So.
Abba’s getting inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
There are two musical groups that I just can’t stand, Abba and Blink 182. Now, one of them is getting memorialized in a hall of fame. Well, I’m going to try and discuss this topic as objectively as I can, without putting down Abba’s music. Therefore, I will first admit a few things: Abba is the second best-selling band in history, so their music is obviously well-written and catchy. Props to them, but man, I don’t like their sound.
Here goes.
I have a problem with Abba being inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, because in my mind, Abba’s sound, style, and background is too far removed from rock ‘n ‘roll.
1 – They play pop music, and not just any kind of pop music. They don’t play supercharged, ferocious pop like Michael Jackson. They don’t play wildly imaginative and innovative pop music like the Beatles. Abba’s pop sound fits into the pure pop genre.
2 – They are Swedish (not American nor British; I’m not trying to be racist, but I’m simply stating that rock ‘n’ roll started with southern blues and the British invasion), and their roots are NOT steeped in rock ‘n’ roll nor blues.
These two reasons are enough to remove Abba from any Rock ‘n’ Roll classification.
I’m my opinion, roots and background are very important to styles of music, and at some point, music will be so far removed from its “roots”, that it has no right being called that style at all. For example, take a look at today’s indie rock music. When placed side by side with classic rock ‘n’ roll, the sounds are completely different, especially the tonalities of the music. Whereas early rock ‘n’ was based strongly on the blues, indie music is about as far from the blues as possible. The similarity is in the instruments, but the way that the instruments are used is also different. I wouldn’t call an indie band a rock ‘n’ roll band; I’d just call them an indie band. The classification doesn’t fit anymore.
It’s the same in my opinion with Abba. In my earlier example, the Beatles and MJ, both groups have history in rock ‘n’ roll (don’t forget, rock ‘n’ roll isn’t just a style of music; it’s a sound, a time, and a lifestyle). The Beatles grew up listening to early pop and rock music, like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. They had the pop influence from white music, and they had the rock influence from black music (just look at how many covers they did: ”Roll Over Beethoven”, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Music”, “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”, “Kansas City Medley”, etc.). They were rock ‘n’ roll in every sense of the word, and they helped to expand the world of music. Michael Jackson is the same; he began with Motown and the Jackson 5. The influence of black soul artists on his singing is ever-present. During his solo career, his music reflects the power and energy of rock music.
As time moves and on, styles morph and change, and the sound of a music transforms slowly. Look at Van Halen (not one of my favorites, but they’ll serve as a good example): their music isn’t exactly blues-based, but their influences were important factors in rock ‘n’ roll’s beginnings. Their songs reflect the forms that the Beatles used over and over again, and their lyrics are also reminiscent of the Beatles. It’s not the same as the Beatles, but it’s obvious that they’ve been influenced by them. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing doesn’t sound blues-based, but it does sound like it was directly influenced by Jimmy Page, a rock blues guitarist and a huge proponent of early hard rock music.
But, just as I pointed out in my last post, there has to be a point where the classification changes. Led Zeppelin was rock ‘n’ roll music; Eminem is not rock ‘n’ roll music. Duke Ellington is jazz; BB King is not jazz. The Beatles were pop rock; Abba is not pop rock.
So my beef isn’t with Abba, it’s with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I love the place, and I could spend days wandering the museum, gazing at John Lennon’s Sgt. Pepper outfit and MJ’s glove, Duane Allman’s guitar and Sly Stone’s vest, but I think they need to quit while they’re ahead. I heard someone say that they didn’t like the Hall of Fame, because they’ll just let anyone in…I’m starting to agree. The judges need to remember that rock ‘n’ roll was a music, a place, a time, and a lifestyle, and only those groups or musicians who were a direct influence on the history of rock ‘n’ roll should be inducted.
Man, I just love this music.
Peace.
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