I love Coldplay, but I'm definitely going to veto Chris Martin. Rolling Stone asked him to write a tribute to U2 in their 50 Greatest Artists issue and what Martin wrote could have been written by any high schooler deeply obsessed with their own personal connection with U2.
I'm also going to veto anyone who started recording albums and became an established artist before U2 because, as stated already, the person who inducts the band is typically younger.
Paul McGuinness, Gavin Friday, Jimmy Iovine, etc. are also going to be vetoed because they are not far enough removed from the band to be able to cover what U2 means to the true fan and accurately describe U2's contribution to the legacy of rock & roll. (And Iovine could really give a shite what kind of music U2 makes as long as it makes him money.)
That said, the best suggestion I've seen here is Bob Geldof, who is certainly capable of addressing the significance of U2's politics and social awareness, and could to a pretty not-bad job of describing U2's legacy in a historical perspective.
My next suggestion is Wyclef Jean. Wyclef obviously has mad respect for the band, as he's colaborated with them on several different occasions. His music is infused with the same passion about social issues that helped distinguish both him and U2 from their contemporaries. Also, I think an induction by a hip hop artist will be a testament to how U2's music and themes have transcended musical boundaries.
permission to quote
