Song of the Day 5/5: Rage Against the Machine, “Guerrilla Radio”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame released its list of honorees for 2023 the other day and, as usual, the headliners don’t scream rock and roll. Nobody begrudges Willie Nelson any honor that comes his way, but he just turned 90 and he’s been a country music legend longer than most modern hitmakers have been alive.

When the top two names are Willie and rap queen Missy Elliott, who’s honoring whom? Willie and Missy need the Hall a lot less than the Hall needs them. Without those two, the headliner would be Sheryl Crow. I’m not saying she’s undeserving, but that’s a reflection of how far the form has fallen since its glory days.

Only one inductee would excite a rock and roll audience from those glory days. I’m not sure what convinced the notoriously star-chasing voters that Rage Against the Machine deserved the honor — I mean, of course they do, just I did not see that coming — but good luck to whoever has to follow them at the induction concert in November.