ABBA poor choice for hall of fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has honored the people, artists and bands that really shaped the genre of rock, like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Who. This year's nominees really got on my bad side.

I was looking at the list of nominees for this year, and I'm glad to see The Stooges, The Hollies, and even Genesis get inducted. That is, until I saw the word, "ABBA," and I began to think the people who vote these bands in really need to know the definition of rock music. It is getting embarrassing to call it the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" as rock artists aren't involved.

As a musician, a rock music fan, and a visitor of the rock hall, I am almost disgusted at how talented, popular and influential rock bands (like Rush) have never been considered for an induction. I understand that ABBA or Madonna might be influential, but to me, they remain outside the rock genre.

I am also disgusted in the band U2. They were inducted in 2005, having their first album released in 1980. Black Sabbath, a much more influential band, was inducted one year later, despite the fact that their first album was released 10 years before U2's first release. To me, this makes no sense at all, and is very embarrassing to the rock hall.

I say that the rock hall should slowly start limiting the non-rock inductees, especially the pop (and rock) artists that are not worthy of it. The voters should start doing more research work for each nominee, and then determine who really deserves it. I suggest the voters ignore the pop nominees, or change the name to, "The Music Hall of Fame." It's a more fitting title for this place.

Kevin Modelski

Roselle