The People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends

Sidemen Ballot: Eleven New Inductees Join the Class of 2012

2012-03-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

The polls are closed for our first Sidemen election, the votes have been counted, and the People's Hall has eleven new members for our class of 2012.

Meet the newest members of the People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends:

James Burton

The Funk Brothers

Nicky Hopkins

Johnnie Johnson

Little Walter

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

Billy Preston

Mick Ronson

Ian Stewart

Hubert Sumlin

The Wrecking Crew

Special Election: Sidemen - Class of 2012 Ballot

2012-02-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

This is the official ballot for our 2012 special election for sidemen. The nominees have been carefully selected to honor musicians who have made major contributions to rock 'n' roll history as sidemen (and women) and session players. These artists are rarely in the spotlight, but in many cases just as important, and in some cases perhaps even more important, than the performers who's name is on the record or the marquee. We have nominated groups who have worked together extensively, as well as individual musicians. Some of the people nominated here also released their own material at some point or another in their career, but their primary contribution has come supporting other artists. We are proud to be able to honor these unsung heroes, and this election will determine which sidemen will join Badfinger and Neil Diamond in our Class of 2012.

HOW TO VOTE: Voting is easy. Below you will see a list of 25 nominees. All you have to do is pick up to ten of them and post your selections in the comments section of this post or on the official People's Hall Facebook page. Your votes will be counted, and the top four vote getters, as well as any artists named on at least 50% of the ballots counted will be inducted into the People's Hall.

There may be some names you think should be included which have not been. There are a few reasons this could be. If it is a group that is primarily associated with a specific artist, they may already be in the People's Hall with the artist they played with, such as Buddy Holly & the Crickets, Bill Haley & His Comets, Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention, or Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band. Another reason could be if they are an artist who has been or will be nominated in another category. Willie Dixon, for example, could have been nominated as a session bassist, but he will instead be included on our ballot later this year for Songwriters. And then the third possibility is that in this highly competitive process, they just missed the cut. If you think anyone has been unjustly ignored, you can vote for them by writing them in on your ballot. One write-in vote is allowed per ballot. Any ballot that contains more than one write-in may not be counted.

A very brief one or two sentence summary follows each name, indicating their significance to rock 'n' roll history. Each name on the list is also linked to their Wikipedia entry, which you can click on for more detailed information. If you haven't heard of everyone on the list, do yourself a favor and explore their work - everyone on this list is a musician or group of musicians that every fan of rock history should know about. And if you're not already a fan of our Facebook page, sign on and become a follower today. Throughout the election process, we will be posting videos showcasing the talents of all our great nominees.

Polls close at 12:00 noon EST on Friday, March 2

Class of 2012 Sidemen Ballot Nominees (select up to 10):

Lee Allen - Saxophonist, played with Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Little Richard, others.
Mickey "Guitar" Baker - Guitarist, played on virtually every hit released by the Atlantic, Savoy, and King labels in the 1950s. Also performed with Sylvia Robinson as Mickey & Sylvia.
Michael Bloomfield - Guitarist, played with Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan, Al Kooper, and many others.
The Blue Moon Boys - Elvis Presley's backing band on his Sun Sessions, his Louisiana Hayride appearances, and many of his RCA recordings.
James Burton - Guitarist, played with Ricky Nelson, Dale Hawkins, Elvis Presley, and many others.
Ry Cooder - Guitarist, played with Captain Beefheart, Taj Mahal, Randy Newman, the Rolling Stones, and has scored and/or produced many motion picture soundtracks.
Jesse Ed Davis - Guitarist, has worked with John Lennon, George Harrison, Taj Mahal, Albert King, Gene Clark, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, and many others.
Aynsley Dunbar - Drummer, has worked with John Mayall, Frank Zappa, Ian Hunter, Lou Reed, Jefferson Starship, Jeff Beck, Journey, and many others.
The Funk Brothers - Group of Detroit musicians who performed on virtually every Motown hit from 1959 to 1972.
Nicky Hopkins - Pianist and organist, has worked with the Kinks, the Pretty Things, the Who, the Move, the Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Jefferson Airplane, Harry Nilsson, Donovan, Quicksilver Messenger Service, all four solo Beatles, and many, many more.
Johnnie Johnson - Pianist who recorded with Chuck Berry and was the uncredited co-writer and arranger of many Berry hits.
Jim Keltner - Drummer, played with George Harrison, John Lennon, Leon Russell, Roy Orbison, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty, and many, many others.
King Curtis - Saxophonist, played with the Coasters, Buddy Holly, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, and many others, including a host of Atlantic Records artists, while also having a successful career as a solo artist.
Al Kooper - Keyboardist, played with Bob Dylan, Blood Sweat and Tears, Michael Bloomfield, Stephen Stills, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many others. Also a hugely successful producer and songwriter.
Little Walter - Harmonica player who, in addition to being a successful solo artist, played in the most famous version of the Muddy Waters band, recorded with many other Chess label and Chicago blues artists, and revolutionized blues harmonica.
The Meters - New Orleans band who have backed Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Paul McCartney, Robert Palmer, the Neville Brothers, and many others. They have also had several hit records under their own name.
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section - Aka "The Swampers", Alabama-based group who have played on more than 75 gold and platinum hits, including records by Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Arthur Alexander, Percy Sledge, the Staple Singers, Bob Seger, Elton John, Etta James, and many others.
Earl Palmer - Drummer who has been widely credited with creating the seminal rock 'n' roll backbeat. Has played with Fats Domino, Little Richard, Ritchie Valens, Eddie Cochran, Jan & Dean, the Righteous Brothers, The Beach Boys, Ike & Tina Turner, the Monkees, Tom Waits, and many, many more.
Billy Preston - Keyboardist, has played with Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, the Beatles, Sly & the Family Stone, the Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, George Harrison, Elton John, Eric Clapton, and many others. Also had a very successful solo career.
Mick Ronson - Guitarist most famous for his work with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973. Also played with Ian Hunter, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, and many others.
The Section - Los Angeles-based studio band who played with Crosby & Nash, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Carol King, and were the de facto house band for Asylum Records.
Ian Stewart - Pianist who was the unofficial sixth member of the Rolling Stones from their formation in 1962 until his death in 1985. Also played with the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin.
Hubert Sumlin - Guitarist, most known for his association with Howlin' Wolf.
Sam "The Man" Taylor - Saxophonist, a major contributor to the evolution of the saxophone's use in early rock 'n' roll, played on countless New York City sessions in the 1950s, played with Ray Charles, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, the Drifters, and many others.
The Wrecking Crew - Group of Los Angeles-based musicians who played on many Phil Spector and Beach Boys hits, as well as with the Mamas and the Papas, the Carpenters, Simon & Garfunkel, the Byrds, Love, and many others.

THE CLASS OF 2012: Badfinger, Neil Diamond, and Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

2011-12-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

The polls have closed, the votes have been counted, and three new inductees are joining the People's Hall in our Class of 2012 - Badfinger, Neil Diamond, and Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band.

Badfinger led all nominees with 60 votes, Diamond finished second with 48, and Seger & the SBB finished third with 46. A minimum of 44 votes were need for induction.

This class brings the total number of artists and groups inducted into the People's hall to an even 200, with 51 of those, including Badfinger, names who have to date been snubbed by the hall of fame in Cleveland.

The conclusion of this election brings to a close a year straight of voting by fans to build an alternate canon to the ones selected by the other hall, and we have, in my humble opinion, done one hell of a job. From here on our, the People's Hall will be conducting annual elections to determine our inductees, the Class of 2013 nominees will be announced in late 2012. During the coming year, we will be conducting some special elections to recognize sidemen, songwriters, non-performers, and early influences. Stay tuned to this blog as well as our Facebook page for all the details.

Congratulations to this year's class, and thanks to everyone who voted!

Class of 2012 Inductees Badfinger

Class of 2012 Inductee Neil Diamond

Class of 2012 Inductees Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE'S HALL CLASS OF 2012!

2011-09-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the People's Hall class of 2012 election. As the ONLY rock 'n' roll hall of fame BY and FOR the People, YOUR votes will decide who joins our 197 already-inducted legends when we announce the results on Tuesday, December 6.

HOW TO VOTE:

Voting is easy! Below is a list of 30 official nominees, chosen by the People's Hall Nominating Committee, an open group that anyone can participate in.

Review the list and select up to 10 artists and/or groups. You can post your ballot either in the comments section of this post (with any Google login), or on the wall of our Facebook page. One write-in vote per ballot is allowed, providing that the artist or group you are writing in meets the qualification of having released their first album or single no later than 1986.

The top two vote getters as well as any other artist or group who is named on more than 50% of the ballots counted will be inducted to the People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends as our Class of 2012! So get to it, tell your friends, and rock the vote, it is time for THE PEOPLE to have their say!

Polls close at 12:00 noon EST on Tuesday, December 6, 2011.

Class of 2012 Nominees:

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Tommy James & the Shondells

Joy Division/New Order

Gladys Knight & the Pips

The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Linda Ronstadt

Run DMC

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

The Troggs
The Turtles

Class of 2012 Nominees: Badfinger

2011-09-06T09:50:00.001-07:00

From the Badfinger biography at allmusic.com, by Bruce Eder:

There are few bands in the annals of rock music as star-crossed in their history as Badfinger. Pegged as one of the most promising British groups of the late '60s and the one world-class talent ever signed to the Beatles' Apple Records label that remained with the label, Badfinger enjoyed the kind of success in England and America that most other bands could only envy. Yet a string of memorable hit singles -- "Come and Get It," "No Matter What," "Day After Day," and "Baby Blue" -- saw almost no reward from that success. Instead, four years of hit singles and international tours precipitated the suicides of its two creative members and legal proceedings that left lawyers as the only ones enriched by the group's work.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Badfinger- Apple Records page

Badfinger - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Big Star

2011-09-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

From the Big Star biography at allmusic.com, by Jason Ankeny:

The quintessential American power pop band, Big Star remains one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll. Originally led by the singing and songwriting duo of Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, the Memphis-based group fused the strongest elements of the British Invasion era -- the melodic invention of the Beatles, the whiplash guitars of the Who, and the radiant harmonies of the Byrds -- into a ramshackle but poignantly beautiful sound which recaptured the spirit of pop's past even as it pointed the way toward the music's future. Although creative tensions, haphazard distribution, and marketplace indifference conspired to ensure Big Star's brief existence and commercial failure, the group's three studio albums nevertheless remain unqualified classics, and their impact on subsequent generations of indie bands on both sides of the Atlantic is surpassed only by that of the Velvet Underground.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Big Star - official website
Big Star - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Bobby "Blue" Bland

2011-09-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

From the Bobby "Blue" Bland biography allmusic.com, by Bill Dahl:

Bobby Bland earned his enduring blues superstar status the hard way: without a guitar, harmonica, or any other instrument to fall back upon. All Bland had to offer was his magnificent voice, a tremendously powerful instrument in his early heyday, injected with charisma and melisma to spare. Just ask his legion of female fans, who deemed him a sex symbol late into his career.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Bobby "Blue" Bland - unofficial website

Bobby Bland - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Boston

2011-09-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

From the Boston biography at allmusic.com, by Jason Ankeny:

The arena rock group behind one of the fastest-selling debut albums in history, Boston was essentially the vehicle of studio wizard Tom Scholz, born March 10, 1947, in Toledo, OH. A rock fan throughout his teen years, he began writing songs while earning a master's degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After graduation, he began work for Polaroid, and set about constructing his own 12-track recording studio in the basement of his home, where demos were recorded that earned Scholz and vocalist Brad Delp a contract with Epic in 1975. Although some recording and overdubs were later done in Los Angeles, the 1976 release of Boston consisted largely of tapes recorded in Scholz's basement. (By then, the lineup had coalesced around Scholz, Delp, guitarist Barry Goudreau, bassist Fran Sheehan, and drummer John "Sib" Hashian.) Boston spawned three hit singles ("More Than a Feeling," "Long Time," and "Peace of Mind"), and shot immediately to the top of the charts, remaining the best-selling pop debut effort in history before it was supplanted by Whitney Houston's first album in 1986.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Boston - official website
Boston - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Jackson Browne

2011-09-06T09:46:00.001-07:00

From the Jackson Browne biography at allmusic.com, by Steven Thomas Erlewine:

In many ways, Jackson Browne was the quintessential sensitive Californian singer/songwriter of the early '70s. Only Joni Mitchell and James Taylor ranked alongside him in terms of influence, but neither artist tapped into the post-'60s Zeitgeist like Browne. While the majority of his classic '70s work was unflinchingly personal, it nevertheless provided a touchstone for a generation of maturing baby boomers coming to terms with adulthood. Not only did his introspective, literate lyrics strike a nerve, but his laid-back folk-rock set the template for much of the music to come out of California during the '70s. With his first four albums, Browne built a loyal following that helped him break into the mainstream with 1976's The Pretender. During the late '70s and early '80s, he was at the height of his popularity, as each of his albums charted in the Top Ten. Midway through the '80s, Browne made a series of political protest records that caused his audience to gradually shrink, but when he returned to introspective songwriting with 1993's I'm Alive, he made a modest comeback.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Jackson Browne - official website
Jackson Browne - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The Clovers

2011-09-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

From the Clovers biography at allmusic.com, by Bruce Eder:

The Clovers occupy an exalted place in the history of R&B, if not in the minds of many listeners, other than hard-core devotees of the music's history -- the Drifters tend to eclipse them, by virtue of their longer history and the string of hits that the later incarnation of that group had during the 1960s. The truth is that the Clovers not only started earlier than any other act on Atlantic, but they also scored more hits in their six years there than any other R&B act in the label's history.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

The Clovers - official website
The Clovers - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Neil Diamond

2011-09-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

From the Neil Diamond biography at allmusic.com, by William Ruhlmann:

In a career that began in the 1960s, Neil Diamond became a major recording artist, an internationally successful touring act, and a songwriter whose compositions produced hits for himself and others. His earliest recognition, in fact, came as a songwriter associated with the Brill Building era of Tin Pan Alley in the early '60s. But he soon branched out into recording and performing, and by the early '70s was topping the charts with the self-written singles "Cracklin' Rosie" and "Song Sung Blue." This enabled him to be one of the more noticeable figures in the singer/songwriter movement of the period, as he made a transition to more of an album artist and those albums began to earn gold and platinum certifications. He also developed into a dynamic concert performer, as demonstrated on his 1972 album Hot August Night. At the same time, however, his music became generally softer, which broadened his appeal while earning him opprobrium, when he was considered at all, by the rock critics who dominated pop music journalism. But his millions of fans didn't care about that, and they flocked to his shows and bought his albums in big numbers until well into the 1980s. After that, while his concert tours continued to post high grosses, his record sales became more modest. Still, as of 2001, he claimed worldwide record sales of 115 million copies, and as of 2002 he was ranked third, behind only Elton John and Barbra Streisand, on the list of the most successful adult contemporary artists in the history of the Billboard chart.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Neil Diamond - official site
Neil Diamond - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Earth, Wind & Fire

2011-09-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

From the Earth, Wind & Fire biography at allmusic.com, by Steve Huey:

Earth, Wind & Fire were one of the most musically accomplished, critically acclaimed, and commercially popular funk bands of the '70s. Conceived by drummer, bandleader, songwriter, kalimba player, and occasional vocalist Maurice White, EWF's all-encompassing musical vision used funk as its foundation, but also incorporated jazz, smooth soul, gospel, pop, rock & roll, psychedelia, blues, folk, African music, and, later on, disco. Lead singer Philip Bailey gave EWF an extra dimension with his talent for crooning sentimental ballads in addition to funk workouts; behind him, the band could harmonize like a smooth Motown group, work a simmering groove like the J.B.'s, or improvise like a jazz fusion outfit. Plus, their stage shows were often just as elaborate and dynamic as George Clinton's P-Funk empire. More than just versatility for its own sake, EWF's eclecticism was part of a broader concept informed by a cosmic, mystical spirituality and an uplifting positivity the likes of which hadn't been seen since the early days of Sly & the Family Stone. Tying it all together was the accomplished songwriting of Maurice White, whose intricate, unpredictable arrangements and firm grasp of hooks and structure made EWF one of the tightest bands in funk when they wanted to be. Not everything they tried worked, but at their best, Earth, Wind & Fire seemingly took all that came before them and wrapped it up into one dizzying, spectacular package.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Earth, Wind & Fire - official website
Earth, Wind & Fire - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Emerson, Lake & Palmer

2011-09-06T09:41:00.001-07:00

From the Emerson, Lake & Palmer biography at allmusic.com, by Bruce Eder:

Emerson, Lake & Palmer were progressive rock's first supergroup. Greeted by the rock press and the public as something akin to conquering heroes, they succeeded in broadening the audience for progressive rock from hundreds of thousands into tens of millions of listeners, creating a major radio phenomenon as well. Their flamboyance on record and in the studio echoed the best work of the heavy metal bands of the era, proving that classical rockers could compete for that arena-scale audience. Over and above their own commercial success, the trio also paved the way for the success of such bands as Yes, who would become their chief rivals for much of the 1970s.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Emerson Lake & Palmer - official website

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The "5" Royales

2011-09-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

From the "5" Royales biography at allmusic.com, by Richie Uterberger:

The "5" Royales were a relatively unheralded, but significant, link between early R&B and early soul in their combination of doo wop, jump blues, and gospel styles. Their commercial success was relatively modest -- they had seven Top Ten R&B hits in the 1950s, most recorded in the span of little over a year between late 1952 and late 1953. A few of their singles would prove extremely popular in cover versions by other artists, though -- James Brown and Aretha Franklin tore it up with "Think," Ray Charles covered "Tell the Truth," and the Shirelles (and later the Mamas & the Papas) had pop success with "Dedicated to the One I Love." Almost all of their material was written by guitarist Lowman Pauling, who influenced Steve Cropper with his biting and bluesy guitar lines, which at their most ferocious almost sound like a precursor to blues-rock.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

The "5" Royales - Wikipedia
The "5" Royales and Lowman Pauling - The HoundBlog

Class of 2012 Nominees: The J. Geils Band

2011-09-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

From the J. Geils Band biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

The J. Geils Band was one of the most popular touring rock & roll bands in America during the '70s. Where their contemporaries were influenced by the heavy boogie of British blues-rock and the ear-splitting sonic adventures of psychedelia, the J. Geils Band was a bar band pure and simple, churning out greasy covers of obscure R&B, doo wop, and soul tunes, cutting them with a healthy dose of Stonesy swagger. While their muscular sound and the hyper jive of frontman Peter Wolf packed arenas across America, it only rarely earned them hit singles. Seth Justman, the group's main songwriter, could turn out catchy R&B-based rockers like "Give It to Me" and "Must of Got Lost," but these hits never led to stardom, primarily because the group had trouble capturing the energy of its live sound in the studio. In the early '80s, the group tempered its driving rock with some pop, and the makeover paid off with the massive hit single "Centerfold," which stayed at number one for six weeks. By the time the band prepared to record a follow-up, tensions between Justman and Wolf had grown considerably, resulting in Wolf's departure, which quickly led to the band's demise. After working for years to reach to top of the charts, the J. Geils Band couldn't stay there once they finally achieved their goal.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Funkyjudge.net - unofficial website
The J. Geils Band - Wikepedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Guns N' Roses

2011-09-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

From the Guns N' Roses biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

At a time when pop was dominated by dance music and pop-metal, Guns N' Roses brought raw, ugly rock & roll crashing back into the charts. They were not nice boys; nice boys don't play rock & roll. They were ugly, misogynistic, and violent; they were also funny, vulnerable, and occasionally sensitive, as their breakthrough hit, "Sweet Child O' Mine," showed. While Slash and Izzy Stradlin ferociously spit out dueling guitar riffs worthy of Aerosmith or the Stones, Axl Rose screeched out his tales of sex, drugs, and apathy in the big city. Meanwhile, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler were a limber rhythm section who kept the music loose and powerful. Guns N' Roses' music was basic and gritty, with a solid hard, bluesy base; they were dark, sleazy, dirty, and honest -- everything that good hard rock and heavy metal should be. There was something refreshing about a band that could provoke everything from devotion to hatred, especially since both sides were equally right. There hadn't been a hard rock band this raw or talented in years, and they were given added weight by Rose's primal rage, the sound of confused, frustrated white trash vying for his piece of the pie. As the '80s became the '90s, there simply wasn't a more interesting band around, but owing to intra-band friction and the emergence of alternative rock, Rose's supporting cast gradually disintegrated, as he spent years in seclusion.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Guns N' Roses - official website
Guns N' Roses - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Hall & Oates

2011-09-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

From the Hall & Oates biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

From their first hit in 1974 through their heyday in the '80s, Daryl Hall and John Oates' smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success -- including six number one singles and six platinum albums -- yet little critical success. Hall & Oates' music was remarkably well constructed and produced; at their best, their songs were filled with strong hooks and melodies that adhered to soul traditions without being a slave to them by incorporating elements of new wave and hard rock.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Hall & Oates - official site

Hall & Oates - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Iron Maiden

2011-09-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

From the Iron Maiden biography at allmusic.com, by Barry Weber:

Known for such powerful hits as "Two Minutes to Midnight" and "The Trooper," Iron Maiden were and are one of the most influential bands of the heavy metal genre. The often-imitated band has existed for over nearly four decades, pumping out wild rock similar to Judas Priest. Iron Maiden have always been an underground attraction; although failing to ever obtain any real media attention in the U.S. (critics claimed them to be Satanists due to their dark musical themes and their use of grim mascot "Eddie"), they still became well known throughout the world and have remained consistently popular throughout their career. Iron Maiden were one of the first groups to be classified as "British metal," and, along with Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and a host of other bands, set the rock scene for the '80s.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Iron Maiden - official website

Iron Maiden - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The Jackson 5

2011-09-06T09:34:00.001-07:00

(Jackson 5 member Michael Jackson is already a People's Hall inductee as a solo artist)

From the Jackson 5 biography at allmusic.com, by Steve Huey:

The Jackson 5 were one of the biggest phenomenons in pop music during the early '70s, and the last great group to come out of the Motown hitmaking machine before Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder shifted the label's focus to more individual visions. The Jackson 5's infectious brand of funky pop-soul was a definite departure from the typically smooth, elegant Motown sound, as befitting the group's youth and the dawn of a new decade. That youth, coupled with the merchandising juggernaut that sprang up behind them, inevitably got them tagged a bubblegum group. But they were far more talented musically than that label would suggest, especially lead singer Michael, and their material, while sunny and upbeat, didn't pander to its audience. Solo careers and overexposure gradually weakened the Jackson 5, but their best music still holds up surprisingly well as some of the most vibrant mainstream pop/R&B of its era.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Jackson 5 ABC - fan club website
Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The Jam

2011-09-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

From the Jam biography at allmusic.com, by Steven Thomas Erlewine:

The Jam were the most popular band to emerge from the initial wave of British punk rock in 1977; along with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks, the Jam had the most impact on pop music. While they could barely get noticed in America, the trio became genuine superstars in Britain, with an impressive string of Top Ten singles in the late '70s and early '80s. The Jam could never have a hit in America because they were thoroughly and defiantly British. Under the direction of guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Paul Weller, the trio spearheaded a revival of mid-'60s mod groups, in the style of the Who and the Small Faces. Like the mod bands, the group dressed stylishly, worshipped American R&B, and played it loud and rough. By the time of the group's third album, Weller's songwriting had grown substantially, as he was beginning to write social commentaries and pop songs in the vein of the Kinks. Both his political songs and his romantic songs were steeped in British culture, filled with references and slang in the lyrics, as well as musical allusions. Furthermore, as the Jam grew more popular and musically accessible, Weller became more insistent and stubborn about his beliefs, supporting leftist causes and adhering to the pop aesthetics of '60s British rock without ever succumbing to hippie values. Paradoxically, that meant even when their music became more pop than punk, they never abandoned the punk values -- if anything, Weller stuck to the strident independent ethics of 1977 more than any other punk band just by simply refusing to change.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

JamFan - official website
The Jam - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Tommy James & the Shondells

2011-09-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

From the Tommy James & the Shondells biography at allmusic.com, by Bruce Eder:

Tommy James & the Shondells -- the very mention of their name, even to someone who doesn't really know their music, evokes images of dances and the kind of fun that rock & roll represented before it redefined itself on more serious terms. And between 1966 and 1969, the group enjoyed 14 Top 40 hits, most of which remain among the most eminently listenable (if not always respected) examples of pop/rock. The group was almost as much of a Top 40 radio institution of the time as Creedence Clearwater Revival, but because they weren't completely self-contained (they wrote some, but not all, or their own hits) and were more rooted in pop/rock than basic rock & roll, it took decades for writers and pop historians to look with favor on Tommy James & the Shondells.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Tommy James & the Shondells - official website

Tommy James & the Shondells - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Joy Division/New Order

2011-09-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

From the Joy Division biography at allmusic.com, by John Bush:

Formed in the wake of the punk explosion in England, Joy Division became the first band in the post-punk movement by later emphasizing not anger and energy but mood and expression, pointing ahead to the rise of melancholy alternative music in the '80s. Though the group's raw initial sides fit the bill for any punk band, Joy Division later incorporated synthesizers (taboo in the low-tech world of '70s punk) and more haunting melodies, emphasized by the isolated, tortured lyrics of its lead vocalist, Ian Curtis. While the British punk movement shocked the world during the late '70s, Joy Division's quiet storm of musical restraint and emotive power proved to be just as important to independent music in the 1980s.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

From the New Order biography at allmusic.com, by Jason Ankeny:

Rising from the ashes of the legendary British post-punk unit Joy Division, the enigmatic New Order triumphed over tragedy to emerge as one of the most influential and acclaimed bands of the 1980s; embracing the electronic textures and disco rhythms of the underground club culture many years in advance of its contemporaries, the group's pioneering fusion of new wave aesthetics and dance music successfully bridged the gap between the two worlds, creating a distinctively thoughtful and oblique brand of synth pop appealing equally to the mind, body, and soul. New Order's origins officially date back to mid-1976, when guitarist Bernard Sumner (formerly Albrecht) and bassist Peter Hook -- inspired by a recent Sex Pistols performance -- announced their intentions to form a band of their own. Recruiting singer Ian Curtis and drummer Stephen Morris, they eventually settled on the name Joy Division, and in 1979 issued their landmark debut LP, Unknown Pleasures.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Joy Division Central - unofficial website
New Order - official website
Joy Division - Wikipedia
New Order - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Gladys Knight & the Pips

2011-09-06T09:31:00.001-07:00

From the Gladys Knight biography at allmusic.com, by Richie Uterberger:

One of the great soul singers, Gladys Knight was a performer from her childhood years, forming the Pips with her brother Merald and a couple cousins. They made the Top Ten in 1961 with the heavily doo wop-influenced "Every Beat of My Heart," and recorded some fine, nowadays overlooked pop-soul sides for the Fury and Maxx labels in the early and mid-'60s, sometimes under the direction of songwriter Van McCoy. A couple singles from this period, "Letter Full of Tears" and "Giving Up," made the Top 40, but Knight didn't hit her commercial stride until she moved to Motown in 1966. Steeped in the gospel tradition, like so many soul singers, Knight & the Pips developed into one of Motown's most dependable acts, although they never quite scaled the commercial or artistic heights of fellow stars on the label like the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and the Temptations. With Norman Whitfield providing the production and much of the songwriting, the Pips fit into the mainstream of Motown's machine well, scoring big hits with some rabble-rousers (like "Friendship Train" and the original version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"), mainstream midtempo soul ("It Should Have Been Me" and "The End of Our Road"), and smooth ballads like "If I Were Your Woman."

In 1973, Knight had her biggest Motown hit with "Neither One of Us," which made number two; shortly afterward, she and the Pips left Motown for Buddah. The group members were briefly superstars in 1973-1974, reeling off the smashes "Midnight Train to Georgia" (their only number one), "I've Got to Use My Imagination," and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me." This ranked as some of their best material, but Knight soon moved toward an easy listening, adult contemporary direction, one that she's maintained to this day. Now performing separately from the Pips (who have retired), her days as a high-charting star ended after the mid-'70s, although she remains fairly popular, and maintained an active recording career into the new millennium, releasing At Last, an album of urban R&B, on MCA in 2000; One Voice, a gospel set, on Many Roads Records in 2005; and Before Me, an album of jazz standards, on Verve in 2006.

See the full entry at Allmusic.com

Additional links:

Gladys Knight - official website
Gladys Knight & the Pips - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Madonna

2011-09-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

From the Madonna biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

After a star reaches a certain point, it's easy to forget what they became famous for and concentrate solely on their persona. Madonna is such a star. Madonna rocketed to stardom so quickly in 1984 that it obscured most of her musical virtues. Appreciating her music became even more difficult as the decade wore on, as discussing her lifestyle became more common than discussing her music. However, one of Madonna's greatest achievements is how she manipulated the media and the public with her music, her videos, her publicity, and her sexuality. Arguably, Madonna was the first female pop star to have complete control of her music and image.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Madonna - official website
Madonna - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: John Mellencamp

2011-09-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

From the John Mellencamp biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

Throughout his career, John Mellencamp has had to fight, whether it was for the right to record under his own name or for respect as an artist. Of course, he never made it easy on himself. Mellencamp began his career in the late '70s as a Bruce Springsteen clone called Johnny Cougar. As his career progressed, his music became more distinctive, developing into a Stonesy blend of hard rock and folk-rock. His musical development coincided with his growth in popularity -- by the time "Hurts So Good" and "Jack and Diane" became hits in 1982, Mellencamp had created his own variation of the heartland rock of Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Bob Seger. While he had the record sales, it took several years before rock critics took him seriously. For some artists, this would be easy to ignore, but Mellencamp had the desire to be a serious social commentator, chronicling the times and trials of Midwestern baby boomers. Scarecrow, released in 1985, fulfilled his wish of being taken seriously, and his subsequent records were greeted warmly by critics. Furthermore, he sustained his popularity over the ensuing decades, only occasionally experiencing dips in record sales.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

John Mellencamp - official website
John Mellencamp - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The O'Jays

2011-09-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

From the O'Jays biography at allmusic.com, by Steve Huey:

The O'Jays were one of Philadelphia soul's most popular and long-lived outfits, rivaled only by the Spinners as soul's greatest vocal group of the '70s. In their prime, the O'Jays' recordings epitomized the Philly soul sound: smooth, rich harmonies backed by elaborate arrangements, lush strings, and a touch of contemporary funk. They worked extensively with the legendary production/songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, becoming the flagship artist of the duo's Philadelphia International label. The O'Jays were equally at home singing sweet love ballads or uptempo dance tunes, the latter of which were often mouthpieces for Gamble & Huff's social concerns. Although the O'Jays couldn't sustain their widespread popularity in the post-disco age, they have continued to record steadily all the way up to the present day, modifying their production to keep up with the times.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

The O'Jays - official website
The O'Jays - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Gene Pitney

2011-09-06T09:26:00.001-07:00

From the Gene Pitney biography at allmusic.com, by Richie Uterberger:

One of the most interesting and difficult-to-categorize singers in '60s pop, Gene Pitney had a long run of hits distinguished by his pained, one-of-a-kind melodramatic wail. Pitney is sometimes characterized (or dismissed) as a shallow teen idol-type prone to operatic ballads. It's true that some of his biggest hits -- "Town Without Pity," "Only Love Can Break a Heart," "I'm Gonna Be Strong," "It Hurts to Be in Love," and "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" -- are archetypes of adolescent or just-post-adolescent agony, characterized by longing and not a little self-pity.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Gene Pitney - official website
Gene Pitney - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Lloyd Price

2011-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

From the Lloyd Price biography at allmusic.com, by Bill Dahl:

Not entirely content with being a 1950s R&B star on the strength of his immortal New Orleans classic "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," singer Lloyd Price yearned for massive pop acceptance. He found it, too, with a storming rock & roll reading of the ancient blues "Stagger Lee" and the unabashedly pop-slanted "Personality" and "I'm Gonna Get Married" (the latter pair sounding far removed indeed from his Crescent City beginnings).

At his very first Specialty date in 1952, Price sang his classic eight-bar blues "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" (its rolling piano intro courtesy of a moonlighting Fats Domino). It topped the R&B charts for an extended period, making Price a legitimate star before he was old enough to vote. Four more Specialty smashes followed -- "Oooh, Oooh, Oooh," "Restless Heart," "Tell Me Pretty Baby," "Ain't It a Shame" -- before Price was drafted into the Army and deposited unhappily in Korea.

When he finally managed to break free of the military, Price formed his own label, KRC Records, with partners Harold Logan and Bill Boskent and got back down to business.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional link:

Lloyd Price - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The Red Hot Chili Peppers

2011-09-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

From the Red Hot Chili Peppers biography at allmusic.com, by Greg Prato:

ew rock groups of the '80s broke down as many musical barriers and were as original as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Creating an intoxicating new musical style by combining funk and punk rock together (with an explosive stage show to boot), the Chili Peppers spawned a slew of imitators in their wake, but still managed to be the leaders of the pack by the dawn of the 21st century.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Red Hot Chili Peppers - offficial site
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Linda Ronstadt

2011-09-06T09:24:00.001-07:00

From the Linda Ronstadt biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

With roots in the Los Angeles country and folk-rock scenes, Linda Ronstadt became one of the most popular interpretive singers of the '70s, earning a string of platinum-selling albums and Top 40 singles. Throughout the '70s, her laid-back pop never lost sight of her folky roots, yet as she moved into the '80s, she began to change her sound with the times, adding new wave influences. After a brief flirtation with pre-rock pop, Ronstadt settled into a pattern of adult contemporary pop and Latin albums, sustaining her popularity in both fields.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Linda Ronstadt - unofficial homepage
Linda Ronstadt - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Run DMC

2011-09-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

From the Run DMC biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music. As the first hardcore rap outfit, the trio set the sound and style for the next decade of rap. With their spare beats and excursions into heavy metal samples, the trio were tougher and more menacing than their predecessors Grandmaster Flash and Whodini. In the process, they opened the door for both the politicized rap of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions, as well as the hedonistic gangsta fantasies of N.W.A. At the same time, Run-D.M.C. helped move rap from a singles-oriented genre to an album-oriented one -- they were the first hip-hop artist to construct full-fledged albums, not just collections with two singles and a bunch of filler. By the end of the '80s, Run-D.M.C. had been overtaken by the groups they had spawned, but they continued to perform to a dedicated following well into the '90s.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Run DMC - official website
Run DMC - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

2011-09-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

From the Bob Seger biography at allmusic.com, by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

Originally a hard-driving rocker in the vein of fellow Michigan garage rockers the Rationals and Mitch Ryder, Bob Seger developed into one of the most popular heartland rockers over the course of the '70s. Combining the driving charge of Ryder's Detroit Wheels with Stonesy garage rock and devotion to hard-edged soul and R&B, he crafted a distinctively American sound. While he never attained the critical respect of his contemporary Bruce Springsteen, Seger did develop a dedicated following through constant touring with his Silver Bullet Band. Following several years of missed chances and lost opportunities, Seger finally achieved a national audience in 1976 with the back-to-back release of Live Bullet and Night Moves. After the platinum success of those albums, Seger retained his popularity for the next two decades, releasing seven Top Ten, platinum-selling albums in a row.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

Bob Seger - official website
Bob Seger - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The Troggs

2011-09-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

From the Troggs biography at allmusic.com, by Richie Uterberger:

Remembered chiefly as proto-punkers who reached the top of the charts with the "caveman rock" of "Wild Thing" (1966), the Troggs were also adept at crafting power pop and ballads. Hearkening back to a somewhat simpler, more basic British Invasion approach as psychedelia began to explode in the late '60s, the group also reached the Top Five with their flower-power ballad "Love Is All Around" in 1968. While more popular in their native England than the U.S., the band also fashioned memorable, insistently riffing hit singles like "With a Girl Like You," "Night of the Long Grass," and the notoriously salacious "I Can't Control Myself" between 1966 and 1968. Paced by Reg Presley's lusting vocals, the group -- which composed most of their own material -- could crunch with the best of them, but were also capable of quite a bit more range and melodic invention than they've been given credit for.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

The Troggs - official site

The Troggs - Wikipedia

Class of 2012 Nominees: The Turtles

2011-09-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

From the Turtles biography at allmusic.com, by John Bush:

Though many remember only their 1967 hit, "Happy Together," the Turtles were one of the more enjoyable American pop groups of the '60s, moving from folk-rock inspired by the Byrds to a sparkling fusion of Zombies-inspired chamber pop and straight-ahead, good-time pop reminiscent of the Lovin' Spoonful, the whole infused with beautiful vocal harmonies courtesy of dual frontmen Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. Though they hit number one in 1967 with the infectious "Happy Together," the Turtles scored only three more Top Ten hits and broke up by the end of the '60s. Kaylan and Volman later joined Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention during the early '70s and also recorded themselves as Flo & Eddie, but were on the oldies circuit with a revamped Turtles by the mid-'80s.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com

Additional links:

The Turtles - official website
The Turtles - Wikipedia

What's Next for the People's Hall? Plus... COMPLETE LIST of YOUR People's Hall of Famers!

2011-08-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

four of our earliest inductees

We're finally where we wanted to get when we picked up the pieces from the old People's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and re-booted this project ten months ago. We never recovered the level of participation the original version had - when our Facebook page was deleted without warning, we lost contact to over 3,000 followers. But those who came here and to our new FB page were more than up to the task, and I'm proud to stand by the 197 names selected by the People. Fifty of them, better than 1 in 4, are artists and groups that have been unjustly ignored by that other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The list of what we like to call "The People's Choice Club" is at the end of this post, I think you will find it to be a very deserving and well-chosen roster.

So what happens now? This fall, the People's Hall will announce the nominees for our first annual election to select the Class of 2012. To be eligible for the 2012 election, any artist or group has to have released their first single or album no later than 1986. Then, in the new year, we will be conducting our first ever special elections, for sidemen, songwriters, and non-performers. The winners of these elections will be listed in separate categories from the main group of hall of famers, but will be honored as part of the Class of 2012.

In between, stay tuned to this blog as well as our page on Facebook for lots of great music from and information about YOUR People's Hall of Famers!

Here is the complete list of artists and groups who have been elected to The People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends.

AC/DC
Aerosmith
Alice Cooper
The Allman Brothers Band
The Animals
The B-52s
Hank Ballard & the Midnighters
The Band
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
Jeff Beck
The Bee Gees
Chuck Berry
Black Flag
Black Sabbath
Blondie
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
David Bowie
James Brown
Ruth Brown
Buffalo Springfield
Solomon Burke
Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio
The Byrds
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
The Cars
Johnny Cash
Ray Charles
Cheap Trick
Chicago
Eric Clapton
The Dave Clark Five
The Clash
The Coasters
Eddie Cochran
Joe Cocker
Sam Cooke
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
The Crystals
Dick Dale & the Del-Tones
Bobby Darin
The Dead Kennedys
Deep Purple
Devo
Bo Diddley
Dion DiMucci
Dire Straits
Fats Domino
Donovan
The Doobie Brothers
The Doors
The Drifters
Bob Dylan
The Eagles
Duane Eddy & the Rebels
Electric Light Orchestra
The Everly Brothers
Fleetwood Mac
The Four Seasons
The Four Tops
Aretha Franklin
Peter Gabriel
Marvin Gaye
Genesis
The Grateful Dead
Al Green
The Guess Who
Bill Haley & His Comets
George Harrison
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Issac Hayes
Heart
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Hollies
Buddy Holly & the Crickets
John Lee Hooker
Howlin' Wolf
The Impressions
The Isley Brothers
Michael Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Elmore James
Etta James
Jan & Dean
Jefferson Airplane
Jethro Tull
Billy Joel
Elton John
Little Willie John
Janis Joplin
Judas Priest
B.B. King
King Crimson
The Kinks
Kiss
Led Zeppelin
Brenda Lee
John Lennon
Jerry Lee Lewis
Little Richard
Love
The Lovin' Spoonful
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
Lynyrd Skynyrd
The Mamas and the Papas
Bob Marley & the Wailers
Martha & the Vandellas
Curtis Mayfield
The MC5
Paul McCartney
Metallica
The Steve Miller Band
The Miracles
Joni Mitchell
The Monkees
The Moody Blues
Van Morrison
Mott the Hoople
Rick Nelson
The New York Dolls
Roy Orbison
Parliament-Funkadelic
Gram Parsons
Carl Perkins
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Wilson Pickett
Pink Floyd
The Platters
The Police
Elvis Presley
The Pretenders
Prince & the Revolution
Queen
The Ramones
The (Young) Rascals
Otis Redding
Jimmy Reed
R.E.M.
Paul Revere & the Raiders
The Righteous Brothers
The Rolling Stones
The Ronettes
Roxy Music
Todd Rundgren
Rush
Leon Russell
Sam & Dave
Santana
The Sex Pistols
Del Shannon
The Shirelles
Simon & Garfunkel
Paul Simon
Sly & the Family Stone
The Small Faces/The Faces
The Patti Smith Group
Sonic Youth
Dusty Springfield
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
The Staple Singers
Steely Dan
Steppenwolf
Rod Stewart
The Stooges
The Supremes
T. Rex
Talking Heads
James Taylor
The Temptations
Thin Lizzy
Traffic
Ike & Tina Turner
Big Joe Turner
U2
Ritchie Valens
Van Halen
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
The Velvet Underground
The Ventures
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
Tom Waits
War
Muddy Waters
The Who
Jackie Wilson
Stevie Wonder
Link Wray & His Ray Men
The Yardbirds
Yes
Neil Young
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention
Warren Zevon
The Zombies
ZZ Top

The "People's Choice Club":

To date, the voters for People's Hall have selected 50 inductees who have still been ignored by the Cleveland hall - Roxy Music, The Miracles, Rush, Yes, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Dire Straits, The Zombies, Donovan, The Moody Blues, The Guess Who, Love, The MC5, The Monkees, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Todd Rundgren, T. Rex, Warren Zevon, Thin Lizzy, King Crimson, Kiss, Steppenwolf, The New York Dolls, Heart, Judas Priest, Mott the Hoople, Chicago, Joe Cocker, The Cars, Electric Light Orchestra, The Small Faces/The Faces, The Doobie Brothers, War, The B-52s, Black Flag, Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, The Crystals, Dick Dale & the Del-Tones, The Dead Kennedys, Devo, Peter Gabriel, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Jan & Dean, The Steve Miller Band, Gram Parsons, Sonic Youth, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, and Link Wray & His Ray Men.

Sixth Election Inductees

2011-07-30T12:05:00.001-07:00

The polls are closed, the ballots have been counted, and our sixth and final election of the 2010-11 cycle is in the books.

This sixth round has resulted in 40 new inductees for the People's Hall (21 from the Oldies Era ballot, nine from the Classic Rock and Soul Era ballot, and ten from the Modern Era ballot), bringing the total number of inductees up to 197 as we close the book on our initial series of elections and begin voting annually, concurrent with the election of the Cleveland hall of fame.

This time around, the people have chosen to honor sixteen more artists and/or groups who have yet to be inducted by the other hall of fame - The B-52s, Black Flag, Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, The Crystals, Dick Dale & the Del-Tones, The Dead Kennedys, Devo, Peter Gabriel, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Jan & Dean, The Steve Miller Band, Gram Parsons, Sonic Youth, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, and Link Wray & His Ray Men. This brings our "People's Choice Club" total to 49. We are always especially proud to be able to honor these worthy selections who have been snubbed by the establishment's hall. Congratulations to all of the new inductees, and to everyone who voted and let the Peoples' voice be heard.

A few big names missed the cut this round, but most of them will be back to be considered again in our election for the class of 2012.

Here is our sixth class of hall of famers selected by the people:

The B-52s

The Bee Gees

Black Flag

Ruth Brown

Johnny Burnette & the Rock 'n' Roll Trio

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

The Crystals

Dick Dale & The Del-Tones

Bobby Darin

The Dead Kennedys

Devo

Duane Eddy

Peter Gabriel

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Issac Hayes

The Impressions

Michael Jackson

Wanda Jackson

Elmore James

Jan & Dean

Little Willie John

Brenda Lee

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers

The Mamas and the Papas

Curtis Mayfield

The Steve Miller Band

Gram Parsons

Jimmy Reed

The Righteous Brothers

Del Shannon

The Shirelles

Paul Simon

The Patti Smith Group

Sonic Youth

The Staple Singers

Rod Stewart

Big Joe Turner

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

Tom Waits

Link Wray & His Ray Men

HOW TO VOTE: Let YOUR voice be heard today!

2011-06-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

The People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends is the first and only hall of fame by and for the People. Unlike the multi-million dollar crystal pyramid in Cleveland, the People's Hall inductees are selected by fans, not a hand-picked cadre of industry insiders. We have conducted five elections since last October, and so far have inducted 157 artists/groups, including 34 who have been snubbed by the Cleveland hall.

This brings us to an important stage in the development of the People's Hall - our final election of the six-part 2010-11 voting cycle. After this last big election, we will be switching to an annual election which will more closely correspond the the nominations and inductions of the Cleveland hall.

How do you vote? It's easy. There are three separate elections, each containing 50 nominees. Click on the links below to view them and post your selections in the comments section of the post or on the wall of our Facebook page.

In each category, you can select up to 25 artists/groups, with a minimum of 10 for your ballot to count. The top five vote getters from each category, as well as anyone named on more than half of all the ballots counted will be inducted. Those who miss out will be eligible for future elections, which occur on an annual basis, starting with our class of 2012 which we will be voting on near the end of this year.

One write-in vote can be included on each ballot submitted.

To be eligible for this election, an artist or group had to have released their first record no later than 1985.

Polls close at noon EST on Saturday, July 30, 2010.

Vote in our OLDIES ERA ELECTION

Vote in our CLASSIC ROCK AND SOUL ERA ELECTION

Vote in our MODERN ERA ELECTION

Nominees for the Modern Era Election

2011-06-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

The following 50 artists and groups represent the best of rock 'n' roll from the mid-70s through the early 1980s. In order to be eligible for this election, an artist or group had to have released their first record no later than 1985. To vote, post your ballot of up to 25 selections (minimum of 10) either in the comments section of this page, or on the wall of our Facebook page. You may include up to one write-in vote on your ballot - the write-in candidate has to have been active in this era for the vote to count.

Also vote in our Oldies Era Election.

Also vote in our Classic Rock and Soul Era Election.

Polling ends on Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 12 noon EST.

The B-52s
Bad Company
The Beastie Boys
Pat Benatar
Black Flag
Bon Jovi
Boston
The Buzzcocks
The Cramps
The Cure
The Damned
The Dead Kennedys
Def Leppard
Depeche Mode
Devo
The Eurythmics
Foreigner
Peter Gabriel
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
Hall and Oates
Husker Du
Iron Maiden
Michael Jackson
The Jam
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Journey
Joy Division/New Order
Madonna
John Mellencamp
Minor Threat
The Misfits
The Modern Lovers
Motley Crue
Motorhead
My Bloody Valentine
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Replacements
Run DMC
The Runaways
The Scorpions
Slayer
The Patti Smith Group
The Smiths
Sonic Youth
Styx
Television
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Tom Waits
X
XTC

Nominees for the Classic Rock and Soul Era Election

2011-06-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

The following 50 artists and groups represent the best of rock 'n' roll from the mid-60s through the early 1970s. To vote, post your ballot of up to 25 selections (minimum of 10) either in the comments section of this page, or on the wall of our Facebook page. No more than one write-in vote can be included on any ballot, and the artist or group must meet the requirement of being active during this era for the vote to count.

Also vote in our Oldies Era Election.

Also vote in our Modern Era Election.

Polling ends on Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 12 noon EST.

Abba
Badfinger
The Bee Gees
Big Star
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Blue Cheer
Jackson Browne
Can
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Leonard Cohen
Jim Croce
The Spencer Davis Group
Neil Diamond
Dr. John
Nick Drake
Earth Wind and Fire
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Grand Funk Railroad
Issac Hayes
Humble Pie
The Jackson Five
Tommy James & the Shondells
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Kraftwerk
The Mamas and the Papas
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
Curtis Mayfield
The Steve Miller Band
Mountain
The Move
Randy Newman
Harry Nilsson
The O’Jays
Gram Parsons
Procol Harum
Bonnie Raitt
Linda Ronstadt
Bob Seger
The Shangri-Las
Paul Simon
The Sonics
The Spinners
Spirit
The Standells
Cat Stevens
Rod Stewart
The Sweet
Ten Years After
The Troggs
The Turtles
Johnny Winter

Nominees for the Oldies Era Election

2011-06-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

The following 50 artists and groups represent the best of rock 'n' roll from its beginnings through the early 1960s. To vote, post your ballot of up to 25 selections (minimum of 10) either in the comments section of this page, or on the wall of our Facebook page. You can include no more than one write-in vote on your ballot, and they must meet the requirement of being active by the early 60s to be counted.

Also vote in our Classic Rock and Soul Era Election.

Also vote in our Modern Era Election.

Polling ends on Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 12 noon EST.

Johnny Ace
LaVern Baker
The Big Bopper
Bobby Blue Bland
Roy Brown
Ruth Brown
Johnny Burnette & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio
The Cadillacs
Chubby Checker
The Clovers
The Crystals
Dick Dale & the Del Tones
Bobby Darin
The Dells
Duane Eddy
The “5” Royales
The Flamingos
Wynonie Harris
Dale Hawkins
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
The Impressions
Wanda Jackson
Elmore James
Jan & Dean
Little Willie John
Louis Jordan
Johnny Kidd & the Pirates
Little Anthony & the Imperials
Brenda Lee
Darlene Love
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
The Marvelettes
Clyde McPhatter
The Moonglows
Johnny Otis
Gene Pitney
Lloyd Price
Jimmy Reed
The Righteous Brothers
Del Shannon
The Shirelles
The Staple Singers
Rufus Thomas
Big Mama Thornton
Big Joe Turner
Billy Ward & the Dominoes
Larry Williams
Chuck Willis
Bobby Womack
Link Wray & His Ray Men

Fifth Election Inductees

2011-06-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

The polls are closed, the ballots have been counted, and our fifth election of the 2010-11 cycle is in the books.

This fifth round has resulted in eleven new inductees for the People's Hall. Of the ten, four - The Four Seasons, Etta James, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor - are also members of the Cleveland HOF, which means that this time around, the people have chosen to honor seven more artists and/or groups who have yet to be inducted by that particular institution - Chicago, Joe Cocker, The Cars, Electric Light Orchestra, The Small Faces/The Faces, The Doobie Brothers, and War. This brings our "People's Choice" total to 33. We are always especially proud to be able to honor these worthy selections who have been snubbed by the establishment's hall. Congratulations to all of the new inductees, and to everyone who voted and let the Peoples' voice be heard.

Some big names missed the cut this round, but most of them will be back to be considered again in our next election, which will be our final of 2010-11 before we switch to an annual vote.

Here is our fifth class of hall of famers selected by the people:

The Cars

Chicago

Joe Cocker

The Doobie Brothers

Electric Light Orchestra

The Four Seasons

Etta James

Joni Mitchell

The Small Faces/The Faces

James Taylor

War

VOTE IN OUR FIFTH ELECTION!

2011-05-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the fifth election for The People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends, the only hall of fame BY and FOR the people.

For this election, we are considering 50 artists and groups. .

Here's how to vote:

Select up to 25 (minimum of 10) and post your ballot in the comments of this post or on our Facebook wall. The top 10 vote getters, as well as any group or artist named on at least 2/3 of the total ballots counted will be inducted into The People's Hall.

Write in votes are now allowed. Each counted ballot can contain one write-in vote. To qualify, and artist or group had to have released their first recording no later than 1985. The write-in vote does count towards your 10 minimum.

Polls close at 12:00 noon PST on Friday, June 24, 2011

Our nominees for the fifth election:

Bad Company
Badfinger
The Bee Gees
Big Star
Ruth Brown
Johnny Burnette & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio
The Cars
Chicago
Joe Cocker
Leonard Cohen
Dick Dale
Bobby Darin
Neil Diamond
Doobie Brothers
Dr. John
Duane Eddy
Electric Light Orchestra
Emerson Lake and Palmer
The Four Seasons
Peter Gabriel
The J. Geils Band
Grand Funk Railroad
Iron Maiden
Issac Hayes
The Jam
Etta James
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
Little Feat
The Mamas and the Papas
Curtis Mayfield
Steve Miller Band
Joni Mitchell
Motorhead
Gram Parsons
Gene Pitney
The Righteous Brothers
Bob Seger
Del Shannon
The Shirelles
The Small Faces/The Faces
The Patti Smith Group
James Taylor
The Troggs
Big Joe Turner
The Turtles
Tom Waits
War
Johnny Winter
Link Wray

Fourth Election Inductees

2011-05-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

The polls are closed, the ballots have been counted, and our fourth election of the 2010-11 cycle is in the books.

This fourth round has resulted in 20 new inductees for the People's Hall. This time around, the people have chosen to honor eleven more artists or groups who have yet to be inducted by Cleveland's hall of fame - Todd Rundgren, T. Rex, Warren Zevon, Thin Lizzy, King Crimson, Kiss, Steppenwolf, The New York Dolls, Heart, Judas Priest, and Mott the Hoople, bringing the "People's Choice" total to 26. We are always especially proud to be able to honor these worthy selections who have been snubbed by the establishment's hall. Congratulations to all of the new inductees, and to everyone who voted and let the Peoples' voice be heard.

Some big names missed the cut this round, but most of them will be back to be considered again in our next couple of elections.

Here is our fourth class of hall of famers selected by the people:

The Band

Al Green

George Harrison

Heart

Judas Priest

King Crimson

Kiss

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Mott the Hoople

The New York Dolls

The Pretenders

Todd Rundgren

Leon Russell

Steely Dan

Steppenwolf

The Stooges

T. Rex

Thin Lizzy

Traffic

Warren Zevon

VOTE IN OUR FOURTH ELECTION!

2011-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the fourth election for The People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends, the only hall of fame BY and FOR the people.

For this election, we are considering 100 artists and groups whose recording careers began after 1966. There are also a lot of great performers from the 1980s who I was originally going to include in this round, but with so many worthy names to consider, I ended up setting most of those aside until a later election so we could get through all of the great candidates who came along earlier.

Here's how to vote:

Select up to 50 (minimum of 25) and post your ballot in the comments of this post or on our Facebook wall. The top 20 vote getters, as well as any group or artist named on at least 2/3 of the total ballots counted will be inducted into The People's Hall.

Write in votes are not allowed at this time. If you think there are any artists or groups we should be including, please mention it in the comments for future consideration. We will be doing more elections like this over the course of 2011 and many worthy candidates will appear on future ballots.

Polls close at 12:00 noon PST on Friday, May 13, 2011

Bad Company
Badfinger
The Band
Big Star
The Birthday Party
Black Flag
Blood Sweat & Tears
Blue Cheer
Blue Oyster Cult
Boston
The Buzzcocks
Can
Canned Heat
The Cars
Chicago
Joe Cocker
Leonard Cohen
The Cure
The Dead Boys
Rick Derringer
Devo
The Doobie Brothers
Dr. John
Electric Light Orchestra
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Brian Eno
Fairport Convention
The Fall
The Flamin’ Groovies
Foreigner
Free
Peter Gabriel
Gang of Four
The J. Geils Band
Al Green
George Harrison
Grand Funk Railroad
Hall & Oates
Hawkwind
Issac Hayes
Heart
Richard Hell & the Voidoids
Humble Pie
The Jam
The James Gang
Journey
Joy Division/New Order
Judas Priest
King Crimson
Kiss
Kraftwerk
Lynyrd Skynyrd
John Mellencamp
The Meters
Steve Miller Band
Joni Mitchell
Moby Grape
Motorhead
Mott the Hoople
Mountain
The Move
The New York Dolls
Harry Nilsson
Ted Nugent
Laura Nyro
Gram Parsons
Pere Ubu
The Pretenders
Procol Harum
Public Image Ltd.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Rainbow
Bonnie Raitt
The Runaways
Todd Rundgren
Leon Russell
The Scorpions
Slade
The Patti Smith Group
The Soft Machine
Sparks
Spirit
Steely Dan
Steppenwolf
The Stooges
Styx
The Sweet
T. Rex
Television
Ten Years After
Thin Lizzy
Traffic
Van Der Graaf Generator
Vanilla Fudge
Tom Waits
War
Johnny Winter
X
XTC
Warren Zevon

Third Election Inductees

2011-04-01T13:02:00.001-07:00

The polls are closed, the ballots have been counted, and the third big election of our 2010-11 cycle is in the books.

This third round has resulted in 29 new inductees for the People's Hall. This time around, the people have chosen to honor eight more artists or groups who have yet to be inducted by Cleveland's hall of fame - The Zombies, Donovan, The Moody Blues, The Guess Who, Love, The MC5, The Monkees, and Paul Revere & the Raiders, bringing the "People's Choice" total to 15. We are always especially proud to be able to honor these worthy selections who have been snubbed by Jann Wenner's exclusive club. Congratulations to all of the new inductees, and to everyone who voted and let the Peoples' voice be heard.

Some big names missed the cut this round, but most of them will be back to be considered again in our next few elections.

Here is our third class of hall of famers selected by the people:

Booker T. & the M.G.s

Buffalo Springfield

Solomon Burke

The Dave Clark Five

Donovan

The Guess Who

The Hollies

The Isley Brothers

Love

The Lovin' Spoonful

Bob Marley & the Wailers

Martha & the Vandellas

The MC5

The Monkees

The Moody Blues

Rick Nelson

Parliament-Funkadelic

Wilson Pickett

The Platters

The (Young) Rascals

Paul Revere & the Raiders

Sam & Dave

Dusty Springfield

The Supremes

Ike & Tina Turner

The Velvet Underground

The Ventures

Jackie Wilson

The Zombies

VOTE IN OUR THIRD ELECTION!

2011-02-20T10:35:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the third election for The People's Hall of Rock 'n' Roll Legends, the only hall of fame BY and FOR the people.

For this election, we are considering 100 artists and groups whose recording careers began no later than 1966. In the next election, we will be considering artists who debuted from 1967 through the mid-1980s.

Select up to 50 (minimum of 25) and post your ballot in the comments of this post or on our Facebook wall. The top 20 vote getters, as well as any group or artist named on at least 2/3 of the total ballots counted will be inducted into The People's Hall.

Write in votes are not allowed at this time. If you think there are any artists or groups we should be including, please mention it in the comments for future consideration. We will be doing three more elections like this over the course of 2011 and many worthy candidates will appear on future ballots.

Polls close at 12:00 noon PST on Friday, April 1, 2011.

The Association
LaVern Baker
The Bee Gees
The Big Bopper
Bobby Bland
Booker T. & the M.G.s
Roy Brown
Ruth Brown
Buffalo Springfield
Solomon Burke
Johnny Burnette & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Captain Beefheart
Chubby Checker
The Chiffons
The Dave Clark Five
The Crystals
Dick Dale
Bobby Darin
The Spencer Davis Group
The Dells
Neil Diamond
Donovan
Duane Eddy
The “5” Royales
The Flamingos
The Bobby Fuller Four
Lesley Gore
The Guess Who
Wynonie Harris
Dale Hawkins
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Ronnie Hawkins
The Hollies
The Impressions
The Isley Brothers
Wanda Jackson
Elmore James
Etta James
Tommy James & the Shondells
Jan & Dean
Little Willie John
Louis Jordan
Albert King
The Kingsmen
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Love
The Lovin’ Spoonful
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
The Mamas and the Papas
Manfred Mann
Bob Marley & the Wailers
Martha & the Vandellas
The Marvelettes
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
The MC5
Clyde McPhatter
The Monkees
The Moody Blues
Rick Nelson
The O’Jays
Parliament-Funkadelic
Wilson Pickett
Gene Pitney
The Platters
The Pretty Things
Lloyd Price
The (Young) Rascals
Jimmy Reed
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Cliff Richard & the Shadows
The Righteous Brothers
Sam & Dave
Bob Seger
The Seeds
The Shangri-Las
Del Shannon
The Shirelles
The Small Faces
The Sonics
The (Detroit) Spinners
Dusty Springfield
The Standells
The Staples Singers
The Supremes
Joe Tex
The 13th Floor Elevators
Big Mama Thornton
The Troggs
The Turtles
Ike & Tina Turner
Big Joe Turner
The Velvet Underground
The Ventures
Billy Ward & the Dominoes
Mary Wells
Chuck Willis
Jackie Wilson
Link Wray
The Zombies

Second Election Inductees

2011-02-18T12:38:00.001-08:00

The polls are closed, the ballots have been counted, and the second big election of our 2010-11 cycle is in the books.

This round round has resulted in 24 new inductees for the People's Hall. This time around, the people have chosen to honor six more artists or groups who have yet to be inducted by Cleveland's hall of fame - Rush, Yes, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, and Dire Straits. We are always especially proud to be able to honor these worthy selections who have been snubbed by Jann Wenner's exclusive club. Congratulations to all of the new inductees, and to everyone who voted and let the Peoples' voice be heard.

Some big names missed the cut this round, but most of them will be back to be considered again in our next few elections.

Here is our second class of hall of famers selected by the people:

Alice Cooper

The Allman Brothers Band

Jeff Beck

Cheap Trick

Eric Clapton

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Deep Purple

Dire Straits

The Eagles

Fleetwood Mac

Genesis

Jethro Tull

Billy Joel

John Lennon

Paul McCartney

Metallica

Queen

Rush

Santana

Van Halen

Yes

Neil Young

Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention

ZZ Top

Vote in our second election!

2010-12-18T16:12:00.000-08:00

The ballot for our second election has been posted, and the polls are now officially opening. Balloting ends at 12:00 noon PST on Friday, February 18.

Follow the link to see the list of nominees:

THE PEOPLE'S HALL ELECTION BALLOT

The Beatles - Inducted December, 2010

2010-12-17T14:17:00.002-08:00

George Harrison

John Lennon

Paul McCartney

Ringo Starr

The Beach Boys - Inducted December, 2010

2010-12-17T14:16:00.001-08:00

Al Jardine

Mike Love

Brian Wilson

Carl Wilson

Dennis Wilson

Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - Inducted December, 2010

2010-12-17T14:15:00.001-08:00

Hank Ballard

Henry Booth

Cal Green

Arthur Porter

Lawson Smith

Charles Sutton

Norman Thrasher

Alonzo Tucker

Scotty Woods

The Animals - Inducted December, 2010

2010-12-17T14:14:00.002-08:00

Eric Burdon

Chas Chandler

Barry Jenkins

Alan Price

John Steel

Hilton Valentine

Aerosmith - Inducted December, 2010

2010-12-17T14:13:00.001-08:00

Tom Hamilton

Joey Kramer

Joe Perry

Steven Tyler

Brad Whitford

AC/DC - Inducted December, 2010

2010-12-17T14:12:00.001-08:00

Mark Evans

Brian Johnson

Phil Rudd

Bon Scott

Cliff Williams

Angus Young

Malcolm Young

First Big Election In the Books

2010-12-17T14:11:00.002-08:00

The polls are closed, the ballots have been counted, and the first big election of our 2010-11 cycle is in the books.

This first round netted a total of 73 inductees for us to start the People's Hall with - 28 from our Oldies Era ballot, 30 from our Classic Rock and Soul Era ballot, and 15 from our Modern Era ballot. All but one of our selections this round are already in the Cleveland hall, the one exception being Roxy Music, who we are proud to induct even though the establishment on Lake Erie hasn't called them yet.

Some big names missed the cut this first time out, especially on the highly competitive Classic Rock and Soul ballot, but most of them will be back to be considered again in our second election, which will run from the end of December through February, at which time we will announce our next round of inductees.

Here is our fist class of hall of famers selected by the people:

AC/DC

Aerosmith

The Animals

Hank Ballard & the Midnighters

The Beach Boys

The Beatles

Chuck Berry

Black Sabbath

Blondie

David Bowie

James Brown

The Byrds

Johnny Cash

Ray Charles

The Clash

The Coasters

Eddie Cochran

Sam Cooke

Elvis Costello & the Attractions

Cream

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Bo Diddley

Dion

Fats Domino

The Doors

The Drifters

Bob Dylan

The Everly Brothers

The Four Tops

Aretha Franklin

Marvin Gaye

The Grateful Dead

Bill Haley & His Comets

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Buddy Holly & the Crickets

John Lee Hooker

Howlin' Wolf

Jefferson Airplane

Elton John

Janis Joplin

B.B. King

The Kinks

Led Zeppelin

Jerry Lee Lewis

Little Richard

The Miracles

Van Morrison

Roy Orbison

Carl Perkins

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Pink Floyd

The Police

Elvis Presley

Prince & the Revolution

The Ramones

Otis Redding

R.E.M.

The Rolling Stones

The Ronettes

Roxy Music

The Sex Pistols

Simon & Garfunkel

Sly & the Family Stone

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

The Talking Heads

The Temptations

Ritchie Valens

Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps

Muddy Waters

The Who

Stevie Wonder

The Yardbirds

THE POLLS ARE OPEN!

2010-10-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

The People's Hall is the first and only hall of fame BY and FOR the People. Unlike that big museum in Cleveland, the People's Hall inductees will be selected by the fans.

How do you vote? It's easy. There are three separate elections for our first time out, each containing 100 nominees. Click on the links below to view them and post your selections in the comments section of the post or on the wall of our Facebook page.

In each category, you can select up to 50 artists/groups, you must select at least 20 for the ballot to count. Anyone named on at least 2/3 of all the ballots counted will be inducted. Those who miss out will be eligible for future elections, which will be taking place throughout the coming year.

Future elections will be a bit simpler, with just one 100-name ballot that combines all eras.

To be eligible for this election, an artist or group had to have released their first record no later than 1985.

Polls close at noon PST on Friday, December 17, 2010.

Vote in our OLDIES ERA ELECTION

Vote in our CLASSIC ROCK AND SOUL ERA ELECTION

Vote in our MODERN ERA ELECTION

The People's Hall, Reloaded

2010-10-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

In January, 2010, I started a website at blogspot.com called "The People's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame". Soon after, I set up a page on Facebook, which I linked to the blog so that people could have easier access to what I was doing there. The idea was to create a fan-based alternative to the perennially controversial Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, OH.

I came up with a list of nominees and asked people out there on the web to pick up to ten and who ever got named on more than half the ballots would become the first members of the People's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. For that first election, I used a cut-off date for eligibility of 1960, just as the Cleveland hall of fame had done in their first election back in 1986, setting the mark for eligibility at 25 years following an artist or group's first release. After that January election, in which we placed seven immortals as the inaugural class, we had our second election in February, moving the eligibility year up to 1961. The plan was to go month to month as the Cleveland hall did from year to year, and after about two years worth of hardcore grass-roots fan voting, we could be "caught up" to the other hall of fame and have a nice alternative canon to the one selected by industry insiders.

At that point, the fans could have their say annually, side by side with the big museum in Cleveland. We wouldn't have the fancy sponsorships or endowments that the "rockhall" had, but we'd have the sanctity of open, public, democratic elections - any inductions or snubs that were controversial would have at least been as a result of the will of the people.

Well, the idea was going along pretty well eight and a half months in. Our elections were netting between 150 and 250 ballots a month, and had over 3,000 followers on Facebook, rapidly approaching 4,000. Voters from across the globe had voiced their choice, and we were well on our way to establishing that People's canon that I had originally envisioned. Until one day when I logged into my Facebook account and found that our page had been removed for alleged violation of someone else's intellectual property.

After the September Facebook Massacre... a new beginning...

Facebook didn't tell me who claimed intellectual property rights over The People's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. I can't say with certainty who it was, but with the Cleveland hall's big publicity push surrounding their new crop of nominees on the horizon, I had my suspicions. The main website over at blogspot was still up and running, we were in the process of our September election at the time, and we finished it by inducting seven more legends. But the loss of our Facebook page proved devastating. It was a direct line to nearly 4,000 rock 'n' roll fans around the world, and the principal point of contact between the People's Hall and most of our past voters.

I vowed to carry on, tweaked the name of the hall in hopes of avoiding any potential conflict with similarly named institutions, set up a new page on FB, and set forth to run our next scheduled election for the month of October. With the original page, I would post a list of new nominees on the blog, link to it on FB, and within hours we would usually have around two dozen early ballots already posted on our wall. By the end of the polling, hundreds of fans had voted. But in the October election, we got about two and half weeks in, and I had still received less than 20 ballots. It was then that I decided to pull the plug on the People's Hall. But I'm not pulling the plug to walk away. No way.

Cleveland's newly released 2011 nominee list is a fresh reminder of why the People need a pantheon that they, themselves have selected. No, I'm not walking away, I'm re-booting. We're going to create a people's hall that provides a democratic, populist contrast to the establishment hall. But instead of the month by month/year by year method that we originally used, we're going to take a different approach, one that will allow fans the opportunity to select from across all eras of rock 'n' roll history. We're still recognizing the 25 year rule, setting it currently at 1985, and throughout the rest of 2010 and over the course of 2011, we will build a hall of fame selected BY the people, and FOR the people.

How it's going to work: Three lists of nominees for our initial election have been posted on this blog. Each 100-name list represents a different era. I'm calling them the "Oldies Era" (up to about 1964), the "Classic Rock and Soul Era" (mid 60s through early 70s), and the "Modern Era" (mid 70s through mid 80s). Fans can pick up to 50 names from each list. Anyone else named on at least two-thirds of the ballots counted will join our initial crop of People's hall of famers.

This is a bigger undertaking than any of our previous elections, both for the fans, who can select up to 150 different names, and for me, the guy counting them all. We also will need to make a bigger push to get the word out since we don't have those 3,000+ people out there on Facebook getting every post delivered to their personal news feed anymore. That's why this first election will be scheduled to be open for two full months after I post the nominees.

After that first group of inductees, we will have five more follow-up elections over the course of the coming year. These will be a bit simpler. Instead of breaking up the ballot three ways, there will simply be one single 100-name ballot posted each time, combining artists from all eras. We'll schedule two months of polling for each of these as well, and by the end of the year, we will have a roll of legends to compare to Cleveland's, and will switch to annual elections starting in 2012.

Oh,... and we're back on Facebook, hope to see 'ya there!