The Rock and Roll Community of Fame?

com⋅mu⋅ni⋅ty: /kəˈmyunɪti/ Pronunciation [kuh-myoo-ni-tee] – noun, plural -ties.

1.	a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

2.	a locality inhabited by such a group.

3.	a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually prec. by the): the business community; the community of scholars.

4.	a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe.

5.	Ecclesiastical. a group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule.

6.	Ecology. an assemblage of interacting populations occupying a given area.

7.	joint possession, enjoyment, liability, etc.: community of property.

8.	similar character; agreement; identity: community of interests

The definition above is from www.dictionary.com.

Is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a community?  Perhaps not in the traditional sense of the word, but yes, I think that it is a pretty good and clear example of a community in the modern world.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a professional and social group whose members have a common cultural and historical heritage.  The Rock Hall is all about its heritage and celebrating the culture of Rock and Roll.  Its members have all been voted and inducted into the hall, and so in this way, share a form of government.  The Rock Hall is a group of some of the most elite and talented musicians in the history of Rock and Roll.  These musicians share common characteristics in that they are the musicians that have shaped, altered, and influenced the path of music in our society.  There is a locality, and a sense of interaction.  Many of the members gather year after year at the induction ceremonies to celebrate the induction of new members, often at the same venue – the Waldorf Astoria Theater in New York City.

German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies, in his 1887 work entitled Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft [which means Community and Society], argued that community is perceived to be a tighter and more cohesive social entity, due to the presence of a “unity of will.” He also stated that family and kinship were the perfect expressions of community. These are perhaps the aspects of community that I have found most apparent to exist among the members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  There is a true sense of family and kinship between many of the Hall’s members.  There is also a presence of a “unity of will.”  The members have all willfully accepted their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and willfully attend annual induction ceremonies and concerts.  [Some haven't.  In 2008, original punk rockers, The Sex Pistols, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and yet declined to attend, sending a letter denouncing the Hall instead.]

Although the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may not be a community in a traditional, geographical sense of the word, it is quite clear to me that it is a great examples of a community none-the-less.  Now that we’ve established that, it is time to get onto the larger questions:  What is the focus of this community?  How was this focus created, and what have they done with it?  What is the overall impact of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its larger society?  Is there anything that can be learned from this that can be emulated on a smaller scale?

Stay tuned…