Black Sabbath enter Hall of Fame

Black Sabbath, including Ozzy Osbourne (second left) thanked their fans for the honour

Black Sabbath and Blondie are among the veteran acts who have been inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York.

The Sex Pistols were also honoured, but refused to attend the event, having compared the organisation to "urine in wine" in an open letter.
US rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd and late trumpeter Miles Davis also joined.
Three former Blondie members walked off stage when lead singer Deborah Harry refused to let them perform live.

'Everlasting place'
Former band members Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison and Gary Valentine were not included in the line-up when Blondie reformed in 1997.
Infante asked Harry if they would be allowed to perform with the band at the ceremony, but she replied: "Can't you see my band is up there?"

Blondie featured among the acts performing live at the ceremon

Birmingham band Black Sabbath thanked their fans around the world for receiving the honour.

"Hopefully our induction tonight will add to the validation, and hard rock and heavy metal will have an enduring and everlasting place in rock history," said Bill Ward.

Osbourne, who has been critical of the Hall of Fame for its previous failure to induct the band, paid tribute to his wife Sharon who was at the ceremony.

Miles Davis' posthumous award was accepted by musician Herbie Hancock, who called him a "man of mystery, magic and mystique".

When Lynyrd Skynyrd collected their honour, tributes were paid to former lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, who was killed in a plane crash in 1977.

The Sex Pistols' open letter refusing to accept their invitation to the ceremony was published on their website last month. It was read out by Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner.

Shortlist

He invited them to pick up their award from the Hall of Fame headquarters in Cleveland.
"If they want to smash them into bits, they can do that too," Wenner said.
Musicians for the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, based in Cleveland, Ohio, are considered for induction 25 years after their first recording.
A shortlist of nominees is sent to an international body of about 700 voting "rock experts" for consideration.The first list of inductees was published in 1986 and included Ray Charles and James Brown.