Considered one of the more influential Hip Hop duos of the early 90’s, the East Coast rap pair of Gang Stare perfected the blend of New Jack Swing and Rap. They were masters of creating beats and combing them with socially aware lyrics. Because their skills were so bountiful, they often collaborated with other artists due to their high demand. This rendered their own work to be somewhat limited, but what they did do was brilliant. Their chances for the Hall of Fame though will likely depend on how many of the other influential Hip Hop acts get in before them.

While Alternative music was becoming dark and dirty, The Barenaked Ladies built a career out of catchy songs that were deliberately quirky. In the process, the Canadian band delivered a surprising amount of hits for a band whose lyrics were often nonsensical. As they were radio friendly, they became a favorite of many and crossed age demographics effortlessly. Those who took the band too seriously often dismissed them as eccentric hacks, but this was a talented group who took seemingly unusable lyrics to the top.

With an Electronic style that looked to the past with a push to the future, England’s Underworld may be one of the most important Electronic based acts of the 1990’s. They pushed the boundaries of slickly crafted House music and sold albums and impressed critics in the process. Likely, their style of music will not see recognition in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but remember stranger things have happened in Cleveland.

The 1970’s may have been full of Singer/Songwriters but the decade that followed saw that genre dry up quickly. That made the success of Tracy Chapman that much more unlikely. She didn’t exactly have MTV good looks; she sang in a style against her racial stereotype and was not even attempting to be “cool”. Despite all of that, Chapman had a major debut, and though her career cooled off, she did enjoy solid success in the mid 90’s. Two big hits may not necessarily make a Hall of Fame career, but her uniqueness may grant her a look that she may not have received otherwise.