Of Course Duran Duran Should Be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Photo Credit

Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images

When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame presented its nominees for the class of 2022, the reactions remained the same as they always are. Some folks were excited, others were downright angry, the usual suspects used it as their annual opportunity to disparage the entire concept of the Hall of Fame, and – lest we forget – the most vocal fans of the artists who were nominated immediately launched into lists of why [insert preferred artist name here] should absolutely among the honored few to secure their spot in the Hall this year.

In this case, we’re going to insert the name of first-time nominees Duran Duran into the conversation, offering up five reasons why we think these wild boys from Birmingham have more than earned their spot within the great hall.

They helped define a decade.

If you think you can describe what ‘80s music is without bringing up Duran Duran in some capacity, then we think you’re not doing a very good job of it. You can't say that about many bands and really mean it!

They built on great musical traditions.

There was never any doubt that the boys in Duran Duran worshiped at the altar of David Bowie to some extent, but they made it official when they covered the Thin White Duke’s classic single “Fame” for a B-side. Later, they confirmed that they enjoyed and respected the work of CHIC by having Nile Rodgers serve as their producer, strengthening that bond with the disco band further when guitarist Andy Taylor and bassist John Taylor joined forces with a couple of CHIC-sters for supergroup The Power Station.

They became icons of music and fashion.

You need look no farther than any video made by the band to see that they were extremely conscious of what they were wearing, and once they realized others were paying attention, too, they made even more of an effort to stand out in the crowd, fashion-wise. To this day, they've never missed a beat.

They made the music video what it is today.

Duran Duran fans have often remembered to the classic lineup of the band as the Fab Five, but if there was an honorary sixth member during this era, it might be Russell Mulcahy, the director who helmed the majority of the band’s classic videos. From slickly-shot performance clips to on-location epics with cinematic style, Duran helped pioneer music videos from promotional tool to legitimate work of art.

Styles change. Style doesn't.

These words advertised Duran Duran's incredible early '90s comeback, thanks to the Top 10 hits "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone." The members of the group - current and former - might be the first to admit that not every one of their albums or singles clicked with fans, but for 40 years and counting, Duran remains a popular live draw and a group unafraid of trying new things in the studio. No matter how their subsequent records do, Duran Duran’s impact has been so tremendous that they’ll always be major players in the music business - and more than deserving of a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.