Tonight, Madonna is scheduled to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Being a fan of hers, I couldn't be more pleased with the decision. However, there are those that have been grumbling about it, basically claiming that she isn't "rock and roll" enough. Admittedly, Madonna is firmly planted in the dance/pop region of the musical genre jungle, but that doesn't make her any less deserving of her place in the Hall of Fame.
Today's "rock" isn't anymore "rock and roll" than Madonna is. In the beginning, rock and roll was a raucous, rebellious, roaring sound that caused young people to move and shake. That's right, it made people DANCE! Today, most of what is called "rock music" is less danceable than the sound of a dishwasher cycling. I should stress that I don't think that there is necessarily anything wrong with that. I like music from all genres, rock included, but it bothers me when rock snobs claim to be the true heirs of the genre. I really wonder if some of these people have ever listened to a song by the likes of Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner, or Elvis Presley. And if they have, and they didn't want to twist and shout, did they just have no souls? Booty shaking was as much a part of rock and roll originally as drums and guitars. It's this sense of the style that dance music keeps alive today. I would argue that no genre today really has ownership of what rock and roll was, but instead that several subgenres have emerged, each catering to different aspects of the original sound. Dance music more than any other caters to that part of the rock and roll legacy that just makes people want to get up and shake what they've got. Therefore, dance music is a legitimate genre to recognize in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a form of music that keeps a part of rock and roll alive. As the undisputed Queen of Dance (as well as Pop), no one deserves to represent that genre more in the Hall than Madonna.
In addition to the above, although she is firmly associated with dance/pop music, her best work has been at the very least rock-tinged. There is no mistaking the influence of rock and roll music on albums such as Like a Prayer, Ray of Light, or Madonna. Madonna is at her best when mashing up musical genres into an orgiastic, rhythmic explosion. Rock is definitely one of the genres she employs to do that. She has been doing it for 25 years now, and not many can validly claim to do it as well as she has.
Finally, who has exhibited the rock and roll attitude better than Madonna? The woman made rebellious, in-your-face provocation an art form. From songs such as "Like A Virgin," "Papa Don't Preach," and "Human Nature" to scandalous concert performances that have included the threat of arrest and videos that were banned or cost her commercial exposure, Madonna didn't back down and kept pushing buttons. She was going to do what she wanted to do and you were going to like it. Or not. Either way, everyone was going to hear about it.
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Today's recommended song download comes from Dolly Parton's new album, Backwoods Barbie. I really recommend it as it has some damn good stuff on it. My recommendation is a cover of "She Drives Me Crazy" by The Fine Young Cannibals. Once again, Dolly proves herself to be not only one of the best singer/songwriters around, but one of the best interpreters of songs as well.
Recommended song download: Drives Me Crazy - Dolly Parton
