Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to enter the 1980s

[eplovejoy]

Acts can be inducted 25 years after their first release. If my math is correct, that means that next year is the first that acts from the 1980s will be eligible. Who do you think should be inducted?

Some that were big in the '80s are already in, including Springsteen, Bowie, Tina Turner (with Ike), The Police, Prince and Michael Jackson. To check who is in: www.rockhall/hof/allinductees.asp

Below are some to jog your memory, along with my predictions for how likely they are to be let in eventually. (Not all of these will be eligible right away.)

Certain:
Melissa Etheridge; Eurythmics; Genesis; Whitney Houston; Madonna; Public Enemy; R.E.M.; Run-DMC

Likely:
B-52s; Lindsey Buckingham (solo, Fleetwood Mac is in); Janet Jackson; Bon Jovi; David Byrne (solo, Talking Heads are in); The Cure; Depeche Mode; Peter Gabriel; Guns 'n Roses; Don Henley (solo, Eagles are in); Journey; Aimee Mann; New Order; Stevie Nicks (solo, Fleetwood Mac is in); Sinead O'Connor; Pet Shop Boys; Tina Turner (solo); Roxy Music; UB40; Luther Vandross

Not likely, but not impossible:
ABC; Bryan Adams; Laurie Anderson; Adam Ant;

Anita Baker; Bananarama; Bangles; Big Country; Boomtown Rats;

Cameo; Tracy Chapman; Natalie Cole; Phil Collins; Christopher Cross; Culture Club

Dead or Alive; Def Leopard; Devo; Thomas Dolby

Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians; English Beat/General Public

Falco; Fine Young Cannibals; The Fixx; John Fogerty

Go-Gos; Bruce Hornsby

Joe Jackson; The Jam; Al Jarreau; Joan Jett; Grace Jones; Howard Jones; Joy Division

Greg Kihn Band; L.L. Cool J; Julian Lennon; Annie Lennox

Men Without Hats; Metallica; Midnight Oil; George Michael; Missing Persons; Modern English; Morrissey

Robert Palmer; Robert Plant (solo, Led Zep is in); Pointer Sisters

Ratt; Lionel Ritchie; Romeo Void

Sade; Salt-n-Pepa; Scorpions; Simple Minds; Squeeze; Smiths; Billy Squier

Tears for Fears; 'Til Tuesday; 10,000 Maniacs; Tom Tom Club; Twisted Sister

Joe Walsh; Ultravox

Not a chance:
Asia; Duran Duran; Sheena Easton; Human League; INXS; Kajagoogoo; Loverboy; Men at Work; David Lee Roth; Thompson Twins; The Time; Weird Al; Wham; Whitesnake

[Sooner95]

Metallica is a lock, as is Motley Crue.

[pippadaisy[$]]

ABC!!!!!

[brian_igo]

I agree that Metallica is a lock. So is GNR, Robert Plant and Peter Gabriel. Crue? Harder to tell. Certainly not in the first year.

I'd also bump Joe Jackson, LL Cool J, 10,000 Maniacs and the Go Go's from not likely to probable. Jackson is one of the best pop songwriters of his generation. They all had strong critical and commercial success, and they were in early enough to influence music for years after their zenith. Aimee Mann deserves to be in for her body of work and for pioneering the artist-owned label business, but I'd be surprised if she gets it.

Totally disagree about INXS, Peter. I'd put them in the "wouldn't be surprised" category.

Three bet-the-house locks you missed: The Refreshments, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Steve Earle.

[Joubert[$]]

I think the lock you missed is New Edition. Bobby Brown, Bell Biv Devoe, Johnny Gill. I dunnno, gotta give it to 'em.

Oops, and Sting. Sting goes in first chance. His first release (depends on how you count is either 1982 or 1985).

Um, I think Hornsby goes in late. Don't they have thing like the Veteran's Committee that picks artists? He's like the guy who is headliner, then sideman, then headliner and so on. If musicians get to vote, Hornsby is in. He has only played on albums for everyone already in the Hall.

Bon Jovi is such a definite, it's scary. First year eligible although I was sorely disappointed when I saw them on a twin bill The Goo Goo Dolls, and they got blown off the stage. I really hate to say this, but Phil Collins and Bryan Adams are both going in. Adams is an absolute lock. Four #1 songs gets you in. The problem with Don Henley is that he only did 3 solo albums, maybe 4, I forget. Okay, enough of the light rock station...

Others I would add to the "I Think They Probably Will One Day" (had to start in the 1980s):

The Beastie Boys
Robyn Hitchcock - Brian got an Aimee Mann vote, I get a Hitchcock vote
k.d. lang - if someone says Harry Chapin, I'm picking her
Pet Shop Boys - if we let the Brits vote
Duran Duran - I don 't want them in, I think they make it in eventually

Influential artists that could have made it, but won't for various reasons:
The Smiths
Janes Addiction
Alan Parsons Project

Never Consider But Always Loved the Name: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam

[Sooner95]

Crue will get in, hell they got a star on the Hollywood Walk, they'll get in HOF...lol

I will agree with GNR, Robert Plant..Gabriel, maybe, more likely with Genisis tho.

Jovi and SRV are locks as well..

Also, will say Madonna is a lock.

Good call on the New Edition, one of the pioneers for BoyBands...

[pippadaisy[$]]

Motley Crue? MOTLEY CRUE???

I'm more sure of Duran Duran than them.``

[drmomentum[$]]

Ugh. Just. Ugh.

Some of those names are bringing back bad memories. And I like 80's music.

I have to agree with Pippa.

[Joubert[$]]

Sooner95 said

Also, will say Madonna is a lock.

Madonna isn't in yet? Oy. First ballot, no question. Maybe the greatest female pop/dance performer of the entire rock era.

[Prepoia[$]]

Joubert said

Madonna isn't in yet? Oy. First ballot, no question. Maybe the greatest female pop/dance performer of the entire rock era.

Totally agree!!! She was a huge enfluence as well as performer.

[hadassahchana[$]]

Brian took my answer - Joe Jackson ought to be. And George Michael I'd bump up a notch, too. I'm not a fan, but he did manage to hang around for a while.

Cindy