The following is an edition of Mac’s Tracks, The Mirror’s music column. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Drury Mirror. 

Established in 1983, the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame is located in Cleveland, Oh., and stands as a testament to how music, its sound and its performers have evolved throughout time.

Although there are five categories that receive nominations, the performer section is the only one to receive a new set each year and is designated as the bands and individuals who have left their mark on the scene – and the world.

What does it take to get inducted?

To receive a nomination, the band must have released their first record 25 years prior. Their impact on other artists, as well as the genre and critical acclaim, hold sway on if they are selected to join the revered names. Other aspects ranked on the Hall of Fame site like “innovation, superiority in style, and technique” play a role as well.

Announced in December, performers receiving this honor are Def Leppard, Radiohead, Roxy Music, The Zombies, The Cure, Janet Jackson and Stevie Nicks. The induction ceremony will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Ny., on March 29.

The Zombies left their mark with hits like “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season,” originating as an English rock group in the early 1960s. With a name originating before the apocalypse craze we see for the living dead today, The Zombies were part of the British Invasion yet never had the chart-topping success of other bands. In fact, “Time of the Season” would not become a hit until years after it was released, at which point the group had disbanded.

Nicks’ voice speaks for itself, definitive of her career as a solo artist and the enigmatic icon of Fleetwood Mac. Her personal life and drama within the band circulated ceaselessly and is still a staple of live shows that require the members to perform the hits that they all wrote about each other. Nevertheless, Nicks is almost ethereal with her signature tattered dresses and wispy-yet-wailing lyrics.

According to RIAA rankings, Def Leppard is one of only five bands to have two original studio albums sell more than 10 million copies apiece in the United States. Foundational to the rising heavy metal sound in England, Def Leppard utilized the burgeoning music video to rocket themselves to the top with “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” as one of the first metal songs to find a spot on MTV. Other legendary singles include “Photograph” off the 1983 album “Pyromania” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me” from 1984’s “Hysteria.”

Janet Jackson is the youngest of the super-family that commandeered Motown, television and music from the 1960s onward. Her solo career stretches over four decades with 11 studio albums and her own record label, Rhythm Nation. Jackson’s music is powerful, sensual and definitively a performance. She is lauded for her stage shows and “slamming beats and infectious hooks,” in the words of biographer David Ritz.

Radiohead started their career in the 1990s with “Pablo Honey” and their now infamous single, “Creep,” but have since evolved into often-orchestral art rock. Their creations have influenced the likes of Coldplay, with Radiohead themselves drawing inspiration from David Byrne and the Talking Heads. Their progression from youthful grunge-rock to experimental to undefine-able – and the consistent praise they found in each new era – demands recognition.

Rising out of England in the 1970s, Roxy Music incorporated glam rock and avant-garde sounds to shape their era, unforgettable in their extravagant fashion. Members Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno have had successful solo careers as well, with the latter scoring movies like “The Lovely Bones” and “Gone Girl.” Rolling Stone refers to the respective 1973 and ’74 albums, “Stranded” and “Country Life,” as “the zenith of contemporary British art rock.”

The wild, Edward Scissorhands-like hair and brooding image of lead singer Robert Smith are a distinctive symbol of The Cure. This post-punk-gothic rock group found success in the new wave scene. “Friday I’m in Love” remains one of their greatest hits and the band continues to tour with new dates being announced in 2019.

Who got turned down?

Notable among these nominations that didn’t quite make it are hits of funk, folk and hip-hop. This is quite a spot of contention as one of the many criticisms the museum faces is its lack of focus on the genre of rock, often glancing over its nuances and subgenres in favor of nominees that conquered other styles of sound.

Those that didn’t make the cut for 2019 were Devo, Kraftwerk, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, John Prine, LL Cool J, Rage Against the Machine and Todd Rundgren.

Who still isn’t included?

As with all awards, the process to select the winners is met with unhappiness from those who feel there are names that earned their spot long ago. An almost endless list of new wave artists – including Depeche Mode, Pixies and Pat Benatar – are waiting on their golden hour. Joy Division and New Order both remain on the sidelines. Whitney Houston and Outkast have been contenders in the past as well, with their R&B and hip-hop histories deserving great recognition.

Perhaps to Morrissey’s chagrin – and Robert Smith’s delight – The Smiths aren’t included in the exclusive club yet, either. The feud between the two leading men is derived almost entirely from their roles in the post-punk genre over whose image would define it (though it’s unclear if anyone actually cares).

This week’s Mac’s Tracks compiles the music of these trendsetting bands. Listen to it on Spotify. 

Article by Maclen Johnson.