“In the 1980s, arguments about the Rock Hall reflected many people’s discomfort with the insider mood of those dinners and the idea that pop music (and especially rock) could support an elite at all. The squabbles shifted in tone in the 1990s. The idea of authenticity was big then, as punk, hip-hop and indie rock rose in influence; so was the romance of the rock underground.

…

Today, the arguments have shifted again. Pop has replaced rock as the ruling force within contemporary music, and instead of seeming inauthentic, the Rock Hall appears too focused on authenticity. Pop is all about mixed-up fun — it’s multicultural, global and novelty-obsessed. (It’s also feminine, and its return to dominance makes one long for more female voices and faces in the Hall.) Its champions don’t care much about tracing the legitimacy of inheritance. They open their arms to every stray sound and shiny star.”

— Ann Powers at the LA Times on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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