The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2013 induction nominees on October 15, including KISS, Nirvana, N.W.A. and more. Although there's no limit to how many can be allowed into the hall by the panel of 600 voters, we at Music Times have been reading too much The Hunger Games and wondered: What if there could be only one?
Therefore we've organized the nominees into a bracket, and are giving you, the reader, the chance to vote for the artists of your choice. Is it fair? No, but it will certainly test your loyalty to your favorite acts. We'll release one quadrant a day for voting, and hopefully give you a chance to learn something about the acts along the way.
ROUND 2
KISS vs. LL Cool J
As predicted, KISS took advantage of the populist vote and rolled to a first-round victory over the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. LL Cool J is also slightly more recognizable than his competitor Chic, and he too moved on. So now the battle is between a dude who's momma told him to knock you out, and a band that routinely blows fire. Unfortunately, this battle will be carried out strictly on the music frontier. An interesting comparison point between the two acts of seemingly disparate genres: Although both are known for relatively hard-hitting music, both's biggest hits have also been ballads of a sort. LL Cool J got to no. 3 with his 1995 hit "Hey Lover" (featuring Boys II Men), and KISS hit no. 7 with "Beth" during 1976.
The Meters vs. Linda Ronstadt
The Meters managed to pull off one of the biggest upsets during the first round, as readers demonstrated that they prefer the New Orleans band to the gangsta rap of N.W.A. Linda Ronstadt and Yes tangled in one of the opening round's tightest battles, but the '70s most popular female vocalist won out over one of the decade's most popular progressive rock acts. Ronstadt certainly has sales and recognizable songs on her side, but Music Times readers obviously have a knack for the history behind The Meters. If they can knock off N.W.A., they can knock out anybody. Watch your back, Ronstadt.
