Six years ago, during a Decades series on the year 1983, I asked this about Cyndi Lauper: “So when will she make it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?”
Well, the answer was 2025. Lauper was eligible since 2009 and was nominated once before, in 2023, before making the cut last year. Her long absence is indicative of the problem the Hall had (and still has, to a lesser degree) acknowledging the contributions of women.
Our next Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductee is another who made it in on his first nomination — English singer Joe Cocker. That nomination came 31 years after he became eligible.
Most of Cocker’s best-known and best-loved songs were covers of other artists’ music, but he made those songs completely his own. Just listen to his soulful rendition of The Beatles’ ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ and it’s hard to believe it’s the same song Ringo Starr delivered so earnestly on Sgt. Peppers.
The next inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025 — Chubby Checker — arguably made it on the strength of just one song.
But what a song! Checker’s ‘The Twist’ was considered the #1 Billboard song of all-time for more than 60 years based on its strength and longevity on the Hot 100. It was only recently eclipsed by The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights.’
For the second straight year, I’m following up my six weeks of movie posts with a dive into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Let’s call it a new tradition.
I’ve been working backward through Hall of Fame classes, having most recently covered the Class of 2011. But rather than write about 2010 just yet, I’m dedicating the next two weeks to the recently honored Class of 2025.
The week of March 15, 1986, found Starship atop the Hot 100 for the second time. The first ‘Starship’ single to accomplish the feat was ‘We Built This City,’ which reached #1 in December of 1985.
That song is widely considered one of the worst of all time, so ‘Sara’ is an improvement simply by default. It’s certainly a better song than ‘We Built This City,’ and maybe even a somewhat good song, period? You tell me.
Meet Me In Montauk 