The best album by every artist in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2022
Our rundown of the most essential work from Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Pat Benatar, and more
Music Features Linda Ronstadt
Here’s the open secret about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: often, the inductees are honored for an incandescent moment of brilliance, not for full, rich careers. Sure, plenty of Rock Hall inductees had lengthy, interesting careers that continued to evolve after their inductions, but there are just as many acts who are celebrated for the fleeting moments where they seemed invincible, as 2022 inductee Pat Benatar once sang.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2022 is filled with several artists that fit into that category: they had a brief period of time where they were riding high, eventually returning to ground. Even the acts that maintained a cruising altitude inevitably had periods where they sped forward with greater velocity—those are the moments that make a career. Here, The A.V. Club chronicles such moments: the albums that capture the class of 2022 at their peak, that provide a reason why they’ve been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
82 Comments
Author uses “AOR” a lot here; not a term I’m familiar with.By Google, it looks like it can either mean “Album-oriented radio” or “Adult-oriented rock”. I’m guessing he means the latter?
Split the difference. Album oriented Rock was a radio format that came to prominence in the 60s and 70s, favoring album cuts over singles. It’s the reason Stairway to Heaven became so ubiquitous on radio play despite never being issued as a single. There is some drift to the acronym though, so the other ones you mentioned aren’t necessarily wrong.
You broke the code. Hail internet!
Ugh, this term’s been reinvented more times than Bowie’s career. It can mean any of the following:Album-oriented rock: This, as the previous poster mentioned, is the advent of the “deep cut” rather than just singles.Album-oriented radio: More freeform radio stations that play said deep cuts from artists rather than just the singles the record company chooses to promote.Adult-oriented radio: Radio stations with programming that’s not necessarily easy listening, but a mix that’s more geared toward adult listeners than teens and 20-somethings. (Think yacht rock.)AOR: Melodic rock. I don’t know how AOR ended up as a term to describe this, since it makes no sense, but most recently it has been used to describe that anthemic, aspirational rock that one might find an ‘80s movie montage.
With regards to Eurythmics – I’d throw another album of theirs into the mix – Savage. It’s a, well, naughtily experimental album by Stewart and Lennox, wasn’t as successful as their previous albums but still gave us some really solid performances with songs like You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart, I Need a Man (don’t we all, Annie, don’t we all…) and my personal favourite of any Eurythmics songs…Beethoven (I love to listen to) It was the first video I remember watching where I looked at Annie and went “oh, hold on – she’s on my (a gay teenager at the time) side!” It’s deliciously warped and, yes, that little girl is a wee shit…If you love Annie Lennox’s solo work, you’ll also recognise two of the characters from the Little Bird video: the housewife and the vamp. In fact – all the videos for Savage were directed by the same (genius) director, Sophie Muller. Muller’s back-catalogue is seriously impressive and there are little references to this video in later work that she did for Lennox. Truly an extraordinary pair of women in my mind. In fact, whilst we’re here, let’s show some love for Little Bird too (and yes, Muller directed all the music videos for the Diva music video album, Diva being the album Little Bird was hatched from…)
Absolutely! “Savage” is such an underrated album! I think the fact that people took “I Need a Man” seriously hurt the initial interest. It’s a satire, turning all the songs that objectify women on their heads. The band has at least a dozen songs where Annie slyly mocks love songs. This was a reaction to the media backlash that “Sweet Dreams” and “Love Is a Stranger” were bitter, hateful songs about love. Eurythmics were very misunderstood and there’s more to their work than people are aware of.
Savage!!!! For “You Have Placed Chill” alone.
I don’t think it helped that “Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)“ was the first single. I had been a huge Eurythmics fan for years, but totally did not get that song until I saw the brilliant video for it. It just doesn’t work without the video. But the album is so full of great songs – “Shame”, “Do You Want To Break Up”, “Wide-Eyed Girl”, any these would have been much better singles imo.
Oh, and thanks for letting us know about Sophie Muller! I didn’t know a woman directed all those videos. That is so awesome! Looking her up now.
You’ll be amazed as to how many artists she’s worked with over the past forty years. I bloody well love that she worked with Shakespears Sister (another criminally underrated and partially-forgotten UK bands from the UK). Do we want that video? I think we do!!And yes, kiddies, the Devil Lady (aka the fabulous Siobhan Fahey) was indeed absolutely titted out of her mind on vodka. Legend.
Shakespeare’s Sister was amazing. Dave Stewart and Siobhan Fahey were married at the time, so that’s probably how they both ended up working with Sophie Muller. I’m sure they had her over for dinner. Or maybe just drinks? 😉 As long as we’re sharing videos…I know Stay was their big hit, but I always preferred I Don’t Care:
One more fan of Sophie for directing Sade’s No Ordinary Love and for directing both concert and film for Sade’s last tour which IMHO is the best concert film of all time. Peep it out if you missed it and make sure to watch the mini-film that follows the credits.
Have you seen this? OMG, first time I saw it, I was transfixed. The images, the choreography and the look of the video for “Soldier of Love” were something I had never seen before. And Sade looks STUNNING.
Legend has it that a big reason why SS split in the first place was that Fahey couldn’t handle the fact that their biggest hit had Marcella Detroit singing lead vocals.
Yup, that’s something both Detroit and Fahey have both confirmed in recent years. They’ve made up though. So, yay!
I came here to mention Savage, too. For my money, it encapsulates everything Eurythmics were about from beginning to (almost) end. The experimentation from In the Garden (that few people in the U.S. got to hear) to the soulful vocals of later albums like Be Yourself Tonight. The electronics work by Dave was stunning. And it was an amazing showcase for many of the personas Annie liked to inhabit. As close to flawless as Eurythmics ever came, in my opinion.
I agree 100% – “Savage” is incredibly good.
Agreed! There’s not really a bad Eurythmics album, but I feel as though the three years’ run of “Be Yourself Tonight” (1985) “Revenge” (1986) and “Savage” (1987) ranks among the strongest consecutive album trio of pretty much any performer or band.
Listen to Beethoven is such a great track.
I’ll play! This version of “Why” by Annie Lennox, sung on SNL is the most poignant and sublime singing I have ever heard. When she sings the last few minutes of the song, it absolutely breaks my heart. I had to really dig to find video, Annie’s section starts around 27:17.
https://archive.org/details/saturday-night-live-s-17-e-18-jerry-seinfeld-annie-lennox
Bravo. Came here to say the same, and you brought videos!
Carly Simon was not good at singing. There, I said it.
Wrong! She has a very distinctive, lovely voice that fits her music well. Bob Dylan isn’t a good singer, but look what he accomplished.
Don’t get me started on Dylan.
Don’t get Dylan started on you.
Listen to her R&B freestyle during her update of Your So Vain, Janet Jackson’s Son of a Gun and tell me she can’t sing. Its only on the album version, replaced by Missy Elliot’s rap for some shameful reason.
I’d say Carly beats Bob in the vocals department.
While Carly Simon may not be a great singer, Bob Dylan can’t sing. There’s a huge difference there.
And you are wrong.
Now do Dolly Parton.
Guess it’s not for everybody.
Justice for Coming Around Again.
You probably think this comment’s about you, don’t you?
I’ll lay odds you won’t find many actual Judas Priest fans who think British Steel is their best or even top 5. Sad Wings, Sin After Sin, Stained Class, Killing Machine and the “live” greatest hits Unleashed In The East all kick British Steel’s ass.
I go:
1. Sad Wings of Destiny
2. Screaming For Vengeance
3. Stained Class
4. Killing Machine
5. Defenders Of The Faith
6. British Steel
I’m pretty much Unleashed, Sad, Stained, Sin, Killing. I have no opinion on anything after Point of Entry because I never really listened to 80s JP all that much and POE was my last tour I think. I really did not like British Steel at the time.
And all of the ones mentioned finish below their actual best, Painkiller.
Eh, I know that’s a popular take, but I bought Sad Wings the day it came out after really liking (yeah, I know I’m the only one) Rocka Rolla. I still have both of those records. And I still play Sad Wings starting with Victim of Changes.
Yeah. With some awareness of their earlier singles, I really didn’t get into them until ‘91. A matter of what you grew up with, I suppose.
British Steel is the favorite Judas Priest album of people who have only heard British Steel. Low-key best Jam and Lewis album is Alexander O’Neal’s Hearsay. Bangs so hard.Dolly Parton’s best album is New Harvest…First Gathering and I’m getting frustrated that that isn’t a widely held opinion yet.
“Alexander O’Neal’s Hearsay”.Marry me!
Best.Christmas.Song.Evah.
British Steel and Screaming for Vengeance are largely credited as the albums that brought “metal to the masses” since they were plenty sludgy with huge riffs, but still tuneful with singalong choruses. I have a hard time arguing with that.
How the heck Priest hasn’t gotten in on a normal entry is beyond me. Along with Sabbath, every single hard rock and heavy metal band since their inception owes their existence to Priest’s excellence and influence.Then again, despite King Crimson being the godfather of every single prog metal band since the beginning of that genre, they aren’t in, either.
Right? That side category is really irritating! It’s their way of still being in control of who’s part of the story of the rock era and who’s a “side note!” Total BS!
Jan Wenner has exercised near total control of who gets in for a very long time and he hates heavy metal and prog rock.
Which explains why he really hates Rush.
Wenner’s a fucking turd.
Especially if Lionel fucking Richie gets to walk in the front door. You’re telling me Eminem, who I think is very talented, is more rock n roll than Priest?? It makes absolutely no sense.
Soon. I really think it will happen. Genesis got in. KC have to get in.
As a huge Eurythmics fan, I’m happy to see you got the album right. “Touch” is solid throughout and easily their best. Then, I noticed the author was Stephen Thomas Erlewine, and of course you got it right! I’ve been reading your reviews since before the age of internet, when my brother had a copy of AllMusic’s album guide. It’s awesome that you’re still so active! And thank you for bringing on some women! I’m a big advocate for women in music, and it gets old seeing men review women’s work all the time. So, more of that, please! Rock on!
Some of Dolly’s best work is her Bluegrass albums from the 90’s.
The shoutout to Trio is worthy, though.
…that also includes the classics “Jamaica Farewell” and “Man Smart (Woman Smarter).Can’t believe Harry Belafonte covered both The Carpenters and The Simpsons.
I mean, Harry Belefonte covered everyone. He was an interpreter.
“covered”
“interpreter”
“Rock and Roll”Sure.
I’m glad someone in the world is honoring Elizabeth Cotten. She was incredible – from her early stuff to that live album from the 80s. She wrote “Freight Train” when she was 11, I think. (Other musicians took credit and money for that, till the Seeger family helped her get it back.) She was a wonderful guitarist, as mentioned up there. Anyone interested in folk music ought to check her out if they haven’t.
Duran Duran described their sound as “Chic meets the Sex Pistols,”I like Duran Duran, but they seem like exactly the kind of overproduced, soulless, masturbatory music the Sex Pistols were rejecting.
I don’t see how the two opposites could meet without exploding and destroying the universe or something.
Considering the Sex Pistols were a manufactured boy band, I don’t see Duran Duran as anything less authentic.
Yeah, they’re just not as good.
Duran Duran are one of my sentimental faves, but I always though their Chic meets Sex Pistols claim was off. Chic I could maybe see, but Sex Pistols? Not much.
I’d say that the Chic influence is pretty much confirmed given the existence of The Power Station.
The SP part always seemed self-aggrandizing on their part, trying to grab some street cred not in evidence within the music itself. They’re one of the all-time great pop bands, which should be enough. But from the early going they were pretty boys, not street blokes (even if the Pistols themselves were manufactured).
Yeah, it’s more like Chic meets Roxy Music (with both Eno and post-Eno era in the mix). But I guess invoking the Sex Pistols was more a thing of the moment.
I’m surprised that Japan doesn’t get cited as an influence on DD more often, because I find the resemblance unmissable.
True, but my brain sees them as roughly contemporary, rather than before/after. It probably doesn’t help that I knew Duran Duran before I found Japan and David Silvian’s music. I suspect that many people are similar.
I would argue that Duran Duran (The Wedding album) is Duran Duran’s best album. I think Seven and the Ragged Tiger (my favorite DD album) is a better album than Rio. Sure, Rio is a good album, but I have never quite gotten peoples obsession with it, maybe the album cover has something to do with it. I would call it more iconic than best. Also Future Past is an amazing album as well. To each their own, I guess.
I don’t know many songs off of the wedding album but Ordinary World is probably the best “once world-beater settles into post-superstardom” song I’ve ever hears. It’s pretty much perfection.
Really pleased to see The Eurythmics here. Such a shame that people don’t know who they (or Lenox) is.
Old guy story!I saw D’ran D’ran open for Blondie at Merriweather Post Pavilion in 1982. (I was in high school.) We considered pretending we were cool guys and LEAVING after Duran Duran’s set; but we stayed and Blondie were excellent.
(Then I had a huge crush on a girl who babysat for someone who had Duran Duran posters all over her wall. That was dislocating.)What we think of their “first” album is screwed up by the switchover from LPs to CDs. The original US release of Duran Duran’s first album on LP led off with (what we now know to be) the night version of “Planet Earth”, which lasts over 6 mins and opens with a long instrumental intro, sax and rhythm section and a little bit of swing to it. Then “Girls On Film”. There were lots of dark, moody instrumental sections on the album. It was easy to believe that yes, there WAS a New Romantic Music! I swear the mix on the original US release of the album was “dark” and atmospheric. After Duran Duran broke in the US, they re-released the album. But they used the single edit of “Planet Earth”, moved “Girls On Film” to the leadoff spot, added the shitty song “Is There Something I Should Now”. And I think they “brightened” the mix on the album. The things that made the album really, really cool were ruined on the re-release. And that’s the version that became canon: the one that sucks.I’ve been irritated at that for about 30 years.The original, cool, dark-&-moody mix of Duran Duran’s first album would merit consideration for being their best. I dunno if it should win, but it would merit consideration. I also was very impressed with Big Thing (1988). That one is rather dated in some sections now; but some of it is great. It’s surprising how many of the songs from that album will still pop into mind nowadays for me to hum or sing, ~25 years later.
I’d forgotten how charismatic Lionel Ritchie is/was. That video is pure Sesame-Street 80s cheesiness — and he goes dancing through it like he’s made of silk.
I mean the video’s no Dancing on the Ceiling, where they used the Poltergeist “put the room in a giant wheel and roll it over” effect, but it’s definitely a pure 80s distillation.
Big Star?
The Marshal Mathers LP 2? Nah
Future Past over Seven and the Ragged Tiger? lulz…
British Steel was their commercial breakthrough (and probably the breakthrough for commercial metal that would thrive in the decade to follow) but Sin After Sin and Sad Wings of Destiny are much better albums
I’d throw Pat Benatar’s Get Nervous into the mix. While In The Heat of The Night has a few good songs, I could skip some. Get Nervous and Crimes of Passion are albums you listen straight through, not a bad song on either. I could listen to Get Nervous over and over again. Let’s not forget Precious Time, either.
I think it’s long over due that the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” be renamed to what it really is now, just call it the “Music Hall of Fame” or “Musical Artist Hall of Fame” or something like that. It’s no longer about just Rock and Roll, even in the vaguest sense of the words.
I’m fine with the label, since it seems to recognize artists that embody the rock and roll sensibility (e.g. Dolly Parton).
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Dare I say a lot of these choices are poor? Duran Duran’s best album is not Rio. Eurythmics best album is not Touch. Judas Priest’s best album is not British Steel. And while I admit that Pat Benetar’s first two albums are her best, I play her fourth and fifth albums, Get Nervous and Tropico, more. This is subjective, of course. But it’s as if this author just chose the albums that have been streamed the most. Boo!