This year's rock 'n' roll hall of fame inductees have been announced.
Rock 'n' roll poet Patti Smith leads the charge with her controversial and confronting lyrics that saw her become a spokeswoman for a generation of post-hippies.Alternative rock pioneers R.E.M. will finally be inducted after their invaluable contribution to the indie rock sound.
Metal heroes Van Halen have finally made the cut, and both Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth will be inducted, although one time front man Gary Cherone (who was left out of their 'Best Of Both Worlds' greatest hits) will not be included.
Girl-group pioneers (no, not the Spice Girls), The Ronettes had hits such as 'Be My Baby' and 'Da Doo Ron Ron'.
Rap pioneer Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five will broaden the scope of music included in the rock 'n' roll hall of fame, by being the first hip hop group to be inducted - although it is a logical extension from the number of early R&B acts included.
The night will also be used to honour the late Ahmet Ertegun, chairman of Atlantic Records. Ertegun was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 in the non-performer category and the rock 'n' roll museum is in the Ahmet Ertegun Hall in Cincinnati.
A band is eligible for induction 25 years after their first release and is judged based on their influence and "significance of the artist's contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll."
There are also categories for non-performers (such as radio DJs or record company executives), early influences (for artists who predated rock 'n' roll, but still had an early influence on the genre) and sidemen (for artists who have spent their career backing up front men with their unique sound - such as James Burton). A separate committee comprised mainly of producers selects these inductees.
