2024 Rock Hall Ballot, David's version

Plus, Charles and David on the "Who Cares about the Rock Hall?" podcast

With this year’s inductees set to be announced this Sunday (during an episode of American Idol, no less. Preposterously on the nose or just preposterous?), Charles and I wanted to share who we each voted for this year.

First, though, Charles and I were delighted a while back to talk through our 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballots with the good folks at the Who Cares about the Rock Hall? podcast. Co-hosted by Joe Kwazkala and Kristen Studard, “Who Cares…” is your spot for spirited and edifying Rock Hall-related conversations with both rank-and-file voters (including the New York Times’ Lindsey Zoladz and, most recently, NFR friend Chris Molanphy) and with past and present members of the nominating committee (this year including Lauren Onkey, Alan Light, Danyel Smith, etc.). Normally Joe and Kristen’s ballot talks with individual voters like Charles and me stay behind their paywall, but they’ve very generously allowed us to share our appearance with No Fences Review readers. You can check it out here. I think it’s a fun listen. I know Charles and I had a great time.

Below, I’ve also included a thumbnail version of my thinking as I made my way through this year’s nominees. A subjective process, of course, but not to say arbitrary! I take this privilege seriously. As does Charles, who will share his choices here tomorrow.

To the polls!

Mary J. Blige – YES. Beyond being one of the best vocalists alive, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul is both a traditionalist connecting Aretha to Beyonce and one of the great genre synthesizers of my adult lifetime, not to mention a criminally underrated album artist (I have her down for three “A”s, minimum) and commercial force (with at least a half dozen multi-platinum albums). This vote is a no brainer.

Mariah Carey – NO. Not a huge Carey fan myself, but I can also concede that she deserves induction for any number of sound reasons, both artistic and commercial. My seventh vote came down to her, Foreigner or Sade. Not voting for her became much easier for me when I decided she was going to make the cut just fine without any help from me. Will I be proven wrong about that? We’ll see…

Cher –YES. A showbiz trooper, an always evolving multi-generational icon, a swell singles act. Since Sonny & Cher have not been recognized by the Hall, and I’m betting won’t be, and since that duo work appeared simultaneously with her first run of solo releases, I’m counting all of that in favor of her solo induction. She likely gets in, I predict, with or without my vote, but given my particular version of a pop-embracing sensibility, there’s just no way I’m not voting for her.

Dave Matthews Band – NO. I neither like DMB (what’s to like?) nor do I dislike them (what’s to dislike?).  Instead, they fall into a small category of very successful bands whose music just doesn’t even register for me. Not my thing. They’ll get in, though. Right?

Eric B. & Rakim – YES. One of hip hop’s best, most significant acts, a rap duo where MC and DJ are equally key. I say no Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is completely serious without them. I fear they don’t stand a chance.

Foreigner – NO. Foreigner wound up vying, with Carey and Sade, for my seventh pick. I grew up on the hammer-headed AOR arena rock they (mostly) specialized in, and I do feel an obligation to represent—not out of nostalgia but simply because I find many of these bands to be, you know, worth at least serious consideration for the Hall. (Not just Foreigner but also Boston and R.E.O. and, hell, even gone-poptimist prog rockers Styx and Kansas. Remember, people: Bon Jovi is in the Hall, and all those bands have deeper, better, more fun, even smarter catalogs than Bon Jovi. Ergo…) Foreigner is a superb singles band but only a middling album act, and I voted NO under the assumption that they’re going to get in anyway. Which will be fine by me.

Peter Frampton – NO. The same way Sonny & Cher’s (unrecognized by the Hall) work helps me make the case for Cher’s induction, Frampton’s (also unrecognized) work with Humble Pie could work in favor of his solo induction—if only Humble Pie didn’t borderline suck. I am fond of the radio staples from Comes Alive, and the later “I’m in You” is fine as well: As an AOR kid in high school, I am the demo. But there’s just nowhere near enough here to make a case for induction.

Jane’s Addiction – NO. Maybe Perry Farrell deserves to be honored in some fashion by the Hall for Lollapalooza, but the amount of quality music, give or take a few standout cuts (“Jane Says,” “Mountain Song,” “Been Caught Stealing”), just isn’t there. Honestly, this feels to me like an unserious nomination.  

Kool & the Gang – YES. Just a ridiculously long run of enduring singles and strong albums, in a variety of evolving styles. If you want a great, succinct case for the band, with an emphasis on their influence on hip hop, check out Joe Kwaczala, from Who Cares about the Rock Hall? podcast, raving justifiably about them for seven minutes here.

Lenny Kravitz – NO.  A small handful of excellent retro-styled singles and a string of uneven at best, weak at worst albums. I expect him to be inducted at some point if not this year, but I don’t see the case.

Oasis – NO. Their biggest hits here in the states (“Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova”) are memorable and representative of their moment, but so are Foreigner’s—and Foreigner has so-oh many more of those in its favor. Honestly, the “yes” argument I’ve encountered most consistently for Oasis has had nothing to do with honoring Britpop but with hoping that, “Maybe the Gallaghers will get into a fight during their acceptance speeches!” Oh boy...

Sinead O’Connor – YES. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got is her masterpiece but remove it from the catalog and I think she still gets my vote. Politically powerful, one of the great cover artists of her generation, singular, and with as many “A” albums as any of this year’s nominees not named Blige or Sade.

Ozzy Osbourne – NO. Ozzy’s already in with Black Sabbath, so that shouldn’t help him for an induction based on his solo career, which is thin to my ears regardless of how iconic a celebrity he’s become. He doesn’t need my vote in any event, and I bet he gets in.

Sade – YES. My seventh vote came down to Foreigner, Carey or Sade… and Sade got the nod. I knew and loved both Diamond Life and Soldier of Love in their respective moments, but admittedly had to take myself to school on all that came between. What an uninterrupted run of excellence! This band’s catalogue should get gushed over by chops nerds the way Steely Dan’s does and cherished by everyone for its smarts about love or its lack.

A Tribe Called Quest – YES. The Low End Theory might be the masterpiece among this class’s several masterpieces. The Hall is still way behind on hip hop inductions and I’m afraid will remain so… 

Okay, that it’s for me; that’s my 2024 ballot. Charles will be here to walk us through his choices tomorrow. (A reminder: We wrote about a favorite cut from each of this year’s acts when those nominees were announced. Those posts are here and here.)

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