Hard as it is to believe, we've reached 1982, the first election of the MTV era. (I trust that won't make a huge difference...)

Select the ten most deserving artists, based on records released through the end of 1981.

When considering your vote, you may want to check out the top 100 eligible candidates. For a reminder of who’s already been inducted, see the results thread.

For your ballot to be eligible, you must submit a ranked list of your ten most deserving artists.

***IMPORTANT!***
Also, for your top FIVE artists (at least), you must explain why they deserve to be in the HOA. You may recycle your comments from past elections if you wish, but I want us to have a context for WHY we're selecting these artists. Ballots without comments for the top five will NOT be counted!

In addition, you may nominate up to three people for the Backstage Wing. This is optional; your ballot will still be eligible even if you don’t vote for Backstage candidates.

Deadline for ballots is Sunday, January 25, at 6:00 pm US Central time (midnight GMT).

Voting is now open.

1. Warren Zevon
2. Jackson Browne
3. John Cale
4. Todd Rundgren
5. George Jones
6. Hall & Oates
7. Cheap Trick
8. Randy Newman
9. Willie Nelson
10. Lynyrd Skynyrd

backstage

1. Hoagy Carmichael
2. Norman Whitfield
3. Eddie Kramer

1. The Cure- Faith is a nice follow-up to their amazing Seventeen Seconds, so they hold on... for now.

2. Prince- Controversy is such a blast, and sees Prince touching on the subject of God for the first time. It is often maligned as it comes between the behemoths of Dirty Mind and 1999, but it is a fascinating, if flawed, record.

3. Eurythmics- Their often overlooked debut In the Garden (click for my review) is a lost gem. Click on my shameless thread to hear some samples!

4. Grace Jones- She strikes gold again with Nightclubbing, an iconic album that builds upon the artistic success of Warm Leatherette.

5. Donna Summer- Losing ground...

6. Can

7. Chic

8. Pretenders- Their followup is nowhere near as good as the debut, but it has some great tracks.

9. Joan Jett- With I Love Rock 'n Roll, she proves that she is no one-album wonder.

10. Nico

01. THE SPECIALS: Two tones, black and white, intertwined as a chess board. The Specials launched the deserved revival of the ska, the Jamaican style that gave birth to reggae. A multiracial combo shouting anti-racist anthems for the Rude Boys in the shape of irresistible rhythmic pieces with the characteristic skank (guitar chop on the off-beat) and brilliant horn melodies.
My favourite album: The Specials (1979).
My Top 5 Songs: A Message to You Rudy (1979), Ghost Town (1981), Gangsters (1979), Stereotype (1980), Nite Klub (1979).

02. PACO DE LUCÍA: in Spain we know about the excellences of flamenco guitar maestro from the late 60s, but 1981 has been the year of his international breakthrough. A “payo” (white man, non-gypsy) that conquered first the heart of gypsies in their own territory, he’s in my opinion not only the best flamenco guitar player but the best guitar player ever, period. And it’s not only his vertiginous fingers, it’s his constant sense of innovation (see #2 and #5 on my list) and his prodigious taste and sensibility too (see #3 on my list).
My favourite album: Fuente y caudal (1973).
My Top 5 Songs (sorry, simply I couldn’t post only three): Entre dos aguas (1973), Mediterranean Sundance / Río ancho (1981), Reflejo de luna (1973), Almoraima (1976), Solo quiero caminar (1981).

03. MADNESS: not the purest band coming from the Two-Tone scene, but the ones that has taken the ska style to mainstream audiences. And all that because of a contagious (and very British) sense of humour and their special craft for timeless pop melodies.
My favourite album: One Step Beyond (1979).
My Top 3 Songs: My Girl (1979), Embarrassment (1980), Shut Up (1981).

04. JAPAN: a band that exemplifies the transition between the 70s and the 80s, they began as a clone of New York Dolls (they “stole” not only the lipstick and the dirty sound but even the names!) but had evolved into a glamorous and sophisticated band (a kind of Roxy Music gone electronica) fascinated by the Far East images and sounds.
My favourite album: Tin Drum (1981).
My Top 3 Songs: Visions of China (1981), Quite Life (1979), Ghosts (1981).

05. THE HUMAN LEAGUE: the splitting in two parts of this band (pioneers of synth-pop) has given place to two major works of last year: “Penthouse and Pavement” by Heaven 17 and especially “Dare!” by a reformed line-up of Human League fronted by Phil Oakey.
My favourite album: Dare! (1981).
My Top 3 Songs: Don’t You Want Me (1981), Being Boiled (197 , The Sound of the Crowd (1981).

06. BRIAN ENO.
07. THE PRETENDERS.
08. THE POLICE.
09. THE CURE.
10. CAMARÓN DE LA ISLA.


And at the backstage:
01. BRIAN ENO: returning to my first position after being responsible of two groundbreaking masterpieces during 1980-1981: “Remain in Light” and “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts”, with a sound that seem to come directly from the future, elaborated with samples and ethnic music. Still waiting? Favourite song: DAVID BYRNE & BRIAN ENO Regiment (1981).
02. JERRY DAMMERS: the keyboard player of The Specials is also the founder of Two Tone, an UK independent label that reunited the cream of the British ska revival, with bands as Bad Manners, The Beat , The Bodysnatchers, Madness, The Selecter and, of course, The Specials. Favourite song: THE SELECTER Too Much Pressure (1979).
03. STEVE STRANGE: poster designer, video choreographer and nightclub host, he’s the alma mater of new-romantic movement from his night club Blitz, meeting point of the weird and wonderful of London nightlife. Lately he succeeded as a pop singer as front-man of a band named Visage whose musicians come from bands as Ultravox or Magazine. Favourite song: VISAGE Fade to Grey (1980).

1. X: Two stunning albums on the shelves (and a few more coming)
2. WILLIE NELSON: It’s crazy that Willie’s not in the HOF.
3. PATSY CLINE: It’s crazy that Patsy’s not in the HOF
4. THE ZOMBIES: I gave them their only 10 points last week. Will move up again if another voter gets on board.
5. PRETENDERS: Subjectively speaking, my 5th favorite this week.
6. PAUL SIMON
7. TOM WAITS
8. T. REX
9. THE SUPREMES
10. DJANGO REINHARDT

1. Queen - "Under Pressure", with HOAer Bowie, marks the end of a creative era for the greatest rockband of the moment. Davy gave his blessings, now it's time for us.
2. The Police - Everly little thing they do is magic. Everything they do just turns me on. Even though my life before was tragic, now I know my love for them goes on.
3. Cream - Retrospectively the first supergroup. The beginning of everything hard- and bluesrocky.
4. Janis Joplin - That wailing, raspy, heartbreaking voice! She was one big piece of emotional energy, both on record and on stage. The greatest white woman in rock music.
5. Eagles - Sadly underestimated by the "serious music lover", but these guys could really play and recorded a couple of gems along the way.

6. Elton John
7. Deep Purple
8. Chic - Well I promised, didn't I? Disco hasn't entered the HOA yet, but the most innovative act of the genre has the best chances. Now that hip-hop is slowly finding it's way to the mainstream, their sound is getting more and more popular.
9. The Supremes
10. Brian Eno - Since he's now topping the eligibles list, it would be weird to vote him in the backstage wing. But if it turns out this year he has better chances getting in there, I'll vote differently next time.

Backstage:
1. Leonard Chess
2. Dj Kool Herc
3. Irving Berlin

1. Robert Wyatt
2. Tom Waits
3. The Cure : 1981 is when they forged their unique goth sound with "17 seconds"
4. Brian Eno : a wizard that wasn't afraid of blending rock, burgeoning electro, world and classical music. Cure and Eno are really representative of this strange 1981 year, the year when rock'n roll froze.
5. Serge Gainsbourg : he was about to become "Gainsbarre", that nickname he earned in the '80s, a sort of French Bukowski who made drunken, unshaven appearances in TV shows, saying "I want to fuck you" to Whitney Houston, but seriously declining on the musical side.
6. The Eagles
7. Elton John
8. T-Rex
9. Dick Annegarn
10. Django Reinhardt

Re: The Eagles

Thanks, nj

1. LOVE - They made one of my favorite albums of all time. Trippy, dopey and everything else connected with drugs.

2. QUEEN - Big voice, outrageous outfits, outlandish teeth, and the best moustache in rock and moustache history. All good reasons.

3. JEFFERSON AIRPLANE - Another one of my old favorites, who'll probably never get in. Listening to Surrealistic Pillow is the closest I've been to taking acid.

4. ELTON JOHN - Weirdly enough no one seems to like Reginald in here. He's a great songsmith, and a performer of the old school (read: funny outfits)

5. BUZZCOCKS - Gets bonus points from me for being one of the bands I've listened to the most this month. Very catchy, very funny, very good.

6. THE CURE
7. MOTÖRHEAD
8. IGGY POP
9. FAIRPORT CONVENTION
10. GANG OF FOUR

Rune,

I like Elton OK, but he hasn't snuck onto my ballot yet. Somebody needs to make a sales pitch.

I voted for him for a while when we were on the mid-70's, but gave up because I was the only one.

Now is probably the best time to vote for Sir Reginald Dwight. Already three people voted for him (me included). He's not forgotten.

1. X. Yep, Wild Gift puts them over the top for me. As much as I love New York punk, I’m dismayed that the Los Angeles version never gets the same love. John Doe, Exene Cervenk(ov)a, Billy Zoom and DJ Bonebrake mixed together Chuck Berry, Raymond Chandler and a vat of acid to create the finest sound in a musical world that also produced Black Flag, the Blasters, the Gun Club, and so on. Essential.
2. PRETENDERS. I’m confident that they’ll get in this year, and they should.
3. T. REX. Insert usual frustrated comment here.
4. THE SPECIALS. Honorio seems to be the only person here who likes ska more than me…I considered voting for Madness, but I’m reserving my energy for backing this horse right now.
5. THE POLICE. Synchronicity will no doubt push them over the top if they still need it by then…I don’t quite get why this year’s Ghost in the Machine is their least-acclaimed album. I had all their stuff back in high school, and I easily listened to Ghost more often than any of the other four…
6. PATSY CLINE
7. WILLIE NELSON
8. BUZZCOCKS
9. MOTÖRHEAD. Probably just a symbolic vote, but I thought somebody ought to recognize them.
10. GANG OF FOUR

Bubbling under: Elton John. He’s my new Patsy Cline; I’ll work him in when I get a chance. I also considered the Dead Kennedys, Madness, Squeeze and Black Flag.

(There was a badly-recorded but very catchy single by a very raw band from the University of Georgia which came out this year…might have to keep an eye on them.)

Backstage:

1. BRIAN ENO. I’ve come to the conclusion that the backstage wing is probably more appropriate for him. Unlike John Lennon and Lou Reed, I don’t think he has the stature to make it into the main Hall both as a group member and as a solo artist, but as an influence and as a producer, I think he belongs. And since he’s riding the top of the eligibles list, it seems the right time to do it.
2. LEONARD CHESS

Honorio seems to be the only person here who likes ska more than me…. Well, to be honest, I only got a superficial knowledge about the original Jamaican ska (for a quick introduction you can see this interesting early ska compilation and of course the wonderful Millie Small) and I don’t know nothing about the third-wave ska. But, yes, I liked a lot the British-based second-wave ska scene of the late 70s, especially at the time. Me and my friends used to go to the parties carrying our Two-Tone records, and we used to play it loud dancing frantically (a couple of times we were “kindly” invited to leave the party). Well, what the hell… I still love ska!! Bi-dee-dop-bop, bi-dee-dop-bop, bi-dee-dop-bop, …

then you really should check early ska... It is awesome, but a little more rootsy
And btw I love the Specials and forgot to include them
Maybe next year

1. THE MOODY BLUES - Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this band probably made a blip in the late 60s on the eligibles list before disappearing, which is too bad, because they're probably the last band from that musical era that isn't inducted. A lot of bands from the Beatles onward got props for incorporating orchestras and strings, but for me nothing quite captured the sweeping majesty of classical music and cavernous sounds of orchestras in pop music like the Moody Blues. The release of their last halfway decent album in 1981, Long Distance Voyager, is a good a time as any to put them at the personal top and see how long they last.

2. BUZZCOCKS - Singles Going Steady presents such a wide spectrum of interesting punk sounds. Autonomy and Ever Fallen in Love? are the standouts but band combined artistry and attitude.

3. THE CRYSTALS - Fitting to give this group props after I finished listening to the non-Christmas Back to Mono set. Beautiful infectious pop melodies. Who cares if I get them confused with the Ronettes.

4. RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS - There's something real dark to the elements of the Wall of Sound, which make the booming choruses and orchestrations so timeless. You hear You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and while you are uplifted with romantic sentiments you also have a sense that something in lingering around the corner to remove you from your fantasy. Maybe it's growing up on Lynchian film images that borrow from sixties sentimentality and the sounds that go with it, but this is powerful dramatic music.

5. THE SUPREMES - Motown's finest sounds so smooth and polished despite the recording technology that existed back then.

6. TODD RUNDGREN

7. ELTON JOHN

8. LOVE

9. X

10. JETHRO TULL

I see your Moody Blues and raise you a Zombies.

1. New York Dolls – They only made two albums, but they’re one of the all-time great bands, and their influence is incalculable. David Johansen and Johnny Thunders came off like Mick & Keith if they’d never taken off the drag from the “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby” video and started gobbling amphetamines 24/7. The Dolls were unabashedly hip, but there wasn’t a cynical bone in their bodies: they may have needed both a fix and a kiss, but you always sensed that the kiss was more important (even if that sadly wasn't true for some of them in real life).

2. Randy Newman – A master melodist who fully inherited his Hollywood-royalty family’s compositional gifts, and has spent his entire non-soundtrack career putting those gifts at the service of an astonishingly biting and ironic sensibility. No singer-songwriter has ever inhabited a wider variety of delusional, pitiable, or downright despicable characters, with so little regard for how he might be viewed by the confused among us who can’t separate the singer from the song.

3. Pretenders – Something of an erratic career (the deaths within two years of half the founding members didn’t help), but Chrissie Hynde is a pivotal and provocative figure to this day, Martin Chambers is one of rock’s most underrated drummers, and their 1980 debut is one of the greatest albums ever made. They deserve induction on the strength of that record alone. (Hell, they deserve it on the strength of “Tattooed Love Boys” alone.)

4. Ornette Coleman – He really was The Shape of Jazz to Come when he emerged in the late fifties; by now (whether we’re talking about 1982 or the actual present) he’s become a genuine elder statesman.

5. Brian Eno – One of the few individuals who could equally merit induction into the HOA either as an artist in his own right or as a behind-the-scenes presence. His four mid-‘70s “pop” albums, all masterpieces, seal the deal for the former as far as I’m concerned.

6. Wire
7. Can
8. The Supremes
9. Love
10. Bill Evans

BACKSTAGE WING
1. Nicky Hopkins
2. Rudy Van Gelder
3. Greil Marcus

1. Elton John - I'll make an exception for this week to get Sir Elton in. He hasn't all that much since I stopped voting for him, but he's still worthier of the top spot than anyone else below him.

2. The Police - Should be in already on the basis of three excellent albums, but if that's not enough, well, now they've made four excellent albums. Add to that some serious chops and great songs, and they should be in already!

3. Rush - Moving Pictures catapults them to the 1981's bronze medal spot. Neil Peart is my #2 drummer of all time and Geddy Lee is top ten among bassists, and together they form the best rhythm section in prog.

4. Queen - The biggest band of the moment has been going strong for a while, with a long string of hits, the latest being "Under Pressure," with one David Bowie, another great single.

5. Chic - Disco sucks, but not Chic. They have some serious skills in churning out some funk-ay grooves, the best of their time, thanks in large part to bassist Bernard Edwards.

6. Michael Jackson - Little Mike will only get better. Word on the street has it he has a new album out next year, it's gonna be huge...

7. Cheap Trick - See last year.

8. Van Halen - See last year.

9. Donna Summer - That whistle in "Bad Girls" is one of my favorite moments in pop the past few years.

10. Journey - Don't Stop Believing is the ultimate guilty pleasure song.

I'll be frank. As much as I'm beginning to appreciate what I missed as a 7 through 16 year-old in the 80's, I'm not feeling a whole hell of a lot of the artists this decade.

1. Chic - Flipped with Django for strategic purposes. C'mon people. Let's show that we're more knowledgable than those fools with the real R 'n R HOA.

2. Django Reinhardt - I don't care enough about the people who are left to drop my beloved Django further.

3. Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young) -

4. Patsy Cline - Never thought she'd climb this high.

5. The Staple Singers - Ditto. But boy they have a sweet sound. Believe me, I'm not a gospel fan... being a big old Jew and all.

6. The Grateful Dead

7. The Police - I've perhaps been overly harsh too long. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is pure pop pleasure.

8. Queen

9. Paul Simon - Some solid entries so far. Best is yet to come.

10. Willie Nelson

Backstage:

1. Irving Berlin
2. DJ Kool Herc
3. Brian Eno - Is he really a backstager? I'll vote for him here anyway. Still love the impact of Norman Granz and his Verve records, but will let him fall to the waistside for the time being.