U2 to enter Hall of Fame

Rockers U2 and the Pretenders will join soul greats Percy Sledge and the O'Jays and blues legend Buddy Guy as the 2005 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

U2 and the Pretenders have made the cut in their first year of eligibility - 25 years after the release of their debut recording.

Inductees in the non-performer category include early rock & roll booking agent Frank Barsalona and Sire Records co-founder Seymour Stein, who signed Madonna, the Ramones and Talking Heads to recording contracts.

Passed over for the Hall of Fame next year were the Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, The Stooges and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The induction ceremony will be held at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel on March 14.