The Rock Hall just announced their list of nominees for the 2016 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Earlier this year Jann Wenner made a move that could jeopardize the integrity of the hall of fame by shedding a group of older voters in favor of youth. The speculated theory is that these younger voters will help induct younger artists and make it more attractive to sell the ceremony to HBO. What did Dylan say? Money doesn't talk, it swears.
The list of nominees this year doesn't look bad at all though. The Cars, Chic, Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Janet Jackson, Chaka Khan, Los Lobos, Steve Miller, Nine Inch Nails, N.W.A., The Smiths, The Spinners, and Yes. Some of these first time nominees are long overdue including Cheap Trick and Chicago.
You can make a small impact on who gets in by voting for your top five here.
And now my five choices:
Yes - Prog rock has been given short shrift since the Rock Hall began. Yes was both hugely popular as well as being innovative and influential. Sadly, bassist Chris Squire recently passed away. Is this a sympathy nomination?
Los Lobos - One of the best American bands of all-time. Their Kiko album is a classic.
Deep Purple - Not so much a prog rock band as a heavy metal forebearer. Another nominee long overdue.
The Smiths - They were nominated last year and made my top five. Here's hoping we may get to see a Smiths reunion. Fat chance, right? Even if they do make it would Morrissey and Johnny Marr bury the hatchet?
Chicago - I'm going to get some haters with this pick but hear me out. Those first three albums and the following four disc live set at Carnegie Hall are monsters. They brought a powerful horn section to rock and roll and truly kicked out the jams. The fact that they morphed into schmaltz does have me holding my nose a bit.
Others that could've made my list include Cheap Trick, The Cars, and Steve Miller. Sadly, when I voted for my choices and looked at the current standings the saying "the masses are asses" came to mind.

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