Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2018: A Closer Look at the New Class of Inductees

Today (December 13), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their 2018 class of inductees. The new class includes rock bands Dire Straits, The Moody Blues, Bon Jovi and The Cars, as well as legendary jazz vocalist Nina Simone and gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe. These artists will be inducted in a ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium on April 14 with a broadcast set to air on HBO and SiriusXM at a later date.

The six inductees were narrowed down from a list of 19 nominees that also included Kate Bush, Depeche Mode, Judas Priest, LL Cool J, Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, the Eurythmics and more. A pool of more than 900 music industry insiders voted to determine the nominees. A fan ballot made up of the five top artists from a public poll was also included in the vote. Four of those artists (Dire Straits, The Moody Blues, Bon Jovi and The Cars) are being inducted.

Inspired by the news, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a closer look at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Briefly, here is why each of these artists deserves their spot in history.

1.       Dire Straits: Dire Straits showed promise from the get go. Their 1978 debut album produced the breakout debut single “Sultans of Swing,” which remains a classic to this day. The bands lyrics are both poetic and culturally aware, while their melodies and compositions got more and more intricate as their career progressed. They’ve sold millions of albums worldwide and have spent more than 1100 collective weeks on the UK album charts.

2.       The Moody Blues: The Moody Blues are more than just a rock band. Combining classical music with psychedelic rock, they were pioneers of progressive rock. Their genre-spanning music has influenced countless bands, including Hall of Famers Yes and Genesis. The band is currently celebrating the 50^th anniversary of their breakthrough album, ‘Days Of Future Passed.’

3.       Bon Jovi: Finally being inducted after eight years of eligibility, Bon Jovi is one of the most popular bands to come out of the 1980s hard rock scene. The band has managed to stay relevant for more than three decades, adapting their sound and earning more and more fans. They are one of the top touring bands ever, with their 2013 ‘Because We Can’ tour the 21^st highest-grossing tour of all time. No wonder they were voted number one in the fan poll.

4.       The Cars: A little bit new wave, a little bit pop and a little bit punk, The Cars created a sound that no one has been able to duplicate. Hits like “Just What I Needed” and “Shake It Up” became radio staples that are still on rotation decades after release. Their influence is far-reaching, with bands as diverse as Nirvana, Ziggy Marley, Poison and The Strokes all covering the band at various points. Singer Ric Ocasek is even responsible for helping to create today’s rock sound, as he has produced albums by Weezer, No Doubt, Hole and more.

5.       Nina Simone: Simone is a legendary singer and activist whose career brought her right into the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of her originals focused on the struggles she and other black women face in their daily lives. Her single “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. She was named by Billboard as one of the 100 greatest singers of all time.

6.       Sister Rosetta Tharpe: A female gospel artist who sang and accompanied herself on guitar, Tharpe paved the way for the male-dominated rock ‘n’ roll sound of the 1950s. Popular from the 1930s to the 1950s, her music transcended genre, crossing over from gospel to R&B and employing guitar techniques that were way ahead of her time.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2018 is filled with influential and iconic singers and rock bands. All of these artists deserve their place in the Hall for their pioneering sounds, classic tracks and influence on artists and fans of multiple generations.

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Find music from these and other Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and more at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles in stock to choose from. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com this holiday season. With more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.