"Rock and Roll" hall of fame

[draggar]

.. and I use the phrase "rock and roll" loosely.

Seriously, why is it called the "ROCK AND ROLL" hall of fame?

Here's a lit of this year's nominees:

Bon Jovi
Alice Cooper
J Geils Band

These three are definately part of the rock and roll scene.

Neil Diamond

It's a small stretch but I can see it.

Now, here's what I don't get:
Beastie Boys - they're rap. They're not rock and roll.

Even if you say some of their songs are rockish, what about:

Chic? - That's disco.
LL Cool J? - That's rap.
Darlene Love? That's pop.
Donna Summer? She's disco!!

It's the rock and roll hall of fame, not the music hall of fame. Either rename it or stick to rock and roll.

[Stormraven]

And, of course, there's the simple fact that no band will get in unless Rolling Stone likes(liked) or was at least indifferent. If the band is disliked, they won't ever get in, no matter how much commercial success they have, no matter how many other bands they inspire, no matter how much of a contribution to the genre they provide.

[Sarah Valentine]

It's the rock and roll hall of fame, not the music hall of fame. Either rename it or stick to rock and roll.

I agree completely, when the hell did they start adding in rap and disco and that crap as rock and roll?

[draggar]

I agree completely, when the hell did they start adding in rap and disco and that crap as rock and roll?

I looked back to their first inductees, they were even questionable then. I won't question true blues performers (like BB King and Muddy Waters considering the blues industry does have a significant influence on how rock & roll turned out).

1986 - Ray Charles and James Brown - both would be questionable.

1987 - Aretha Franklin - she was never rock & roll.

1988 - The Supremes - disco, pop, do-wap, etc..

But recently they seem to be either really short on supply (yeah, right) or reaching out to other audiences (most likely it).

I mean ABBA? ABBA? The only rock they know is one on the ground. The only roll they know is one you have at dinner. They're disco - and inducted this year (2010).

Clearly the R&R HoF is selling out constantly. Just call it what it is - the MUSIC HoF, at least then we can get some more real talent in there like Bach, Beethoven, Holst, and Duke Ellington.

[Hobbs]

I looked back to their first inductees, they were even questionable then. I won't question true blues performers (like BB King and Muddy Waters considering the blues industry does have a significant influence on how rock & roll turned out).

So, you notice the significance of the blues in creating rock and roll, but deny rock and roll performers like Aretha Franklin and the Supremes? Is it because they don't conform to your version of what rock and roll is?

Term
Rock and roll: Used in blues and jazz as a metaphor for intercourse. Developed by white musicians adapting blues songs and styles.

I would argue that Aretha Franklin and the Supremes are well-placed in the rock and roll hall of fame, considering that their music, along with rock and roll, was once labeled as "race* music."

*This was the actual term for it. There were harsher terms used for the music of African-Americans during the post-Reconstruction Era and the early 20th century.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

As an aside, I think the point of the the R&R HoF is to celebrate modern talent, and get away from the constant barrage of classical music name-drops we're usually subjected to. Don't get me wrong, they were great musicians of their time, some of them musical geniuses, but the epitome of all that is artistry, with a breadth of talent and genius unmatched by anyone before or since? I think not.

More to the point, yes, it should be the 'Music" hall of fame, but unless they're using the Rock and Roll needlessly stapled to their title as a reason to keep people out whilst also accepting others, it's not that big a deal, to me, at least.