Tom Petty, Aerosmith and Jackson Browne Records Inducted Into Grammy Hall of Fame
Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever and Jackson Browne's self-titled debut album are among the recordings that will be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The Recording Academy chose those and 22 other records for their "qualitative or historical significance," according to a press release.
The Academy is also honoring songs by Leonard Cohen ("Hallelujah"), the Troggs ("Wild Thing"), Link Wray & His Ray Men ("Rumble"), Fats Domino ("I'm Walkin'"), Dolly Parton ("Coat of Many Colors"), Curtis Mayfield ("Move on Up"), Nina Simone ("To Be Young, Gifted and Black") and Brenda Lee ("Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree").
The oldest recording recognized this year is "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," which was released by Edward Meeker With the Edison Orchestra in 1908; Full Moon Fever, from 1989, is the most recent on the list. You can see the full lineup at Legacy Recordings.
With a groove influenced by the Meters and James Brown and lyrics inspired by Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, "Walk This Way" wasn't a hit when Aerosmith first released it in 1975. But it caught on a year later and reached No. 10. More than a decade later, they re-recorded it with Run-DMC and took it to No. 4.
Full Moon Fever was Petty's solo debut, though it featured all but one of the Heartbreakers. It sold 5 million copies and included three Top 40 hits, including the No. 7 "Free Fallin'." Jackson Browne established the singer-songwriter as a recording artist after a few years writing songs for others, and featured "Doctor My Eyes," "Rock Me on the Water" and "Jamaica Say You Will."
"The Grammy Hall of Fame is proud to be a pillar of musical excellence and diversity year after year, honoring some of the most iconic recordings of all time," Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. "We are proud to acknowledge the ever-changing landscape and evolution of musical expression for which the Academy has become known. We’re honored to add these masterpieces to our growing catalog and are delighted to celebrate the impact they’ve had on our musical, social and cultural history."