Trying to decipher the career of Cliff Richard & the Shadows takes a historian on two separate paths. Originally called the Drifters, the name evolved into Cliff Richard & the Shadows to capitalize on the good looks of the lead singer. As Richard’s popularity in the U.K. skyrocketed, the “British Elvis” was not alone in achieving fame. The Shadows achieved acclaim for their skills as well. The band became the first true British group to dominate the charts in their own country and it is no stretch to say that they were England’s first real Rock Stars. Cliff Richard would make his own albums simultaneously to that of the Shadows but the latter continued to back up Richard on tour. The combined work (and this could be the only case on this list where we feel compelled to do so) of Cliff Richard & The Shadows has reached legendary status in Britain and as the first cog of the British Invasion, their place in music history is undeniable. The biggest knock on them is their lack of American success where they are a footnote to history rather than history themselves.
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64. Cliff Richard & the Shadows
If you had more hits than the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined you would think that you may be a lock for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, in the muddled case of Cliff Richard & the Shadows, this was a chart distinction held in Great Britain and not Stateside.
The Bullet Points
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Previous Rank: 2011: #129
2012: #111
2013: #99
2014: #94
2015: #93
2016: #91 - Eligible Since: Tuesday, 01 January 1985
- Country of Origin: United Kingdom (England)
- Why they will get in: The precursor to the British Invasion should hold some weight.
- Why they won't get in: Their American success was limited.
- Nominated in: Never.
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Essential Albums: Cliff (1959)
Cliff Sings (1959)
The Shadows (1961)
Out of the Shadows (1962) -
Our Five Favorite Songs as Chosen by Each Member of the NIHOF Committee: Move It (Single, 1958)
Living Doll (Single, 1959)
Apache (Single, 1960)
1861 (From Out of the Shadows, 1962)
Devil Woman (From I’m Nearly Famous, 1976)
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