The Farr Side: Lauper, Michael could soon be in Rock Hall of Fame

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its nominees for induction into the class of 2023. This is the list to be on, but let’s make one thing clear — it doesn’t mean you’re a shoe-in for inclusion into the Rock Hall.

Every year the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame releases its list of nominees, usually 14 or so artists or bands. However, only five actually make it in. And, sometimes the committee inducts someone in as being an early influence.

The 2023 nominees include A Tribe Called Quest, Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against The Machine, Soundgarden, The Spinners, The White Stripes and Warren Zevon.

Rock 'n' roll music has always been inclusive, but this list is just amazing. You can easily see just how each one of these nominees got nominated.

I’m a huge music buff, so learning the list of hopefuls is always a big deal for me.

With that being said, I’m still surprised every year by who is not on the list. The same can be said once again.

I’m just going to throw this out here right now and say, if it were totally up to me, the five inductees for 2023 from this list would be Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson and a toss up between Joy Division/New Order or Soundgarden.

To be eligible, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. This should really get your mind wondering about just who is nominated and who was not. Let me help you comprehend something — Mariah Carey is eligible for induction.

OK, so nay-sayers shrug at artists like Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston and Madonna being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Why shouldn’t they be? Rock 'n' roll music encompasses so much more than just rock music. It reflects the times and often the trends. Being a “pop” star, or someone popular shouldn’t make you any less of an artist.

That’s why you see artists like George Michael and Cyndi Lauper nominated this time. What they brought to music forever changed the landscape, just like Elvis Presley once did.

I was stoked to see Willie Nelson make the cut. It blows my mind that it's even the first time he’s been nominated. The man is a legend and his music is such a part of the fabric of our lives. It doesn’t matter the genre, either. The respect most artists give him radiates across the spectrum.

Songs like “On The Road Again,” “Always On My Mind,” “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain,” “Whiskey River” and “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” are timeless classics. I love listening to classic '80s editions of the “American Top 40” with Casey Kasem. Nelson was a huge country crossover artist in the early '80s on the pop charts.

Dolly Parton’s induction last year prompted the Rock Hall committee to see the importance of someone like Nelson. I think we’re going to see the likes of Kenny Rogers making the cut soon, too.

In the coming weeks, I will be featuring columns on some of the nominees. We’ll discuss just who and why they should be enshrined. In the meantime you can log onto rockhall.com and cast your Induction Fan Vote for your favorite. Cyndi Lauper and George Michael are currently in the lead.

— David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: The Farr Side: Lauper, Michael could soon be in Rock Hall of Fame