The 200 Greatest Albums of All Time: "R" artists

OK Computer: Radiohead (1997)
Few bands can get away from changing their sound. Fans and critics excoriated U2 when they turned to electronic music. On the other hand, Radiohead enhanced their reputation with OK Computer. They used a wide range of influences to craft the album and moved away from more guitar-driven tracks. Now, the work represents a transition to Radiohead’s later efforts.

Key Tracks:
Paranoid Android
Karma Police
No Surprises

Kid A: Radiohead (2000)
Kid A lacked a lead single, but still went platinum in a week. The band decided to market the album with a coordinated internet leak, which built anticipation. Musically, Radiohead incorporated jazz, classical, and Krautrock and mixed it with more abstract concepts and lyrics. It is amazing the album experienced any success at all and did not kill Radiohead’s career.

Key Tracks:
Everything in the Right Place
The National Anthem
Optimistic
Idioteque

Rage Against the Machine: RATM (1992)
Rage Against the Machines’ freshman effort is considered one of the heaviest albums ever recorded. In addition to the musically hard edge, the songs all contained leftist political messages. Maynard from Tool provided guest vocals on “Know Your Enemy” and has been known to join the band onstage to perform the song.

Key Tracks:
Bombtrack
Killing in the Name
Bullet in the Head

The Ramones: The Ramones (1976)
By 1976, rock appeared to be dying. With the exception of Springsteen, whom some consider the genre’s savior, disco and pop fluff dominated the music scene. In 1976, the punks returned rock n roll to its roots. The Ramones led the charge. Although their sound was reminiscent of the fifties, their attitude and subject matter led to the punk label. The Ramones established the genre and later popularized it.

Key Tracks:
Blitzkrieg Bop
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Judy is a Punk
Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue

Blood Sugar Sex Magik: Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
Rick Rubin produced and guided the Red Hot Chili Peppers throughout the making of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Critics praised Rubin for steering the band away from a more metal sound and refocusing their energies. “Under the Bridge” made the band superstars and recounted lead singer Anthony Kiedis’ drug addiction. Drugs, death, lust, and sex provided the album’s themes which played well during the alternative explosion of the early 1990s.

Key Tracks:
Give it Away
Under the Bridge
Suck My Kiss
Breaking the Girl

Top 10 Acts NOT in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame generally does a good job inducting acts. However, it does an even better job ignoring acts. Here are the Top 10 acts not already in the Hall of Fame:

The Clovers: They should have been inducted during the eighties. The Clovers formed in 1946 and were one of the first major vocal groups. They were the mold from which other groups modeled themselves. Their biggest hit, “Love Potion No. 9” came in 1959. It’s likely the voters don’t realize their history beyond that one song.

Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but Trash:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddnDuR8QG-s

Alice Cooper: Cooper was a diverse artist known for his stage shows. He was one of the first to create a rock n roll villain figure and his stage shows were adventures. Cooper’s theatrics and body of work deserve inclusion.

Welcome to My Nightmare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQE0pfBAYQ8

Deep Purple: Deep Purple is one of the most influential groups ever. They broke with “Hush” which bordered on psychedelic and created perhaps the greatest riff of all time with “Smoke on the Water.” This is a seminal act. Perhaps the billion lineup changes have hurt the band because they did not evolve with a set lineup operating on a single trajectory ala the Rolling Stones or Metallica.

Smoke on the Water (Live with all their lead singers):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WX_4FNoto4


Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: They had a very short-lived mainstream period which undercuts their viability. Additionally, the voters don’t seem to know what to do with Prog rock. It took several tries for Pink Floyd and years for Genesis to make the hall. If the Hall decides to really look at the genre, then ELP (and Rush) will be quick inductees.

Lucky Man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRFpXPu_7wE

Darlene Love: I have written about her before. Love’s main work was not done under her own name. They need another category to get Darlene elected.

He's a Rebel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOU_uefqeXg

Red Hot Chili Peppers: They have not been eligible for long, so it should not be long before they make it. The early RHCP were innovative and different. They have several seminal albums and a large body of hits. On the other hand, many of their recent hits, all sound alike.

Under the Bridge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwlogyj7nFE

Rush: Where to start? They are immensely popular, but the band’s personality (mostly) avoids conflict and publicity. So, people forget them. Their musicianship is second to none and Neil Peart is one of the top three drummers of all time (Moon and Bonham). It is a crime Rush is not in the Hall of Fame. Maybe they don’t like Canadians.

Tom Sawyer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7DFsBcVMDA

Ringo Starr: John, Paul, and George are all in as solo artists. Ringo had as many top 10 hits in the seventies as John and George combined. He's had as many #1 hits as John. Ringo probably suffers from his goofy personality and people don’t remember his resume.

It Don't Come Easy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUbntU2N7xY

Tina Turner: Tina is the Queen of Rock n Roll. She is in as part of Ike and Tina Turner, but belongs in as a solo artist which began in the seventies. Her story is compelling, her comeback is legendary, she is well respected and loved, and her hits are still played on the radio today. What gives?

We Don't Need Another Hero:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1FPK5-Rm38

Mary Wells: Wells was Motown’s first solo star. She helped break Motown nationally and crossed racial boundaries. Some consider Mary Wells the originator of the “Motown Sound.“ Her signature hit, “My Guy” is a classic. Unfortunately, she died of cancer in 1992. As a result, she has been forgotten.

My Guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ-qsGe96cw

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame: Who didn't get in

Now for the acts that did not make it this year and will have to wait for another opportunity.

The Chantels: They were the first real “girl group” to emerge and set the sound of the early 60s. However, they did not last very long and other, more famous girl groups are already enshrined.

Kiss: They scored many hits, but most of their songs lack substance. Musically, they did not provide anything earth shattering, but their stage shows are legendary. They are overly commercial, yet have a very loyal following. They represent cheese at its finest, yet are unique. These contradictions keep Kiss from being elected. On one hand, they are very rock n roll while on the other hand, they are processed cheese.

LL Cool J: With Grandmaster Flash and Run DMC in the hall, it is surprising LL Cool J did not make it. He was groundbreaking and showed hip hop was not a fad by being a consistent big seller. He also did not follow trends and did his own thing.

Darlene Love: Love belongs in the Hall, but falls in between the cracks because she rarely got credit for her work. She scored hits, but no one knew her name because producers always attributed her work under assumed names or for others.

Laura Nyro: She is well known for writing songs for others. Perhaps she belongs in another category.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: I am shocked they did not make it. They were completely original for rock, good musicians, have a lot of hits, and have personalities which fit nicely into the Hall.

Donna Summer: Another one I thought would make it. Since they have opened the door to hip hop, the queen of disco should go in. Plus, she did mix disco with rock at times which does make her unique.