From Bruce Springsteen’s breakthrough “Born to Run” to Led Zeppelin’s hit “Stairway to Heaven,” some of the biggest classic-rock titles of the 1970s were inducted on Friday into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The 1975 album that launched Springsteen as a superstar and the 1971 Zeppelin ballad that became one of the most heavily played tracks of the rock era were among 21 recordings to gain Hall of Fame status this year.
The eight albums and 13 singles bring to 606 the number of titles recognized since 1973 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for their enduring artistic quality and cultural influence.
The lion’s share of this year’s entries – 11 in all – dominated record collections and radio airplay during the 1970s and endure on classic-rock stations today. Among the album selections were Elton John’s double-set “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Fleetwood Mac’s blockbuster “Rumors,” the Eagles’ smash release “Hotel California,” Paul Simon’s introspective “Still Crazy After All These Years” and Steely Dan’s jazz-rock masterpiece “Aja.”
Hit ’70s singles making the list included one of the most popular songs of the decade, Carole King’s “It’s Too Late,” along with Eric Clapton’s cover of the Bob Marley classic “I Shot the Sheriff” and Ike & Tina Turner’s take on the John Fogerty song “Proud Mary.”
Six other entries hail from the 1960s, notably Peter, Paul & Mary’s hit version of the Bob Dylan protest song “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Petula Clark’s winsome 1964 single “Downtown,” Judy Collins’ generational touchstone “Both Sides Now” and “Up-UP And Away” by the 5th Dimension.
Jazz made the list with two titles – Thelonious Monk’s 1949 release “The Genius of Modern Music, Vols. 1 & 2,” and the oldest entry from this year’s crop, Ethel Waters’ 1933 rendering of “Stormy Weather.”
