ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME 2024 NOMINATED INDUCTEES. Continues tomorrow.

Caffè Lattè examines this year’s 15 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame contenders:

THE CLASS OF

2024

We argue the case for each of 2024’s 15 nominees for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame…

 

- OZZY OSBOURNE -

 

As a source of controversy and infamy, Osbourne's antics have done as much for his legacy than his musical credentials. He established himself in the pantheon of hard rock legends as the frontman of the band Black Sabbath. As well as his influential role within that group, Osbourne has maintained his status via his solo output. Black Sabbath has already been inducted. Osbourne is nominated for inclusion in his own right.  

WHO IS STILL NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME?*

               *Excludes acts nominated for induction in 2024.

Despite being eligible, the following acts are 60 glaring omissions that are yet to be inducted:

BARBRA STREISAND

The Hall Of Fame is but one of the rock institutions that has shut out Barbra Streisand. While she made her mark with Broadway show tunes and with ballads, the singer has demonstrated her versatility across a variety of musical genres, including rock music. Among her many songs in the latter style are tracks such as “Stoney End”, “Woman In Love”, “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)”, “The Main Event / Fight”, the ‘A Star Is Born’ film soundtrack, “Left In The Dark” and “I Finally Found Someone”. Madonna, Dolly Parton, Donna Summer and the like have gone through and been inducted even though their music may not immediately be identified as “rock and roll” in its strictest sense; why then not Streisand? The lines have been blurred in the cases of R&B, hip-hop and country, so why exclude Streisand’s output? She is still one of the best-selling female recording artists and deserves to be among the other inductees.

PAUL WELLER

Few individuals have played as important and enduring role on British rock music as Paul Weller. In a career spanning the groups The Jam and The Style Council, as well as his solo output, his music has traversed from punk, soul, rock and Motownesque pop. None of these musical endeavours has resulted in Weller’s inclusion into the Hall Of Fame. Despite his many decades of influence, the institution has persisted with its tendency to be too American-focused.

 

PATSY CLINE

Frequently cited as one of the most influential female Country music singers, induction has curiously eluded Cline. She recorded early staples such as “Crazy”, “I Fall To Pieces” and “Walkin’ After Midnight”. These recordings helped shape the sound of subsequent country stars including Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt (both in the Hall of Fame), LeAnn Rimes, KD Lang and Tammy Wynette. In recent years, the Hall Of Fame has made a concerted effort to redress the paltry number of females in the male-dominated institution. Cline is one name that should urgently be part of this process.

 

CHIC

In 2017, Nile Rodgers was finally inducted, but not for his work as a member of funk group Chic. His frequent collaborator Bernard Edwards (also from Chic) remains shut out. The outfit spawned discotheque favourites such as “Good Times” and “Le Freak”. Both reached #1 in America. The former helped usher in sampling and played a profound role in the sound of hip-hop. Rodgers and Edwards helped create dancefloor staples such as “We Are Family”, “He’s The Greatest Dancer” (Sister Sledge), “Upside Down”, “I’m Coming Out” (Diana Ross), “Let’s Dance” (David Bowie) and hits for Duran Duran, Madonna, Deborah Harry and many others.