Who were the very first band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of those things that, for better or worse, has seemed to lose a hint of its golden air the more time has passed.
Sure, it started out with all the best intentions to landmark the best of the business, both past and present. It served as a marker of cultural moments, the best music, and the people who were responsible for providing it. And yet, in the 40 years since the first class of inductees found themselves on those illustrious walls, a lot has changed.
For one, the contributions of women are dwarfed in comparison to their male counterparts. On top of that, there’s a valid discussion to be had in terms of what actually constitutes rock and roll in this day and age, given that people like Liam Gallagher have campaigned so hard against Oasis’ inclusion, and yet have still found themselves being honoured.
All of this is to say that although the Rock Hall has lost an element of its glory and prestige, no one can deny the history it holds. It’s the mark of the biggest stars in the world, and there are arguably none bigger than the first-ever band to be inducted into its ranks. It was setting a precedent and extending an olive branch for all those still to come.
It’s not like The Coasters ever could have imagined that back in the 1950s, though. Their focus was simply harbouring their own unique blend of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and doo-wop. They managed to score ten top 40 hits during the period, and in doing so, inadvertently secured themselves a place in the rock legend books.
What precedent did The Coasters have for entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Although The Coasters were powerful vocalists in their own right, it was partly also the songwriting prowess of the duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller who propelled the group to the heights that would create their seismic legacy. That combination allowed their string of songs to soar straight to the top.
That included hits such as ‘Seachin’, which hit number three in 1957, ‘Charlie Brown’, which hit number two in 1959, and ‘Yakety Yak’, which claimed their status as number one artists in 1958. As such, alongside other contemporaries of their era like BB King, Bo Diddley, and others like Aretha Franklin and Roy Orbison, they were inducted into the Rock Hall in 1987.
This officially made The Coasters the first ever band to be recognised in these ranks, ironically making them anything but a group of people who would easily coast along. They were frontrunners of their own kind, creating music that was entirely original and would stand the test of time, and very much reaped the rewards for it.
In this sense, as much as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may be far from perfect, The Coasters were the real definition of an artist who enacted a real shift in culture and deserved to be acknowledged for the power they held in their hands. Oasis, eat your heart out, these guys were the real greats.
