The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2024 includes everyone from New York hip-hop acts Mary J. Blige and A Tribe Called Quest to rock groups Dave Matthews Band and Foreigner to, at long last, Cher.
When the nominees for the 2024 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were announced in February, I immediately zeroed in on the battle of the two ’90s R&B-pop divas straight outta New York.
In one corner, there was Mary J. Blige, the undisputed Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, who was previously nominated for enshrinement in music’s most exclusive club in 2021 — 29 years after her groundbreaking debut, 1992’s “What’s the 411?”
In the other corner, there was Mariah Carey — the Queen of Christmas, Melisma and Whistle Notes — who got her first nomination 34 years after her smash self-titled debut turned octave-leaping vocals into an Olympic sport in 1990.
There were other legendary divas from other generations and genres who were nominated — from Cher to Sade to Sinéad O’Connor — but Blige vs. Carey was the heavyweight belter bout that was the Thrilla in Manolos for me.
No way they would both get in the same year — and my money was all on Mimi. After all, with 19 No. 1 singles to her credit, the “All I Want for Christmas” princess trails only the Beatles for the most chart-topping tunes in history.
Surely, that gets you a walk-in-closet-sized spot in the rock hall.
But to the dismay of legions of Lambs — as Carey’s faith fans are called — it was Blige who was shown “Real Love” when this year’s RRHOF class was announced by Ryan Seacrest and 2022 inductee Lionel Richie on “American Idol” Sunday night.
