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Song of the Day #5,493: ‘When I’m Gone’ – Eminem

Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming the sixth rapper to make it on his first ballot (Missy Elliott became the seventh, and first woman, a year later).

Once you have accepted that the functional definition of “rock & roll” refers not to a specific style of music popularized in the 1950s but rather all of the elements that led to and sprung from that music — and that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rightly celebrates musicians in such genres as jazz, soul, disco, R&B, pop, and rap — Eminem’s inclusion is a no-brainer.

Only the “rap isn’t rock” purists could begin to argue otherwise.

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Song of the Day #5,492: ‘Ordinary World’ – Duran Duran

Seven performers were inducted into the 2022 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Alphabetically, the first of them was 80s New Wave sensation Duran Duran.

The English quintet was the best-selling band from the “Second British Invasion,” which found synth-driven pop acts delivering songs that would come to define the sound of 80s music. That sound was derided by many critics at the time, but has come to be much appreciated (and copied) in recent decades. They have been eligible for the Rock Hall since 2007 but went un-nominated until last year.

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Song of the Day #5,491: ‘Could It Be I’m Falling in Love’ – The Spinners

Last week, my father’s 80th birthday lined up with a post about Willie Nelson, allowing me to celebrate two legends at once. Today, it’s my mom’s turn.

I’m glad she wasn’t born on the 17th, or she would have had to share the spotlight with the aggressive, off-putting rap metal of Rage Against the Machine. Instead, I get to recognize her birthday to the smooth soul of The Spinners.

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Song of the Day #5,490: ‘Killing in the Name’ – Rage Against the Machine

Our next inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 class is Los Angeles rap metal band Rage Against the Machine.

My knowledge and appreciation for Rage Against the Machine can be summed up by the fact that this is the first of their songs to show up on the blog through nearly 5,500 Songs of the Day. Hard rock/heavy metal just isn’t my genre, no matter how potent the message behind it.

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Song of the Day #5,489: ‘Will It Go Round in Circles’ – Billy Preston

The week of July 14, 1973, found Billy Preston on top of Billboard’s Hot 100 for the second week with his single ‘Will It Go Round in Circles.’ This was Preston’s second appearance at #1, having made it there as a featured artist on The Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ in 1969.

Preston would reach #1 one more time a year later, with ‘Nothing From Nothing,’ a song I know quite well. This one is new to me.

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