Nirvana, N.W.A. top Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 16 nominees for the Class of 2014

By Chuck Yarborough, The Plain Dealer

on October 15, 2013 at 11:14 PM, updated October 15, 2013 at 11:27 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Grunge, hip-hop, the blues, prog rock, theatrical rock and MTV rock all are represented among the 16 finalists to become Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, the Rock Hall announced Wednesday.

Half of that potential Class of 2014 – Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Nirvana, Link Wray, the Replacements, Linda Ronstadt, Yes and the Zombies – are first-timers on the ballot, as well.

The other nominees are the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Deep Purple, KISS, LL Cool J, N.W.A., the Meters and Cat Stevens. Of that group, Chic has had the most prior shots at induction, having been nominated seven times before. Actor and hip-hop star LL Cool J and the Meters now have been on the ballot three times.

KISS went four years between nominations, having been on the ballot in 2010. Stevens, who now goes by the name Yusuf Islam, was last up for induction in 2006.

In addition to the artists and bands, the Rock Hall will induct one or two nonperformers under its Ahmet Ertegun Lifetime Achievement Award category.

Rock Hall President and CEO Greg Harris was, in his own words, "thrilled'' by the list of nominees.

"I think it's remarkable in that there are so many first-time nominees,'' Harris said in a telephone interview. "It's remarkably diverse in the type of bands that are on it. In some ways, it's a balance between the populist bands and some of the 'musicians' musicians.' ''

Though he declined to pick a sure winner among the list, Harris said Nirvana was a good option.

"I would think that everybody on this list was impactful and influential, but for a whole genre, Nirvana really led a charge,'' said Harris, who is in his late 40s.

The 16 finalists were chosen by secret ballots cast by more than 600 individual voters, including past inductees, musicians, historians, critics and music-business insiders. The Rock Hall expects between five and seven nominees to make the cut. Last year, that decision was announced in mid-December. The Rock Hall anticipates a late December or early January reveal on just who will be inducted in New York City in April.

Bands and artists become eligible 25 years after the commercial release of their first album or single. Thus, all those on the ballot had to be active in 1988 or earlier.

For the second time in its history, the Rock Hall will open the voting to fans. Beginning Wednesday, fans will be able to cast ballots on a poll via rockhall.com, rollingstone.com and usatoday.com. The top five vote-getters will comprise a “fans’ ballot,’’ which will be considered as one ballot in the voting.

Deep Purple finished second in the 2013 variation of the fan balloting, behind Rush, which finally won induction to be the first among long-denied prog-rock bands. Chic, a favorite of Rolling Stone founder (and co-founder of the Rock Hall itself) Jann Wenner, wasn’t as popular with fans in last year’s poll. However, the collaboration of Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers on futurist duo Daft Punk's "Get Lucky'' has brought the band newfound prominence.

Archived results of that 2013 poll – the Rock Hall closed the page with the tabulation and isn’t releasing those numbers this year – showed the band with less than 2 percent of the fan balloting.

But those numbers may have been a factor in this year's roster of nominees, said the Rock Hall's Harris.

"I think that clearly in this ballot creation, there is a voice of the fan in some of these bands,'' he said.

Despite Harris' equivocating, the biggest no-brainer lock on the ballot truly is Nirvana, in its first year of eligibility. The band with the late Kurt Cobain, plus bassist Krist Novaselic and eventually drummer Dave Grohl (who didn’t join the group until 1990), launched the grunge movement.

Rush pulled in about a quarter of the votes in the Rock Hall’s 2013 poll; look for Nirvana to double that. Nirvana just barely squeaked into this year’s potential class. The band’s first album, “Bleach,’’ was released in June 1989, but the first single off it, “Love Buzz,’’ came out in 1988.

Rush may also serve as the groundbreaker for Yes. Until the induction last year of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart – 15 years after the band became eligible – prog-rock fans had frequently accused Rock Hall voters of bias against their favorite genre.

Often, those prog-rockers and others saved their greatest and loudest howls for the Rock Hall’s decision to step outside the “norm’’ and include hip-hop bands like Public Enemy, which earned enshrinement last year.

That being said, behind Nirvana and Deep Purple, the band on the ballot that is most likely – and most deserving – of a spot in the Rock Hall is the groundbreaking hip-hop group N.W.A. The progenitors of gangsta rap -- Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube and MC Ren -- turned the genre into one of angry social commentary aided by high-quality production values with their debut album, “Straight Outta Compton,’’ and its breakthrough hit, “F--- the Police.’’

Eazy-E, who died of complications from AIDS in 1995, became the mentor to Cleveland’s own Grammy-winning Bone Thugs-N- Harmony. Dre became and remains an influential figure in the genre, especially on the production side. Cube, who was last in town this summer with fellow 2014 nominee LL Cool J and Public Enemy, has added actor and beer spokesman to his lengthy resume.

Ronstadt, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease to the point where she needs crutches to get around and has told interviewers she "can't sing a note,'' might be the sentimental favorite. Now 67, she was arguably the most successful female artist of the 1970s and was able to cross genres when it wasn't cool to do so. She also was responsible for launching and/or boosting the careers of some of music's most-loved people and bands, such as the Eagles.

The induction ceremony itself will be in April in New York City. The location, and public ticket sale information, will be released later, the Rock Hall said. As in years past, HBO will tape the ceremony, and an edited version will be aired in May.

Chic, Peter Gabriel, Nirvana, Linda Rondstadt... and KISS!

I wonder why KISS is so reviled? Seems like they were mostly legit from what I remember. Maybe some see them as a joke, but they had a cultural impact.

About Fu**ing time Linda got the Nom I bet there was heavy pressure to get her in.

JoeBala said:

About Fu**ing time Linda got the Nom I bet there was heavy pressure to get her in.

This year's news gave her a sympathy vote. Look at Donna Summer. I predict the same will happen with Linda and she's a first-time nominee.

Seeing that it is a Rock Hall of FAME, KISS belongs in. They never made a Sgt. Pepper or Dark Side Of the Moon, but they were among the best showmen of their times and made some hits.

Chic, Nirvana, Hall & Oates, and for me it's a tossup between Ronstadt and LL.

I'd take LL ahead of NWA because LL was the prototype for the solo MC as superstar. There were great MCs before him, but he blazed the trail for other solo MCs to follow.

LL Cool J & NWA shouldn't be inducted into the ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME until AFTER

some MAJOR ROCK N ROLL artists who have been overlooked by this shit-head commitee are

inducted in first.

Would the hip-hop hall of fame induct or even respect lets say...Bob Seger?

The answer is definately NO.

Why cowtow to these lame rappers?

Fuck 'em...they aint rock n roll at all.

It's a about frigging time KISS got nominated. Long over due.

luv4u said:

It's a about frigging time KISS got nominated. Long over due.

They were nominated in 2010.

Timmy84 said:

luv4u said:

It's a about frigging time KISS got nominated. Long over due.

They were nominated in 2010.

Yep. But hopefully this time they will be inducted.

Nirvana is a shoe in, I doubt if Gabrial gets in cause he got tossed in with Genesis Linda as Timmy said will get in cause of the sympathy vote and I'm hoping The Replacements make it cause they were all kinds of awesome.

Vote Yall: http://www.rockhall.com/g...ract/poll/

mask said:

LL Cool J & NWA shouldn't be inducted into the ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME until AFTER

some MAJOR ROCK N ROLL artists who have been overlooked by this shit-head commitee are

inducted in first.

I love LL and NWA (and believe they deserve to be in it) but I agree with this. There are alot of artists that have constantly been overlooked that should technically already be in it.

mask said:

LL Cool J & NWA shouldn't be inducted into the ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME until AFTER

some MAJOR ROCK N ROLL artists who have been overlooked by this shit-head commitee are

inducted in first.

Would the hip-hop hall of fame induct or even respect lets say...Bob Seger?

The answer is definately NO.

Why cowtow to these lame rappers?

Fuck 'em...they aint rock n roll at all.

I'm assuming the term Rock N Roll is used loosely and means "all music in general?"

*

I agree! They should at least go in some sort of chronological order!

*

Putting KISS along with LL and NWA just devalues the both artists and genres of music.

luv4u said:

Timmy84 said:

They were nominated in 2010.

Yep. But hopefully this time they will be inducted.

Likely. So their fans can finally shut up about it. I'm rooting for them just simply based on that. LOL

joan jett got ripped OFF AGAIN

Peter Gabriel & CHIC deserves it.

mjscarousal said:

mask said:

LL Cool J & NWA shouldn't be inducted into the ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME until AFTER

some MAJOR ROCK N ROLL artists who have been overlooked by this shit-head commitee are

inducted in first.

I love LL and NWA (and believe they deserve to be in it) but I agree with this. There are alot of artists that have constantly been overlooked that should technically already be in it.

I agree but everything like this is always going to have it, BUT in the RRhof there are ALOT that have been not just overlooked but flat out ignored. Nirvana and eventually Pearl Jam are shoe ins because pretty much the 90's didnt really over anyone else where i would say PUT THEM IN. Now going back you have tons of artists, I get this list this year, Linda will get in, for the obvious reasons but she should be in, there is a SERIOUS lack of women in ROCK in that thing, where is Pat Benatar and Joan Jett, and honestly if you put the Ramones in, I dont rule out putting the Runaways in. The 80's are where it gets tricky the people who vote are haters straight up, it took a major campaign to get HEART in because of the 80's work, thats why you dont see CHICAGO in there, which is a shame because the best guitarist of all time TERRY KATH should be in before Eric Clapton and Hendrix. Deep Purple is one of those RUSH things, alot of campaigns (like KISS) to get them in, but i cant really debate the issue, because i get the influence, honestly DEEP PURPLE and KISS are on alot of major artists lists of influences for whatever reason. But i also feel Deep Purple getting in, why havent the Moody Blues ever even been on the ballot? Hall and Oates never? the biggest selling duo of all time not in? There are alot of bands and solo artists that have gotten the shaft for the era they were in, but maybe one day when the hall is deciding between Justin Beiber and Kesha they'll say HEY wait Hall and Oates arent in yet, too bad Daryl might be gone by then

jackson35 said:

Timmy84 said: JoeBala said: About Fu**ing time Linda got the Nom I bet there was heavy pressure to get her in. This year's news gave her a sympathy vote. Look at Donna Summer. I predict the same will happen with Linda and she's a first-time nominee. linda can get in but, not chaka khan. that disgusting.

Dude Linda has been around since the sixties. Love Chaka, but Is Chaka Rock? No.

jackson35 said:

hell yeah chaka is rock. check her catalog. chaka is a much bigger artist then linda.

I don't compare cause I like both. When Chaka started with Rufus she was FUNK. I don't know Chaka's history but you may be right. There's room for everyone.

lazycrockett said:

It's not a matter of who deserves to be in, any artist that contributed a memorable classic or influenced others into picking up an instrument should be in.

dalsh327 said:

It's not a matter of who deserves to be in, any artist that contributed a memorable classic or influenced others into picking up an instrument should be in.

No it my opinion.

I know the RRHOF doesn't have the same prestige as it once did, but I think as an artist you should have made a signifcant contribution. I also think you should have real talent whether it's singing, playing, writing. Dancing doesn't do it for me.

This year, I hope the following get in:

Linda

Deep Purple

Hall & Oates

I hope Kiss never get in. They're really just a novelty band. Sorry

Great artists except KISS, never will understand their hype or popularity. They are just bad and I've seen documentaries about them, I've tried listening to their music but they are just bad... I do hope Chic, Nirvana, Linda, get in...

GoldDolphin said:

Great artists except KISS, never will understand their hype or popularity. They are just bad and I've seen documentaries about them, I've tried listening to their music but they are just bad... I do hope Chic, Nirvana, Linda, get in...

listen to this ,,,,

http://www.youtube.com/wa...IkWSUuKaAw

For my . . . There's way too much hairsplitting here.

The hall of fame is not simply for ROCK artists.

The hall of fame is for ROCK AND ROLL artists.


Rock and Roll is as firmly rooted in the rhythm and blues tradition as it is in any other.

Even straight ahead "Rock" doesn't sound the same without R&B.

So many of the current nominees like Chaka, Linda, Chic are as much Rock and Roll as Deep Purple or the Replacements or KISS.

[Edited 10/26/13 13:51pm]

[Edited 10/26/13 13:52pm]