Rockin’Town Hall of Fame – Artist Bios
For over 25 years, RockinTown.com has been celebrating the legacy of rock music through its annual Hall of Fame visitor poll. This initiative invites fans to cast their votes, ensuring that the voices of the audience play a pivotal role in honoring the artists who have shaped the rock landscape.
The Hall of Fame features an eclectic mix of rock legends, reflecting the genre’s rich and diverse history. From the raw energy of AC/DC and the pioneering sounds of The Beatles to the grunge-defining tones of Nirvana and the theatrical flair of Queen, the roster pays homage to artists who have left an indelible mark on music. Other notable inductees include Aerosmith, David Bowie, The Doors, Metallica, and U2, among others.
AC/DC
By ’79 AC/DC had produced three albums. The Rolling Stone Record Guide published that year, roundly dismissed AC/DC as both sonically and visually offensive …
Aerosmith
Early Aerosmith got slammed for being a second-rate Rolling Stones. Singer Steve Tyler possessed more than a passing resemblance to Mick Jagger. It wasn’t …
Alice Cooper
Let’s clear up one thing right away. Alice Cooper is the name of the band AND its lead singer. Alice Cooper the band – …
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is one of Rock’s all-time greats. His career is a celebration of what Rock is all about. On record or in concert …
Cream
During the ’60’s, and into the early ’70’s, guitarist Eric Clapton never stuck with a group for very long. This fact caused great consternation …
David Bowie
No one in Rock was more consistently influential than David Bowie. He effectively adopted (and discarded) images (Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane & Thin White …
Evanescence
In many groups, two people have a little more history than everyone else. They are the ones with a shared vision and made the …
Green Day
Green Day is one of those lucky and talented bands to have two incredibly successful periods. The first culminated with the “Dookie” album which …
Guns N’ Roses
Here is a band with an “appetite for destruction.” Guns N’ Roses major label debut “Appetite For Destruction” was a monster selling six-million copies …
Halestorm
“As a kid, when a lot of my friends were into Backstreet Boys, I attached myself to Alice Cooper, Cinderella, and Van Halen,” Lzzy …
Heart
Sibling rivalry is well known but sometimes it can have positive results. When Ann Wilson starting learning guitar her sister Nancy vowed to play …
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden took its name from a particularly nasty medieval torture device. As a reaction to the U.K.’s rising late-70’s Punk scene Iron Maiden …
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle, dropped out of high school, joined the Army (rather than go to prison for riding in a …
Joan Jett
The Runaways, created to be the female version of the Ramones, featured both Lita Ford and Joan Jett. Despite being big in Japan and …
Judas Priest
Judas Priest featured the twin guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing and along the way they found Rob Halford’s roaring vocals. Over …
KISS
Chaim Witz, The Demon – otherwise known as Gene Simmons – was born in Israel in ’49. His parents had survived the Holocaust in …
Led Zeppelin
One of the most intriguing things about Led Zeppelin was how hard Jimmy Page had to work to put the group together. Page was …
Metallica
Metallica (originally the title of a proposed Metal magazine) started in L.A. and made their stage debut in Anaheim in early ’82. The group …
Nirvana
Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain ushered in the Grunge Era. His death spelled its end. Always feeling an outsider, Kurt Cobain deliberately tried to separate himself, …
Pearl Jam
Given their fractured beginning, who would have suspected that Pearl Jam would be the last Grunge band standing? Just as Seattle’s Mother Love Bone …
Pink Floyd
Named after Bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, Pink Floyd was founded by Syd Barrett. But by the late ‘60s Barrett’s drug addled behavior …
Queen
Fredrick Bulsara was born in Zanzibar. His family later immigrated to England and while in an English boarding school he picked up the name …
R.E.M.
R.E.M. got together in the spring of ’80. Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass), Bill Berry (drums) and Michael Stipe (vocals) were students at …
Rolling Stones
Taking their name from a Muddy Waters song The Rolling Stones were known as the “World’s Greatest Rock n’ Roll Band.” Exile On …
Rush
Geddy Lee (bass/vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitar) and John Rutsey (drums) formed Rush in ’69 as a covers band (Cream, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, etc.). Four …
Smashing Pumpkins
When Smashing Pumpkins were inducted into Hollywood’s RockWalk – founder/guitarist/vocalist Billy Corgan was on hand for the ’07 ceremony. “I’m so used to bad …
Soundgarden
One thing about Grunge no one can deny is the band names were excellent – Pearl Jam, Nirvana and probably the best, Soundgarden. The …
The Beatles
Paul McCartney’s announcement of his departure from and the de facto end of The Beatles on April 9th, 1970, was front-page news, and not …
The Clash
“The Clash… the only band that matters.” As a politically conscious Punk band, The Clash were better than The Ramones and certainly more durable …
The Doors
From L.A. No hope. The Doors were the anti-60’s group. When people preached peace and love, The Doors responded with sex and violence. They …
The Eagles
It should be noted upfront, The Eagles have the best-selling album of all-time “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975).” But that’s hardly the end of the …
The Pretenders
Had The Pretenders gone no further than their ’84 album “Learning To Crawl” (which nearly happened) they would have accomplished a lot. Having released …
The Who
It’s nothing short of ironic that a group that first got noticed for the line “I hope I die before I get old” (from …
Tina Turner
Legend has it that when Tina Turner (born Anna Marie Bullock) left her abusive husband Ike (and the Ike & Tina Revue), her life and career …
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty once said of “Refugee,” “If I’d known it was going to be such a big hit I think I would have spent …
U2
If the Rolling Stones were the “World’s Greatest Rock Band” in the late ’60s and early ’70s, then U2 possessed the title in the …
Van Halen
Van Halen’s strongest card was, and always would be, guitarist Eddie Van Halen. His innovative and explosive fretwork instantly put him in a league …
What sets RockinTown’s Hall of Fame apart is its democratic approach. Fans are not only encouraged to vote for their favorite artists but can also nominate new ones, ensuring that emerging talents and overlooked pioneers receive the recognition they deserve. This inclusive process keeps the Hall dynamic and reflective of the evolving tastes and discoveries within the rock community.
In essence, RockinTown’s Hall of Fame stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of rock music, driven by the passion of its fans and the timeless influence of its artists.