Pop diva Madonna and rock poet Leonard Cohen were set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with American rocker John Mellencamp and pioneering pop and surf rockers The Dave Clark Five and The Ventures. ( dpa )
"From poetry to pop, these five acts demonstrate the rich diversity of rock and roll," Hall of Fame president Joel Peresman said. "The 2008 inductees are trailblazers - all unique and influential in their genres."
Acts become eligible to be considered for the rock pantheon 25 years after their first recording. Last year's inductees were REM, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Van Halen, the Ronettes and Patti Smith.
Madonna, who will be 50 in August released her first record in 1982. Her hits include Holiday, Like A Virgin and Ray Of Light. She is being inducted by Justin Timberlake and has lined up Iggy & The Stooges to perform in her honour.
Cohen, 73, became an icon of the folk-rock genre in the late 1960s with songs such as Suzanne and Dress Rehearsal Rag. Lou Reed will induct him and singer Damien Rice will perform for him.
British band The Dave Clark Five were part of the "British Invasion" led by the Beatles that revolutionized popular music in the US. Their hits included Glad All Over, Catch Me If You Can and Over and Over. But the induction event will be bittersweet, following the death of lead singer Mike Smith, 64, last month from pneumonia.
John Mellencamp, also known as John Cougar, 56, is known as an authentic voice of the American heartland with hits like Pink Houses and his iconic 1985 album Scarecrow.
The Ventures are often compared to the Beach Boys because of the similarity of their surf rock sound. Their best-known hits include titles like Walk Don't Run and Hawaii Five-O.