2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions celebrate old and new

From Ringo Starr to Green Day, this year’s Rock Hall class spans generations

Samantha Smith, Reporter

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a top musical honor that is currently held by 306 artists. The Hall of Fame is already home to greats including Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Each year a select group of over 600 members of the music industry vote to create a list of 5-7 artists to induct into the Hall of Fame. The 2015 inductees include Ringo Star, Green Day, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lou Reed, and more.

This year, Starr will join his Beatles bandmates, and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a solo artist. Starr and will also receive the Award for Musical Excellence. The Early Influence award will go to R&B group the “5” Royales.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was founded in 1983 by top leaders in the music industry. The goal of the group was to recognize musicians that were not only great performers, but also impactful artists. The committee focuses on selecting artists that have made a large impact in the rock and roll genre. Musicians become eligible for the Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first record.

Sabrina Giro, a music lover and fan, feels that the induction is an honor.

“I think it would be a huge honor to even be considered as an inductee for the Hall of Fame,” Giro said. It would be super cool to be alongside artists like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Ramones.”

Green Day, a pop-punk trio from California,will be inducted in their first year of eligibility. Green Day burst into the punk scene in 1990, with the release of their first record “39/Smooth.” The group has since sold over 75 million albums and singles, and they even inspired a Broadway musical based off their 2004 album “American Idiot.”

The group wasn’t nationally recognized until the release of “Dookie,” their first record with a major label, in 1994. “Dookie” was a commercial success and it still remains a fan favorite from the band. “American Idiot,” the group’s first number one record, was seen as a reinvention of the band. The ‘punk rock opera” followed the storyline of fictional character St. Jimmy, and went on to win the 2005 Grammy for Best Rock Album.

Green Day has inspired countless people from musicians to music lovers alike. Amy Palumbo, a longtime fan of the band, couldn’t be happier with their induction.

“I have loved Green Day since elementary school and they have written a lot of powerful stuff,” Palumbo said. “I think they definitely deserve it.”

Another beloved 2015 inductee is Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Stevie Ray Vaughan was a talented blues guitar player who hit the music scene in the early ‘80’s, but died in a plane crash in 1990.

Trish Brown, a long-time rock and roll fan, is very happy with Vaughan’s induction.

“He was a great blues musician and guitar player whose career was sadly cut short,” Brown said.

Double Trouble became one of the top bands in Texas, and were picked up by the Epic record label in 1982. Vaughan’s debut album, Texas Flood, was released in 1983, and was well received as a blues and rock revival. Vaughan was even invited to tour with David Bowie, but later declined to stay with his band Double Trouble.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2015 induction ceremony will be held on April 18 at Cleveland, Ohio’s Public Hall. While the event is sold out, there will be numerous other ways  to watch the star-studded ceremony.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will even have a Simulcast event at the museum. Tickets are still available for $24.50 and can be found on the Hall of Fame’s website. The event will also broadcast on HBO in May. More information about the event as well as past ceremonies can be found at www.rockhall.com.