Music Babble

I don't care that much, but Soundgarden was the band that I most wanted to get in. I looked at a bunch of articles when the nominees came out, and from what I remember there wasn't that much consensus as to who was likely to get in, but I saw people saying that they didn't think Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine wouldn't get in the same year. I easily prefer Soundgarden, and they sold more albums.

I don't understand the "Musical Excellence" category. It used to go only to sidemen. The category is defined as

The Award for Musical Excellence shall be given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.

and now they're giving it to solo artists/band. They might as well just merge it with the performers award.

Also, the performers category is defined as,

Honoring bands and solo artists who, in their careers, have created music whose originality, impact, and influence has changed the course of rock & roll.

You have to have "changed the course of rock & roll"? That criteria is not born out in many of the choices, not even in all the good ones.

If we ignore those stupid definitions and just look at the distinction made in these categories in practice until a few years ago, then I think they'll eventually regret slotting acts into the "musical excellence" category that could have gone in as performers when it's hard to find credible, newly eligible candidates.