Month: April 2023

Bring up the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame to a typical music fan, and you will immediately receive two contradictory responses in the same breath. First, this person will say, “A museum for music is lame, and being inducted has no bearing on the actual artistic merit of a musician’s work.” This is correct. And then this person will say, “I can’t believe the Rock Hall doesn’t include [an encyclopedic list of overlooked geniuses that have been meticulously and angrily catalogued over the course of many years]!” This is also correct.

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame doesn’t matter. We all know this.

But the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame also matters a lot. We all know this, too.

By the way, I am also this typical music fan. The difference is that I am also a Rock Hall voter. But before I was a voter, I routinely ripped the institution as irrelevant, Boomer-obsessed, artistically suspect, and idiotic. I also was very interested in becoming a person with a (very small) role in choosing who gets inducted. After all, if this thing was going to exist anyway, I wanted to have a say.

But with (very minor) power comes (medium) responsibility. I decided that if I’m going to be a voter, I must be transparent, even if it means opening myself to online abuse from opinionated loud-mouths exactly like me.

Therefore, I am going to walk through my process of voting for the 2023 Rock Hall class. Along the way, I’ll try to explain my reasoning, as well as my frustrations with the process. (Even though I’m a voter, I am still complaining about the Rock Hall. Old habits die hard.)

But before we get to that, let me explain five things:

1) There are 14 nominees this year. I did not pick the nominees. The nominating committee picked them. I know nothing about the nominating committee. I imagine they are like the shadowy cabal that Tom Cruise discovers in Eyes Wide Shut. (Except with less orgies.)

2) You are allowed to vote for five acts. There are no write-ins. (I am speaking to you, guy on Twitter who is about to tweet at me, “No love for Phish?”) Ballots are due at the end of April, and the inductees will be announced (I think) in early May.

3) This is an extremely qualified class. It’s not true every year that all of the candidates are worthy of induction. It is true this year, though. If I could, I would vote for all of them. But I can’t. So I didn’t.

4) If I didn’t vote for an artist, it is not intended as a sign of disrespect. As I said, I like (or love) the nine acts I didn’t vote for. In some cases, the only reason I didn’t vote for a particular act is because I felt like they would make it without my support. In those instances, I put priority on artists who might need my vote over those who don’t.

5) Voting for the Rock Hall requires a lot of this sort of reactive, strategic thinking. (At least it does for me — other people might throw darts at their ballots for all I know.) I think my strategies makes sense. But you might disagree. And if you disagree, I might mute you.

Okay, let’s parse this.

Kate Bush

One strategy — as I just said — is not voting for artists/bands that I’m confident already have enough votes to get in. I considered this approach for Kate Bush. Coming off her Stranger Things bump — which occurred in the midst of a long-running critical love fest for her work among modern music writers — I assumed that Kate Bush of all people was a slam dunk. But then I remembered that I voted for her in 2021, and I thought she was a slam dunk then, and she’s somehow still not in. And … I really think Kate Bush is extremely overdue at this point? In terms of influence, every arty, left-of-center indie pop artist in 2023 owes something to her. And yet somehow her music also doesn’t seem overexposed. She’s foundational and fresh at the same time, a very rare combination.My vote: Yes.

Sheryl Crow

I like Sheryl Crow. I really like her first three albums, which established her as one of the most reliable creators of pop-rock radio candy in the ’90s. Her best song from this era, “If It Makes You Happy,” has been covered by approximately 7,000 indie bands and yet if another one covered it tomorrow I would quickly smash the play button. You can make a case that the most popular singer-songwriters to emerge in the last five years — everyone from Phoebe Bridgers to Lucy Dacus to Soccer Mommy – owe Crow a sizable debt. As it is, I expect to hear and enjoy her indestructible songs at CVS until the day I keel over at a CVS.

Now the nitpicky part: Did she invent an archetype? I think Kate Bush clearly did. Sheryl Crow refined the heartland rocker sound for a new decade, which is admirable. But is she inventive? I don’t know about that. Does that mean “Strong Enough” isn’t a great song? Of course not. Unfortunately, we’re already in Sophie’s Choice territory here.

My vote: No.

Missy Elliott

Is she inventive? Absolutely? Is she one of the important rappers of her generation? Uh-huh. Did I recently put her on a list of the best debut albums ever? I did! Did I vote for her? Um … let me explain.

There are people on this list who are deserving that have been waiting for years and even decades to get inducted. Some of these artists waited so long that they died before they could be recognized. This is pretty much the case every year. Therefore, I try to prioritize artists who have been stuck for an eternity in the waiting room over those who have just entered the conversation. Kate Bush, for instance, has been eligible since 2004. That’s longer than the core viewership of Stranger Things has been alive. So, that’s another reason why I’m voting for her.

This is Missy Elliott’s first year of eligibility. If she doesn’t make it this year — I actually think she will have a lot of support — she will get in at some point. If that’s the case, I look forward to eventually casting my vote for her.

My vote: No.

Iron Maiden

The thing that people who get upset about the Rock Hall don’t understand is that voters aren’t able vote based on the merits of a particular artist. You are voting based on the merits of a particular artist relative to the other artists who are on the ballot. You are forced to compare apples with oranges and ’90s rappers with ’80s metal bands. It frankly is the single most frustrating aspect of voting for this thing.

As I pondered my ballot this year, I wondered if we would be better off as voters if there were categories. What if artists were separated by decade? You get to vote for one artist from the ’70s, the ’80s, etc. (Actually, that doesn’t seem totally workable). Maybe it should be genre? One pop singer, one alt-rock band, one rapper, etc. (Hmm … that also seems flawed.)

Back to Maiden. I love this band. Their ’80s work is iconic, but they have also put out quality late-period work. As an arena attraction, they’re an all-time live act. Basically, you can’t write the history of metal without them. And metal in general is woefully under-represented in the Rock Hall. I also suspect that they will need every vote that they can get, as many voters (it seems) shrug their shoulders at bands like this.

My vote: Yes.

Joy Division/New Order

I have mixed feelings about packaging these two pioneering post-punk bands together. On one hand, I get it: New Order very naturally extended from Joy Division in the wake of Ian Curtis’ death. Also, thinking of them as one entity probably makes each band seem more important in the minds of an electorate that has been slow to induct alt-rock legends.

On the other hand … these are two different bands! And it’s kind of corny that Rock Hall voters can’t just decide that Joy Division and New Order deserve their own sets of flowers. Besides, I would love to see Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook awkwardly stand next to each other on stage on two separate occasions, rather than just one.

Here’s the thing: I gambled on this one. I am 95 percent sure that Joy Division/New Order is going to make it. I originally had them on my ballot, but then I thought, “Do they really need my support?” If I’m wrong, I will feel as bad as I do whenever I put on Closer.

My vote: No.

Cyndi Lauper

Here’s another artist I am confident will make it with or without my help. She was among the highest vote-getters for the online fan vote, which historically has been a good indicator of who gets inducted. And she has the sort of cross-generational support among industry people that bodes well for her chances. So: While I love “Time After Time,” I must put my support elsewhere.

My vote: No.

George Michael

George and Cyndi have a similar career arc, in that they both put out unassailable ’80s pop classics as their debuts — 1983’s She’s So Unusual and 1987’s Faith, respectively — that were so massive that they overshadow the rest of their work. In the case of George Michael, he only put out three more albums of original material after Faith. If I’m picking nits, that works against him.

Then again, I really, really love Faith. It really is one of the best pop albums of all time. I am also inclined, as I mentioned, to honor artists who passed away before they could be honored. But there are, sadly, a lot of artists to posthumously honor this year.

I hate this.

My vote: No.

Willie Nelson

Is he the greatest and most consequential artist on this list? I would say yes. He is so great and consequential that he seems way bigger than the Rock Hall. The honor almost diminishes him. It’s like the federal government giving Abraham Lincoln an “Employee Of The Month” award.

Does Willie Nelson really need this?

My vote: No.

Rage Against The Machine

I am inclined to vote for ’90s alt-rock bands. As I have complained many, many times, the Rock Hall seems to be pivoting away from nominating rock acts because there’s a mistaken belief that all of the great rock acts are already in. And that’s not true! It’s the opposite of true! Google your favorite alt or indie or metal band from the ’80s and ’90s, and there’s a very good chance they are not yet in, and a decent chance that they haven’t even been nominated!

Rage has already been on the ballot several times, and yet here we are. Clearly, there are voters who will always blame these guys for popularizing nü-metal. I wonder if the Rock Hall will eventually go the Joy Division/New Order route and package Rage Against The Machine with Soundgarden and Audioslave for a three-banger of bombastic riffage. That bill would be undeniable.

As for me, there is another band from this era I am voting for instead.

I’m sorry, Tom Morello.

My vote: No.

Soundgarden

While they didn’t start having hits until the ’90s, Soundgarden actually originated in the ’80s, which means they preceded all of their grunge peers and set the blueprint for that music. (This is their 11th year of eligibility.) Nevertheless, they have been on the outside looking in as Nirvana and Pearl Jam were swiftly escorted into the hall. (Incredibly, Matt Cameron made it as a member of Pearl Jam before the band he started out in.)

I think they deserve to make it, and I fear that both Boomers and Millennials in the voting pool are inclined to overlook one of the best Gen X hard rock outfits ever. So I am doubly inclined to lend my support. I just wish Chris Cornell was still around to appreciate it.

My vote: Yes.

The Spinners

To revive a gripe from earlier: It’s really dumb to be put in a position where I’m forced to compare this sublime ’70s vocal group to Soundgarden and Kate Bush. These artists are brilliant in completely different ways! The current system encourages the worst sort of tribalism among voters, where people lazily fall back on picking artists who mattered to them between the ages of 17 and 24. (Or against artists associated with whichever older or younger generation the voter happens to personally resent.)

When it comes to Philly Soul — which simply is some of the most purely enjoyable music ever made — you can’t go wrong with The Spinners. If I were voting for the Backyard BBQ Music Hall Of Fame, the group responsible for “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” would be at the top of my ballot. Please give them the “Musical Excellence” Award!

My vote: No.

A Tribe Called Quest

Are they one of the top five groups in their genre? Check.

Have they put out beloved albums in multiple decades? Check.

Is it impossible to write the history of hip-hop without them? Check.

Do their best albums still sound incredible? Check.

Is The Low End Theory as good as any LP put out by any artist on this list? Check.

Have they already waited too long? Check. (This is their eighth year of eligibility.)

Do I hope that Q-Tip sees this and invites me to hang out sometime? Check.

My vote: Yes.

The White Stripes

If they make it, will Meg White show up? I’m tempted to vote yes just to find out. (In addition to The White Stripes being, you know, one of the best and most popular rock bands of the last 25 years.)

However, I have to fall back on my “don’t vote for an act on their first year of eligibility if there are worthy artists who already have been waiting a long time” rule. I think The White Stripes will make it regardless, but if it’s not this year, it will definitely be next year.

My vote: No.

Warren Zevon

He’s the least famous person here. He has (I’m guessing) sold the fewest records. He has the most checkered past, and (again, I’m guessing) he has personally alienated the most voters. (He has been dead for 20 years, but he had a huge lead in the “alienated industry people” department.)

Warren Zevon is also the artist I am most personally invested in making it. I love his music more than anyone else here, and I also feel that making the Rock Hall would help his legacy the most. He’s the opposite of Willie Nelson in that regard — a Rock Hall induction would have a tangible impact on encouraging people who might otherwise have no reason to put on “Splendid Isolation” to give the guy a chance. And his music deserves that chance.

The Rock Hall doesn’t matter. We all know this. But the Rock Hall also matters a lot. We all know this, too. And it would matter the most to WZ.

My vote: Hell yes.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Move over, Jennifer Coolidge. While the Best in Show star — and American treasure — and her onscreen hotel hookup-turned-husband Jon Gries were the only two actors from the first season of The White Lotus to make it to season 2, they’re about to have their season count challenged.

While it’s possible that Coolidge and/or Gries could get some screentime in the upcoming third season of the Mike White-created hit, it seems unlikely — for all the reasons anyone who watched season 2 understands. But we will see another familiar face: Variety reports that Natasha Rothwell, who played spa manager Belinda in season 1, will return for another go-around in the hit HBO series’ upcoming third season.

While White is keeping the details of exactly what’s to come in the new season pretty quiet, he has described the season as “a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality.” It has also been reported that the season will take place in Thailand.

In addition to being a fan favorite character in The White Lotus‘ first season, Rothwell’s Belinda — who allowed herself to get caught in Coolidge’s vapid web of big dreams and half-baked ideas — was a hit with critics. In 2022, Rothwell earned an Emmy nomination for the role for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (the series will now compete in the Drama category). In 2020, Rothwell earned her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series as part of the cast of Issa Rae’s Insecure.

(Via Variety)

Earlier this month, “Heart On My Sleeve” circulated social media. It was an AI-generated track that paired Drake with The Weeknd. After going viral on DSPs, Universal Music Group requested it to be taken down. However, many were fooled.

Meek Mill was among the fans streaming the song, and he even praised it on Twitter. “This my 5th time banging this and it’s flame,” he wrote, according to HipHopDX. “We need new music from y’all 2.” The tweet has since been deleted.

UMG gave a statement to Billboard regarding their decision to take down “Heart On My Sleeve.” “The training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law),” they said, “as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs, begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation. We’re encouraged by the engagement of our platform partners on these issues – as they recognize they need to be part of the solution.”

Meek Mill is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ever since James Gunn took over as the new head of the DC Universe, the writer/director has repeatedly cited legendary comics writer Grant Morrison as the inspiration for several upcoming projects. (Superman: Legacy and The Brave and The Bold being the biggest examples.) However, Morrison’s influence over the DCU just exerted itself in a surprising way.

During a recent episode of Titans, Beast Boy is pulled into DC’s version of the multiverse where he encountered a slew of other properties including Grant Gustin’s The Flash, Stargirl, Swamp Thing, Zachary Levi’s Shazam, Cesar Romero’s Joker, Teen Titans Go!, and Doom Patrol before colliding with the comics writer.

As for why Morrison’s cameo is significant, he literally created a detailed map of the DC Multiverse on top of being the architect of several major story stretching back to the ’80s. Morrison has also been a huge proponent of the theory that everything that happens in comics counts. It’s all continuity, even the wackiest stuff.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see if Morrison is going to be a guiding force for Gunn’s newly revised DCU, or if he’ll just show up for cool cameos now and then. If it’s the latter, DC fans are definitely here for it. Morrison quickly started to trend on Twitter as Titans viewers went freaking nuts over his appearance.

You can see some of the reactions below:

Titans is available for streaming on HBO Max.

Lauren Boebert is not having a rootin’ tootin’ great week. She somehow one-upped her previously worst beer-associated tweet (crediting a quote by John Adams to Samuel Adams) with an almost impressive Bud Light self own, in which she completely veered past the actual ideologies and tragic experience of fallen U.S. soldier (and former NFL player) Pat Tillman. Boebert also saw her own constituents defy her warning about drag story times and go on to merrily hold a successful such event in her Colorado district.

Before both of these happened, though, Boebert tweeted about a civil rights icon in a not-a-good-look take that’s worth circling back for.

Boebert decided to tweet without citation about a recent Ohio incident involving a woman, who may have been mentally ill, getting into an altercation (as reported by TMZ) with a Target security guard and declaring that her grocery bill should be free as “reparations.” The incident grew violent, and the woman was arrested and hit with a fine.

For unknown reasons, Boebert relayed the news story as an anecdote and then tweeted, “Rosa Parks paid for her bus ticket, lady.”

So… a joke? No one really knows, and Boebert didn’t really explain the point that she was trying to make. Was she dropping vague praise for Rosa Parks, too? That shall remain a mystery, but the overall sentiment from respondents is that there was actually no point to her tweeting this. As incendiary as Boebert’s positions in Congress are, her detractors would still prefer that she use her time for congressional duties or, at least, tweet about something that is relevant to an issue tackled by Congress.

As well, it’s not fantastic for a lawmaker to come for the mentally ill or let the (alleged) racially charged remarks fly.

The week is still young, as well. We may very well see another Boebert controversy, and as we speak, the Democratic candidate who nearly beat Boebert, Adam Frisch, has been a fundraising demon while generally running on the “Not Boebert” platform.

Love isn’t a potent enough word to describe Snoop Dogg’s relationship with cannabis. The iconic West Coast rapper serenaded Tom Brady with a Christmas carol while lighting a blunt. During the same appearance on the Let’s Go! podcast, Snoop relayed the “most stoned” he’s ever been was with Willie Nelson in Amsterdam on 4/20.

You didn’t think Snoop would let this year’s 4/20 roll by without commemorating it somehow, did you?

Alongside Gamma, the Death Row Records owner re-released his debut Doggystyle album as a limited-edition vinyl box set:

“Happy 4/20 — the most important holiday of the year for us stoners — we have a special announcement, and a rare gift for you,” reads the caption to Gamma and Snoop’s joint Instagram post. “To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the legendary Doggystyle album, we’re dropping a box set of only (!!) 420 copies of very limited edition, numbered vinyl on 4/20 at midnight.”

It continues, “It features never-seen-before artwork for every song on the album by the original illustrator Joe Cool, white smoke 180 gram vinyl, and limited edition Death Row rolling papers for you to roll up while listening to one of the most important hip-hop albums of all time.”

The post was later updated to boast, “SOLD OUT IN 30 SECONDS.” The official product listing on Gamma’s website confirms it is indeed sold out, but Doggystyle: The 4/20 Vinyl Box Set was on sale for $104.99, and those lucky enough to land one can expect it to ship by June 20.

Doggystyle was released in November 1993. Snoop Dogg shared with Stephen A. Smith on the September 30, 2022 episode of the K(no)w Mercy podcast how he planned to commemorate the album’s precise anniversary.

“Me and Dr. Dre been working on an album for the past two months, and it’ll be done in November,” he told Smith. “And it’s produced by Dr. Dre. It’s our 30th anniversary to Doggystyle. And the name of the album is Missionary.”

For now, enjoy Snoop’s 4/20 Instagram posts below.

Today is the day. Beginning on 4/20, because of course, Twitter is removing legacy verified checkmarks. To get the coveted (?) blue checkmark, you have to sign up for Twitter Blue and face the mockery of everyone who knows you’re giving Elon Musk $8 every month for a meaningless status symbol.

Halle Berry is not falling for it.

“Me joining you all tomorrow unverified,” the actress tweeted, alongside a clip from a 1998 episode of The Tonight Show. In the video, she looks very happy, probably because it’s from a time before Twitter. We were all so innocent then. Anyway, Berry isn’t the only celebrity rejecting Musk’s gambit.

“This really works out for me because I was planing on never using this website again after tonight, anyway. Just wanted to stay to give Abbott updates. By the way, Thanks to our fans here for watching and sharing all season. I will be like this tomorrow though,” Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson tweeted. She used the infamous photo of Nicole Kidman’s celebration after signing her divorce paper from Tom Cruise.

Rachel Zegler quoted a Hunger Games character:

Mark Hamill also joined the fun:

Jack Black has the money, but he ain’t paying. You, too, can resist the urge.

The conversation about nepo babies has been incessant. Willow, Kate Hudson, Liam Gallagher, Bono’s daughter — everyone’s chiming in after Lily Allen said in December of last year that nepo babies are being “scapegoated.”

Now, Teyana Taylor is joining the discourse with her own perspective. In a chat with Jeremy O. Harris for Interview Magazine she talked about the nepo baby accusations she’s received and the crucial role her hardworking mother played in her life.

Read what she shared below.

“I’ve seen all these tweets like, ‘That’s crazy. I never knew Teyana was a nepo baby,’ and I’m like, ‘Tell me who my celebrity parents are?’ Let’s be clear. My mom was literally a workaholic, she worked her ass off to make sure I had everything that I needed. So by the time we got to my sweet 16, I had just signed my first contract with Star Trak, Pharrell Williams’s label, and me, my mom and Pharrell, and the label, we came together. That was from her hard-earned money and my hard-earned money from getting my record deal. I was just this little Harlem girl and we sat down and watched Sweet 16 and I knew I wanted to set the tone. I’m from New York. I don’t want no car. I want a bike. You feel me?

So I want to commend my mom, she works very hard and she made a lot of things happen for me, and that’s why this role means so much. Even when I first got pregnant with Junie, I remember texting her, like, ‘Yo, I just appreciate you so much.’ I used to laugh when she was like, ‘Oh girl. I was in 72 hours labor,’ all those little things that they say. Then becoming a mom is like, ‘Wow.’ And then becoming Inez is triple wow. So I commend her from the bottom of my heart. And I just wanted to get that off my chest.”

Beabadoobee is being pulled into several directions right now. She’s been serving as an opener on Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour since March 24. She will join Swift for two nights at Houston’s NRG Stadium this weekend and open for two of Swift’s three performances at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium next weekend. Beabadoobee is also included in the lineup for 88Rising’s inaugural Head In The Clouds New York scheduled for May 20 to 21.

It makes sense that she called in some backup to zhuzh up her already lovely “Glue Song,” which first arrived in February. “Glue Song” featuring Clairo is out today, April 20.

The romantic song begins the same as the original, with Beabadoobee softly singing over swoon-inducing strings. Clairo’s vocals are the perfect complement, making the sentiment somehow even sweeter.

“You’ve been hiding in plain sight / And appeared, all I know,” she sings. “Loving you once only feels wrong / I need you / I always knew I’d find you / To be here is worth the wait, too / I’m not lying / When I say I’ve been stuck / By the glue onto you.”

“I wrote a lot of this song while on tour across Australia and Asia in the back of cars and traveling,” Beabadoobee said in a statement upon the initial “Glue Song” release. “It’s a heartfelt song that means a lot to me. […] A love song and the first one I’ve written in my new relationship. I usually write these songs that are sad, in the past with my writing even when it doesn’t sound sad looking back, the lyrics usually have been.”

She continued, “For the first time, this is just me being really happy. I’m in a really positive place for the first time in a long time and feeling love. We recorded the song with my guitarist and producer Jacob in his house and added in trumpets and strings. This song feels really personal, and I went to my hometown in Ilo Ilo to film the music video. It’s where I was born, and so that also added another personal touch to the song.”

Watch the lyric video for “Glue Song” featuring Clairo above.

Today (April 20) is a big one for Killer Mike for two reasons: It’s 4/20 and it’s his birthday. In celebration, the rapper made a big announcement: Michael, his first solo album since 2012’s R.A.P. Music, is set for release on June 16. (The project was previously revealed unofficially.)

He also shared “Don’t Let The Devil,” a single featuring thankugoodsir and Run The Jewels partner El-P. The track sees Mike and El-P swapping verses over a soul loop produced by No I.D., El-P, and Little Shalimar.

Mike said of the song, “My favorite group (US) with my favorite producers! It’s our 10 year anniversary and MICHAEL is an origin story so I wanted to start w/ El.” He also said of the album, “RTJ is the X-Men, this is my Logan.”

While it’s been over a decade since his last proper solo album, Mike has of course kept busy with Run The Jewels, one of hip-hop’s most beloved duos. They’ve had four well-received albums, with the latest, RTJ4, arriving in 2020 and becoming their first release to hit the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The news of Mike’s solo album comes shortly after he and El-P announced a 10th anniversary tour for Run The Jewels.

Listen to “Don’t Let The Devil” above.

Michael is out 6/16 via VLNS/Loma Vista.