Metallica Indeed Deserves Rock Hall Honor - But Mainly for the Band's '80s Output

It will be nice over the next few months not only to hear about a major '80s rock band about to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but also to focus on some truly groundbreaking music that does the decade quite proud. It's not that Metallica has not produced perfectly serviceable, technically sound music over the last 15 years or so. Still, what stands out to me most is that the group concentrated most all of its abundant brilliance into the '80s, an era not necessarily all that celebrated for innovation and envelope-shredding.

It may not be fresh or astute to point out that America's most accomplished thrash pioneers began their career descent just as they reached their commercial peak with 1991's popular but lacking Black Album, but that doesn't make that fact any less apparent to the discerning music fan. So '80s fans everywhere should look forward to the April 4 Rock Hall induction ceremony, when Metallica (and four other acts, including '80s rap mainstays Run-DMC) celebrate a night of honor in Cleveland, the Hall's hometown. After all, it will be an evening that shines a long-overdue light on one of many artists that help keep '80s music as beloved and influential as we all know it should be. Until then, listen with anticipation for "The Call of Ktulu."