I agree completely with Fred Jacobs, who is appalled that this year’s list of nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame includes Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie. It has nothing to do with their talent or success, but rather the fact that they are not rock and rollers:
I get it – the Hall aspires to be about the celebration of all music, regardless of genre. But if that’s the case, where is Count Basie, John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra, and Leonard Bernstein? If we’re going to honor great musicians, artists, players, and singers, why draw any lines? Miles Davis is the only jazz artist to make the cut?
This institution is a living, breathing branding error. It’s false advertising. And it screams the place simply has lost its compass (or perhaps never had it to begin with).
And in the bigger picture of institutions that honor their best, it makes no sense.
Would the Country Hall of Fame induct Led Zeppelin?
Would the Jazz Hall of Fame nominate AC/DC?
Would the Baseball Hall of Fame honor Tom Brady?
No, because these things make no more sense than the idiocy the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame does each and ever year – without fail. I’m not the only one out there who feels like Charlie Brown this morning.