- Alice Cooper
- Beastie Boys
- Bon Jovi
- Chic
- Neil Diamond
- Donovan
- Dr. John
- J. Geils Band
- LL Cool J
- Darlene Love
- Laura Nyro
- Donna Summer
- Joe Tex
- Tom Waits
- Chuck Willis
So. Outside of Tom Waits and Dr. John this isn’t an especially inspirational list. I can imagine lots of these artists on some commercial radio station designed to play for aging boomers. And I say this as an aging boomer. Is Neil Diamond rock & roll? Really? And how does LL Cool J get in ahead (again) of the Sugarhill Gang? This year’s real WTF moment — Bon Jovi. Really? Bon Jovi? Maybe my perception of this list is colored by the fact that plenty of them are repeats — Love, Waits, LL Cool J, Summer, Tex.
The Smiths, Billy Bragg, The Replacements, The New York Dolls, Big Star — these have been some of my go to complaints about this list recently. What are yours? Who did they really miss out on this year?