Hall Of Fame Announces Nominees

Hall Of Fame In Cleveland

RUN-DMC, METALLICA, BOBBY WOMACK, JEFF BECK, CHIC, WANDA JACKSON, LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS, THE STOOGES and WAR were the nominees announced on MONDAY, vying for five spots in THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, reports REUTERS. Artists become eligible for THE HALL OF FAME 25 years after the release of their first single or album to be honored at THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM in CLEVELAND.

More than 500 music industry professionals will choose five of the nominees for the 24th annual induction on APRIL 4th in CLEVELAND. The inductees will be announced in JANUARY.

NEW YORK hip-hop group RUN-DMC is credited with setting the "template for modern hip-hop, from their everyday-teenager style to their blazing live shows to a catalog of classic songs that few rappers have matched," THE HALL OF FAME FOUNDATION said in a statement.

METALLICA -- founded by vocalist JAMES HETFIELD and DRUMMER LARS ULRICH -- rose "to become the most successful and acclaimed heavy metal band of their era, a position they've consistently held for over a quarter-century," the foundation said.

WOMACK's career spans 55 years, beginning with the WOMACK BROTHERS. "Womack is a triple-threat: prolific solo artist, landmark session guitarist and master songwriter," the foundation said.

BECK, who was inducted into THE HALL OF FAME in 1992 as a member of THE YARDBIRDS, is "one of the most influential guitarists in rock and roll," THE FOUNDATION said.

CHIC -- made up of NILE RODGERS, BERNARD EDWARDS and TONY THOMPSON -- "rescued disco in 1977 with a combination of groove, soul and studio smarts," THE FOUNDATION said, adding that their hits, such as "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "Le Freak," "raised the bar and hooked a generation."

JACKSON is dubbed the "First Lady of Rock and Roll" and started recording in 1954 when she was 18. She toured with ELVIS PRESLEY in 1955 and "he convinced her that rock and roll was the way, and she grabbed onto the rhythm like a dynamo."

LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS first signed to a label in 1958 and went on to release hits such as "Tears on My Pillow," "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop," and "Hurt So Bad."

THE STOOGES, who performed with IGGY POP, "have become icons in the history of modern music," THE FOUNDATION said, "for the nuclear-powered simplicity of their music, the ironic nihilism of their lyrics, and the persona of IGGY himself."

WAR -- founded by PAPA DEE ALLEN, CHARLES MILLER, HAROLD BROWN, B.B. DICKERSON, LONNIE JORDAN and HOWARD SCOTT -- had a string of top 10 pop/R&B hits "that established WAR's status through the '70s, always with a social message grounded by their distinctively breezy SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA vibe."

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