The Rock and Roll Futures (257)
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.
Trapt is not one of those bands that you immediately think of when you discuss the post nu-metal bands of the 2000’s, but the California band sold more records than you probably think. They also had a number one song (on the U.S. Alternative and U.S. Hard Rock), with their first single, Headstrong, though realistically, that could be pegged as their apex of their career as…
One of the more beautiful sounding of the BritPop acts (and we mean this in the nicest way), Scotland’s Travis had a bona fide ten year run of decent hits in the U.K. As successful as they were however, Travis never had a major smash and had to be content with always being on the fringe of superstardom, which was still a decent place to be,…
Generally we don’t think to mention Christian bands, but Florida’s UnderOath did receive a bit of mainstream attention due to their Hard Rock/Post Punk musical style and have had two albums reach the Billboard Top Ten. UndeOath may lyrically sing about Christian matters but they are a very accomplished group, which explains their crossover success.
A very eclectic Electronic band, England’s UNKLE went through multiple lineups but always remained acclaimed. Going from Trip Hop, to Acid Jazz to Ambient influences, UNKLE always seemed to be slightly ahead of the curve and will likely be held in higher regard in the future than they are right now. They will have to be to get a shot for the Hall of Fame.
The early 2000’s saw a plethora of American female Singer/Songwriters emerge of which Vanessa Carlton was one of them. She came out with a top five hit with “A Thousand Miles” in 2002 and looked to be poised for a major career. It didn’t happen, and though she put out multiple albums after her breakthrough she did not come close to duplicating that success again.
With millions of records sold in Europe, and the unofficial status of being the top Boy Band East of the Atlantic, Westlife was a monstrous force for over a decade. Of course, two major things work against them in relation to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. First, they are relatively unknown in the United States, and second they are a Boy Band! Enough said.
If it only takes critical love from music magazines to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame we can sign Wilco up in 2020. This group rose from the demise of Alt Country band, Uncle Tupelo and raised the bar thereafter for Alt Country and Alternative music in general. It isn’t just critics who love them as Wilco has developed a very sizable core…
Massively successful as an actor, it is forgotten sometimes that Will Smith had a fruitful career as a solo artist. His music was a little more serious than with the D.J. Jazzy Jeff and more R&B oriented, but still essentially Pop in orientation. Smith’s music may have been fun, but there is only so far in a Hall of Fame that can go.
Perhaps best known for his work with the Black Eyed Peas, former front man, will.i.am. managed to certify a decent career in the world of popular music. Whether or not will.i.am, or for that matter the Black Eyed Peas deserves a Rock and Roll HOF nomination remains to be seen.
He may not be the best known Fugee, but Wyclef Jean may be the most talented one. Upon the breakup of the Fugees, Jean was able to show the breadth of his musical skills which made him one of the most diverse Hip Hop artists of his time. That did not necessarily make him one of the most successful, for as though he remained in the…
An Experimental Rock band that is essentially Jamie Stewart and whoever is around him at the time, Xiu Xiu seemingly uses every instrument in the musical landscape while tackling dark topics. Stewart can sound melancholy and angry all at the same time and exudes a poetic brilliance. This is all fine and good but it is not a recipe for a Rock and Roll Hall of…
In 2003, Yeah Yeah Yeahs were definitely the “it band” and the buzz around them was electric. While that has certainly cooled off, this a very respected group with a strong female lead, Karen O that made people harken back to groups like Blondie and The Pretenders. Should the Hall look at Art Rock a little more an acclaimed group like this could have a shot.
Making a sizable dent in the Pop-Punk world in the mid-2000’s, Yellowcard sold a decent amount of albums and generated hits on the Alternative Charts. That being said this is not the most positively reviewed band of their genre, and that does seem to matter; especially when a lot of critics decide who gets in!
Always witty, somewhat quirky and all the way post-punk, Young Knives carved (excuse the pun) a nice little niche for themselves in their native England on the indie scene. This isn’t exactly the mold of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee but they were too fun to leave off of our site.
If Heavy Metal is having trouble getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is there any real reason to think that any Metalcore band will enter? I think we know the answer. If any does, perhaps it might be the hard working Christian influenced, Zao from West Virginia who established a solid core following in the late 90’s….but again, who are we kidding?
They may have been from Orange County in the mid to late 90’s, but there were no Ska elements to their sound at all. As part of the Punk revival, Zebrahead managed to secure a solid level of respect within the genre, but that was about it, and even within Punk circles would have to be considered a log shot for the Hall.
A much respected Trip Hop group, London’s Zero 7 were masters of the Studio and utilized the Electronic spectrum to optimum ability. Unlike many acclaimed British acts, Zero 7 did manage to chart on the U.S. Market; albeit on the Dance Charts. It may not be Hall of Fame credentials, but they have a lot of their peers beat. Throw in that they had the future…