Classic rock icons are coming up big at this year’s Rock and Roll hall of fame, with Chicago, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, and Deep Purple set to be inducted next year, along with iconic hip hop group N.W.A. “Of course I couldn’t have done it without any of them“. All nominated artists had to have put out their first album or single at least 25 years ago to be in consideration. “Rap is a piece of rock & roll, but there’s also a piece of soul, a piece of R&B, a piece of blues – all of that music that comes before it”. Joel Peresman, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation president and CEO, said that a smaller nominating committee made it easier for rock bands from the ’70s to be nominated and inducted.
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N.W.A. formed in 1986 – two years after James’ birth – and its most influential rap album (Straight Outta Compton, now the name of a biographical, major motion picture) was released in 1988.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced their inductees for 2016. Tickets will go on sale to the public in February, and the event will be broadcast on HBO later in the spring. While having more young voters, on the surface, sounds like a very good thing, there can be the danger that they are not as familiar with the rock music of older groups, like Yes, and to a lesser extent, The Cars.
Artists Bun E. Carlos, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and Robin Zander will be honored for their contribution to the music industry as the band Cheap Trick. Deep Purple, best known for their sludgy brand of rock “n” roll and helping to bring in an era of metal, have classics such as “Smoke on the Water”, “Hush” and “Highway Star” in their lineup. This year, disco-funk pioneers Chic didn’t make the cut for the 10 successive time.
While Deep Purple has had a number of members over the years, the Hall has chosen to induct Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.
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Ice Cube on the NWA’s induction: “This means that the group’s mark is solidified”. Just as divisive as their careers were, so too are the responses to N.W.A.’s induction into the Hall of Fame.
