Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2010: 10 Key Tracks

The Hollies — ”Carrie Anne” (1967)
This track from the still-touring British harmonizers was co-written by Graham Nash, who later formed 1997 Hall of Fame inductees Crosby, Stills and Nash. Fun fact! Matrix actress Carrie-Anne Moss is named after the song, which was a hit the year of her birth.

Watch it performed here

Jimmy Cliff — ”Many Rivers To Cross” (1969)
Reggae star Cliff’s desperate-yet-hopeful ballad has been performed by John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and, most recently, Emeline Michel who sang the track on the Hope for Haiti telethon.

Watch it performed here

The Stooges — ”I Wanna Be Your Dog” (1969)
Iggy Pop and the Stooges will perform their sleigh bells-assisted proto-punk classic at the Hall of Fame ceremony — just as Patti Smith and R.E.M. did when both acts were inducted three years ago.

Watch it performed here

Genesis — ”Supper’s Ready” (1972)
The early, Peter Gabriel-fronted, very proggy Genesis had something of a hit shortage. But who needs chart success when you’ve got a twenty minute-plus, multi-sectioned, song about a fireman, a supersonic scientist, and, of course, ”Ikhnaton And Itsacon And Their Band Of Merry Men”?

Watch it performed here

Jimmy Cliff — ”The Harder They Come” (1972)
In addition to writing and performing the title track of director Perry Henzell’s cult movie, Cliff also played the lead role of Jamaican singer-turned-gangster Ivanhoe Martin.

Watch it performed here

The Stooges — ”Search and Destroy” (1973)
“I’m a street-walkin’ cheetah with a heart full of napalm!” declares Iggy Pop at the start of the best known cut from the Stooges’ seminal, punk-influencing Raw Power set. And, frankly, who has the cojones to argue?

Listen to it here

The Hollies — ”He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (1969)
Elton John played piano on the band’s haunting ballad. ”He was plain old Reg Dwight then, and he looked a bit like Harry Potter,” Hollies singer Terry Sylvester recently told the Boston Herald.

Watch it performed here

ABBA — ”Dancing Queen” (1976)
Is there anyone who doesn’t love the Swedish quartet’s regally-inclined karaoke staple? Oh, I know what you’re thinking: ”I bet, like, John McCain doesn’t love it.” Wrong! During the 2008 presidential campaign the Republican candidate announced that this was his favorite song of all-time. He still lost, though.

Watch it performed here

Genesis — ”Abacab” (1981)
After Peter Gabriel and his headscratchingly fantastical ways left, Phil Collins took over the Brit trio, who got their groove on with this hammering slice of synth-funk.

Watch it performed here

ABBA — ”The Winner Takes It All” (1980)
Over the past three decades this forlorn disco ballad has been covered by the Corrs, Michael Ball, both Minogues, some actress called Meryl Streep, and, there’s a fair chance, you.

Watch it performed here