What the Rock Hall Of Fame Does Better Than its Country Counterpart
When comparing and contrasting the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you couldn’t find two more differing ideologies on how to run a hall of fame institution. For the Country Music Hall of Fame, it is a “quality, not quantity” approach. Inducting only three new members each year under the current system, a Country Hall of Fame induction is one of the industry’s most difficult distinctions to land, leaving no question about the air of prestige and the value artists feel when they’re bestowed with the honor. The idea is that you can always induct an artist in the future, but you never get a do over once an artist is inducted. Arguments can rage all day on who deserves to be in that isn’t, but rarely do you look at a Country Hall of Fame inductee as undeserving.
With the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it’s a “throw the barn door wide and take all comers” type of approach, inducting anywhere from seven to ten artists per year, including artists from the pop world like Madonna, and rap artists like Run DMC. The Rock Hall of Fame also allows fans to have a vote in the induction process, which is always a risky proposition. And despite their more open policy, the Rock Hall of Fame still fields the same criticisms the Country Hall of Fame does for the list of artists worthy of induction who for one reason or another are not in.
Because of these factors and many others, the Country Music Hall of Fame feels hallowed, and has held on to its credibility over the years as a distinguished institution in both country music and the Nashville community, while the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame feels hollow and haphazard in how it handles its induction process, from the curious to embarrassing members and glaring omissions. Artists refusing induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame like The Sex Pistols and Axl Rose also speak to the credibility problem of the institution, though it still has a very worthy museum space and archive of music history that can’t be diminished regardless of whose plaque makes it into the rotunda. But for the induction to carry great meaning, great care must be taken in selecting inductees like the cautious approach the Country Hall of Fame has characterized over the years.
But where the Country Music Hall of Fame is losing out to its rock and roll counterpart is in the buzz each year’s inductions create. And it’s not even close. Granted, some of the controversy over candidates and inductees is the impetus behind the Rock Hall buzz, but whether it is the announcement of nominees, the announcement of the eventual winners, or the induction concert, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame talk is a favorite of water coolers and work places, local and national talk shows, and bars and music venues all across the country. Even talk of the rules and regulations of the process is robust pop culture theater every year, and it all combines to become one big word of mouth advertising campaign that is invaluable to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s health. Who got in? Who got snubbed? What bands are mashing up with other famous artists for the induction concert? Everybody seems to have an opinion or insight and a propensity to want to discuss it.
Just this week NPR’s Chris Molanphy engaged in a long-winded editorial about the right and wrong way to complain about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, expounding on what he calls his “Supremes Argument.”
“As a music geek, I often find myself in conversations, either online or over cocktails, about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” says Molanphy. “Indeed, I’ve been nerding out about the Hall since last Thursday, when the institution announced its shortlist for induction into the Hall Class of 2015. And when I find myself in polite but argumentative company debating the Rock Hall, I have an approach I use. It comes in handy when my fellow nerd has been griping about the definition of “rock and roll,” and why this mysterious institution inductor of Donna Summer, Madonna, and Grandmaster Flash; persistent nominator of Chic and N.W.A has got it all wrong.”
When you compare all of this with the Country Hall of Fame process, it couldn’t be more different. The Country Hall struggles to capture the American zeitgeist even on the day it announces its annual crop of inductees. By the afternoon, it’s an afterthought, except for the predictable vitriol about who didn’t get in, which fizzles out by dinnertime. The actual induction ceremony to the Country Hall of Fame, called the “Medallion Ceremony,” is described by the Hall as a “private occasion” where “families, friends, and business associates [gather] to welcome the new class of honorees into their midst.” Compare this to the Rock Hall’s raucous ceremony and concert that is simulcast online and then shown on HBO for weeks after, and you can see the difference between the approach of these two institutions.
Of course there is inherent differences between these two hall of fame institutions that parallel the music itself. “Rock” was the long-standing catch-all phrase for rebellious American music for the last half century, and so there’s simply a lot more music embodied by that term, meaning more interest, a more laid back attitude, and the need for more inductees. Meanwhile country, at least in the traditional sense, is not about a big show. “We don’t make a party out of loving,” as Merle Haggard once said in the song “Okie From Muskogee.” The fact that the Country Hall of Fame doesn’t make a spectacle of their induction process is one of the reasons the institution is held in a higher regard. But is there some happy medium here, and is country music missing out on an annual opportunity to promote itself and its inductees to the greater masses by keeping their process so dramatically understated?
Things are changing, and country music is now the most dominant genre of American music, not rock. And it’s hard to not sense that the Country Music Hall of Fame is missing out on a big promotional opportunity by keeping the process nothing more than a small press conference and a private ceremony. It doesn’t need to be some wild concert, and I’m not sure the public can be trusted in participating in the voting process. But how about announcing the final ballot nominees to stir up interest before the big inductee announcement, or including a concert around the induction that all the public can enjoy, even if you want to keep the Medallion Ceremony private?
The induction of new members in to the Country Music Hall of Fame each year should be a joyous occasion that all country music fans should be welcome to participate in at least in some capacity, and should stir and energize the public about country music through the process. Looking at the annual event as a bigger promotional opportunity should be a priority.
October 22, 2014 @ 8:39 am
Maybe it’s the people I surround myself with, but every year about this time the conversation I hear is about how the RRHoF shows itself yet again to be a complete joke with the latest inductions.
October 22, 2014 @ 8:51 am
But is it even worse to have nobody talking at all? They’ll never admit it, but the reason people are talking about the RRHoF is because they care.
October 22, 2014 @ 9:22 am
Fair question. I don’t know. I have to wonder if the fact that no one really cares despite the genre’s current success is tied to the fact that so much of that success is the result of catering to the youth demographic that doesn’t care about any country music that came out before about 2006.
October 22, 2014 @ 8:49 am
Part of the problem I think is that the Rock HOF is much quicker with nominating acts that would be considered still active and at the least still culturally relevant therefore much more interest in them and their nomination.
On the other hand the Country HOF has such high standards concerning years active and overall accomplishments that almost by definition the nominees are going to be no longer active charting and in some cases even touring artists.
If the Country HOF wanted more splash they could loosen up the rules and nominate younger still active performers more often (I know they have a few times Strait, Reba, Garth a few others) and make a bigger splash. People like McGraw, Chesney, Urban (whether deserving or not) will eventually get in so if they want buzz they could just nominate them sooner.
Or, and this would be much tougher logistically, they could get current acts to perform at an induction ceremony/concert tribute to the nominees. But that would be tough as the Opry issues have shown.
October 22, 2014 @ 8:56 am
Garth Brooks was inducted a couple of years ago, and he’d already been retired for 10 years. You’re talking about the biggest commercial success the genre has ever seen, and the induction really didn’t even raise a pulse. You know Alan Jackson is going to get in, but will it be after he’s unable to sell arenas like Vince Gill?
October 22, 2014 @ 10:58 am
Yes but he was still youngish (around 50) and although he was ‘retired’ it was generally accepted that he would be active again at some point.
But my point went along with the idea of having a big induction type concert that would certainly get more attention with younger more relevant acts. As you mentioned if all they have is this private ceremony then there will never be any buzz and conversely if they have a big concert honoring the nominees but they are all older or retired and long out of the current country landscape then that won’t get much attention either.
If they want more buzz they will have to get younger nominees I’m afraid.
October 22, 2014 @ 11:13 am
The other thing this speaks to is how quickly country acts are put out to pasture these days. If you look at rock, the biggest current acts are the ones that were also big 20 years ago. Rush, Guns & Roses, Green Day. They’re still selling out arenas. Whereas in country, most of the acts that were big in the 80’s and 90’s are considered has been’s by the industry. NASH Icon is trying to change that, but that is where we are right now, making the annual induction names somewhat unsexy and irrelevant to popular culture.
October 22, 2014 @ 11:21 am
I think part of it is the strong connection with country and radio. And now radio is chasing the kiddos so they don’t want to play Strait, Jackson and Reba because their like all old and stuff. So they are being put out to pasture even though they still have large fan bases as seen by their touring numbers.
As proof the rock names you mentioned also have virtually no current radio airplay (Green Day maybe excepted) yet they have much higher profiles in their genres.
October 2, 2015 @ 5:40 pm
Scotty, where on Earth do you live that doesn’t play Rock and Roll? It is the most popular genre in the world after all…
October 22, 2014 @ 9:05 am
As a baseball fan, I’ve been more of a “small Hall” leaner than not. The honor should be reserved for the best of the best, especially when the institution isn’t named “The Hall Of The Very Good”.
I understand what you’re saying about generating more buzz, but I think I’d be saddened if the Country HOF abandoned the private Medallion Ceremony in search of tv ratings. But I think it’d be cool if they did do a concert the next day that honored those inducted the night before.
Sorry for rambling…
October 22, 2014 @ 9:44 am
Just let folks know beyond the cloistered Nashville country media that you actually inducted some people into your institution. Keep the Medallion Ceremony private. But throw a concert. Something.
October 22, 2014 @ 10:14 am
Please, God, no–not a Country HOF induction concert! Not another reason for Blake, Jason, Luke, Brad, and Miranda to perform!! They will do duets with the inductees, and that is not even a threat!!!
October 22, 2014 @ 10:36 am
Obviously there are pitfalls with everything, but the Country Music Hall of Fame regularly puts on concerts and other public events in Hall spaces that are very respectful to what is meant to be highlighted, and they are not made into hyper commercial events. The HOF is a not-for-profit, and doesn’t have to worry about making a big splash. Certain safeguards would have to be put in place to make sure it doesn’t get out-of-hand. The point here is to simply put a little more emphasis behind the fact that you’re supposed to be celebrating the careers of these people. But what is the point if nobody is paying attention?
October 22, 2014 @ 11:13 am
‘Certain safeguards would have to be put in place’
Sadly these would be bypassed and would lead to Ariana Grande like appearances. Safeguards are only as good as those enforcing them.
October 22, 2014 @ 1:38 pm
But the legacy of the Country Music Hall of Fame is to be too strict, too willing to adhere to safeguards. Yes, you would have to put the right person, and checks and balances in place to pull it off. But it is possible.
October 22, 2014 @ 10:08 am
I like this idea, don’t make changes to what they’re doing now but add a separate concert event to honor the new inductees on a larger scale.
October 22, 2014 @ 10:27 am
Yeah, but . . .
‘Fame’ is not ‘Best’ . . .
Hank Williams is ‘The Best’.
Kenny Chesney is ‘Famous’. . .(and short . . .and tone deaf, one assumes).
I also make a distinction between ‘The Best’ and ‘The Greatest’.
The Best Guitarist Ever might be Edward V Halen, or maybe Yngwie Malmsteen.
The Greatest Guitarist Ever is Jimie Hendrix.
Greatness implies more than just ultimate proficiency.
So, yes–Hank Sr. is the Greatest. And that always trumps The Best.
October 22, 2014 @ 11:10 am
But even if you go with the very exclusive model there are going to be people that make it that people on here aren’t going to like.
Someone like Kenny Chesney will make it eventually and probably Keith Urban. Chesney has won multiple CMA Entertainer Of The Year awards and almost everybody that has won even one EOTY and is eligible is in the HOF.
So even the exclusive Hall will and probably has people that won’t meet with many people’s approval.
October 22, 2014 @ 1:41 pm
But that’s every single Hall of Fame’s dilemma. That is what makes the induction process such engaging theater. But with the CMHOF, I don’t think enough people even know who’s being inducted to even have an opinion one way or another. In the rock world, the announcement of finalists and inductees is one of the biggest events all year.
October 22, 2014 @ 9:41 am
I had to rite a emale to the bums at the rock n roll hall o fame evry day for yeers to get em to put skynard in. hall of lame if ya ask me.
I all so have a speshal anownsement. Lil Dale is comin back out of retiremant. After thankin it over for a long time an with insperashun from Garth comin out of retiremant. I desided I can not let my frends an fans down. the peeple have spoken.
All so I wood like to let u no my band lil Dale n the new rascals is savin money for studio time to work on are daybu allbum. vary ecksited.
I wood all so like to eckstend the allive branch to the folks I was meen to in the past. I thank client is won of the all time grate comenters of saving country music an shud be treeted with respekt. All so I want to apolojize to megan linnseey for sayin her song was reel bad. Try harder then that is a grate song an she is the most bewtifull woman in country music this side of jenifer netles an the gals from litlebig town. Im sarry I was so rude bout that won.
In clossing I wood like to say we need to be more nice to won anuther round here. I was reel in spirred by garths peeple lovin peeple. Garths nos what hes talkin about. Its grate to be back. god bless you all an god bless america!
October 22, 2014 @ 12:40 pm
Goddamn it all to Hell.
October 23, 2014 @ 5:17 am
Welcome back, little bitty buddy!! Good to have you here, rat back where you belong…
October 2, 2015 @ 5:44 pm
Learn to spell.
October 22, 2014 @ 10:17 am
A concert would probably be a good idea. Of course, the powers that be would screw it up. Celebrating Country HOF Concert starring Avril Lavigne, Volbeat, and Luke Bryan. Just about see something like that happening…
October 22, 2014 @ 10:21 am
And you’ve hit on the downside. I’m not sure how you avoid this, but if it were to go down the road of every other “country” event out there I’d just as soon keep it quiet.
October 22, 2014 @ 11:38 am
How about a concert (1) featuring past CMA award winners, (2) performing songs made famous by this year’s medallion receiptants, (3) with ticket and performance rights proceeds donated to the musician’s relief fund or some other music related charity.
One item that would really make an item like this interesting would be deciding who would be in charge of the production each year. I imagine a concert focused on honoring the receiptants versus one showcasing the performers would be very different.
October 22, 2014 @ 5:32 pm
I don’t really get worked up about either one. At best, they give beginning listeners a cannon to start investigating; at their worst, they simply confirm long held prejudices and a static view of music (this is especially true for older listeners who stopped listening to anything new years back). To a listener who is in the process of digging deep, neither one serves the slightest purpose. You can complain about why a favorite artist isn’t in, but ultimately, if you like them, does it matter? Rory Gallagher isn’t in– I don’t really care. Doesn’t make me think any less of his life work, and there’s little I think higher of. And neither one will ever turn me on to anything new. So I wind up paying much more attention to this site and Robert Xgau than any hall of fame anywhere.
October 23, 2014 @ 7:11 am
I like the country hall of fame better because fewer people are in it, which makes it more of an honor. To make it a bigger deal to the public, they should announce the new members at award shows (even though those are a joke at least people will hear the names and maybe look the artist up).
October 25, 2014 @ 5:55 am
Actually, the CMHoF inductions used to take place on the annual CMA Awards Show. The medallions actually came to be during the 25th anniversary of the Hall. All living members were at that time given the medallions. The Medallion Ceremony evolved several years later as air time on the awards for that year’s inductees got less time therefore seemingly diminishing the award itself.
October 23, 2014 @ 12:12 pm
Personally I think the Country Music HoF gets it just right. Induction is treated like the honor it is, and the hall itself feels sacred. I made my first visit there a few years back and I’m not ashamed to say that I teared up when I got to the Rotunda.
The Rock & Roll HoF, on the other hand, is a big glitzy amusement park of a museum dedicated to the music. It’s fun, but it sure isn’t sacred.
Both are perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the music they’re meant to honor, and I don’t think either one needs to change to be more like the other.
October 23, 2014 @ 3:00 pm
P.S. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum houses the plaques….but the organization responsible for the induction process = Country Music Association.
cmaworld.com
FYI 🙂
October 23, 2014 @ 3:44 pm
I understand that, and have iterated that on this site many times.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/2014-country-music-hall-of-fame-picks-prognostications
The Country Music Hall of Fame inductees are selected through a committee process appointed by the Country Music Association, or CMA. Since 2010, the selection process has been split up into three categories. 1) Modern Era (eligible for induction 20 years after they first achieve “national prominence”). 2) Veterans Era (eligible for induction 45 years after they first achieve “national prominence”). 3) Non-Performer, Songwriter, and Recording and/or Touring Musician active prior to 1980 (rotates every 3 years).
The reason it was not mentioned here is because this is somewhat unnecessary manusha to the more broad argument being made here, in my opinion. Whether it is the CMA Hall of Fame committee, or the Hall of Fame itself, the point is not enough promotion is going into their doings as their could be to everyone’s benefit. I didn’t mention how the R&RHOF picks their finalists, the whole Jan Wenner influence, etc. etc. either. Because again, it’s not really relevant to the current discussion.
October 24, 2014 @ 9:20 pm
For whatever reason, rock acts just have more staying power among current fans.
Don’t get me wrong–I, personally, am a huge Bobby Bare fan–but I have to admit that Bobby Bare being inducted to the Country Music H-o-F just does not create much in the way of marketing opportunities. Ditto for Connie Smith, etc.
Even Tanya Tucker and Rickie Skaggs, when they get inducted in the next few years.
October 2, 2015 @ 5:42 pm
Of course country doesn’t induct many artists into its hall of fame. ALL COUNTRY MUSIC SOUNDS EXACTLY THE SAME!