An online fan vote has lined up closely with official voter's choices and helped propel legendary music groups Yes, ELO, Journey and Pearl Jam to the top as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees for 2017. The groups join two solo artists, Tupac Shakur and Joan Baez, as the winners of this year's voting.
2017 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees
Five of the six new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members were nominated for the very first time, with three time nominee Yes the only group to have been rejected in earlier years. The six winners were selected from a list that also included Bad Brains, Chaka Khan, Depeche Mode, Jane's Addiction, J. Geils Band, Janet Jackson, Joe Tex, Kraftwerk, MC5, Steppenwolf, The Cars, and The Zombies.
Legendary disco era group Chic was also up for nomination, and although they didn't make the cut, primary member and music producer Nile Rogers was chosen to receive an Award for Musical Excellence at the 32nd annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, scheduled for April 7 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The proceedings will be broadcast live on SiriusXM satellite radio and be filmed for airing at a later date on HBO.
Online Vote Helps Choose Winners
Voting is done primarily by the 900 plus music industry members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, and artists become eligible 25 years after their initial recording was released. The online poll technically has little influence over the outcome, as the final poll results count as the equivalent of just one vote. The online poll is, however, more meaningful in that it influences the decisions of many of the voters. In fact, the top four online vote getters for 2017 (Journey, Electric Light Orchestra, Yes, and Pearl Jam in that order) all made the cut, with only the number five artist, The Cars, not making it this go around.
Broadening The Definition Of Rock
The two other 2017 inductees are solo artists, the late rapper Tupac Shakur and 60's folk songstress Joan Baez. Both artists' inclusion helps continue to broaden the traditional definition of rock and roll, as Baez herself acknowledged in a statement upon learning of her upcoming induction.
"I never considered myself to be a rock and roll artist" said the singer. "But as part of the folk music boom which contributed to and influenced the rock revolution of the 60's, I am proud that some of the songs I sang made their way into the rock lexicon. I very much appreciate this honor and acknowledgement by the Hall of Fame."
