John Denver left a mark on the popular music scene so many other musical "rock" acts can only try to aspire. He was definitely on the softer side of rock music, but his legacy qualifies him for induction without question. He died way too young, and is missed by his legions of fans all over the world.

Posted by Len Jaffe on Tuesday, 03/26/2013 @ 16:25pm

It's an absolute crime that John Denver isn't already in the Hall of Fame. There is no justice when rap artists like Public Enemy and the Beasty Boys are inducted into THE ROCK AND ROLL hall of fame and great rock artists like John, America, KISS, and Jim Croce are not... Absolutely disgraceful...

Posted by Pat on Sunday, 05/19/2013 @ 17:10pm

Pat - Learn how to spell the acts you criticize before criticizing them. Also the BEASTIE boys and Public Enemy rocked harder to all the acts you mentioned. FACT

Posted by Gassman on Sunday, 05/19/2013 @ 20:37pm

Pat - This is coming from a guy that likes John Denver, KISS and Jim Croce. Yet in all reality, only KISS deserves induction right now.

Posted by Gassman on Sunday, 05/19/2013 @ 20:40pm

john denver is truly heinous and i shall freely offer to fight him on the internet or in person i have been training extensively for such an occasion and i shall not shy away if the opportunity presents itself i shall thoroughly discredit himself, his name and his family and then i shall physically defeat him

Posted by gfw on Thursday, 08/28/2014 @ 16:26pm

john denver spent so much time walking down country roads that he didnt even train his upper body, all i gotta do is avoid his admittedly powerful leg sweeps and i will surely prevail

Posted by gfw on Sunday, 09/14/2014 @ 18:36pm

fly away? too right he will fly away after being hit with my special B O N E B L I T Z E R

Posted by gfw on Tuesday, 09/16/2014 @ 19:29pm

scotland will soon be independent and so will john denvers teeth be from his mouth

Posted by gfw on Thursday, 09/18/2014 @ 13:27pm

The car is on fire, and there's no driver at the wheel
And the sewers are all muddied with a thousand lonely suicides
And a dark wind blows

The government is corrupt
And we're on so many drugs
With the radio on and the curtains drawn

We're trapped in the belly of this horrible machine
And the machine is bleeding to death

The sun has fallen down
And the billboards are all leering
And the flags are all dead at the top of their poles

It went like this:

The buildings tumbled in on themselves
Mothers clutching babies
Picked through the rubble
And pulled out their hair

The skyline was beautiful on fire
All twisted metal stretching upwards
Everything washed in a thin orange haze

I said, "Kiss me, you're beautiful -
These are truly the last days"

You grabbed my hand
And we fell into it
Like a daydream
Or a fever

We woke up one morning and fell a little further down
For sure it's the valley of death

I open up my wallet
And it's full of john denvers teeth

Posted by gfw on Thursday, 10/2/2014 @ 15:24pm

John Denver. There's so much good things to say about him. John Denver was one of Americas first true singer/songwriter that captivated Amercia. Many people fell in love with John Denvers kind and appealing personality. Music needed an easy going, pleasant songwriter whose music touched the lives of many people. His voice in "Annie's Song" is touching, heartfelt, still resonated today. When ever I hear a John Denver song I remember all the good times in the 1970's and John Denver was a big part of that.

His guitar playing is remarkable, and he was one of the greatest talents in music. What a voice.
Yes in my opinion like the Everly Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, John Denver represents all that amazing and creative in a singer song writer. His gift of music will never be forgotten. America loves John Denver. I think that many Americans secretly have John Denver song that they sing to lift their spirits.

He is a treasure, that I can't imagine people ever letting go of him. Even though he is gone.

I feel that the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame should induct him because like the Everyly Brother he embodies those greatest aspects of songwriting, like Springstein. Their voice, his voice is true, honest, and is one of the most uplifting experiences in human experience.

All of those very gifted artists were talented guitarist who could express music on the guitar in ways that touched lives. Paul Simon in my heart of hearts secretly liked John Denvers . James Taylor, even the Eagles. They all have a gift for outstanding contributions in music on acoustic guitar and lead vocals.

John Denver should be inducted retroactice. He is amazing. And will always be loved by Americans.

Posted by Brian Wozniak on Sunday, 10/5/2014 @ 18:26pm

i have recently been informed by reliable sources that john denver is in fact deceased.

apologies to both his family and the fighting community in general, it was foolish and disrespectful of me to challenge a dead man.

Posted by gfw on Sunday, 10/19/2014 @ 10:25am

I think John Denver I think singer and songwriter. The RRHOF loves these singer/songwriters so I'm surprised John Denver hasn't been inducted. John Denver music had a majestic and soaring quality sorely lacking in today's music. People forget how big John Denver was in the 70's and early 80's. He was everywhere TV shows, concerts, movies. Barely remember some of 70's because I was born in mid 70's but John Denver stood out. They used to play Thank God I'm A Country Boy and Take Me Home Country Road to death on radio and people in the neighborhood would play the records. Of the great 70's singer/songwriters like James Taylor, Cat Stevens etc, John Denver was right with these inducted legends. He's deserving RRHOF. KING

Posted by KING on Thursday, 06/4/2015 @ 15:45pm

NASA has a tradition of serenading space crews. Songs would play at special moments and as wake up calls.

The command module of Apollo 17 was called America. For their first wake up call after landing on the moon, NASA chose the John Denver cover of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans. The chorus goes "Good morning America, how are you?".

I have seen it said said that this was the first song played on the moon. From what I can find of what NASA has released it looks like this is true.

https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/a17CONO.html

http://history.nasa.gov/wakeup%20calls.pdf

Posted by Zuzu on Tuesday, 11/10/2015 @ 20:04pm

Mr Denver is a hall of famer without a doubt. if we put someone doing rap in. why not John Denver. Also Gordon Lightfoot .

Posted by frank on Sunday, 02/7/2016 @ 00:43am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch7JGUIx1WU

John Denver - Annie's Song (You Fill Up My Senses) 1979

Posted by Roy on Monday, 03/21/2016 @ 22:00pm

This guy (John Denver) was a musical genius.The hell with country or rock and roll. Call it a new kind of music. He never was recognized for his talent. Guess no one is really listening to real talent anymore.He should be inducted in both.better than Cash and others. What a shame to his name and his great music.

Posted by dfastone on Monday, 04/25/2016 @ 07:33am

John Denver was one of the biggest selling artists of the 1970's. His music has been heard and appreciated all over the world. He hosted numerous awards shows, multiple TV specials, and his music has been included in 100's of motion picture sound tracks. His humanitarian efforts spread throughout the world. His music was so unique that it crossed over many genres, including rock and roll, pop, country and everything in between.

John Denver was a rare legend in music and bettered our world with his good deeds. If anybody should be included in the rock and roll hall of fame, John Denver should be at the too of the list.

Posted by Geoff on Tuesday, 05/30/2017 @ 12:42pm

It is LONG overdue.

Posted by Donald DeCapot on Sunday, 06/11/2017 @ 14:25pm

Spent this past weekend in Cleveland first stop the R n R Hall of fame.had a great time... but after a visiting Elvis I went looking for John Denver . I worked with. Both artist and many of the others.,. But John Denver should be in all Music Hall of Fames...He was one of the best ... And is missed . His music. Will live on forever....
,

Posted by Richard simpson on Sunday, 10/1/2017 @ 18:35pm

He's good, but he's in no way rock 'n' roll. Not that's ever stopped the hall before.

Posted by Michael McNeely on Tuesday, 10/3/2017 @ 15:49pm

https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=john+denver#search_section

RIAA Gold & Platinum Total: John Denver

37 Million

This one is for you, Will. N!

Posted by The Dude on Monday, 07/1/2019 @ 10:02am

Dude,

Thanks for your efforts and the sales #'s info. I knew his sales numbers would be pretty high, 37 million is more than I had estimated..

Posted by Will N. on Monday, 07/1/2019 @ 11:24am

Besides all of the great hits, recordings, performances, the countless Benefit Concerts, John Denver has a long list of fantastic credentials. He hosted the Grammys 5 times, was greatly involved in Environmental Activism and Humanitarian projects, starting The Hunger Project in 1977, the Windstar Foundation, Plant It 2000, was appointed to President Jimmy Carters Commission on World Hunger, and wrote Calypso in support of Jaques Cousteau.
He also stood with Dee Snider and others against music censorship as he testified before the Senate in a Parent Resource Committee hearing. John Denver had also performed 11 times in the Soviet Union in 1985, and then returned 2 years later to do Benefit shows for victims of the Chernobyl disaster. In 1992 he toured the Peoples Republic of China, doing multiple shows. He composed and performed the theme song for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. He had also received the NASA Public Service Award for helping to increase the awareness of space exploration.
I don't know if all of this helps in his qualifications for the RRHOF or not. For me, his music is enough for that. I consider him a Singer/Songwriter type, along the lines of a James Taylor, who is already in. IMO, he already has the hits and the necessary body of work, it is just the genre and recognition of that particular style of contemporary soft rock/country music blend that gets intentionally overlooked.

Posted by Will N. on Saturday, 09/14/2019 @ 00:42am

Denver is #38 of the Top 50 selling Music artists before Mellencamp, Clapton, WHO, Queen, Ozzy and Bon Jovi. No wonder people say WTF?. Nope, numbers are not the only criteria. A true artist doesn't repeat another but creates originals from the heart/soul and Denver had a massive soul and delivered, AND he crossed genres, plus everyone knows who he is. That man did it his way and RESPECT to that. If they are going to call RAP = rock, but exclude FOLK, but have Elvis and Simon and Garfunkle in there, well gee. What are the roots of Rock if not Folk and Blues? So many unanswered questions.

Posted by Angela T on Tuesday, 02/9/2021 @ 15:21pm

John Denver should be in there by now. Very popular artist and one of the best selling artists of all time. If he were inducted,Paul Simon will induct him.

Posted by Tyler Helt on Tuesday, 12/14/2021 @ 08:09am

John Denver should be in. How many of the artists already in have written as iconic a song as "Take Me Home Country Roads." It exists outside of time.

Posted by Rick Paul on Sunday, 01/15/2023 @ 16:42pm

Country roads and Annie's song are iconic. Let him in why not.

Posted by gfw on Friday, 01/20/2023 @ 17:02pm

Man sold over 30 million records and wrote and sang some of the most iconic songs in history. Based on the criteria spelled out, and some of the other people inducted in recent years, John Denver should have been inducted 20 years ago! Biggest star of the entire decade of the 70's, influence that continues to this day. Was way ahead of his time with his influence on issues like the environment as well. Man is a true icon, and an incredible artist who has influences many. Deserves to be inducted.

Posted by Matthew Kircher on Friday, 04/21/2023 @ 22:33pm