The Rock and Roll Futures (301)
As we intend to make this website a constant work in process, we though it would be useful to discuss the future bands/artists who will become eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Many of these artists are still recording and/or performing and thus adding to their impending legacy. They will be in our future lists so please feel free to vote so that we can rank them accordingly when they become eligible.
The Black Keys are often labeled as an Alternative Band, but the duo comprising the band from Akron, Ohio have so much blues influence in their sound that in some ways seems like the natural evolution from blues influenced rockers form the early 60’s.
Although they did establish themselves on the concert circuit supporting other Indie/Punk bands like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and NOFX (and held their own quite well), there is only so far a fun party Punk band will go in a Hall of Fame discussion, especially when those they opened for are quite far from the Hall themselves.
The ongoing muddled history of the Brian Jonestown Massacre (so named in homage to Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones), saw forty different members pass through their ranks. The BJM usually implores a Garage based Neo-Psychedelic sound though their penchant for experimentation has always shown through. They had no trouble showing a fascination for the dark side of humanity as many of their music does show…
The Coral helped bring back Brit-Pop to the forefront, but for a band commonly labeled with guitars and drums, they put out a catalogue of music that showed much more than that. The Coral were a well enough respected outfit, but they fell behind on the success ratio of many of their peers and to some extent, those they helped expired.
You would initially think that the Crystal Method were British as they had a very similar sound to the Big Beat Rock styled Electronica that was popular in the U.K. in the late 90’s, but this was an American born outfit from Las Vegas. As such, they could very well be one of the most successful American groups of that genre for that time period, but…
As evidenced by their name (and many other things) the Dandy Warhols were clearly influenced by the Velvet Underground. With that said, they were also happy to embrace current Alternative trends and Power Pop sounds. They had a lot of respect within the musical community and they were college radio staples. With a few flirtations with mainstream success they got themselves on a few people’s radars…
Mostly known worldwide for their hit, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”, British band, The Darkness, were a throwback to the late 1970’s power ballad bands and carved themselves a brief international niche. While some view The Darkness as a one hit wonder, they did well in England and are more successful than the casual fan understands.
One of the most critically beloved band in recent years, The Decemberists have been lauded for their brilliant and creative writing with a pop sensibility. Their influences seem infinite though they seemingly picked up where R.E.M. left off. This isn’t a band that will ever dominate singles charts but they did have a number one album (The King is Dead) and has a devoted fanbase. This…
Many bands seemed to be primed for something big and then wind up having to settle for just a devoted cult audience. In the case of the Delgados, they didn’t even get that. As much as their Lo-Fi brand of Indie Rock was respected and they got positive press from critics, they seemed to get lost in the shuffle, and they lacked that certain intangible that…
The Devil Makes Three has established themselves as one of the most fun American Bluegrass bands in years yet all the while maintaining exceptional grit to their music. While that is fine praise this is a genre that (especially now) that will not receive any consideration for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Primarily, in the mold of Art-Punk, The Dismemberment Plan followed in the footsteps of other artistic minded Washington D.C. Punk outfits. The band was a solid fixture in the independent scene in the late 90’s but really broke out when they added an R&B element to their sound. This help to usher in a danceable form of Punk that few were trying at the time. This…
All girl? Check! All party? Check? All Fun? Check! All Hall of Fame? Well…… The Donnas may be perfect as a cult band, and frankly they are perfect in that in role, but to position them as an influential Hall of Fame outfit would be a large stretch and we doubt even the band will be offended by that statement.
The Early November were one of many Emo Rock bands to come up in the 2000’s and while they had some success, they disbanded at their peak, thus thwarting their momentum. This being said, if Drive-Thru Records have their own Hall of Fame, they could be candidate for it.
Considered a very influential band in terms of the Emo scene, The Get Up Kids have been cited as a vital cog to that genre’s progression in the late 90’s. Although that perception is relatively accurate, the bands they helped to inspire far surpassed them in terms of record sales and should any of those floppy haired acts get in, it will likely be one of…
Arguably, the Libertines have already established themselves as an important cog historically on the English musical scene. In the mid 2000’s, they were huge stars in the U.K. and their style of Garage Rock was clearly influenced by their British predecessors from the decades before. The band’s leaders, Pete Doherty and Carl Barat became musical icons in England and they became certifiable superstars.
While some would classify the Mars Volta as Progressive Rock, many viewed the band from El Paso as “Experimental Rock”.
Arguably one of the more important Indie Rock bands of the 2000’s, The National drew from Country, Brit Pop, Punk and their adopted home of New York City to create their own unique sound. They combined that with some of the most melancholy (or undecipherable depending on your point of view) that came from the United States in a long time but who said music had…
An Indie Supergroup (is that a bit of an oxymoron?) The New Pornographers may not be designed to sell a lot of records, but they have continued to fly the flag of Indie Power Pop well into the new millennium. If the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame looks at all the talent assembled in this ensemble, maybe they would have a shot. The Bullet Points:Eligible…
From the Los Angeles underground, the Pharcyde were a successful Alternative Hip Hop Group who may have been a little on the eccentric side, but was often on the favorable side of the critics. With gigs at Lollapalooza they secured a large stage for their music, but by the decades end they were done as a successful group but they any group that made Perry Farrell’s…
As Grunge ran its course and opened up the doors for commercially successful Alternative music, most took on a very serious tone. This was not the case for the Presidents of the United States of America who despite their politicized name were a band whose music was chopped full of irreverent humor and frivolity. As much as fun as they were, they weren’t taken seriously as…