By: Michael Drukarsh - With the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 including artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton and Foreigner alongside Kool & The Gang, Dave Matthews Band and Cher, it might be time to discuss whether or not the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is really Rock and Roll!
Since opening its doors along the shore of Lake Erie in Cleveland Ohio, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF) has become a dichotomy for those who love to rock and roll.
For some, the RRHOF is seen as a mecca for music lovers, a place where one can go and immerse themselves in history by following the culture of music from the birth of rock and roll through to its current trends. The RRHOF gives visitors a chance to not only learn about but to see actual footage and artifacts from artists who helped shape the music world. The RRHOF is home to permanent exhibits that showcase videos, costumes, and interactive activities. There is even a whole level dedicated to “The Garage” where guests can pick up real instruments and jam along with friends. Special attractions and seasonal exhibits highlight certain periods of music, such as this summer’s one-of-a-kind “Bon Jovi Forever” exhibit, showcasing the 2018 inductee’s 40 year career.
With all it has to offer, why then is there often such a divide between music fans? The answer to that can be found in the induction choices. Since its inception in 1983 by Ahmet Ertegun (co-founder and president of Atlantic Records) the RRHOF has come under scrutiny for who it has allowed to enter the sacred halls of rock and roll. In 1986, 10 years before an actual building was established, Ertegun along with a select group of contributors inducted the first class, including pioneers Chuck Berry, James Brown, Buddy Holly, Aretha Franklin, and of course The King Of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Over the next 4 decades, the list of those who were deemed worthy to grace the walls of the RRHOF has been somewhat controversial. Rock and Roll has long been associated with a certain vibe, a look, a feel, a rebellious attitude toward the establishment that set those who listened to it apart from the “norm”. So, it doesn’t take a Phd in music to understand why there was such uproar when performers such as The Bee-Gees, Madonna, and Michael Jackson made their way into the hall of fame. While there is no doubt the talent and influence of all three of these artists, the question is, are they Rock and Roll? The Bee-Gees were famous for their number one disco soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever and Michael Jackson was crowned the “The King of Pop”, that’s “Pop”, not “Rock and Roll”.
While there may be an argument for the above three, after all there is no way anyone can deny their musical influence, the argument gets more difficult when acts like the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Tupac, Whitney Houston, and Jay-Z are in but trail blazers such as Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bad Company, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Guess Who, and Meat Loaf have been overlooked every year.
The process behind the nominations and eventual inductions is public (although some may say not fully disclosed) and there has been controversy surrounding some of those involved (Jann Wenner was removed from the RRHOF Board in 2023), however, those who focus solely on the “who”, are missing out on the bigger “what” of the RRHOF.
The RRHOF fame offers music lovers of all genres to step inside a vast collection of music history and experience the wonders of how music helps to shape our world. With an ever evolving array of exhibits that currently include Pink Floyd’s the Wall and the Legends of Rock that allows you to “get up close and personal with some of your favorite Inductees and the stories behind the music they created”, the RRHOF is far more than just signatures on a wall. It is an immersive, interactive experience that hits on all of your senses.
Should Rock and Roll lock its door, stopping those who are deemed not worthy from entering? Or, should Rock and Roll follow in its own footsteps by breaking rules and not conforming to those that want to put boundaries on something that should be free to roam.
My advice, go visit the RRHOF. Don’t let yourself get caught up in an argument based purely on opinion. Instead, take a look for yourself. Go, learn, enjoy!
As 2024 Inductee Ozzy Osbourne said in “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll” from 1981’s Diary of a Madman,
“Leave me alone, don't want your promises no more
'Cause rock and roll is my religion and my law
Won't ever change, may think it's strange
You can't kill rock and roll, it's here to stay”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Performers
Mary J Blige
Cher
Dave Matthews Band
Foreigner
Peter Frampton
Kool & The Gang
A Tribe Called Quest
Music Excellence Award
Jimmy Buffett
MC5
Dionne Warwick
Norman Whitfield
Music Influence Award
Alexis Korner
John Mayall
Big Mama Thorton
Ahmet Ertegun award
Suzanne De Passe
Do you have any thoughts on who belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.
It’s an old boys club. Took way too long for Rush to get in. And Ozzy 2024 ? This year ? after a stellar solo career. Bee Gees, Michael Jackson ?
The whole place is messed up like a soup sandwich.
In my opinion the RRHOF has zero credibility, and personally do not recognize that any act that has been let in on a basis of slanted administration, and has not done anything special
F the RRHOF.
Paul Foucault
Oshawa