If Rock Is a Universal Language, Why Is Spanish Excluded From the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? A Case for Soda Stereo’s Induction

Three out of 996. That’s the number of individual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Hispanic inductees born in Latin America. The stats remain low even when adding members of Ibero-American heritage born in the English-speaking world: one in England and 11 in the United States. 

As of the 2023 class, the 15 inductees with confirmed Hispanic roots represent just 0.015% of the total inductees into arguably the most prestigious pantheon of rock. What’s more, no act that sings exclusively in Spanish has ever been included.

This statistic not only reflects a low representation for Latin America, a region with a longstanding and powerful tradition of rock artists and fans — as this year’s induction ceremony approaches in October 19, it also presents an opportunity for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to embrace a more inclusive and diverse future, one that highlights how rock & roll brings people from different countries, cultures and languages together. 

I’ve been running a fan campaign since 2020 to advocate for Argentina’s Soda Stereo’s induction into the RNRHOF, as their first Spanish-language band. Despite frequent comments our team’s effort has sparked on social media, I don’t believe the Hall is biased against Hispanic artists. It only seems they haven’t been exposed enough to authentic rock en español to properly consider its inclusion, and they still think of Ritchie Valens and Carlos Santana as the only Latin rock legends. That perception could be rectified in under six hours by watching the docuseries Break It All on Netflix, which covers the history of rock in Latin America.

The RNRHOF aims to recognize artists who’ve significantly contributed to the evolution, development, and perpetuation of rock & roll. However, it never mentions that this recognition is limited to a specific language or market — so anyone in the world meeting their induction criteria is supposed to be eligible. But the reality is quite different; for decades they’ve only looked on the same horizon, mostly inducting white male musicians. It wasn’t until recent years, thanks to diversity and inclusion movements, that more female and African American acts have been significantly included. Hispanic acts, however, have remained ignored.

The RNRHOF’s nominating committee consists of 30 experts, none of whom are Hispanic. This puts our campaign on a collision path against history, and the entire hopes of a rock en Español induction in the hands of people who may not possess the best expertise on Latin music.

Rock Hall executives explain controversial multi-genre nominations by referencing Motown Records’ old motto, “The Sound of Young America.” They say they want to bring back the original spirit of the 1950s. However, focusing only on what young people in the United States listen to could limit real inclusion and diminish their global appeal. This is also unfair to followers abroad, because rock and roll was born in the U.S. but belongs to the entire planet. 

When John Sykes took over the RRHOF foundation, he promised more diversity to prevent the institution from becoming irrelevant. I started the Soda Stereo Rock Hall campaign hoping his pledge would finally recognize a Latin American band. According to a June 2024 U.S. Census report, Hispanics now represent 19.5% of the US population — and with Spanish being the second-largest language by number of native speakers in the world, and easily the second-most spoken in the United States, it’s time to include Latin acts in the mix. Many experts agree that the first band should be Soda Stereo, followed by the other three of the “sacred tetralogy” of Spanish-language rock: Heroes del Silencio (Spain), Los Prisioneros (Chile), and Caifanes (Mexico).

But it can’t stop there. Foundational icons of the movement should also be considered: El Tri and Javier Batiz (Mexico), Charly Garcia and Luis Alberto Spinetta (Argentina), Miguel Rios (Spain), and Los Saicos (Peru), as well as icons like Maná and Café Tacvba.

As for Soda Stereo, the band’s import in the history of popular music is undisputed. Cirque du Soleil paid tribute to Soda’s legacy in 2017 and 2018 with a tribute show, Sep7timo Día, an honor bestowed only on three other acts: The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Michel Laprise, director of the show — who spent months talking to fans worldwide to understand the band’s legacy — expressed on a video recorded at their Montreal headquarters for our campaign, “The quality of their rock music, the intensity of what they did, is universal and ageless … Then we realized they’re not in the Rock Hall of Fame. It doesn’t make sense; they should be there. Let’s correct that and celebrate the timeless quality and relevance of that music”. 

Soda Stereo disbanded in 1997 still at the peak of its career, exhausted from an intensive tour schedule. It reunited for a record-breaking tour in 2007, and intended to resume recording new albums and touring. Sadly, Gustavo Cerati, the band’s charismatic frontman, fell into a coma in May 2010 after a solo show in Venezuela, and died on September 4, 2014. His passing led to an outpouring of love and respect from fans and colleagues around the world, and his massive funeral was compared to the funeral of iconic tango legend Carlos Gardel in 1935.

Coldplay’s Chris Martin is without a doubt Soda Stereo’s most high-profile and vocal global fan; Gorillaz’ Seye Adelakan, a loyal admirer since his teenage years, says: “They transcend the Spanish language.” Shakira cites them as her inspiration to become an artist; Andy Summers wanted to do more music with Cerati after they recorded together; and Bono prayed onstage for his recovery.

Despite its legacy and positive impact on rock’s development in Latin America, the band has yet to be nominated for the Rock Hall. Our petition has gathered close to 40,000 signatures from 68 countries across all continents, and the endorsement of historically significant Hispanic rock stars. Many believe that if Soda Stereo was from the U.S. or Europe and sang in English, it would have been inducted long ago.

The Rock Hall should not induct Soda Stereo merely to satisfy a diversity quota. But it should also not discriminate against it because of their Latin American origin, or because of the band’s legacy being unknown to them, or especially because its music is in a language they don’t like or understand. 

Rock and Roll is created worldwide and in many different languages. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame could honor and celebrate that? Especially at a time when multicultural bridges and better social understanding are most needed.

Miguel Gálvez is a journalist and the creator and director of the Soda Stereo Rock Hall campaign.