The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their yearly nominees and the list contains a diverse mixture of musical genres.  The nominees encompass the best of hip-hop, metal, punk, disco and R&B.  

This year's nine nominees are Run DMC, Metallica, the Stooges, guitarist Jeff Beck, singer Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, War, Bobby Womack, and disco and Chic, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced Monday.

"It's an interesting group because it really shows the nominating committee showed some thought and energy into who should be inducted," said Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Rock Hall foundation. "It truly shows it's never a closed door for any artist to be nominated."

More than 500 musicians, industry professionals and journalists will vote on the inductions.  The five leading vote-getters will be announced in January and inducted April 4, 2009, in Cleveland.  In a break from tradition, this year's induction ceremony will be held in Cleveland, and not in New York.  Also tickets will be made available to the public for the first time.  

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were the first Hip Hop artists to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Now Run-D.M.C., nominated in the first year of their eligibility, has the chance to be the second.

"The big thing they did is took hip-hop more into the mainstream," said Jim Henke, VP of exhibitions and curatorial affairs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. "They did combine a lot of rock elements. As far as hip-hop groups go, they're certainly right there at the top."

RUN DMC are Hip Hop pioneers among their many contributions are, first rappers with:

For more information go to http://www.rockhall.com or http://www.futurerockhall.com.