Styx’s Dennis DeYoung criticizes Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2 hours ago7 min read2 comments

In a scorching critique that resonates with countless overlooked rock veterans, Styx founding member Dennis DeYoung has unleashed his full-throated disdain for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, labeling its foundational mission statement 'a ruse and a joke concocted to protect their own personal choices. ' For DeYoung, whose band crafted anthems like 'Come Sail Away' and 'Renegade' that have become permanent fixtures on classic rock radio, the Hall’s persistent snub feels less like an oversight and more like a deliberate exclusion, a sentiment he crystallizes with the biting observation that artists seemingly need to be 'incapacitated or dead' before the institution deigns to honor them.This isn't merely the sour grapes of a passed-over musician; it's a symphony of frustration shared by legions of fans who see the Hall’s induction process as a capricious, often baffling, popularity contest curated by a cabal of insiders with opaque criteria. The Hall, since its 1983 inception, has perpetually wrestled with the definition of 'rock and roll,' a struggle that has seen the induction of hip-hop pioneers, pop superstars, and disco icons, while foundational prog-rock and arena rock acts like Styx, with over 50 million albums sold and a legacy of technically complex, melodically rich compositions, remain on the outside looking in.DeYoung’s argument strikes a powerful chord because it exposes the inherent contradiction at the heart of the institution: it purports to celebrate the music's history while systematically ignoring entire genres and the artists who defined them, creating a canon that often feels more reflective of critical trends in New York and Los Angeles than the actual listening habits of Middle America. One need only glance at the roster of nominees and inductees year after year to see a pattern where commercial success and critical acclaim from specific outlets are weighted more heavily than enduring fan devotion and musical influence.Styx, after all, wasn't just a hit machine; they were pioneers of the rock opera and concept album format with works like 'The Grand Illusion' and 'Paradise Theatre,' weaving theatricality into hard rock long before it became commonplace. The Hall’s defense often hinges on the nebulous concept of 'influence,' but how can one measure the influence of a band whose songs are still blasted in stadiums, covered by new generations of musicians, and serve as the bedrock of classic rock playlists? This ongoing debate raises a fundamental question about the very purpose of such an institution: is it to sanctify a narrow, critic-approved version of history, or is it to genuinely reflect the vast, messy, and passionately loved tapestry of rock music? DeYoung’s candid fury, far from being an isolated complaint, gives voice to a long-simmering disillusionment, suggesting that until the Hall reforms its selection process to be more transparent and inclusive of the artists who actually built the genre's commercial backbone, its legitimacy will remain, for many, as illusory as one of Styx’s own classic albums.

#Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

#Dennis DeYoung

#Styx

#music awards

#criticism

#featured

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