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The Beastie Boys. The punk rock band that was the first to embrace rap, these New York Jewish kids were bratty, but smart, whippersnappers ... but they knew what they were doing: They brought white kids toward rap and achieved credibility in the black community. No easy trick there, especially back then. They were unabashed about their hedonism (but had their tongues-in-cheek too), crafted def rhymes, made some head-spinning records, and a spunky attitude not in the politically correct realm. Again? 25 years?! And, while they've taken time off, they've lasted and still have relevance. They're in. Leonard Cohen. The dark, poetic and sensuous singer-songwriter from Canada whose voice was once described as a bullfrog croak. I disagree. It may be limited in range, but it's a superb expressive instrument. And I think he's written some of the saddest, most eloquent songs we've heard over the past three decades, and mixed genres wonderfully. He mixes the political and the romantic, he finds the luster in darkness. He must make it in. Donna Summer, the one-time disco queen many rock fans of the 1970s reviled just because, well, she represented disco, the antithesis of what they considered rock and roll. In 1975, she hit big with the endless the multi-orgasmic "Love to Love You Baby," which certainly spun a few heads. Summer transcended disco with R&B and strings and things, and went on to carve out a satisfying career. Some albums sold, others didn't. She is still with us, performing. She works hard for the money. Hall of Fame material? Not really,  The Beastie Boys: Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz. The Ventures. Instrumental surf-rock specialists known almost exclusively for "Walk Don't Run" and the theme song to "Hawaii Five-O." (As I kid, I played the latter on the hi-fi incessantly. Couldn't get enough of it. Drove my parents crazy.) They did sell millions of records in the '60s, influenced a bunch of bands, and certainly made a mark. Hall of Fame? A sentimental favorite, but I don't think so. Chic. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (who died in 1996) created this smart, sleek disco/R&B group, popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s. (Rodgers also produced David Bowie and Madonna's breakthrough album.) Their music was sampled early in the rap era by Grandmaster Flash and the Sugar Hill Gang, effectively laying the foundation for the hip hop industry today. One or both of them also worked with Deborah Harry, Sister Sledge, Diana Ross and helped introduce Luther Vandross to the world. Best known for the dance floor delight "Le Freak." In the Hall? Yes, it's time. The Dave Clark Five. Clark was the English band's drummer and manager; Mike Smith was the vocalist. Yes, there were a series of joyous, raucous mid-'60s hits – "Glad All Over," "Bits and Pieces" that helped define an era. But their time was over pretty quickly. One wag has suggested if the DC5 gets in, who's next, Herman's Hermits? Point taken. There's a sentimental side to this, in that Smith suffered a spinal cord injury in 2003 and is hospitalized. Also, a rumor that they were voted into the Hall in 2007, but nixed by Rolling Stone publisher-Hall co-founder Jann Wenner so that rap would finally be represented (by Grandmaster Flash). Maybe, that's not cool – if true – but I'm with Wenner if merit, influence and longevity are an issue. The DC5 were more of a footnote. John Mellencamp. He's a pull-on-the-heartstrings populist rocker from the Midwest, who is prone to writing rock anthems and, sometimes, penning introspective songs for people who can't get enough Bruce Springsteen and don't mind settling for B-level stuff. Mellencamp had a long stretch as a hit-maker, is reportedly a gem of a guy – a smart voice on "Real Time with Bill Maher" lately – and a steady craftsman of heartland rock, but not Hall of Fame material. And so, our picks: Madonna, the Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen, Chic and Bambaataa. Jim Sullivan has written about popular culture and music for more than 25 years for many national publications. You can contact him at
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