Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do…y’know, as an adult. You try to listen to good music, so as to know who came before you and their stories and all. But it’s hard. You have people telling you to pay attention when they themselves can’t recite a Ronettes. And you have people who say ‘forget them all’ because they’re not around anymore – get with the new…y’know.

I cannot even name a Ronettes song at this exact moment, but I can tell you that this is an important year in terms of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s one of the first years where the majority of the inductees are important to people of my age (23…(who only know a shit’s worth of musical history…(of which I only know a speck))).

If you lived in a location that received a radio signal in the 1980s-1990s you know who REM is…and if you know you REM is you should know who Patti Smith is. Listen to modern rock radio? You know Van Halen. And have you heard of hipppp hoppp? Good, me neither. (not sure Jay-Z does himself, as he apparently lives only as far as his palm pilot or Blackberry will allow him to these days)

If you pay attention to anything however, don’t bother with these songs – watch and listen to Zach de la Rocha’s induction speech for Patti Smith. The second bit to bite is Eddie Vedder’s induction of R.E.M. And if that doesn’t settle the stomach, die…or enjoy these mp3s…whatever.

Spinner.com – Streaming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Video

R.E.M. “Gardening At Night”
R.E.M. “I Wanna Be Your Dog (Feat. Patti Smith)”
R.E.M. “Man on the Moon (Feat. Eddie Vedder)”

Patti Smith “Because of the Night”
Patti Smith “Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stones)”

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five “Medley (White Lines/Good Times/The Message)”

Velvet Revolver “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love/ Best of Both Worlds” (not recommended at all, really)
Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony & Paul Shaffer “Why Can’t This Be Love?” (more recommended than Velvet Revolver)