BLACK SABBATH Once Again Snubbed By The ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

BLACK SABBATH have once again been snubbed by the voting members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Ozzy Osbourne-fronted band were a glaring omission from the list of the nominees for induction in 2005 in the "artist" category, which were announced earlier today (Sept. 13).

VAN HALEN, who became eligible in 2003, also have yet to be nominated.

The nominees for the 2005 induction class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame include U2, GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE, RANDY NEWMAN and the O'JAYS.

They are joined on the ballot by the PRETENDERS, BUDDY GUY, WANDA JACKSON, THE J. GEILS BAND, CONWAY TWITTY and PERCY SLEDGE.

The SEX PISTOLS, THE STOOGES, LYNYRD SKYNYRD and the late GRAM PARSONS were previously nominated but remain on this year's ballot.

Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria considered includes the influence and significance of the artist's contribution to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.

The foundation's nominating committee, composed of rock and roll historians, selects nominees each year in the "artist" category. Ballots are then sent to an international voting body of about 700 rock experts.

Five years ago, Ozzy Osbourne attempted to take BLACK SABBATH's name off the Hall of Fame's 1999 nomination list, deeming the institution's nod "meaningless."

In an October 1999 letter to the Hall of Fame, Osbourne said: "Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it's not voted on by the fans. It's voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the media, who've never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me." He says, "Let's face it, BLACK SABBATH has never been media darlings. We're a people's band and that suits us just fine."