Reactions to the Rock Hall Class of 2025
Rolling in a week later, here are some thoughts on this year’s class.
From the ballot, the inductees are:
Bad Company
Chubby Checker
Joe Cocker
Cyndi Lauper
Outkast
Soundgarden
The White Stripes
All in all, a solid enough start, given the limitations of the slate. Rockists should certainly feel taken care of, and while there’s not much to celebrate as far as hip hop/R&B, Outkast is finally taking their rightful place. Likewise Soundgarden, and their inclusion means that Alice in Chains can step out of their shadow and be considered relative to themselves alone.
I’m of an age where I’m fine with
Bad Company going in. One more face on the Mt. Rushmore of great rock vocalists in; is Brad Delp’s place waiting for him? I just hope Paul Rodgers is treated better than Lou Gramm and Foreigner were.
You can argue Chubby Checker’s merits, but for good or bad, most people who have any concept of the “founders of rock and roll” but aren’t music historians would have him on their lists. He could’ve just been included years ago and it likely wouldn’t have raised many many eyebrows. He should’ve been in a category this year, but in the end, we’ve seen how moving this can be for inductees who thought they’d never see it. Let’s just smile and twist again.
It would’ve pretty much taken induction of at least three of the four nominated women — two of whom are the sole female members of bands — for this class to be considered a positive one for women. And we knew that wasn’t going to happen. But when I saw Cyndi Lauper on the front of the Museum’s visitor guide back in 2018 I knew her entry was only a matter of time. You know “Girls” will be a huge highlight and that the Hall will feature it big-time in promotions next year, making it look like they really celebrated women in 2025.
Speaking of highlights, while we don’t know if Meg White will show up, Jack no doubt will, and he will tear. The. Place. Up. The jam has gone by the wayside the past few years, but it’ll be a crime if it doesn’t happen this year.
I’d say the biggest outright surprise for me from the ballot is Billy Idol, but I have no doubt he’ll be back. The biggest continuing surprise is Mariah Carey, who also had a free lane. In all honesty, I’ve never been a fan. But that she’s been denied twice now with the career she’s had is unconscionable. And people need to stop hiding behind this, “Oh she’s not rock.” That ship has sailed, people. Just effing stop it already. Wondering which path the Hall will take: leave her off for a year and try again in what I think will be a NYC year, or use Musical Excellence next year. My guess is that she’d prefer the former and the Hall will do the latter.
And that brings us to categories. We knew that the selections would make or break this class, and this year’s choices absolutely made it. Carol Kaye’s omission would’ve just made this entire exercise a failure IMHO, and thank God the Hall finally saw the light. And after quite a while, Musical Excellence is actually doing what it was created to do and honoring side musicians. Nicky Hopkins is also a brilliant choice.
Also brilliant is Thom Bell; it’s just sad that none of the original Spinners will be on hand for him. Would love to see Dionne Warwick do the honors. Lenny Waronker comes from the golden days of one of the most artist-centric labels, and while I’ll never shut up about Estelle Axton, he’s a very worthy Ertegun recipient.
I never thought Warren Zevon’s induction would be this tricky, but it’s finally here. There’s no shortage of people to speak in the package and hopefully play for him —oh, if only Linda Ronstadt could still perform — but let them please, please tap David Letterman for the speech.
And the name that had everyone gobsmacked, Salt-n-Pepa. I’ve hoped for this for a while, and I’m totally thrilled. But while I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, I feel a little sad that we don’t get to see them on the ballot and vote for them, however symbolic the act may be. It’s a little like eloping: The end result is the same but you miss out on some of that bride-to-be celebrating. By “you” I guess I mean some amorphous “we.”
So the categories did the heavy lifting that year. But that’s a problem. It’s one that needs a LOT of discussion, and soon. But for right now, let’s toast the brilliant Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025.