Beastie Boys, LL Cool J Don’t Make 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Final Cut

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its inductees for 2011 and both hip-hop nominees -- The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J -- didn't make the final cut. 'Sweet Caroline' singer Neil Diamond did. He is joined by crooner Tom Waits, metal rocker Alice Cooper, New Orleans pianoman Dr. John, singer Darlene Love, and industry execs Jac Holzman and Art Rupe. Leon Russell will receive The Award for Musical Excellence at the March ceremony.

The decision was reached by 500 voters in the music community, but has been met with the usual adversity. E! ran a story this morning with the headline 'Does Neil Diamond Really Rock?' that questioned Diamond's Adult Contemporary status against the pure arena rock of Bon Jovi, who were also nominated but didn't make the final ballot. MTV.com called Diamond "a particularly ridiculous inclusion," and noted that LL Cool J's crossover status should have made him an "automatic" addition to the prestigious list.

While the definition of "rock and roll" in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has become looser since it was established in 1984, it has honored hip-hop and R&B in the past with the induction of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in 2007 and Run-DMC in 2009. The omitted nominees have little to cry about. LL Cool J, for instance, has been nominated in the past and will be eligible for nomination again next year. Both Dr. John and Love had been on the nomination ballot before finally making the rock and roll class of 2011.

The 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on March 14 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and will be televised on Fuse.