Why Isn't Joan Jett in the Rock + Roll Hall of Fame??? - The Runaways (2010) Discussion

[–] undertherain 13 years ago

really??? abba? wow.
its like the other day when i was atching a vh1 show bout the best hard rock songs ever. they put evanescence (bring me to life) in there but no alice cooper, stooges, runaways (they did put a lita song though), among others. they put white stripes there, which even though i love white stripes, i recognize "seven nation army" is not hard rock.
why bother makin a list of hard rock if you're not gonna stick to the theme?

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[–] Shuk 13 years ago

hmmmmm, are you sure they weren't there?

#52. The Runaways – Cherry Bomb
#49. Iggy and the Stooges – Search and Destroy
#33. School’s Out – Alice Cooper

as well as
#29. Bad Reputation – Joan Jett
which did much better than
#76. Lita Ford – Kiss Me Deadly

So..how 'bout it then?

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[–] undertherain 13 years ago

maybe we watched a different show? i started watching it kinda in the middle though, BUT i was expecting them to leave the best for last or something. when you saw it, did they show it by ascending numbers (beginning on 1, then 2 etc)? because i did see kiss me deadly but i didnt see any of the rest (which i see it's listed as smaller numbers)

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tph890 11 years ago

I'm sorry, but The White Stripes are pure blues. Maybe hard blues (at times), but blues all the same.

You see what happens, Larry?! You see what happens when you *beep* a stranger in the ass, Larry?!!

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[–] Miss_Sui_Generis 13 years ago

Joan Jett and Pat Benatar both belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's ridiculous that these women were ignored-who runs that place?

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[–] jbkenn29 13 years ago

Joan will get in sooner or later. You must also remember that when joan first hit really big as a solo artist she was more pop music then hard rock. There were many really heavy bands at the time.

check out charlotte hall on the dirty.com. So far 10 ratings as a shim.

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[–] jingster666 13 years ago

Joan Jett is essentially a cover artist.

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[–] markhagner-1 13 years ago

I could see Pat Benatar but Joan Jett does not belong in the Hall of Fame as the previous poster states her hits were someone else covers. She was a niche artist so to speak.

Wonderland Exile

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[–] BigRich 12 years ago

You must also remember that when joan first hit really big as a solo artist she was more pop music then hard rock. There were many really heavy bands at the time.

Not sure if matters or not, but "rap" groups like Grandmaster flash & the Furious Five and Run-DMC made it into the Hall of Fame years ago. I can understand Run-DMC and they fused Rap and Metal/Rock 30 years ago, but still.

_
Every person that served can be called a veteran, but not every veteran can be called a Marine.

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[–] chas437 12 years ago

BS, there is at least a standard of creating great innovative music that will be relevant in future years. Pat Benater and Joan Jett will always be associated with bad MTV videos. If you are going to have a HoF, you have to distinguish the brilliance from the riff raff, othe wise why bother. Hair bands suck, all critics say it and it is simply true, its not a matter of debate or personal taste. You can listen to what you like, but don't be angered when the HoF disses your Joan Jett, Runaways.

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[–] gtrz 13 years ago

While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame doesn't have much credibility, I don't think Joan Jett belongs in it.
Many far more deserving artists have not made it in yet (Genesis, Deep Purple, Heart, Journey, Moody Blues, Yes, Peter Frampton, ELO, Chicago, Rush, etc.).
Joan had one massive hit song and a couple of other comparatively minor ones with Crimson and Clover and I Hate Myself for Loving You. Not exactly a Hall of Fame resume.
But hey, the R&R HOF inducts rap artists - so its pretty much a joke institution anyway.

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[–] csteve67 13 years ago

i think Genesis is in now

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[–] gtrz 13 years ago

You are correct. They were inducted in 2010. I just hadn't noticed. A very deserving band.
I just wish that there were another more legitimate Hall of Fame. Sort of like, forget about that fraudulent one in Cleveland...here's the REAL R&R Hall of Fame.

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[–] billqs 13 years ago

Joan deserves in because of her blazing rhythm guitar. She's right up there with Malcolm Young in that regard.

Gamera is really neat... He is made of mystery meat!

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[–] rams_cards_mavs 13 years ago

The Runaways should be in there just for the barriers they helped break down.

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[–] highschoolkiller 13 years ago

"Joan Jett is essentially a cover artist."

This

You can't swing a dead cat in hollywood without hitting someone with a vampire script

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[–] zap644 13 years ago

It is very much a joke institution as you say.

It's designed to make as much money as possible and few people are going to avoid going to it just because they included Abba or some other entertainer (I refuse to call some of the inductees "artists" or musicians) that doesn't deserve to be in it or because some deserving rocker has been excluded.

Ticket prices are ridiculous (but maybe that's to match what Ticketbastard would charge for any of the acts there). I would have paid anyway, but when I had the chance there was only an hour left before closing and it just wasn't worth it.

So they'll include crap that shouldn't be in there to appeal to more people who aren't that into rock and roll but might like the undeserving act.

And then there are the bands that maybe should be in there but we could argue about - I'm not going to argue specific artists since we all have different tastes but it really is amazing when you compile the list of people who aren't in it that many people think should be.

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[–] JoeKarlosi 11 years ago

Of course Joan Jett belongs in the RARHOF. She lives, breathes, exudes the very essence of what Rock N Roll is all about in the first place. It flows through her veins. And it's not like she didn't have any hit songs; she did... whether most of them were covers or not.

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[–] CatelynTullyDidNothingWrong 13 years ago

In what universe is ABBA at all rock?

Anyway, she was/is not nearly that good. That's why. She is held in high esteem mainly by girls because she is one of the only female R&R stars. I mean how many other famous ones can you name?

If she were a man she'd not be getting NEARLY this much credit.

Women get more unhappy the more they try and liberate themselves. ~Brigitte Bardot

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[–] evanevan 13 years ago

Not that good? She records and performs some the best high energy Rock & Roll there has been. Her shows were were just as foot stomping, jumping up and down, heart pumping as any rock & roll down by the Stones, Springsteen, George Thorogood, Chuck Berry, Green Day, The Ramones, etc as anyone. She deserves to be in. I mean really ABBA. Miles Davis, Grandmaster Flash. Are these really Rock & Roll? Sure Miles Davis was a very influential & highly regarded musician but he is Jazz not Rock & Roll. Joan Jett is pure R&R. Just put on "Bad Reputation", "I Love Rock & Roll" "Nag" "I Just Wanna Touch" & tell me otherwise.

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[–] osofine 13 years ago

She is held in high esteem mainly by girls because she is one of the only female R&R stars. I mean how many other famous ones can you name?

-ExoticMadchen

Okay.... Off the top of my head (in no particular order):

Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Lita Ford (as we're talking about "The Runaways")... Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Martha Reeves, Mama Cass Eliot, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, Marianne Faithfull, Carly Simon, Diana Ross, Grace Slick, Carole King, Regina Specktor, Linda Ronstadt, Patti Smith, Pat Benatar, Patty Smyth, Nico, Yoko One, Debbie Harry, Crissie Hynde, Ricky Lee Jones, Kim Carnes, Annie Lennox, Alison Moyet, Patti Labelle, Tina Weymouth, Cindy Wilson & Kate Pierson (B-52s), Sheryl Crow, Poe, Cher, Madonna, Cindi Lauper, Kate Bush, Siouxsie Sioux, Ani Difranco, Tori Amos, Aimee Mann, Joan Osborne, Ann & Nancy Wilson (Heart), Edie Brickell, Courtney Love, PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Shirley Manson, Amanda Palmer, Björk, Sinead O'Conner, Kim Gordon, Liz Phair, Gwen Stephani, Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Suzanne Vega, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers (The Indigo Girls), Tracy Chapman, Sarah McLaughlin, Natalie Merchant, Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins), Beth Gibbons, Norah Jones, ....

This is off the top of my head and obviously in no particular order (although I was thinking back chronologically but didn't strictly stick to that method). I know I'm forgetting people, and some artists are more hard rock, or strictly rock, than others. I guess it depends on one's definition of rock. Some artists are more "R&B" "Singer-Songwriters" and some "Pop". There are "country - rock" artists that should be probably be included, such as Shania Twain (Man, I Feel Like A Woman is pretty rockin', IMO), and The Dixie Chicks (e.g. "Not Ready to Make Nice" doesn't sound "country" at all).

I didn't add Lady Gaga or Amy Winehouse, or other artists who first achieved success in the 21st century as recently I've been living under a rock. ;P

Please feel free to add to this list and let me know who I've forgotten to add and recommend artists that it seems I don't know! :)
--------

@ExoticMadchen, I would recommend you check out the music of the artists listed above, and expand your knowledge of music (as well as of women) in general before making such small-minded comments as "She is held in high esteem mainly by girls because she is one of the only female R&R stars". I think you'll also find that there are plenty of men who appreciate Joan Jett... I can only hope that you are a 12 year old boy with no older siblings or musical role models, which is the only excuse I could accept for a comment like the one you wrote.

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[–] jac91604 13 years ago

That's a great list, Melissa Etheridge is the only one right now that I can think of that you missed.

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[–] thunderztorm 11 years ago

Missing Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil, Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy, Doro Pesch (ex-Warlock) and Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish)..

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[–] Ddey65 10 years ago

Crissie Hynde

Not that I want to trash Joan Jett, but Chrissie Hynde belongs there more than her. In fact Wendy O. Williams belongs there more than even Chrissie Hynde. Chrissie Hynde already is, but that's besides the point.

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[–] danimal97520 13 years ago

To the OP.....

The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame covers ANY musical genre that either a) influenced rock n' roll or b) was directly influenced by rock n' roll. No where does it say only rock n' roll acts. That is why there are blues acts, country acts, r&b acts and so on.

As for Abba being in...
The band was active for a decade. And they have sold 375,000,000 albums. Do you realize how many people or bands have out done that? 3 or 4. That's it. They have influenced pop music more than you can imagine. They also influenced rock music with their vocal harmonization. Thus....in the rock n' roll hall of fame. I'm not the least bit a fan of them, but they SHOULD be there.

Joan Jett is not in, because her career in the Runaways was brief. And while her solo career has carried on, she's had what can be considered 2 truly big hits as a solo artist. BOTH were cover songs. Not to slam the woman at all, as I have several of her cd's, BUT she has not sold enough albums to warrant being there.

To give a bit of a comparison of the 2....

ABBA:
8 studio albums (all went multi platinum)
9 compilation albums (8 of 9 went multi platinum)
375,000,000 albums sold total

Joan Jett:
13 studio albums(2 went platinum, 1 went gold, 10 failed to sell 500,000 copies)
2 ep's (neither went platinum or gold)
7 greatest hits albums (none went platinum or gold)
Less than 10 million albums sold as a solo artist.

And of note, while the Runaways had some cool tunes, Jett had little involvement in writing those tunes. And the Runaways also sold less 10 million albums as well.So while they were influential as far as the first all girl rock band, that's the extent their influence.

So being that Joan Jett sold less than 20 million albums between both her solo career and her time in the Runaways and who has personally written exactly....ZERO...hit songs, deserve to be in the R&R Hall Of Fame? I'd say no. I like her music, but no.

And as for the constant ABBA comparison people use. Every musical act (regardless of genre) that has sold more albums than Abba without exception, are already in the R&R Hall Of Fame. Every one of em.

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[–] danimal97520 13 years ago

And also...

When bands like Rush (who have had a 40 year...SUCCESSFUL career) are not in as of yet, there is absolutely no argument that Jett should be there. Rush has had more platinum albums in the last 7-8 years than Jett has had...in her entire career. They have also influenced a hell of alot more artists...

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[–] aoa8212 12 years ago

She had some hits, but not an overwhelming amount, and almost all of them were cover songs. To get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, you either have to be extremely popular, extremely critically acclaimed, and preferably both. Joan Jett doesn't really fit either of these categories.

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[–] krousesh 11 years ago

Good thing Jett doesn't give a damn about her bad reputation.

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[–] chas437 12 years ago

Probably because she never learned a fourth chord. The Runaways were a no talent gimmick act. Her solo career depended heavily on MTV videos of very mediocre three chord fare. I hope that answers your question.

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[–] evanevan 12 years ago

The Beatles were a 3 chord group, so was Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry yet they were great. The amount or type of chords doesn't matter, it's the songs themselves. Joan Jett had some great songs and was a great live act. she dederves to be acknowledged.

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[–] chas437 12 years ago

The Beatles evolved into far more than a 3-chord group (into the consensus greatest band of all time, although I disagree), Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry were innovators that influenced the course of music. The Runaways and Joan Jett played really basic wannabe punk, nothing special or unique, gimmick acts. Her solo music, largely enhanced by MTV video was very run of the mill, critics agree. Do some research. Hall of Fame is for Great Music. Joan Jett does the Indian Casino tours now along with the wash out bands from the 80s. "I love Rock and Roll, so put another dime in the jukebox baby....". Wow, I could name 100+ acts more deserving of acknowledgement.

The tradegy of the film is that it tries to portray the rock scene of the 70's to a Tiger Beat audience of today. Just awful.

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[–] linda_lee110282 12 years ago

Stop repeating this. We get it, but not everybody agrees with you.

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[–] evanevan 11 years ago

Excuse me, but The Beatles and Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry wrote some of the greatest R&R songs ever & they were 3 chord musicians. The number of chords you play doesn't mean anything.

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[–] StrayCat1000 11 years ago

I've heard the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is pretty much a scam, a lot of great artists don't have much respect for it regardless, and that includes Axl Rose basically shunning it. Apparently there's one single guy that makes all final decisions based on who & what HE likes or doesn't like... Is that correct?

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[–] chas437 11 years ago

I believe its a corporation, and they run it for profit, so its hardly a merit-based award, which is voted on by a panel of experts. The decisions they make seem kind of random and senseless.

I made the mistake of watching the entire ceremony on HBO last spring. They made a big deal of the featured inductees, i.e. Donovan, Beasties, Chili Peppers, Guns & Roses, and then at the end, they announced like 25 additional inductees, including all these obscure acts from the 1950s. It made the whole thing seem kind of pointless.

I don't think its a very prestigious award. If your favorite band isn't in the R&R HoF, I don't think it means squat.

Who's High Pitch?

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[–] StrayCat1000 11 years ago

IMO Alex Lifeson of RuSH has the best explanation regarding the R&R HoF if you do some Google searches. Basically, he says that induction and/or the award is just a popularity contest within the ranks of the R&R HoF itself. It doesn't have any effect on fans, record sales, ticket sales, etc, and most importantly, MUSIC.

Hardly any bands or artists consider it a major accomplishment or recognition of their craft, sentiments inclusive of industry experts or anyone else for that matter.

Similar applies to Axl Rose who simply doesn't give two *beep* about the R&R HoF and good for him for the things he has to say about it.

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[–] chas437 11 years ago

Agreed about Axl. He pretty much gave them the middle finger. I'll never watch that BS again.

Who's High Pitch?

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[–] Elzna 11 years ago

Joan Jett isn't in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame for the same reason she had to RELEASE HER 1980 RECORD BY HERSELF AFTER BEING TURNED DOWN BY EVERYONE...

Because she wouldn't suck d*ck and sell out to get there.

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[–] BettOnThat 11 years ago

Somebody else may have mentioned this by now, but the rock and roll hall of fame has never been purely about "rock" music, as the first class of inductees featured soul & blues artist. Pop acts have always been included it just depends on how much you're willing to accept as "pop". Madonna is an inductee. And if you feel the need to knock Jett, whom I'm not very familiar with, because she was a cover artist; you would have to go back and remove a lot of the so called pioneers. Elvis is well known for simply taking songs from other artist and using it as he sees fit, and he's not the only one.

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[–] yeley 11 years ago

I am as big of a punk rock fan as anybody. I love Joan Jett! I love old rockers like The Who and Kinks...all are deserving for the hall of fame in my opinion.........but..the post that made fun of ABBA? Come' on ..you may not like them but ABBA definitely belongs as well. They were HUGE! They also were very talented.....In fact, I kind of like them.

Heck, even Pete Townshend is an ABBA fan!

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