A legend in the field of Jazz, Sonny Rollins has been referred to as one of the most important figures of that genre. His mainstream Jazz recordings have been among amongst the most consistent for any performer over the last four decades and though that consistency has made him beloved and respected. Rollins played music so effortlessly and this perception that music came easy to him may take away from the rebellious nature that musicians are often perceived to have. Coincidently, that rebellion is often is rewarded in the Rock world. Chances are another Jazz legend will eventually get into the Hall and though Rollins is among the group that is the most revered, he likely won’t be the next one in.

Though other artists from Australia have been considered more important, it is difficult to dispute that the first key band from down under was the Easybeats. With a British Invasion sound they quickly dominated their own country and were later able to penetrate the British market. They did however fail to make serious headway in America though those who are discovering their sound today often wonder why they didn’t.

A casualty of his own success, Peter Frampton was long since a star musician from earlier solo work and with Humble Pie. After he put out Frampton Comes Alive, he found that the live album made him a superstar of which brought him great fortune but an eventual backlash. Plastered on teeny bopper magazines, Frampton stumbled across an image he really didn’t seek and lost a core audience in the process from which he never seemed to recover. That live album really was that good, but it will have to reach legendary status for him to reach the Hall.

Although there are many who think of Nick Lowe as the man who sang “Cruel to be Kind” and not much else, the Jesus of Cool had a career that was far greater than that hit. Lowe was an accomplished songwriter for other artists (Current Hall of Famer, Elvis Costello for one) and producer for others. Had Lowe performed more of the music he penned, his induction chances would likely be greater than the marginal chance he has currently; though a listen through his album catalogue shows an artist who could master various songwriting genres effortlessly and deserves more of a look from the Hall than he will likely ever get.