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OVERVIEW |
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Unlikely candidates are those you generally wouldn't think of as being potential nominees and who's credentials are not quite up to the standards we've set here, but nevertheless have something unique that might draw the attention of the voting body even over more deserving names. It could be underground reputation, perception of importance, or a key song or milestone that will keep their name coming up in the nominating committee, and in fact some have already been nominated. But while the credentials alone of these artists can't stack up against the higher competition in our Top 125 Candidates, they all might have a hole-card that at least gets them a look. If they do many people will be left scratching their heads and wondering why they were nominated. - Heres why:
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50 Unlikely Candidates
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Arthur Alexander |
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If respect within the music community counts for anything Alexander will always have a shot at induction, despite few hits and little recognition in the general public. Where Alexander gets his due however is as a songwriter and he is the answer to the rather famous trivia question "Who is the only composer to have his songs covered by the Beatles, Stones and Dylan?". In addition to his writing skills Alexander as a singer was a major shaper in the Southern country-soul style of the early 60's.
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Pat Benatar |
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Though her act seemed to veer into caricature at times she was consistently popular for a decade and defined the tough female rocker of the 80's as well as anyone. Though more successful on the charts than Joan Jett, she's taken a back-seat to her in recognition and doesn't seem to have the iconic song to get her serious consideration. A definite long shot but stranger things have happened.
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Bar-Kays |
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Known by most as the instrumental group that Otis Redding was grooming right before the plane crash that took the lives of Otis and most of the Bar-Kays in December '67, just months after their breakthrough smash, "Soul Finger". Yet the group reformed with survivors Ben Cauley and James Alexander and reeled off a string of big R&B hits through the 70's, though had no success on the Pop Charts. Their reputation as a top notch funk ensemble and their connection to a legend could get them a glance.
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Brook Benton |
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He wracked up a whopping 50 hits, which is far more than most unlikely candidates could dream of, but Benton is a very tough fit stylistically, as he was seen as largely veering to pop productions in the late 50's and early 60's which garnered him the consistent airplay that could still elude the more "authentic" rockers at the time. If the Hall is simply seeking a recognizable name from that era with just enough rock pedigree to be respectable he could slip in.
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Big Star |
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The very definition of a legendary cult band. With the added appeal of a hugely admired lead singer in Alex Chilton and a handful of revered albums to go with it, their limited success and notoriety among the mass public might be overcome with a nomination. If any relative commercial failure has a chance, it's them.
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Marc Bolan & T. Rex |
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The glitter/glam rock movement is not exactly widely praised these days, outside of David Bowie, but if someone was looking for an act to represent it in the Hall this is who they'd land on. More popular in Britain than America so the makeup of the voting body could play a part in their getting considered.
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Johnny Burnette Rock 'n' Roll Trio |
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Considered the pre-eminent rockabilly band who's invention of feedback remains a groundbreaking moment. Among the wildest of the mid-50's white rockers who had no commercial success together to speak of, but both Johnny and brother Dorsey Burnette had big solo careers in a tamed down style and were writers of note for Ricky Nelson, while guitarist Paul Burlison went down in history for his contribution to guitar innovation.
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| Paul Butterfield Blues Band |
| First prominent white American blues band, actually they were integrated, which brought blues authenticity and merged it with rock sensibilities. No hits to speak of but they'll continue to get moderate support for their famed backing of Bob Dylan at Newport, along with being credited with re-sparking homegrown interest in the blues. Two well-respected guitarists, Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop, passed through their ranks as well, which improves their viability today.
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Captain Beefheart |
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Weird, brilliant and critically acclaimed with a connection to another legend, in this case Frank Zappa, can often add up to a movement behind you. Even if the mainstream isn't familiar with his work, his LP "Trout Mask Replica" remains a frequently cited landmark in rock history. His name is recognizable to many in the mainstream even if his music is not.
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The Cleftones |
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Among the longest reigning of the 50's vocal groups, breaking through with their first hit in 1955 that helped cross the music over and were still scoring hits in the early 60's revival of the style. Since most vocal groups of that era had only a few chart hits finding ones with sustained success gives them a possible leg up for a nomination.
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Country Joe & The Fish |
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Very FAR left field candidates the Fish, led by Country Joe McDonald, were the most notorious political activists of the 60's San Francisco rock scene who caused a stir at Woodstock with their sing-along anti-war anthems. Though their work seems quaintly archaic today, Hall voters, many of whom undoubtedly agree with their politics, might find room on their ballots for self-proclaimed boat-rockers.
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Devo |
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Utterly unique rock band that furthered the use of synthesizers and were very influential in new wave and post-punk styles. Their outlandish approach could be both a help in setting them apart and a detriment in having their potential candidacy taken seriously. Too far out to be considered a likely candidate but with just enough notoriety to be given a shot anyway.
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Bill Doggett |
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Interesting case as Doggett was around well before rock 'n' roll existed as a sideman to many jazz bands, but then with rock's rise he became not only a prominent session organist on many hits for rockers but also contributed the first major rock instrumental on its own with the immortal "Honky Tonk", followed by a string of other smaller hits. That one big smash is oftentimes all that is needed to get a vote and he's got credentials in multiple areas to bolster his outside candidacy.
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Nick Drake |
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Underground legend of the British folk-rock scene who's only three albums from the late 60's and early 70's before his 1974 death are revered in music circles. His reputation seems to grow with each succeeding generation and the canonization of tragic artists is a Hall trademark.
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Dyke & The Blazers |
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Aside from James Brown's 60's band the Blazers are considered the first funk-outfit to make a dent in the music world and were viewed by James himself in the late 60's to be his fiercest rivals. In Arlester "Dyke" Christian they had a visionary leader and while their chart success was limited they still emerged with two immortal records, the original "Funky Broadway" and "We Got More Soul". Influence to spare.
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Faces |
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Highly thought of within music circles Faces never scored big with their releases, though in the early 70's were considered one of the top live bands out there. The fact that lead singer Rod Stewart has already been inducted as a solo artist and guitarist Ron Wood made it as a Rolling Stone takes some of the impetus off for the group as a whole being inducted, but their credibility and name recognition remains too high to count out.
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J. Geils Band |
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In sports terms they're journeyman, always on a roster somewhere but rarely stars. Yet that still brings about enough recognition to be considered and not surprisingly they've been nominated before. Ubiquitous frontman Peter Wolf is friends with a lot of bigger name stars, frequently joining major acts on stage when they come through his Boston homebase on tour, which helps keep him visible. Their modest achievements won't be enough to get them in but rubbing shoulders with the right people long enough might pay off in the end.
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The Guess Who |
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Steadily popular Canadian group in the late 60's to mid-70's who've got a few enduring songs to their credit, something that always helps. Founding member Randy Bachman left in 1970 to form Bachman-Turner-Overdrive and if you could combine the two groups achievements they might be better qualified for a nomination, but the Guess Who have the more substantial résumé on their own, so if one is looked at it'd be them.
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Marv Johnson |
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Often rightly criticized for their apparent cluelessness in rock's evolution and behind the scenes stories, the Hall would bolster their standing among the knowledgeable if they so much as considered Marv Johnson for induction. On the surface he was a decent performer with a handful of hits (9 overall, two Top Tens), but it was his role in helping shape the Motown sound with Berry Gordy in the late 50's and early 60's that truly impacted rock history, influence that few can match. For that he's always got an outside chance provided the not-always astute voters are actually aware of his contributions.
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Joy Division |
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Very short lived, due to lead singer Ian Curtis' suicide right before their mainstream breakout in 1980, but very influential. The rest of the band reformed as New Order, which ironically may hurt either of their chances separately, or get them both in together, a la Parliament/Funkadelic. Due to Curtis's ongoing notoriety in some circles Joy Division might be the kind of lesser recognized post-punk heroes that gets a push.
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Freddie King |
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Blues-rock guitar ace of the late 50's and early 60's doesn't quite fit the standard definition of a pure bluesman, nor was he firmly a rocker exactly. But he had a ton of influence in both, particularly on the next generation of guitarists, Eric Clapton especially, and was successful enough on the charts to draw attention.
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Patti LaBelle |
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Considered one of the best female vocalist of the rock era LaBelle has never really lived up to her talent though when it came to connecting with the mass public. A few small hits with the Blue Belles in the 60's followed by an enormous disco hit with "Lady Marmalade" in the mid-70's before finally having her most sustained success in the 80's. The track record is spotty for such a recognizable name but her talent is well known and that sometimes sways people.
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Smiley Lewis |
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A New Orleans legend who's biggest record, "I Hear You Knockin", is still recognizable to all fans of that era. In addition he cut the original versions of Fats Domino's smash "Blue Monday" and Elvis Presley's famous "One Night", and those familar titles, plus a recent cover by Aerosmith of his "Shame Shame Shame", keeps his chances alive for those voters looking for another 50's artist with a catalog of durable records to his credit.
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Little Milton |
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Odd fitting artist, considered by many to be a bluesman first and foremost but Little Milton Campbell skirted soul in the 60's as much as he did the blues, straddling both worlds for big-time labels such as Sun, Chess and Stax. While most blues-based artists were fading from the Pop Charts by the mid-60's Milton was scoring heavily with his songs that blended his blistering guitar work, a horn section and tremendously soulful vocals. The Hall likes the blues.
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Teena Marie |
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White female funk singers are not exactly common and so one that was so successful, particularly within the black community, is something of an accomplishment. The problem is funk as a whole hasn't gotten the attention of the Hall it rightly deserves and so unless more prominent artists from that style get in first Teena Maria may have to wait for consideration. But her unique role within that sub genre could get her an unexpected nod.
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Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters |
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An artist with one well-remembered hit which broke new ground in the mainstream are never out of contention and Mimms had both as "Cry Baby" was a huge hit that brought the full-fledged intensity from gospel into the Pop Top Ten in 1963 and solidified that brand of soul as commercially viable. Mimms soon broke with the Enchanters but in a short-period he'd scored numerous hits with some great records.
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Moby Grape |
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With a critically acclaimed debut album done-in by the most famously idiotic marketing scheme in music history (releasing 5 singles simultaneously) Moby Grape, led by the much respected but troubled Skip Spence, marked a return to simple but powerful rock in an era of mass experimentalism. A cult band to this day from a time that the Hall has shown a propensity for rewarding.
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Randy Newman |
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Idiosyncratic singer/songwriter and pianist who's work was only sporadically successful, with its ironic humor often being misunderstood, but he remained a favorite among the more savvy critics and has gotten one nomination already. His later work as a film score composer only boosted his overall notoriety but further removed him from rock circles in the minds of many.
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Nilsson |
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Gained enormous attention when the Beatles befriended and championed him back in the late 60's when he had a string of big hits in a more adult contemporary style. That questionable connection to what the Hall voters perceive as rock might be his biggest drawback. However he was also a writer of note (penning the massive Three Dog Night hit "One" as well as his own records), and his name recognition continues to give hope to his potential candidacy.
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Quicksilver Messenger Service |
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Not much to show hit-wise but an enormous reputation as one of the premiere live bands to emerge out of San Francisco in the mid-60's, a time and place widely praised by many historians. They helped solidify the idea of a jam-band with their extended renditions and instrumental showcases, a style that gained prominence by the end of the decade. In the late John Cippolina they had one of the most admired guitarists of the decade, always something of a plus when it comes to consideration.
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Charlie Rich |
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Among the most talented artists in rock history made a bigger name for himself in country during the 70's but began as the last of the rockabilly-styled stars to come out of legendary Sun Records in the 50's. A tremendous songwriter, pianist and vocalist who's probably too far outside the mainstream thought process, though Bob Dylan once called Rich his favorite artist, but you never know. Few artists were more talented in more ways than Charlie Rich.
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Roxy Music |
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Art-rock is not usually well received by critics but Roxy Music were among those who made it popular. The fact that Brian Eno left fairly early, after which they headed in another direction under the sole leadership of Brian Ferry, could cause a split in perception among voters who might prefer a more seamless career.
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Todd Rundgren |
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His credentials are so spread out over multiple, and often completely separate roles - artist, songwriter, producer, etc., - that defining him for a place on the ballot is harder than deciding whether his multi-talented career deserves induction. If he can be classified as any one thing then he's got a chance.
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Gil Scott-Heron |
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Not just a left-field candidate but maybe out of the ballpark entirely, Scott-Heron was the most pointedly political artist of the early 70's and with his semi-spoken tracks was a vital precursor to rap. A nomination for him would be in line stylistically with the nomination for fellow left-field candidate Leonard Cohen, so if Cohen got one then Scott-Heron's chances may be better than they'd seem on the surface. If he did it'd be nice to see him named with his musical cohort Brian Jackson who's credit for their work is often lacking.
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Jack Scott |
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The first Canadian rocker of any importance Scott began as the most palatable rockabilly-based artist for mainstream consumption, as evidenced by his nine Top 40 hits from 1957-1960, four of which went Top Ten and maybe the best of which, the hell bent "Leroy", just missed when it stalled at #11. While the Hall bestowed credit on the more typical rockabilly acts long ago Scott had more success than most of them even if he eventually veered more towards a pop-country hybrid.
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The Shadows |
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In England it was the Shadows, backing vocal star Cliff Richard, who were the first homegrown rock group of note that had an entire generation, which soon made up the British Invasion, following in their footsteps. Little acclaim in the U.S. keeps them off the radar but voters may look to credit oversea originators.
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The Shangri-Las |
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Stylized girl-group specializing in over-the-top dramatic soap operas that resulted in a number of big hits including a #1 smash in "Leader of the Pack". Though their melodramatic records were seen as somewhat campy at the time their reputation has gotten significantly stronger over the years after many punk artists cited them as a major influence. A recognizable 60's group with multiple hits to their credit can never be counted out.
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Sir Douglas Quintette |
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Though their track record is relatively skimpy (one Top Twenty hit and just four Top 100 hits in all), they've already managed to snag one nomination for the ballot in 2005 thanks in large part to leader Doug Sahm's reputation among his peers as a prime component in the Tex-Mex sound. That truthfully should be as far as they get since far better qualified candidates have yet to even be nominated, but as the Hall has shown in the past anything is possible.
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The Sonics |
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The first true punk band started way back in the early to mid-60's and a huge influence on the 70's groups that brought that hell bent style to the mainstream. For a group with such limited mainstream success The Sonics reputation remains remarkably high in many knowledgeable circles so they have some chance at receiving some well-deserved credit for their pioneering work.
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The Spaniels |
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Though remembered today for just one big hit, that hit "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight", looms as large as virtually any from rock's first decade, which always will keep them on the radar. In truth the Spaniels were a much deeper group, charting their first record way back in 1953 on the newly formed Vee-Jay records, which put that label on the map, and scoring a final hit in 1970. In Pookie Hudson they have one of the most beloved lead vocalists of a highly romanticized era.
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Spoonie Gee |
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The first solo rapper of note and the father of the mack-rapping style that spawned generations of imitators. "Love Rap" was a vital record to rap's evolution, bringing the topic of romance, and the attempts to find, keep and exploit romance, into the game. As with many early artists in hip-hop the mainstream music recognition was low at the time but his ground breaking approach and influence makes him an ideal unexpected candidate.
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Cat Stevens |
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Widely considered an excellent songsmith but with only brief mainstream success, Stevens saw his popularity decline after his conversion to Islam in the late 70's. But a string of well-received albums and a few big hits before that, plus an enduring reputation for his craftsmanship, have resulted in at least a nomination thus far and while not a huge name he remains a viable long shot.
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The Sugarhill Gang |
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For virtually everyone outside the block parties where rap was being created the Sugarhill Gang was the first most people heard the style when their record "Rapper's Delight" became an unlikely hit in 1979. Though they launched the genre into the mainstream and had a number of crucial releases that followed they soon were overtaken by the second wave of rappers in popularity and impact. Yet for what they did at the start they are sure to be discussed by voters at some point.
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Television |
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In the mainstream their appeal was rather limited but their album "Marquee Moon" made a huge impact within the music community and their multi-guitar attack was considered influential in returning part of rock to that direct approach. Short lived career prevented them from building on their early acclaim and kept them in the realm of more cult legends but that type of reputation has the power to draw a nomination at times.
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Tammi Terrell |
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Voters are suckers for tragic stories and Terrell, who died of cancer at 24, three years after collapsing on stage into Marvin Gaye's arms, had a meteoric career starting as a teenager in James Brown's revue before going to Motown and recording a series of huge duets with Gaye. Her credentials may be lacking (she never had solo hit of note) but Terrell remains a recognizable name and a beloved figure who was taken too soon.
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Tom Waits |
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Limited commercial appeal but lauded as an eclectic singer/songwriter/composer who's material, even if not recorded by him, is fairly well known. Waits is the kind of individualistic artist spurning mainstream acclaim that a Hall of Fame seemingly like bestowing honors upon. His name recognition and reputation among other artists gives him one of the better chances here of at least a nomination.
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Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band |
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One of the most skilled self-contained funk bands to emerge in the late 60's with the immortal "Express Yourself" serving as their calling card. Unique pedigree as Wright was mentored as a kid by the legendary Jesse Belvin, then the group was hired by comedian Bill Cosby in the mid-60's to serve as his backing band for a comedic-music album before they established themselves as one of the most diverse sounding groups of their era. With three Top Twenty Pop hits and a long afterlife thanks to sampling, plus an interesting history, they're not off the radar completely.
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X |
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One of the best of the major punk groups came too late to get the attention foisted on their more legendary predecessors but their standing remains uniformly high, albeit in an area that the Hall seems to focus more on star wattage. Their lack of instantly recognizable fare to the mainstream hurts but they'd be a decent long shot bet if you like to gamble on such things.
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The Zombies |
On the surface one acclaimed album along with a few hit singles in the 60's don't make them any more likely an induction than two dozen others from that era, but their image and reputation since that time has grown considerably, giving the voters who fawn over that period in rock an excuse to consider yet another.
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