Out with the old and in with the new. That seems to be the message the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is sending this week after dismissing more than half of what was considered to be its “Early Rock and R&B Influences” subcommittee, one of the special groups tasked with coming up with nominees.
As Billboard notes, industry experts are now concerned that the Hall will eventually forget its roots, as well the early legends who helped to establish rock and roll to begin with. “They just got rid of the guys who have all the histories of thousands of artists in their heads,” a music business veteran told the publication. A member of the nominating committee offered similar sentiments, saying: “I just hope that the musicians whose contributions in the past made rock ‘n’ roll the thing that it became are not forgotten.”
So what kind of acts will the Hall be focusing on, if not pioneering ones? Some speculate the focus will soon turn to artists who came to prominence in the ’80s and the ’90s. There are quite a few deserving acts who’ve been snubbed over the years, but it looks like those pre-1980 now have less of a chance of surviving the committee’s nomination process.
(Via Billboard)
