Classic recordings by Guns N' Roses, Lauryn Hill, Donna Summer, De La Soul and others have been selected for induction to the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Recording Academy announced on Wednesday (March 20).
Joining GNR's Appetite for Destruction, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising are Buena Vista Social Club's self-title 1997 album, Donna Summer's "I Feel Love," and Charley Pride's "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin."
Rounding out the 10 selected titles are Wanda Jackson's "Let's Have a Party," "Ory's Creole Trombone" by Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra, "What a Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers and "You Don't Miss Your Water" by William Bell.
The four albums and six singles "exhibit qualitative or historical significance and are at least 25 years old," the Recording Academy noted while announcing the titles, which will be added to the catalog in Grammy Museum.
For the first time, the Grammy Museum will honor the artists at the inaugural Grammy Hall of Fame Gala and concert, set for May 21 at the Novo Theater in Los Angeles.
"We're proud to unveil the diverse mix of recordings entering the Grammy Hall of Fame in its 50th year," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. "The music showcased here has played a pivotal role in shaping our cultural landscape, and it's a true honor to recognize these albums and recordings, along with the profound influence each has had on music and beyond."
"The artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers who composed this year's inducted recordings are a reflection of the sheer talent and hard work that goes into creating such seminal music," Grammy Museum President/CEO Michael Sticka said in a statement. "It's a privilege to be able to welcome these new additions into our distinguished catalog and celebrate the recordings at our inaugural gala on May 21."
The Recording Academy's National Trustees established the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1973. The recordings are selected for induction on an annual basis by a special committee and ratified by the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees.
This year's titles range in commercial success, with Appetite for Destruction topping the album chart in 1988 and going on to sell a total of 18 million copies, while William Bell's "You Don't Miss Your Water" stalled at No. 95 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In an interview conducted for the Billboard Book of Number One Albums, GNR bassist Duff McKagan recalled how the success of Appetite for Destruction caught the band by surprise.
"We didn't think the thing would sell 10 copies," McKagan recalled. "We weren't expecting anything." Yet slowly, mostly due to the band's virtual non-stop touring, including dates opening for Iron Maiden, the Cult, and Aerosmith, the word on Appetite spread. "Sweet Child o' Mine," the most accessible track on the album, was rising on the Hot 100. The song was inspired by singer Axl Rose's girlfriend at the time, Erin Everly, the daughter of Don Everly of the Everly Brothers.
"We were on tour and still staying in sh---y hotels," McKagan recalled. "One day I was walking down the street in whatever city I was in, and I saw some preppy guy with a Walkman on singing 'Sweet Child o' Mine' and I said, 'What the f--- is this about?'"
