his head. This would be Chic's 10th nomination (!). But it took 10 nominations to get the legendary Solomon Burke in, so there is a precedent.

Deep Purple - As with Rush, years of hard rock/metal fans protesting their exclusion could earn them another nomination.

Electric Light Orchestra - Eligible for 18 years, and Jeff Lynne could wear Billy Corgan's "ZERO" shirt as that is the number of nominations his widely-respected group has had. That could change this year.

Janet Jackson - New tour, new album, multi-platinum pop legend. That could seal a nomination.

J. Geils Band - Vocalist Peter Wolf is a close-knit associate of the Rock Hall, previously inducting Jackie Wilson and, last year, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Plus, there seems to be some current chatter out there around the JGB, eligible since 1995. 

Ben E. King - Already in with the Drifters, but King, who died this year, has 3 previous nominations as a solo artist.

Kraftwerk - 3 previous nominations, including one last year for these electronic music pioneers. If they're nominated yet don't make induction yet again, look to the committee to start jumping ahead to such Kraftwerk descendants as Joy Division/New Order and Depeche Mode in future years. That said, their induction would suitably pave the way for those acts, as well.

The Marvelettes - Two previous nominations in recent years, perhaps they'll give this beloved 60s girl group another shot.

Nine Inch Nails - Fairly shocking they weren't inducted last year, another try seems quite likely.

N.W.A. - There couldn't be more of a mainstream spotlight on them right now with the biopic and the new Dr. Dre album. A slam-dunk for nomination, but will the larger (and older-skewing) voting body cast enough votes to get them inducted? 

Smashing Pumpkins - Newly eligible and extremely likely to make the initial nominee pool.

The Smiths - A surprise nomination last year, but given Morrissey-Marr's undeniable influence on indie and alternative rock, it seems a solid bet they'll get another chance.

The Spinners - A legendary R&B act that never seems to leave the Rock Hall conversation. Two previous nominations.

Yes - A passionate fan base and a formidable body of work, to be certain. As sad as it is to contemplate, too, bassist Chris Squire's passing could nudge them onto the nominee list.

Warren Zevon - Would be a worthy addition to the seemingly annual singer-songwriter slot. Never nominated.

Rock Hall First-Ballot Predictions 2016-2029

As Rock and Roll Hall of Fame first-ballot inductee Tom Petty once sang, "the waiting... is the hardest part." However, like him, some artists won't have to wait at all to be enshrined into that museum on Lake Erie. Here are some predictions on which artists will enter the hall in their very first year of eligibility. (Note, the format is eligibility year/ceremony year; for example, Pearl Jam is eligible in 2016, and if they are voted in, they would be inducted during the actual ceremony in 2017.)  

Just for fun, there is the also the addition of a dream induction speaker for each artist. 

2015/2016 - Prediction? Zero first balloters. Smashing Pumpkins will move into the nominee pool but not quite make the cut. There have been first-ballot inductees the last four years in a row (Guns N' Roses, Public Enemy, Nirvana, Green Day), so it wouldn't be surprising if there are no brand new faces in 2016. This should come as good news to you Deep Purple, N.W.A., and Spinners fans, though.

2016/2017 - Pearl Jam  You want a no-brainer? This is perhaps the easiest first-ballot prediction on the radar. Arriving fully-formed with their staggering, monolithic debut album Ten in 1991, Pearl Jam has never wavered or looked back. They've held an unrelenting grip on that elusive, all-too-rare thing artists like Neil Young and R.E.M. possess: artistic integrity. They've got the anthems, the rabid followers, and they still sell out arenas. And what a story: They outlasted "grunge," battled Ticketmaster, withstood tragedy, and have forged a contemplative yet triumphant identity that is unique, earning fans from Pete Townshend to your little sister. Spin the black circle, and roll out the red carpet. Dream induction speaker: Pete Townshend.

2017/2018 - Beck and Radiohead  O -delay and -K Computer. Any questions? Some pundits also like first-year-eligibles Rage Against the Machine, but despite Rock Hall brass being tight with RATM guitar wizard (and HOF nominating committee member) Tom Morello, his old band will have to wait. On a side note, Green Day performed at the 2012 ceremony and were then inducted in 2015; expect the same for 2015 ceremony performer Beck in 2018. Dream induction speakers: David Byrne (Beck); Roger Waters (Radiohead).

2019/2020 - Oasis and Jeff Buckley There's a temptation to say "Weezer and Elliott Smith" for this class as both are also first-year eligible, but I think the "induce a reunion fever" will once again strike the Rock Hall (remember GNR in 2012?), in hopes the complicated Gallagher brothers will show up and perform. Whatever happens, the instant-classic album (What's the Story) Morning Glory is sufficient to get them in. In the other slot, the angelic-voiced Jeff Buckley is the rock world's James Dean - a blazingly gifted comet of a soul who left us too soon, and tragically. His essential album Grace is a soaring achievement, and contains the best version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" ever recorded. Dream induction speakers: Ryan Adams (Oasis); Thom Yorke (Jeff Buckley).

2020/2021 - Foo Fighters Does anyone see these guys not going in first ballot? Like them or not, the high-energy Foo Fighters are one of the most popular American rock bands of the past few decades, and Dave Grohl is the art form's biggest cheerleader. Allow Grohl this much: He stepped out from behind the drums, and did one hell of a job reinventing himself post-Nirvana. As far as HOF activities are concerned, he's inducted Rush and performed at the galas, most recently with Joan Jett. Debate the Foos' music if you will; some think they're overrated if competent, while others react like Jack Black doing air guitar when they hear "Everlong." That's rock n' roll for you. Dream induction speakers: Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick.

And beyond 2021, briefly:

2021/2022 - Eminem He's not Vanilla Ice. 

2024/2025 - The White Stripes Because it would take 13 more years to induct Jack White solo. He gets in with this class, with Meg. The Rock Hall probably wishes they could put him in tomorrow. 

2028/2029 - Arcade Fire The epitome of a critic's band, they are also an indie-rock juggernaut that could pave the way for a lot of other Pitchfork-approved bands that followed them to start entering the HOF. And like their stateside influencers Talking Heads, they're in first ballot.