Rock Hall Fan Vote

      Something that I've long suspected about myself has finally become apparent...I'm an elitist. I'm grateful that the Rock Hall fan vote was decisive in getting RUSH inducted in 2013, but I can no longer condone a  bunch of cretins with no taste in music holding any sway over which artists get inducted going forward. Today, I finally got around to actually participating in the fan vote, and after casting my lot with Oasis, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Bad Company, and Chubby Checker I saw the results to date. It was appalling. It left me questioning the integrity of the election. 

     The nominating committee certainly must have known if they placed Phish up for nomination their fanatical base of hippies and band nerds would come out in full force to vote. And predictably, they are in first place by a wide margin with 101,157 votes. Second place is Billy Idol with 58, 673. What's more damning is all told there haven't even been 700,00 votes cast in the first week. Apparently, the Great Unwashed aren't excited about this class. 

     From my perspective, three artists I voted for are in the top 7; Soundgarden (3rd Place), Bad Company (5th Place), and Chubby Checker (7th place). What's depressing is The White Stripes would be in last place with 31,055 votes, if it weren't for the nomination of an unknown Mexican band, Mana, who only have 12,177 votes. Oasis isn't much ahead of them with 32,445. Unfortunately, Oasis are like the baseball player who was an asshole to the media, then wonders why they didn't get voted into the Hall of Fame by those very same media members. I was hoping with the reunion tour they might have a better chance this time, but apparently not. I still think The White Stripes will get in eventually, because they were always critic's darlings and Jack White is a major figure in 21st Century music, both as an artist and record label owner. I have my fingers crossed that they will be inducted next time the ceremony is in Cleveland. 

     I'm being slightly facetious about the fan vote, but only slightly. It seems nobody really cares, except the rabid fanbases of certain types of bands, like RUSH, KISS, and Phish. Otherwise, it's a popularity contest based on commercial success and nostalgia. And it's a cop-out for the committee. But hey, it's only Rock 'n' Roll. Peace.