Future Hall of Famers?

Pearl Jam

Why: The band that hauled grunge into the classic rock canon; more than 30 million albums sold in America alone, including the blockbuster debut 'Ten'; named greatest American rock band of all time by USA Today readers.

Why not: Inspired a Kmart fashion line.

Jay-Z

Why: One of rap's all-time best sellers, including 8 million copies of 1998's 'Vol. 2? Hard Knock Life'; named "Greatest MC of All Time" by MTV; entrepreneurial mogul behind a growing hip-hop empire (Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella, Rocawear clothing line, part owner of New Jersey Nets).

Why not: Has no clue what "retirement" means.

Madonna

Why: Best-selling and highest-earning female artist of all time; relentlessly inventive pop icon and style trendsetter; 12 No. 1 hits and dozens of Top 40 entries in U.S.; definitive '80s superstar whose influence remains unquestionable.

Why not: Guitar playing; the naughty bits; 'Swept Away.'

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Why: One-of-a-kind stylists who mashed punk and funk with freaky psychedelia, turning an unlikely formula into a commercial juggernaut; modern-rock icons with a long string of radio perennials including 'Give It Away,' 'Under the Bridge' and 'Californication'; human-sock-puppet genius.

Why not: Caved in to Krusty the Clown and sanitized lyrics to 'Give It Away' on 'The Simpsons.'

Nine Inch Nails

Why: Industrial rock's biggest mainstream success; quadruple-platinum 'Downward Spiral' a benchmark of '90s alt-rock; Trent Reznor once chosen as one of Time's 25 most influential people.

Why not: Small catalog -- only five studio albums to date; upstaged by Johnny Cash's version of 'Hurt.'

Metallica

Why: Mega-selling metal band whose core albums 'Master of Puppets,' '? And Justice for All' and the self-titled 'Black Album' have become part of the classic rock pantheon; seven-time Grammy winners; "Some Kind of Monster" documentary an accidental comic masterpiece.

Why not: Recording with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; Napster nonsense.

Mariah Carey

Why: Named best-selling female artist of all time at 2000 World Music Awards; 17 No. 1 singles in U.S., a record for a female performer; monster comeback of 'The Emancipation of Mimi'; technical virtuoso with famous five-octave (or more) range.

Why not: "Glitter"; the "TRL" striptease-and-popsicles breakdown.

Green Day

Why: Punk hellions who made good on vow to become one of the world's biggest bands; breakthrough album 'Dookie' diamond-certified with more than 10 million copies sold; undisputed stars of Woodstock '94; 2004's 'American Idiot' may be the best, most cohesive "rock opera" yet.

Why not: How well will the detention-hall act age?

Motley Crue

Why: One of the all-time models of rock-star excess, as chronicled in best-selling bio 'The Dirt'; 'Too Fast for Love' and 'Shout at the Devil' still considered metal landmarks; one of the few hair-metal bands to transcend the tag and survive into the '00s; Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee?

Why not: See above.

Beck

Why: Stylistic changeling who combines critical and commercial success whether playing art-house hip-hop, neo-folkie or indie noise; one-two punch of 'Mellow Gold' and 'Odelay' helped define the music of the '90s, while 'Mutations' and 'Sea Change' demonstrated a sensitive songwriter side; 'Loser.'

Why not: Conceptual artist whose ideas, packaging and self-promotion often upstage his actual music.

Justin Timberlake

Why: Brought sexy back; most prominent member of once-huge boy band 'N Sync; solo debut 'Justified' sold 7 million, follow-up 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' produced three No. 1 singles; four-time Grammy winner; real deal who has earned respect from Elton John to Timbaland.

Why not: Mouseketeering -- so not rock 'n' roll.

Eminem

Why: Relentless satirist who polarized a worldwide audience over the meaning of rap's theatrical posturing; sophomore album 'The Marshall Mathers LP' the fastest-selling album of all time; legitimized white rapping and brought hip-hop to soccer moms with Dido-sampling mega-single 'Stan'; nine-time Grammy winner.

Why not: Already retreating from limelight, producing proteges and threatening retirement with titles such as 'Curtain Call,' 'Encore.'

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg

Why: Everyone's favorite cartoon thug; huge influence on American slang (fo' shizzle); one of rap's most auspicious debuts, with breakout showcase on Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic' and landmark solo debut 'Doggystyle'; long list of collaborations with artists ranging from Mariah Carey to R. Kelly -- named most well-connected rapper of all time in an M.I.T. study.

Why not: Pet accessories, foot-long hot dogs and other shameless product endorsements.

Guns 'N Roses

Why: World's biggest rock stars in late '80s/early '90s; debut 'Appetite for Destruction' one of the all-time best-selling albums at 25 million; 'Use Your Illusion I & II' debuted at No. 1 and 2 (the only group to do so); Ozzy once called them "the next Rolling Stones."

Why not: Not, in fact, the next Rolling Stones; 'Chinese Freakin' Democracy.'

Radiohead

Why: Arguably the most stubbornly experimental band to earn chart-topping commercial viability; the genius of 'Creep,' no matter what the band thinks of it now; 'OK Computer' a masterpiece of media-age alienation.

Why not: Like Groucho Marx, this cranky band surely wouldn't want to be a member of a club (or Hall of Fame) that would have them as a member.

Sheryl Crow

Why: Rare Best New Artist Grammy winner to go on to big success; nine more Grammys since; feel-good signature songs 'All I Wanna Do,' 'If It Makes You Happy,' 'Everyday Is a Winding Road.'

Why not: Smack dab in the middle of the road.

Bjork

Why: Human art project with more than 15 million albums sold to date; inimitable voice of the late, great Sugarcubes; video pioneer who has worked with Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry; ongoing collaboration with longtime boyfriend, artist Matthew Barney; Iceland's biggest export.

Why not: What would she wear to the ceremony?

Beastie Boys

Why: Hip-hop party boys who brought the sound of urban New York to the American suburbs; debut 'Licensed to Ill' the first rap album to hit No. 1; follow-up 'Paul's Boutique' a hip-hop landmark for its dense sampling; unlikely but credible transformation into socially conscious, Buddhist-leaning entertainers.

Why not: Can't live down 'Fight for Your Right.'

Mary J. Blige

Why: 'The Queen of Hip Hop Soul'; more than 65 million albums sold worldwide; has worked with a Rock Hall Who's Who, including Elton, Sting, Santana and U2; still indomitable with seven Grammy nods for most recent album 'The Breakthrough.'

Why not: No more drama.

White Stripes

Why: Super-indie garage duo crashes the pop charts without shedding their beloved quirks; "sibling" story one of the great tall tales in rock history; recipients of all-time Rolling Stone rave (if you're a band that's not the White Stripes, "it so sucks to be you right now").

Why not: Too soon to tell; ask us again when Jack cuts his 'Time Out of Mind.'

R. Kelly

Why: Biggest male R&B artist of the '90s with more than 50 million albums sold; Aaliyah's Svengali; wrote smash 'I Believe I Can Fly' for Michael Jordan.

Why not: They don't call him the Pied Piper of R&B for nothing.

Joan Jett

Why: 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' (duh); core member of the underappreciated Runaways; produced the Germs' debut; first woman performer to start own record label; "the original riot grrrl"; an icon to two generations of "women in rock."

Why not: How many Joan Jett albums do you own?

Alanis Morissette

Why: 1995 "debut" 'Jagged Little Pill' one of the all-time best-selling albums (30 million); solid follow-up, 'Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie,' sold another 7 million worldwide; smash hit 'You Oughta Know' rumored to be about Bob Saget (among others); played God (in 'Dogma').

Why not: Opened for Vanilla Ice.

Oasis

Why: The 800 lb. gorilla of the '90s Britpop resurgence; more than 40 million albums sold worldwide; eight U.K. No. 1s; Beatlemaniacs who recorded third album 'Be Here Now' at Abbey Road and now have Ringo's son, Zak Starkey, in the band.

Why not: If they're let into the Hall, they'll steal everything that's not nailed down.

Destiny's Child

Why: Reportedly the biggest-selling girl group of all time; 'Independent Women, Pt. 1,' written for "Charlie's Angels," spent 11 weeks at No. 1; own line of Barbie dolls; spawned three solo hitmakers.

Why not: Their Destiny was an early split.