For Roger Friedman, FoxNews.com entertainment columnist and vocal Rock Hall critic, the 2008 nominations have pushed him over the edge.

[E]nough is enough. After the announcement late Friday of the nominees’ ballot for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there’s only thing to do: Hit publisher Wenner, who controls the Rock Hall, where it hurts.

If you love Rock and Roll, stop buying Rolling Stone until the tremendous insults of the Hall of Fame are corrected.

Wenner’s nominating committee consists largely of his current and former employees from Rolling Stone (Nathan Brackett, David Fricke, Jim Henke, Joe Levy, Brian Keizer, Toure, and Anthony DeCurtis). But they have little say over who really is inducted.

Friedman then recounts the Dave Clark Five controversy from the 2007 Inductions, and reports that because of that mess they are now "guaranteed entry" in 2008.

Friedman breaks out his laundry list of artists who have been snubbed, ignored, or forgotten by the Rock Hall, any of whom he feels are more deserving than this year's nominees.

Of the new crop, I don’t have much to say that’s positive. Madonna is a steamroller because of the cult of personality. She’s not a rocker, she has a thin voice and she doesn’t write her own material. But she’s a force of nature.

There’s no stopping Madonna when she wants something. Chances are good she won’t bring Steve Bray, Patrick Leonard, William Orbit and all her writers and producers to the stage. They are Madonna.

Chic is a fun idea with great songs, but it was really producer-writer Nile Rodgers and his partner Bernard Summers who made it work as a dance group. Rodgers should be in as a hugely successful producer of music by David Bowie, Ross and others. Summers can be thanked. Chic, however, is not rock.

The rest are totally off base given the above list. Summer was a disco act. For her to get in before Ronstadt is a joke. Mellencamp at least plays rock. But he’s a minor note in the genre’s history.

Afrika Bambaataa and the Beastie Boys: Are they kidding? Even the latter must be laughing. They had one big hit, "You’ve Got to Fight for Your Right to Party." The former, while I’m sure quite lovely, is a record-scratcher with a great name. Each of these belongs in a Rap Hall of Fame.

Roger Friedman gives voice to a large group of rock fans who aren't ready to move on to the next generation of Hall of Famers before honoring those who came before them, and also are weary of the Rock Hall's continued expansion of the definition of "rock and roll."

Update: Before Roger Friedman calls for a boycott of Rolling Stone, he might want to make sure his website doesn't accept advertising from them (see below).

The 500+ members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Voting Committee will be receiving their 2008 ballots soon. They will be instructed to vote for exactly five out of the nine nominees, since only five will be inducted in March. Future Rock Hall is the only place you will find an accurate representation of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot which puts you in the position of a Voting Committee member.

For the 2007 ballot, Future Rock Hall voters accurately predicted four out of the five inductees.

Cast your 2008 Rock Hall ballot here!

Last year, it was, "Van Halen is trying to make their biggest "jump" yet -- into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." But what is the worst lede involving the 2008 Rock Hall Nominees?

Here is the AP's entry:

Here's something Madonna can really celebrate: a nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Or maybe E! Online?

Madonna's love may be on the borderline, but apparently her rock credentials aren't.

MTV's entry:

Take a bow, Madonna, and ch-ch-check it out, Beastie Boys — you've been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Yet another AP entry:

Here's something new for Madonna to get hung up on: a nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

And our favorite, from the Contra Costa Times:

Like a virgin, Madonna's been touched for the very first time -- by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Can you come up with a better one?

The official Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations for 2008 were announced today. There are six first time nominees this year -- Afrika Bambaataa, Madonna, Beastie Boys, Donna Summer, Leonard Cohen, and the Ventures. Previously nominated artists back on the ballot are John Mellencamp, the Dave Clark Five, and Chic, who have now been nominated 10 times collectively. This is the first year of eligibility for Madonna and the Beastie Boys, and it's no surprise they have been nominated since they are both popular and critical favorites. Shockingly, rock legends Metallica and Sonic Youth did not make the cut in their first year of eligibility.

The Dave Clark Five and Chic are two of the four artists who were nominated for 2007 but didn't get inducted. The Stooges and Joe Tex also didn't make it last year but weren't given a chance again this time.

Last year, the Dave Clark Five were memorably involved in some Rock Hall controversy involving Jann Wenner and vote totals.

By nominating pop, hip hop, and disco artists this year, it's clear the Rock Hall won't be restricted by "rock" labels and will continue to cast a wide net towards all forms of popular music. However, without a Metallica on the ballot, there is a glaring lack of hard rock artists, not to mention the continued snub of all things prog rock.

To comment on the nominations, check out the 2008 Nominees page and check out the official press release.

The 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees were announced today, but incredibly Metallica was not among them. Heading one of the strongest first year eligibility classes in recent years, Metallica were the one band widely believed to be a lock for induction. In fact, Future Rock Hall rates Metallica with the highest induction chances of any eligible artist.

Metallica were thought to have been Rock Hall favorites, having had the honor of inducting Black Sabbath (and performing for them) in 2006.

There are plenty of Hall of Fame artists who were not inducted in their first year of eligibility, such as AC/DC, Queen, Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, and many more. There is little doubt that Metallica will be inducted into the Rock Hall at some point in the near future, it just won't be in 2008.

Genesis have been kicking around in various groupings for 40 years, and have been eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993. Although they have never been listed on the ballot, they have been seriously discussed by the Nominating Committee.

Genesis is in the midst of a reunion tour and bassist Mike Rutherford was recently asked about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and their exclusion from it.

You're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. What are your thoughts on the British progressive rock bands being overlooked?

It seems the thought-base [of the Hall] is that it's geared toward more guitar-oriented bands. I'm not going to lose sleep over it, but I think it's odd. It would be nice to be in there, but it's not something I'm going to worry about.

Do you hear the music of Genesis reflected in current bands?

I know bands like Coldplay ... Chris Martin said he enjoyed our stuff. I think in the last few years what's quite nice is that English bands have reappeared a bit. Snow Patrol, Coldplay, bands who create moods and atmospheres again. For a long time in America, these bands couldn't get in the top 30. Now, these atmospheric bands are coming back in America, I think. It's a sound that America doesn't really do, does it?

Over the last 14 years, the Rock Hall Nominating Committee seems to have made its decision that Genesis isn't worthy of induction. That's not to say that can't change as the Committee members turn over, but at this point it would be a long shot.

Thanks, David.

Future Rock Hall has announced its prediction of the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations: Metallica, Madonna, Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Afrika Bambaataa, The Stooges, The Dave Clark Five, Chic, John Mellencamp, The Cure, and Kraftwerk. Check out the full story here.

The Beastie Boys are eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year for the first time. They were recently asked if they would be honored to get inducted.

Journalist: Would you be honored to get inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Mike D: Will they pay you for that?
Journalist: I think you have to pay for your table.
Mike D: You pay to show up? So what’s the perks? Do you get a key to the city? Do you get a key to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Journalist: Probably.
Adrock: Do they give you a medallion of some sort?
Mike D: Do you get resort perks? Do you get to use a spa, for free?
Journalist: Let’s say all you get is the honor of it, would you be honored by it?
Mike D: You mean so there’s no perks, no spa package…
MCA: Let’s just say, can you get a placard? … I would be honored to receive a placard.
Mike D: I might like a medallion better.
Adrock: A trophy.
Journalist: If invited, would you pull a Johnny Rotten.
Mike D: That letter, was that ever [authenticated]? When I saw it reprinted it looked so fake.
MCA: I don’t think it was, because I was in LA and heard, what’s is name, the guitar player? Steve Jones. And they (Jones and John Lydon) were going on about it. And even Steve Jones, who’s more reasonable, was going on a tear, [mimics cockney accent] “I’m not going out there for a fucking…”   

The Beastie Boys are one of the few artists who are locks to be inducted in the future. It may not be this year, but you can bet that they will be accepting their medallions/placards/keys to the city within the next five years.

Thanks, David.

A recent report suggests Ringo Starr will be among the 2008 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. The article quotes "industry insiders" and "experts" who claim Ringo is among the favorites to be inducted in 2008.

A source says, "Ringo's work as a solo artist has never been taken as seriously as the other ex-Beatles but he's actually enjoyed a lot of success in his own right, particularly in America. It's hard to imagine, but there was even a point in the Seventies when his recordings were briefly outselling those of John (Lennon), George and Paul (MCCartney). "Having your own place in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is generally considered to be one of the biggest honours a musician can have. Ringo is now among the favourites to be inducted next year."

It is curious that this report was leaked before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee even held their meeting on September 10th to discuss the 2008 nominees. It's also probably not a coincidence that this report came out the same week that Photograph: Very Best of Ringo Starr was released.

It's certainly possible Ringo could be among the 2008 nominees, but he would still need to be voted on by the Rock Hall Voters, so he couldn't be guaranteed a spot quite yet.