The Cut-Off Point

There comes a point in every artist's career where a cut-off point makes them cool or unhip. I'm sitting here listening to Sirius' limited time only Neil Diamond station and now realize why he isn't in the RRHOF. After 1970 Diamond got too serious and became a ballad singer. Even though the Brill Building hits of the 60's still shine, his latter work turned off the Hall's nominating committee.
The other day my lone classic rock radio station played "Someone Saved My Life Tonight", and I realized that this was the cut-off point for classic rock playing Elton John. Even though the followup album, Rock of the Westies, was his hardest rock album, it gets no play on classic rock stations. Every thing after 1975 is off limits for classic rock because Elton became a ballad singer.
The same goes for Phil Collins and Genesis. Everything after "That's All" is forgotten and Phil's solo stuff only gets one play for "In The Air Tonight". Sting's solo stuff? Never hear it on classic rock. Glenn Frey? No.
Collins and Diamond are deemed unhip and balladeer's who mean nothing to the Rock era that the Hall tries to covet. But Genesis and Diamond? They belong.