FEATURE:
Kings of the Stone Age
IN THIS PHOTO: Courtney Love Cobain/PHOTO CREDIT: Nicholas Hunt/GI
When Will the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Acknowledge Music’s Queens?
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THE tone…
IN THIS PHOTO: Jessica Hopper/PHOTO CREDIT: David Sampson
of this article from Billboard, I think, seems to downplay slightly the imbalance that is evident at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Courtney Love Cobain publicised and called out the gender imbalance this week. Rock critic Jessica Hopper pointed out some alarming statistics, and Love Cobain emphasised the poor showing. Hopper’s post noted that 61 — about 8.5 percent — of inductees are women. Hopper went on to write that the representation of women in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is “worse than women-artists-on-country-radio numbers (10%) and women headliners at major music festivals (13%)”. This is what Billboard wrote about the recent controversy and discussion:
“Citing a tweet from author Jessica Hopper, from the same date, in which the journalist criticized the institution’s programs celebrating Women’s History Month, Love captions a screengrab of Hopper’s post, “So over these ole boys. #fixtherockandrollhalloffame.”
The author’s original post says that of the 719 Rock Hall inductees, only 61 — roughly 8.5 percent — are women. Hopper goes on to report that the representation of women in the Rock Hall is “worse than women-artists-on-country-radio numbers (10%) and women headliners at major music festivals (13%).”
“Thanks so much @msjesshopp I’ve been begging someone to do this math for decades,” Love added.
In 2020, ahead of the year’s Rock Hall induction ceremony, NPR reported on a similar — though lower — percentage. That year, according to the nonprofit media organization, less than 8 percent of inductees were women.
IN THIS PHOTO: Cyndi Lauper is shortlisted for induction into this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Janet Jackson also spoke out on the lack of women in the Rock Hall during her 2019 induction speech, closing with, “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, please: 2020, induct more women.” Whitney Houston, Pat Benatar and Chaka Khan (with Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan) were nominated for the 2020 class. Of the three, only Houston was inducted that year.
In the second image of her carousel post, the Grammy-nominated rocker shares what appears to be a text message she sent to Dave Grohl, who was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2021 with the Foo Fighters, and in 2014 with Nirvana. “Have fun at rock hall Dave. Make sure and hold the seats of Tina turner & carole king, both who have been eligible for 30! Years each,” her text reads. (Both Turner and King were inducted as solo performers in the 2021 class; the former was previously inducted as part of Ike & Tina Turner in 1991, while the latter was inducted as part of the songwriting duo Goffin/King in 1990.)
Billboard has reached out to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Grohl’s rep declined to comment.
Six women have been nominated for the Rock Hall’s class of 2023: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Cyndi Lauper, Gillian Gilbert (with New Order) and Meg White (as part of The White Stripes). The inductees are set to be revealed in May; the ceremony will happen in the fall”.
This year has some legendary female artists on the shortlist, but there are only four women who have been nominated. I think, in the case of Meg White and Gillian Gilbert, that is sharing credit and they are, at best, fifty percent of the act they are part of. It is like people saying there is a female headlining Glastonbury Festival this year because Guns N’ Roses has a woman playing in the band. It is stretching things and de-valuing the worth and sheer number of incredible women out there. Maybe Cyndi Lauper will make it in this year, as the vote goes to the public and she is in a fairly comfortable position. Courtney Love Cobain fronts Hole, and she is someone who deserves entry. There are notable omissions (including Love Cobain) who should make it in. Not being biased, but why has Kate Bush not been inducted already? Someone who is now more visible and relevant than ever, she is someone who should get a free pass in there. Love Cobain should, and I think that Tori Amos should be too (and others agree). How about Ms. Lauryn Hill (as lead of Fugees, she is also soon eligible as a solo artist?! The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is not about including only Rock bands. The name is a bit of a misnomer. It used to be a little generic and single-minded, but it is actually embracing of all genres. It does still seem to be the way that those who gain entry are white males.
I would love to see De La Soul inducted, or maybe have another iconic Hip-Hop act. This year, A Tribe Called Quest are eligible and shortlisted. Aside from George Michael and A Tribe Called Quest, there are not many male acts I would fight for this year. I am a fan of Soundgarden, so maybe them, but it is women like Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, and Missy Elliott that should be inducted. One feels it will be another year where men dominate. I would class ten of the fourteen artists nominated as male/male heavy. That would include The White Stripes, as Jack White is the lead, and I sort of feel like that is who the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are responding to. What about female-led bands like Hole or Garbage. It is great that some male artists do call out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but most of the time it is women fighting for other women. Why do male artists who are shortlisted or inducted not use their platform to call out the injustice?! Maybe that would some ungrateful and a snub, but it is important to raise awareness. Many might say that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is ancient and irrelevant, but the idea is to celebrate iconic and legendary artists who have made a big impact. The current record and relative lack of women nominated and inducted does seem to suggest their place in music history is irrelevant or small.
We could all compile a list of the women who have not been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame who are more than worthy – in the same way we could easily list headline-worthy festival women who are denied or pushed lower down a bill! I do think that there are no excuses in any field when it comes to gender inequality in music. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame considers artists an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least twenty-five years prior to the year of nomination. Look to 2024, and we would be able to go back to 1999. I think Britney Spears would be eligible then. The late-‘90s saw an influx of incredible women come through and cement their reputations as queens. Also consider the fact that countless amazing women that this criteria could include. From the 1960s icons through to the plethora of innovative and popular women/female-led bands of the 1980s and 1990s. The choice should give such pleasure and inspiration to those who decide who is shortlisted for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! I would love to have the privilege of selecting some incredible women. Thanks to Courtney Love Cobain and Jessica Hopper, as they have reignited a debate that has been raging for years. So many times the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has overlooked women or not made efforts to ensure that their fourteen nominated artists includes greater attempts.
IN THIS PHOTO: When will Björk (whose international solo debut album came out in 1993) be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?!
It is not simply them doing this to please people and be seen as progressive. It is actually acknowledging the fact that there are scores of women who are worthy and have been left out. It is hard to argue against the statement that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a boys’ club when, year after year, most of the nominees are male/male-led. I have been thinking about all the female artists who inspired and influenced me growing up. Alongside Courtney Love Cobain, I can think of dozens who are eligible for inclusion in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and are as worthy and important as any of the male bands who have been shortlisted this year. Kate Bush will miss out this year by the look of things, and let’s hope at least one women is inducted (I am not including the fact that there is a female member deep inside of Joy Division/New Order, for Christ’s sake!). Something does need to change very soon. I don’t think it is good enough to say that they (the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) is trying and steps are being made. That is what major festivals say when they have to explain why there are no female headliners. It is very tiring. At a time when we know there are incredible women who could headline festivals, and there are these queens who have impacted music in such a profound way, what is the real reason for bodies like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame repeating the same patterns?! I don’t think it is good enough – and that has been echoed by so many on social media since Courtney Love Cobain and Jessica Hopper shared the statistics. The inductees are announced in May, and we the ceremony takes place in New York City. Thinking about The Big Apple puts me in mind of Fiona Apple. Another amazing woman who has not been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! It reaffirms the clear and undeniable fact that things need to…
CHANGE for the better next year.