By Stacey Silberman

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 9/29/07 – Rock bloggers are asking why so few heavy metal and progressive rock groups miss the mark for nominations into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. They wonder why notable rock artists have been shunned by the panel of 70 lead by Rolling Stone’s Jan Wenner.

And like every year, complaints immediately arose over the choices, most notably the lack of metal like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Deep Purple.

Even Wikipedia makes note of the various controversies over who has been chosen and voting scandals that have kept music writers protesting for a decade, now joined by a new generation of bloggers.

One Rolling Stone Rock n’ Roll Daily blogger named Martin who would like to see Genesis and Yes in the Hall, wrote,”I am upset about is the lack of hard rock and progressive rock inducted. As of 2007, the only progressive rock bands in the hall are; Pink Floyd, Queen, Frank Zappa and Traffic. The only hard rock acts inducted are; Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath and Van Halen.”

But, for now, the 2008 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame nominees are definite and they are well deserving of the honor. And the nominees are; Beastie Boys, Madonna, Leonard Cohen, The Dave Clark Five, John Mellencamp, Donna Summer, Afrika Bambaataa, The Ventures and Chic. Out of the nine nominated, only five, will make the cut.

The nominees are chosen by a group of 70 people, consisting of label executives, rock historians and journalists. Ballots are mailed to an international voting body of 700 music industry types.

Inductees will be honored at the New York Waldorf Astoria Hotel on March 10, 2008.