The Grammy Hall of Fame for musical recordings has been around for 44 years, and, including 2017’s new entries, will now boast an incredible 1038 songs in an incredible heritage list of sorts. Many of these are certified classics beyond just their melodies; they shaped political movements, whole genres, popular culture, social change and technological growth.
Similar to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a song has to be 25 years old to be inducted, meaning that R&R and Grammy inductions are often similar. N.W.A were inducted into the Hall of Fame back in April, which rounded off an incredible resurgence for the game-changing five-piece, who last year were the subject of blockbuster biopic Straight Outta Compton.
2016 marked quarter-century anniversaries for a bunch of classics, notably including N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton, which remains as relevant ever 25 years on. It appears alongside Nirvana’s revolutionary Smells Like Teen Spirit as well as R.E.M for Losing My Religion. Household names Elvis, Bowie and the Jackson 5 were all listed, along with the Deep Purple track that every budding young guitarist will know how to play blindfolded and upside down, Smoke On The Water.
It’s also worth mentioning the theme song to Mission Impossible by Lalo Schifrin will also be inducted. Make of that what you will. Check out this lit live performance of said tune from the jazz-master general below.
Grammy Hall of Fame inductees in alphabetical order:
Arlo Guthrie – “The City of New Orleans”
The Beach Boys – “I Get Around”
Billie Holiday – Lady Sings the Blues
Blind Willie McTell – “Statesboro Blues”
Bonnie Raitt – “I Can’t Make Your Love Me”
Cab Calloway And His Orchestra – “(Hep-Hep!) The Jumpin’ Jive”
David Bowie – “Changes”
Deep Purple – “Smoke of the Water”
Dion – “The Wanderer”
Elvis Presley – “Jailhouse Rock”
The Everly Brothers – “Wake Up Little Susie”
Jackson 5 – “ABC”
Lalo Schifrin – “Mission Impossible”
Lesley Gore – “You Don’t Own Me”
Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra – “When the Saints Go Marching In”
Merle Haggard – Okie From Muskogee
Mills Brothers – “You Always Hurt the One You Love”
Mississippi John Hurt – “Stack O’Lee Blues”
N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton
Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Prince – Sign ‘O’ the Times
R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion”
Rod Stewart – “Maggie May”
Sly & The Family Stone – “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”
Sonny & Cher – “I Got You Babe”
Image: Grammy