Inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame For 2015 Announced
Green Day, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Ringo Starr and Lou Reed Top The List of Inductees To The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Today, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame officially announced next year’s inductees: Green Day, Lou Reed, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bill Withers and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band have been voted into the class of 2015. As well as this, the Award For Musical Excellence will be given to Ringo Starr, the fourth ex-Beatle to be enshrined individually, and the Early Influence Award to the 1950’s R&B group, the “5” Royales.
Green Day gained their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility; their debut EP, 1000 hours, was released in 1989. In this day and age, very few bands get a place in their first year of eligibility, however it is fairly unsurprising that Green Day managed it, as the band has made an incredibly significant impact on the music world in the last 25 years, and are well known for what they have done since they first became known.
Despite this, front man Billie Joe Armstrong seemed to be overwhelmed by the news, as he tells Rolling Stone “I had to go for a walk when I heard the news. We’re in incredible company and I’m still trying to make sense of this. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has always held something special for me because my heroes were in there.”
Lou Reed is being inducted for the second time, after being inducted once before as a member of Velvet Underground, after passing away in 2013 due to complications following a liver transplant.
However there has been a certain degree of controversy after Nine Inch Nails who made it to number 2 in the nominee fan vote, were not announced to be inducted, along with other acts like The Smiths and Kraftwerk.
Those Being Inducted Include:
Green Day
Bill Withers
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
Lou Reed
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Ringo Starr
The "5" Royales
Words by Chess Wiggins
