Update: More injustices have been heaped into this "category." In 2021, the Award was used as intended to induct Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads, both impressive but, in fairness, mostly sidemen.
And then also... LL Cool J? Are you kidding me? Whom exactly, did he accompany? I have seen him perform, and he was able to command the whole stage himself just fine. He's one of the youngest recipients ever of the Kennedy Center Honors-- he's good enough for the Library of Congress but not the Rock Hall? He's been given performance awards by the The Grammys, Soul Train, MTV, BET, and the NAACP-- but he's not good enough for the Rock Hall?!
If RUN-DMC gets full Induction, so does LL. How the entire rap community did not protest this, I have no idea.
And then also... LL Cool J? Are you kidding me? Whom exactly, did he accompany? I have seen him perform, and he was able to command the whole stage himself just fine. He's one of the youngest recipients ever of the Kennedy Center Honors-- he's good enough for the Library of Congress but not the Rock Hall? He's been given performance awards by the The Grammys, Soul Train, MTV, BET, and the NAACP-- but he's not good enough for the Rock Hall?!
If RUN-DMC gets full Induction, so does LL. How the entire rap community did not protest this, I have no idea.
And then this year, 2022. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis get it, and they also deserve the Ertegun as producers, but in a way this lesser award is sweeter because it recognizes their amazing musicianship.
But then the Musical Excellence award went to Judas Priest, one of the seminal metal acts. I know, and I have said, the Hall has a problem with metal, but this is not the way to deal with it. Just induct bands in the category where bands go, please! To their credit, Priest is acting thrilled they are in, not upset at being only half-in. But this is Otto the Bus Driver's favorite band-- doesn't that count for anything?
Plenty of deserving accompanists are going-- staying-- unrecognized and unappreciated because of these shenanigans. Deserving acts are getting insulted and deserving sidemen and -women are being ignored altogether.
FIX THIS. Or at least STOP DOING IT. It's EMBARRASSING.
But then the Musical Excellence award went to Judas Priest, one of the seminal metal acts. I know, and I have said, the Hall has a problem with metal, but this is not the way to deal with it. Just induct bands in the category where bands go, please! To their credit, Priest is acting thrilled they are in, not upset at being only half-in. But this is Otto the Bus Driver's favorite band-- doesn't that count for anything?
Plenty of deserving accompanists are going-- staying-- unrecognized and unappreciated because of these shenanigans. Deserving acts are getting insulted and deserving sidemen and -women are being ignored altogether.
FIX THIS. Or at least STOP DOING IT. It's EMBARRASSING.
In 2023, they Inducted Chaka Khan for Musical Excellence. Again, she's a Performer, and one that has been nominated multiple times. Is this the Hall's plan, going forward, for dealing with those who are nominated over and over (and over-- I think 8 times for her [with Rufus and solo], 11 for Chic with Nile)? To let them in... sorta? Give baby his bottle, throw the dog a bone?
The other ones in 2023 are fine. Al Kooper is in as the Sideman he is. Bernie Taupin is FINALLY in, also for Musical Excellence. He's not a Performer, but he's responsible for writing some of the best and most important rock songs. So this is the category used as intended. Sheesh.
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