The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2013 induction nominees on October 15, including KISS, Nirvana, N.W.A. and more. Although there's no limit to how many can be allowed into the hall by the panel of 600 voters, we at Music Times have been reading too much The Hunger Games and wondered: What if there could be only one?
Therefore we've organized the nominees into a bracket, and are giving you, the reader, the chance to vote for the artists of your choice. Is it fair? No, but it will certainly test your loyalty to your favorite acts. We'll release one quadrant a day for voting, and hopefully give you a chance to learn something about the acts along the way.
DAY 3
Peter Gabriel Vs. The Zombies
On one hand, Peter Gabriel's already been inducted to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame once, as a member of Genesis. But that doesn't mean he can't start gunning for Eric Clapton's four inductions. As with Phil Collins, Genesis was Gabriel's biggest act, but his solo career has turned out a boatload of hits, including "Sledgehammer," among the most popular music videos of all time. Gabriel's also had a dramatic impact on promoting world music, both through his own recordings and promotion. The Zombies had the bad luck of debuting around the same time as some other British rock bands, but that doesn't discount the group's penchant for worthwhile songs. Perhaps the best track was their hit "Time of The Season," which hit airwaves in 1969. The track was one of three to reach the Top 10 in the U.S., a feat they couldn't replicate in the U.K.
Hall & Oates vs. The Replacements
Say what you will, but no other artist on the list of nominees has the same mainstream appeal as Hall & Oates. The pair were like the perfect storm for the era, combining soulful R&B vocals with a light rock sound, and scored six no. 1 hits in the process. Add that to their list of seven platinum albums, and as Billboard notes, Daryl Hall and John Oates are the most successful duo in the rock era. On an almost entirely opposite end of the spectrum, The Replacements serve as one of the foundations for punk rock in America, and the inspiration for plenty of non-punks as well. The yowls of vocalist Paul Westerberg gave an edge to the same emotions expressed in the power pop of Big Star, and the band's tendency to smash its instruments confirms, to some degree, its punk persona. The band has recently played a few reunion dates; let's see if that helps or hinders its H.O.F. case.
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