New Order's Place in History

New Order are in town tonight for a two-night stand. I'm going to see them tomorrow, and that's got me thinking about New Order's place in musical history. Now before you go dismissing such a thought as the un-moored musings of a Manchester madman, hear me out.

To make my argument, I need to bend the rules somewhat. To consider New Order is also to consider Joy Division, as the band soldiered on after Ian Curtis' death, albeit with a new moniker. So New Order includes everything they did when they were Joy Division, which seems fair enough because they've been playing no fewer than five Joy Division songs ("Isolation", "Shadowplay", "Transmission", "Atmosphere", "Love Will Tear Us Apart") on their current tour.

Now let's take a look at the Acclaimed Music list of the most recommended songs since 1900. And this really blows me away. Acclaimed Music is a website administered by a Swedish statistician that attempts to rank the best - and most recommended - songs of all time.Here's their top 20

#1 - Bob Dylan - "Like a Rolling Stone"
#2 - The Rolling Stones - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
#3 - Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
#4 - The Beach Boys - "Good Vibrations"
#5 - Aretha Franklin - "Respect"
#6 - Chuck Berry - "Johnny B. Goode"
#7 - Sex Pistols - "Anarchy in the U.K."
#8 - Marvin Gaye - "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
#9 - Otis Redding - "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"
#10 - The Ronettes - "Be My Baby"
#11 - The Who - "My Generation"
#12 - The Beatles - "Strawberry Fields Forever"
#13 - Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On"
#14 - Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven"
#15 - Elvis Presley - "Heartbreak Hotel"
#16 - The Beatles - "A Day in the Life"
#17 - Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
#18 - The Kingsmen - "Louie Louie"
#19 - OutKast - "Hey Ya!"
#20 - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - "The Message"

So there's the top 20. I would argue that the average American could sing nin19 of those songs. But I'm willing to bet they don't know "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

In 2000, I said it was the best song of the past 20 years. In 2010, it was the best song of the past 30 years. And today it remains the best song of the past 32 years. And I'm hard-pressed to name a better song in my lifetime.

One song in the top 20 is quite an achievement in and of itself. But I can hear the naysayers out there saying "Sure, but OutKast is on the list, too". So I kept reading the list, and I was surprised to see "Blue Monday" sitting pretty at number 40. The only other artists with multiple songs in the top 40 are the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Marvin Gaye. That's some pretty elite company.

Music is totally subjective. What I think is great may not be the same as what you like. But a band with a pair of songs among the most recommended in history cannot be denied.

Song In My Head

It was in my head...and yes, I'm back!

R&R Hall of Fame: Who's In?

There are 15 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. And the list couldn't be more eclectic.It includes Rush, Deep Purple, Public Enemy, N.W.A. and the Marvelettes-- all nominated for the first time. And returning nominees include Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Chic, Albert King, Procal Harum, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Kraftwerk.

And for the first time, we the people can vote for the inductees, who will then be honored on April 18th in Los Angeles.

So who would you choose?

If I had to pick five from the list, I would choose the following.

Kraftwerk - I know, big surprise, right? But in the 1970s, the hugely influential German band laid the groundwork for much of the electronic-based music that was to follow. And "Trans Europe Express" extended their influence to hip-hop and house music as well. Plus my niece learned to count in German thanks to "Pocket Calculator".

Public Enemy - One of the biggest rap acts of the late 1980s, PE brought political and social consciousness to the world of hip-hop, mixed it with rock, and made it mainstream. It Takes A Nation Of Millions... remains one of the greatest recordings of my lifetime.

Rush - Of all the cheesy hard rock bands out there, these guys are my favorite to love to hate. Songs like "Trees" are just so easy to pillory. But these three Canadians had serious chops. I mean, when Chester Cheetah tips his hat to Neil Peart, you know you're destined for the Hall of Fame.

Chic - I'd put these guys in the Hall on the strength of Nile Rodgers ubiquitous bass line from "Good Times" -- it practically launched hip-hop and that chunky bass sound helped fuel the 80s New Romantic sound of Duran Duran. Plus their music was catchy, interesting and - of course - danceable.

Donna Summer - What can I say? It's her first time on the ballot since her death in May, and you can bet she'll make it in this year. And even though she's probably best remembered as the Queen of Disco, her 1977 song "I Feel Love" advanced the genre light years into the future, influencing the likes of David Bowie and Brian Eno and changing the course of club music for the next decade and a half.