We don’t have a problem admitting that at NIHOF we don’t have any issue with (and sometimes quite enjoy) the Disco genre. We aren’t sure what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame thinks though. The Bee Gees are in, and they are constantly trying to get Chic in, but what of the woman most closely associated with Disco, Donna Summer?

Donna Summer was not just a star of Disco, she was its Queen. She had a voice and look made for the genre and her success in that time period had few equals. She could be sultry, sexy or innocent; she redefined what those qualities were supposed to look like. Once Disco waned, she seemingly went away with it and although she was a one of the original Pop Divas, she did so in a time when nobody knew what that was. What hampers her induction is her very tie in with the musical style she helped to define. Disco bears the reputation of frivolous and unsubstantial, and her trip to Cleveland seems to depend upon time looking at the disco years as a form of retro cool. With two recent nominations, perhaps that is the opinion that the genre is finally changing.

The Bullet Points:

Previous Rank:

2010: #61

Eligible Since:

1999

Country of Origin:

U.S.A. (Boston, MA)

Why She Will Get In:

She certainly has the success factor, and did set the stage for the pop divas later on.

Why She Won’t Get In:

There is a substantial amount of people who still look down upon Disco.

Nominated In:

2008, 2010 & 2011 Class

Essential Albums:

Love to Love You Baby (1975)

I Remember Yesterday (1977)

Bad Girls (1979)

She Works Hard for the Money (1983)

Our Five Favorite Songs as Chosen by Each Member of the NIHOF Committee:

Love to Love You Baby (From Love to Love You Baby, 1975)

I Feel Love (From I Remember Yesterday, 1977)

I Love You (From Once Upon A Time, 1977)

Hot Stuff (From Bad Girls, 1979)

On the Radio (Single, 1979)