Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Beastie Boys inducted into Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame

The late '80s have finally been absorbed into the classic rock canon: Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Beastie Boys will join Donovan, Laura Nyro, and the Small Faces/Faces as this year's class of Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductees. Also receiving recognition are blues guitarist Freddie King, who will enter the hall as an Early Influence, producer Don Kirshner (recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award) and producers Cosimo Matassa, Tom Dowd, and Glyn Johns (recipients of the Award For Musical Excellence.)

The ceremony takes place April 14 in Cleveland, and will air on HBO in early May. The induction of GNR adds a circus element to the otherwise reservedly rocking, grayed-ponytail proceedings, though it remains to be seen whether the original lineup will end up performing. Duff McKagan has played with Rose's current incarnation of GNR in recent years, but the rancor between him and Slash remains unabated for 15 years running. Still, in a recent interview, Axl Rose kept his options open. "I don't know what it means in terms of me with the old band and the old lineup," he said on VH1 Classic's That Metal Show. "If we were to be invited, I don't know what they would ask of me. It's up in the air." [via Rolling Stone]