Fifteen legends Nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Although the ballots are not in, word is out. Fifteen legendary musicians have been nominated as candidates for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

The nominees, who represent the rock idiom from gospel to metal, from the Piano Man to the Superfly, are: Black Sabbath; the Staples Singers; Paul McCartney (who has already been inducted as a member of the Beatles); the Flamingos; Darlene Love; Dusty Springfield; Solomon Burke; Gene Pitney; the Moonglows; Del Shannon; Ritchie Valens; Billy Joel; Curtis Mayfield; Steely Dan and Bruce Springsteen, who recently met the twenty-five-year requirement for eligibility having released his first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., in 1973.

According to Suzan Evans, executive director of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a panel of seventy music historians compiled the list and sent it to co-chairmen Seymour Stein, president and CEO of Sire Records, and Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen's longtime manager. Ballots were postmarked last Monday to some 800 voters in the music industry around the world. Based on the highest number of votes, up to eight nominees will be selected for induction into the Hall of Fame sometime in November.

We assume, naturally, that Springsteen will make the cut.

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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