Weird Al deserves to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

When this year’s inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were announced, it included legends and pop/rock icons like Chubby Checker, Soundgarden and Cyndi Lauper. But it just wasn’t weird enough. So, come on, it’s time to ask: Why isn’t “Weird Al” Yankovic in the hall of fame?

Joining in the campaign to get Weird Al inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is John Mulaney, who brought up His Weirdness when chatting about this year’s inductees. Speaking about Chubby Checker’s induction specifically, Mulaney noted that there is some humor to it. “Knowing that it was part novelty I think is great. I’m a big proponent of novelty music. I’m a big proponent of “Weird Al” getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This is one step closer, though I don’t know why they need to be led via steps. “Weird Al” brought more people to music than is recognized at all.” He added, “I will, in fact, greatly devalue my coolness by saying [when I was young], it wasn’t until “Smells Like Nirvana” defanged “Smells Like Teen Spirit” that I could enjoy “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It was scary at first. It just was like, “I’m pretty happy, I’m a kid.” I needed a way in. And after you laugh at “Smells Like Nirvana,” you go, “Oh, this is a really good song.”

There has been a call for action from fans to get Weird Al into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for two decades now (about the time he became eligible, as artists are only up for induction 25 years after the release of their first album). The most notable campaign was called “Make the Rock Hall ‘Weird’”, but none of this has gained enough traction even for enough fan votes. Honestly, I think he’s at least deserving of his own channel on SiriusXM, which would play his parodies and pastiches, along with the original songs and those that inspired him.

The problem has a lot to do with Weird Al being considered a novelty act – and with that, a lot of people don’t appreciate his genuine range in vocal and songwriting abilities. He has also been a pop culture favorite for more than 40 years, marking himself as one of the most unique voices in modern music. And you’d be hard-pressed to find an artist or genre that he hasn’t parodied, pastiched or paid homage to. Heck, you can look at this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honorees and draw immediate links to Weird Al, as he parodied Lauper with “Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch” (admittedly one of his worst songs) and featured both Soundgarden and The White Stripes in his polkas.

What do you think? Does “Weird Al” Yankovic belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

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