Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2015 inductees include Lou Reed, Green Day
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2015 inductees have been announced this morning, and once again some great acts have been left behind. First, let’s start with the ones who actually made it in this year. The 2015 inductees include Lou Reed, Green Day, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bill Withers and Paul Butterfield Blues Band. And Ringo Starr will receive the Award of Excellence. Also, 1950s R&B group The “5” Royales will receive the Early Influence Award.
However, because the pool of nominees is always slimmed down from a larger group, that means some other worthy acts didn’t make the cut this year, including Chic, Kraftwerk, Nine Inch Nails, Sting, The Smiths and N.W.A. That’s too bad, really, but there’s always next year. Fingers crossed that the induction committee finally takes the onramp to the Autobahn.
Last year’s inductees included Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Hall and Oates, Kiss, Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt. In order for an artist to be nominated for induction, they need to have released their first album or single 25 years ago, which in this case would be 1989. And if the thought of Green Day having been around since the late ’80s makes you feel older than you should, well, you’re not alone.
Jeff Terich is the founder and editor of Treble. He's been writing about music for 20 years and has been published at American Songwriter, Bandcamp Daily, Reverb, Spin, Stereogum, uDiscoverMusic, VinylMePlease and some others that he's forgetting right now. He's still not tired of it.
Congratulations to the newest member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts! No surprise to me — I knew she was rock royalty when I interviewed her way back in 1983, as you can hear here! http://youtu.be/rZMruIRMUtc