Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Future Rock Legends - The Song Project - 1982 - The Vote So Far

Here are the current standings for 1982 (note: this is based on my count and may not be 100% accurate):

IN:

13 Votes:

Iron Maiden - "Run To The Hills"
Michael Jackson - "Beat It"

"Beat It" doesn't surprise me, though I am surprised that it has more votes than "Billie Jean".

"Run To The Hills" leading the vote in it's debut year is extremely surprising. It's not that it doesn't deserve the honor, but a heavy metal song from Iron Maiden that the average music fan has never heard of leading a class that included some of the best pop songs of the 1980's? Very surprising and very cool.


12 Votes:

Grandmaster Flash And the Furious Five - "The Message"
Michael Jackson "Billie Jean"

"The Message" is the first truly great rap song (an argument could be made for "The Breaks") and "Billie Jean" is widely considered to be one of the greatest pop songs ever made.


11 Votes:

The Clash - "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" - I'm not surprised that it's going to be voted in, but I had no idea it was going to be so much more popular than "Rock The Casbah", a song I find to be inferior but the Clash's only truly big hit. I imagine "Casbah" will get voted in as well, but if not "Should I Stay" is a fine representation of "Combat Rock".


10 Votes:

Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf"


9 Votes:

Electric Light Orchestra - "Evil Woman"
Judas Priest - "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
Lou Reed - "Perfect Day"
Michael Jackson - "Thriller"

This set of songs should close the book on Judas Priest, Lou Reed and the "Thriller" album. We'll probably see another ELO song at some point. "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" is the only other song of theirs that I'd consider voting for personally.


8 Votes:

Modern English - "I Melt With You"
Prince And The Revolution - "Little Red Corvette"
Soft Cell - "Tainted Love"
T. Rex - "20th Century Boy"
Violent Femmes - "Blister In The Sun"

1982 was a big year for Prince as well as Michael Jackson. One-hit wonders Modern English and Soft Cell make their first and last mark on the Hall. Violent Femmes have a few other songs worthy, but I doubt they'll get another song in before it's all said and done.


7 Votes:

Afrika Bambaataa - "Planet Rock"
Prince And The Revolution - "1999"
Roxy Music - "Virginia Plain"
Santana - "Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen"
The Animals - "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place"
The Penguins - "Earth Angel"

Another classic old school rap song and Prince's "1999" mix with a quartet of long overdue classics that are finally getting into the Hall.


6 Votes:

Billy Idol - "White Wedding"
Dexy's Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"
Roseanne Cash - "Seven Year Ache"
The Clash - "Rock The Casbah"
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Foxy Lady"
Willie Nelson - "Always On My Mind"

Three rookies, two classic country songs and a long-time pet project of mine are currently on the ballot with no tiebreaker required, but with voting still open, this could change.


ONE VOTE BACK:

Bachman- Turner Overdrive - "Takin' Care Of Business"
George Thorogood And The Destroyers - "Bad To The Bone"
Jerry Jeff Walker - "Mr. Bojangles"
The Doors - "Love Her Madly"
The Jackson 5 - "I'll Be There"
The Monkees - "Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Bad To The Bone" is the only rookie on this list. If it gets nominated again in the future it will probably get in. The rest of the songs seem like they all have a really good shot at getting in sometime in the future if the can't get over the top this year.

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