I’ve never written to you before, but I have been in the industry a long time. But, a music fan even longer.

Bad Company is one of my all time favorite bands – forever. If they aren’t a slam dunk to be inducted, I am taking it to the streets in protest with a boombox playing Rock Steady.

Cynthia Parsons

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What about Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray & Ray Cooper?!?

Dexter

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BadCo at last…certainly not least!!!

RIP Sam Aizer!!!   He would be so happy to see his boys finally acknowledged…Mick, Boz, Simon and the greatest white blues rocker of all time!!!  Nice to see them there!!!

Mitchell Fox

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Sykes and the boys got it right this year.

Paul Rogers is absolutely that greatest rock singer of all time!!

From Free to Bad Company to the Firm to Queen, he is the GOAT!!

And Joe Cocker is the definition of Rock and Roll!!

And do you know what Paul Rogers and Joe Cocker have in common ?

One of the greatest record men of all time, Chris Blackwell, who developed real artists and not puppets.

And maximum respect to one of the greatest front men of all time, Chris Robinson.

The Maestro Jimmy Page could have picked any artist on the planet to work with.

But he picked the WICKED Robinson Brothers.

Just listen to the Crowes version of Bob Marley’s Time Will Tell from “The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion”

And kudos to the haunting voice of Chris Cornell who was the purest voice of the grunge generation.

The Rock n Roll Hall is now in safe hands!!

Native Wayne Jobson

Ocho Rios

Jamaica

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Bad Company. It’s an insult all members of Mott The Hoople. Think about it. Soundgarden? One good song; the rest is dross. Where is Blue Oyster Cult?

David Ames

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Not gonna pimp this guy cuz I know Bob knows….Bill Champlin…one of the greatest… songwriter and vocalists…

Tom Clark

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NEW YORK DOLLS

( door slam )

Mark Flores

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Phil Collins

Joey Sasson

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You nailed it! I agree with including Bad Company, Cindy Lauper & Joe Cocker…and

others.

Russell Dugoni

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Richard Thompson and Fairport Convention for that matter.

Harold Love

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I don’t know Tim Clary but I think he and I could get along just fine. One more shout out for The Replacements!

You know they wouldn’t show up. It would be a disaster. They’d come out on the wrong instruments with “Hootenanny” then play “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” “I hate music” and walk off stage.

Would Johnny Reznik do the honors of inducting them?

Bobbo

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I saw Joe Cocker perform at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University in April of 1970. It was the most fantastic concert. I read his managers fleeced him and he earned little from that 1970 tour. Cry Me a River, Something, Feelin Alright, Darling Be Home Soon, Space Captain, Just Like a Woman, With a Little Help From My Friends-such fantastic music.
Thank you and stay well,
Mark D. Luther

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Love Bad Co. AND Free before!

Jim Guy

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Free , Traffic , Little Feat , Procol Harum.   Come on already.  Pariah Carey?

Alan Childs

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No “Grand Funk”…..sad.

Marshall Block

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As always you are bang on with your insight.
Where is Sting? He’s up there with Phil Collins!
White Stripes nominated….really before Phil and Sting???? That’s messed up.

Best regards,
Juri Raiska

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The Smiths! Talk about influential.

Jeez…..

Larry Eisenberg

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Here’s my list:

The New York Dolls

Thank you,

Marvin Etzioni

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Great Takes Bob.

Here are mine:

My Friend John Sykes is truly doing a Great Job that I am sure is as Gratifying as it is Thankless. Keep it Goin’ John!

Omissions:
LITTLE FEAT
THREE DOG NIGHT
STEPPENWOLF

I am GUARANTEEING that all 3 of those bands will get in sooner than later –
especially LITTLE FEAT – easily the most omitted band per Your mailbag.
Runner-Up: Iron Maiden

FINALLY – MUSIC is ROCK N ROLL

I have NO PROBLEM with Rap, Pop Divas and even Country Artists allowed entry per Career Impact and Greatness.

Last years induction was really good.
This years will be even better!
Bravo! – Fantastico!

Long Live Rock N Roll!

Terry Anzaldo
TA Entertainment

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Apparently a lot of people care about the RRHOF. I don’t.

Joseph Barbarotta

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Wiser Time and Good Friday by the Crowes always floor me.

Patrick V. Cook

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I agree with Paul Flattery. Any hall that includes Cyndi Lauper but not Phil Collins should be burned to the f*cking ground. And I am not even a Phil Collins fan. Don’t own a single one of his albums. Furthermore, the snubs of Jan and Dean, Tommy James, and WARREN effing ZEVON destroy any semblance of credibility the Hall ever had.

Joel Saunders

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Lennon,
Jagger,
Cobain,
Fishman.

Rock Gods!

Noah K. Lesser

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Thanks Bob, great piece, and yes, Joe Cocker and Chubby Checker should be in. Open that door Hall of Fame for the two of them. They are more than deserving and long overdue.

Jerry Redmond.

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Much ado about nothing! The only thing that matters is the hall of fame in your own head, informed solely by your own personal responses to the music you hear. The rest, especially an elaborate marketing trick judged by people you’ve never met, is bullsh*t. Getting exercised by who’s in and who’s not is a total waste of time and energy.

Cheers,
Mike

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Good to see White Stripes nominated. Jack is such a good ambassador for music and central to the vinyl records revival. Which benifits everybody on the list. Happy for Joe Cocker, too. Saw him with SRV. Bob, thanks for keeping such great discussions going. You bring behind the scenes legends out of the shadows who tell great stories.

John Kauchick

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I can’t believe you are wasting pixels writing about such a bullsh*t organization.  You know there are

years no one is admitted in the Baseball Hall of Fame, because they have standards.  It is not a

marketing organization for itself and lame event.

Yours most sincerely,

David Leonard

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THE ASSOCIATION got more people laid than joe cock er.

Walter Sabo

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OutKast had 5 great albums and 3 of them were massively successful not just 1. Arguably the greatest hip hop group of all time and certainly the most consistent. Way ahead of their time musically with the production by organized noise  and put southern hip hop on the map. Certainly deserving

Also, oasis made a huge impact if you were growing up in the 90s. Not what it is over there true but still a big deal as evidenced by there sell out stadium shows here this summer

Best,
Jarred Arfa

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You are 100% right. I saw the first tours by Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Billy Idol and Cyndi Lauper, but gotta say, Cyndi’s live vocal performance on Money Changes Everything is maybe the most affecting thing I’ve ever seen/heard.The power of it made me tear up.

Mike Campbell
Programming Director

thecarleton.ca

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OUTKAST

“they were innovative and successful, albeit not for that long.”

Pretty undermining take on a duo with the rare 4 back-to-back-to-back-to- back classic releases, with each one elevating the artform with one-of-a-kind hit singles.

Capped off year TEN with one of the biggest songs of 21 Century with “hey ya”.. and took home a little Grammy for Album of Year in 04. One of only two hiphop albums to get this honor.

In terms of influence, Andre 3000  is considered by many as the greatest lyricists of his generation. In essence, we don’t get to Kendrick without Outkast.

In closing, they’re legends of the highest order.  Put some respeck on their name.

Riggs Morales

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Reading CJ Vanston’s reply to your piece is an excellent example of the irrelevancy, and at-times mean-spiritedness, of the RRHOF’s selection process. Do we really need some self-appointed arbiters to keep Joe Cocker crackling through speakers/headphones for the next decades? I think he has done that already (with a little help from his friends).

A space to celebrate rock&roll, its antecedents and the next waves, is a wonderful pursuit. As time passes, however, the more I think Alex Lifeson’s acceptance speech expresses the true value of the RRHOF process. Those who can’t talk; those who can rock!

Vikas Sharma

Ottawa, Canada

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There’s so much love for Bad Company  and never a mention of Mott
I find that strange,and, unfortunate

JB
Bronx NYC

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I think the Hall is overdue for a year of “reckoning” where they can expand the number of inductees to clean up some of these longstanding omissions.

Vinny Malvarosa

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Good list, but why is the greatest guitarist of the 20th century is not nominated-Derek Trucks-First album 1997

James Johnson

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“Why are we still waiting on Little Feat?” –

Good question, I still miss Lowell and he’s been dead for 46 years. Hell, Inara’s 50.

Liz’s property at the peak of Topanga with views down both sides, one to the valley, the other to the Ocean is a special place. Liz buried Lowell’s ashes in the winding garden. So we can eat “Lowell Vegetables.”

“Why are we still waiting on Los Lobos?”

Not worthy

“Why are we still waiting on The Meters?”

Another good question. The first time I saw The Meters and The Neville Brothers at Tipitinas I was in heaven.

Rob – vrpmusic

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If the R&R HOF was similar to sports HOF only one of these bands would be nominated…Bad Company.  But that’s not the case…I love these acts to…however, it seems that anyone that has more than one hit is eligible…well even one hit wonders are now eligible, I understand they now allow single songs a place in the R&R HOF.

Reminds me of the quote from Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles.

– All right! We’ll give some land to the *blacks*  and the * chinese*… but we don’t want the Irish!

– No deal.

– Ah, prairie sh*t! Everybody!

Ed Kelly

P.S. Your readers got it right…I didn’t know some of these acts were not in…given they let everyone in…

Bule Oyster Cult

The Guess Who

Smashing Pumpkins

Supertramp
ELP
Jethro Tull

Phil Collins (solo)

I suspect their day will come…

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Rock n Roll Hootchie coo! The one common thread through all the comments about the RRHF is people really give a damn. Music is the driving force in the universe! If only we had such passion about our country we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today…..  Oh, and f@ck Jan Wenner.

Rick Klufas

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and still no mention of Doug Sahm…….

Frank Brandon

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Although the RNRHOF finally has a list worth looking at they lost their relevance years ago. Far too many omissions over the years and they did little to rectify anything this year.  Stopped paying dues years ago.

R W Tussey

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I’m joining in on the Warren Zevon omission being a crime.  Incredible body of work, influential, with iconic songs that many out there don’t even know he wrote.   A true original artist.  Excitable Boy is among the best albums the late 70’s had to offer.

Richard B. Levy

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Johnny Rivers

Walter Stewart

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I totally agree about Joe.  I have the Mad Dogs set with all live concert nights and I listen to it all the time noting the nuances among the shows.  The original Mad Dogs.. album probably my favorite of all time starting in high school.  Almost makes me cry when i listen to it.  Also agree about Oasis.  Still quoting “please don’t put your life in the hands of a rock and roll band” to my 30-something daughters.  Also agree about the Super Bowl.  I would have liked to see the Turnpike Troubadours alongside Chris Stapleton. As a Chiefs fan that might have redeemed the night.  Otherwise it was so depressing I had nightmares.

Best,

Barbara B. Chapman

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Yeah, Eyes Without a Face is the best Billy Idol song. . . . at the change or course. And I love every White Stripes song, and fortunately saw them live twice.

Chris Flesher

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Ridiculous the little ol band from east LA -Los Lobos- isn’t in
-Bill Tibbs Canada

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a merely perfunctory scan of this piece compels me to wonder if it was written in exchange for an all-access press pass to the main event!?!?

DOUG COLLETTE

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Mr. Lefsetz:

While we’re on the subject – for your amusement – something I posted to social media a couple of days before the ’25 nominees were announced:

I was looking over the list of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees the other night – so many great names, so many conspicuous omissions.

I came up with my own list of nominees that in a perfect rock ’n’ roll world would make it into The Hall.

I planned to limit it to 50 but you can see how well that worked out. I could make a compelling argument for each of these choices:

1. Albhy Galuten

2. Mike Nesmith

3. Dick Dale

4. Jackie DeShannon (Songwriter)

5. Mick Ronson (Musical Excellence)

6. Free/Bad Company

7. Little Feat

8. Buck Owens & His Buckaroos

9. Connie Francis

10. Teo Macero (Producer, Influence)

11. Johnny Burnette & The Rock ’N’ Roll Trio

12. Squeeze

13. Fairport Convention

14. Tom Wilson (Producer)

15. The Clovers

16. Spirit

17. Doug Sahm/Sir Douglas Quintet/Texas Tornados

18. Carpenters

19. Iron Maiden

20. De La Soul

21. George Goldner (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

22. .38 Special

23. Captain Beefheart

24. Outkast

25. Mott The Hoople/Ian Hunter

26. Jim Peterik (Songwriter)

27. Wolfman Jack (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

28. Bryan Adams (Artist, Songwriter)

29. J.J. Cale

30. Bjork

31. Big Star

32. Marianne Faithfull

33. Thin Lizzy

34. The Stranglers

35. Ted Templeman (Producer)

36. Roberta Flack

37. Tommy James & The Shondells

38. Nick Lowe

39. Darian Sahanaja (Musical Excellence)

40. Joe Osborn (Musical Excellence)

41. Joan Armatrading

42. Paul Revere & The Raiders

43. Carole Kaye (Musical Excellence)

44. Grace Jones

45. Three Dog Night

46. Bill Szymczyk (Producer)

47. Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks

48. Waylon Jennings

49. Cozy Powell (Musical Excellence)

50. Esther Phillips

51. Culture Club

52. Eddie Kramer (Engineer, Producer)

53. Cyndi Lauper

54. Siouxsie & The Banshees

55. Larry Norman

56. Los Lobos

57. Patti LaBelle/The Bluebelles/Labelle

58. Arthur Lee/Love

59. Kenny Loggins

60. Joy Division/New Order

61. Joe Jackson

62. Norman Petty (Producer)

63. Leslie Gore

64. David Foster (Producer, Songwriter)

65. Anthrax

66. Joan Osborne

67. Morris Levy (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

68. Mose Allison (Influence)

69. Paul Kelly

70. Miriam Makeba

71. Wu-Tang Clan

72. Curt Boettcher (Producer)

73. Judee Sill

74. J.M. Van Eaton (Musical Excellence)

75. Rick Rubin (Producer)

76. Jesse Ed Davis (Musical Excellence)

77. Ry Cooder (Musical Excellence, Musicologist)

78. Fanny

79. John Coltrane (Influence)

80. Crowded House

81. Fela Kuti

82. Tom Jones

83. David Lindley (Musical Excellence)

84. Opeth

85. Shemekia Copeland

86. Toto/Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro and David Paich (Performers, Musical Excellence – take your pick)

87. Foghat

88. Rory Gallagher

89. Herb Abramson (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

90. The J. Geils Band

91. Gordon Lightfoot

92. The Robert Cray Band

93. Hugh Masekela

94. Ravi Shankar (Influence)

95. Johnny Pacheco & Jerry Masucci (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

96. Paul Weller/The Jam

97. The Flatlanders

98. Kim Wilson (Musical Excellence)

99. David Van De Pitte (Arranger)

100. Johnny Maestro/The Crests/The Brooklyn Bridge

101. Rick James

102. King Crimson

103. Danny Korchmar (Producer, Songwriter)

104. Flo & Eddie/The Turtles (Performers or Musical Excellence – take your pick)

105. Jimmy Webb (Songwriter)

106. Warren Zevon

107. The Scorpions

108. Patsy Cline

109. Lucinda Williams

110. Beck

111. Slayer

112. The Pixies

113. The Dead Kennedys

114. Phil Collins (Performer, Producer, Songwriter)

115. Harry Nilsson

116. Tears For Fears

117. Procol Harum

118. Tim Buckley

119. The Monkees

120. Stan Ridgeway

121. Blue Oyster Cult

122. Rodney Crowell

123. Olivia Newton-John

124. Emerson, Lake & Palmer

125. The Smithereens

126. Margo Price

127. X

128. John Hiatt (Songwriter)

129. Poco

130. Louis Prima (Influence)

131. Barry White

132. INXS

133. Dwight Yoakam

134. Daft Punk

135. Tom Werman (Producer)

136. NRBQ

137. Little Steven (Musicologist)

138. The White Stripes

139. Peter Guralnick (Music Historian)

140. Carmine Appice (Musical Excellence)

141. Pantera

142. The Meters

143. King’s X

144. Faith No More

145. Elliott Smith

146. The Replacements

147. Fiona Apple

148. Nick Cave

149. The Smiths

150. Eric B & Rakim

151. Scott Walker

152. Husker Du/Bob Mould

153. Television

154. Sade

155. Taj Mahal

156. Canned Heat

157. The Neville Brothers

158. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels

159. Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield (Songwriters)

160. Jr. Walker & The All-Stars

161. The Pointer Sisters

162. Pet Shop Boys

163. The Memphis Horns (Musical Excellence)

164. Weird Al Yankovic

165. Sam “The Man” Taylor (Musical Excellence)

166. Donnie Hathaway

167. Ashford & Simpson (Songwriters)

168. John Cale

169. James Guercio (Producer)

170. Micky Most (Producer)

171. The Searchers

172. 10cc

173. Burt Bacharach and Hal David (Songwriters)

174. Lee Hazlewood (Producer)

175. Bob Ezrin (Producer)

176. Elton John’s Band: Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone, Ray Cooper, Dee Murray

177. Hank Garland (Musical Excellence)

178. Johnny “Guitar” Watson

179. Air

180. Bert Jansch

181. Miriam Abramson (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

182. Alice In Chains

183. Herbie Flowers (Musical Excellence)

184. War

185. Tommy Bolin (Musical Excellence)

186. Status Quo

187. Mickey Baker (Musical Excellence)

188. Joe Lala (Musical Excellence)

189. Patrick Cowley

190. Rick Derringer (Musical Excellence)

191. Charles Connor (Musical Excellence)

192. Richard Thompson

193. Jeffrey Foskett (Musical Excellence)

194. Waddy Wachtel (Musical Excellence)

195. The Section: Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, Craig Doerge, Danny Korchmar (Musical Excellence)

196. Jim Keltner (Musical Excellence)

197. Bootsy Collins (Musical Excellence)

198. Buddy Miles (Musical Excellence)

199. Scott Thurston (Musical Excellence)

200. J.D. Souther (Songwriter)

201. Paul Williams (Songwriter)

202. Kenny Aranoff (Musical Excellence)

203. Art Laboe (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

204. Philip and Raymond Kives (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

205. Jim Ladd (Ahmet Ertegun Award)

206. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman (Musical Excellence)

We All Live In A Yellow Snubmarine: While we’re at it, let’s go back and right some Rock ’N’ Roll wrongs: Bob Welch, Nick Simper, Ronnie James Dio, Anthony Phillips, Billy Cox, Dave Navarro, Peter Banks, Doug Yule, Eric Carr, Steve Morse, Warren Haynes, Patrick Moraz and all the other founding or key members of inducted bands who somehow got the shaft and didn’t make it in the first time around.

Vince Welsh