We say "once again," because she already joined the Hall once before, as part of Fleetwood Mac, a band that remains extremely popular. This time, the Cleveland-based museum and music honors organization is letting her in for her solo work. It seems hers is a voice so nice, they're adding her twice.
The rest of the 2019 class includes Radiohead (fucking finally), The Cure, Def Leppard, The Zombies, Roxy Music, and Janet Jackson. Snubbed from the longlist are the likes of Kraftwerk, Todd Rundgren, Rage Against The Machine, Rufus and Chaka Khan, MC5, LL Cool J, John Prine, and Devo. The induction ceremony is set for March 29 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Some interesting responses to the new class have rolled in. Vogue posted a story on Stevie's fashion influence, while Rolling Stone featured a hilarious breakdown from comedian John Mulaney on all the nominees, featuring this exchange:
I love Stevie Nicks for several reasons. One, I love all of her music. Her voice is beautiful. She’s a great songwriter. Two, I heard an ad that she did on Sirius satellite radio for the Bridge, channel 32, where she said in the ad that if she gets into a car and they don’t have Sirius satellite radio the Bridge, she gets out of the car. Picturing that is very funny to me. [Imitates Stevie Nicks] “Do you have Sirius satellite radio the Bridge?” “No, sorry.” “Pull. Over. Immediately.” On the way to the award show in Brooklyn, if they don’t have Sirius satellite radio, she’s going to get out and take the train.
Honestly, induct John Mulaney too, The Salt and Pepper Diner joke is a song, right?
Among music fans and artists, the Rock Hall remains somewhat controversial. Considering the body's open bias toward the genre for which they're named, their historic ignorance of non-guitar music, and their backing by that most hated enemy of musicians — the music industry — this isn't surprising. Johnny Rotten hates them. Axl Rose refused to be inducted. Guardian writer Dave Bry called it "the worst arts institution in America" and called for it to be burned down. Yikes!
They're getting a little better, though, as evidenced by the inclusion of Jackson, who's nowhere near close to a rock musician but has a legacy all her own; Radiohead, who completely abandoned rock with Kid A in 2001 and moved into a genre completely of their own; and of the consideration of electronic pioneers like Kraftwerk.
It's doubtful whether or not anyone from Radiohead will attend, and although they didn't get in, members of Rage Against the Machine have criticized the organization, but we're sure Stevie will be there for another bow. Hopefully they'll play "Edge of Seventeen?"
