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Green Day got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on their first try. The punk rock power trio from California's East Bay leads the Class of 2015, along with the late Lou Reed, soul singer/songwriter Bill Withers, 1960s blues rock pioneers the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, garage rock royalty Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Reed, who died last year, is already in the Hall as a member of the Velvet Underground. Among nominees who didn't make it this time were N.W.A., Chic, Nine Inch Nails, The Smiths, Sting (who is already a Hall of Famer with The Police), The Marvelettes, The Spinners and Kraftwerk. Rolling Stone has the story with quotes from the honorees and links to longer interview sessions. Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong told Rolling Stone that it's "just an incredible feeling" to be recognized by the band's fans and peers. "For me, rock & roll is not an outdated term. To me, it means freedom. It was a way for me to express myself and I'm eternally grateful for the fact that I've been able to do that pretty much my whole life. It's never lost that meaning for me, whether I'm a fan myself or for Green Day fans. It's just the most liberating thing in the world," Armstrong told Rolling Stone in this Q&A. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and 1950s R&B group the "5" Royales will also be honored at the induction ceremony, scheduled for April 18 in Cleveland. Starr will be presented with the Hall's Award For Musical Excellence, while the "5" Royales will receive the Early Influence Award.
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