When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame presented its nominees for the class of 2022, the reactions were just as they always tend to be: some were excited, others were pissed, the usual suspects used it as their annual opportunity to disparage the entire concept of the Hall of Fame, and – last but not least – the most vocal fans of the artists who were nominated immediately launched into lists of why [INSERT ARTIST’S NAME HERE] should absolutely among the honored few to secure their spot in the Hall this year.
Have you figured out which demographic we’re in? If you haven’t, don’t worry, you’ll have time to contemplate it while we dole out five reasons why Carly Simon deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Three words: "You're So Vain."
Seriously, Taylor Swift worships at the altar of this tune, as you can see right here, and it’s no wonder: not only did Simon manage to keep people guessing about the subject of the song for decades, but the wordplay is still making people smile to this day.
READ MORE: OK, So Who's the Subject of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"?
She released one of the most successful Bond – James Bond – songs of all time.
Just doing a song for a 007 film isn’t enough of an excuse to induct someone into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – if it was, then Tom Jones would’ve been inducted years ago – but it certainly doesn’t hurt, especially when it’s a song that reached No. 2 on the U.S. pop charts and got nominated for an Oscar, one of the few themes from the spy franchise to do both.
READ MORE: Nobody Does It Better: Our Favorite Carly Simon Songs
Her success helped cement the viability of the “female singer-songwriter” genre for the long haul.
Yes, we know, it sounds absolutely ridiculous in 2022, but once upon a time it was a rarity for a female singer-songwriter to make a big splash on the music scene. That changed in a big way in the 1970s, and there’s no question that Carly Simon was a big part of causing that seismic shift.
She’s already got major street cred from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Simon actually received the Songwriters Hall of Fame honor 28 years ago, making her absence from the Rock Hall all the more ridiculous. The sooner this egregious omission is taken care of, the better.
She’s evolved as an artist through decade after decade.
It takes a great deal of career stamina to be able to kick off your career in the 1970s and still be recording new material into the 21st century, but Simon’s done just that, dabbling in a number of different styles – a little jazz, a little new wave, some disco – while still pulling in substantial sales figures. It takes a true artist to forge a fan base that’ll follow you through whatever you decide to do, and it’s something that should be rewarded.
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