By VOA
13 October, 2014
Welcome to American Mosaic from VOA Learning English. I'm Caty Weaver.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its nominees for induction this year. The 15 choices cover more than 50 years in music. They are Britons, Germans and Americans from across the United States. The nominees also represent many styles of rock and roll, including blues, disco, electronic, hip-hop and punk.
Lou Reed performing at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. |
We polled Learning English staff members to find out which artists they would choose to enter the Hall of Fame this year. Each staffer could only choose one, but several chose the same artists.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame officials nominated Green Day, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Kraftwerk. Also included were The Marvelettes, N.W.A., Nine Inch Nails, The Spinners and The Smiths.
But none of those artists made the Learning English winners list. Here are our choices.
I'll start with myself. I selected War, a California band that could not have been from any other American state. Its sound defines California coastal cool. But the band combines styles from all over. You can hear Caribbean reggae, Latin beats, funk, and rhythm and blues in War performances.
War was most active in the 1970s. But to me its music is timeless. A favorite song is "Low Rider," from 1975.
Adam Brock, Roger Hsu and Anna Matteo went with Lou Reed. Anna had the hardest time deciding of all of us. She was torn by her love for the Spinners. But, in the end, she said she had to go with Reed because she is also a fan of his wife, musician Laurie Anderson.