Madonna released her first single, "Everybody", back in 1982, which makes her eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next year. Since she's a virtual lock for induction, it's really just a matter of which year the Nominating Committee will submit her name for a vote.

The closest parallel to Madonna's worldwide stardom could be Michael Jackson. Michael released his first solo material in 1972 and he didn't get inducted as a solo artist until 2001, a full 4 years after he was first eligible. Jackson did get in the first time he was nominated, but what took the Nominating Committee so long? Okay, so maybe there were some other outside factors involved with Michael. Let's use Prince as an example. Prince was eligible in 2003, but he didn't even make the ballot that year for some unknown reason. The following year, he was promptly inducted.

So what does all this mean for Madonna? Well, unless she has told the Nominating Committee that she is unavailable next March for the induction ceremony (and let's not forget the TV show), because she's on tour or has a Kabbalah lesson scheduled for that night, she should be one of the 2007 inductees.

But wait, you say that Madonna isn't "rock", so she shouldn't even be eligible in the first place? Well, the Rock Hall doesn't say in it's eligibility rules that you must play rock music, just that you "have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll." And I doubt anyone would deny Madonna that.

Update: Madonna will be eligible for the 2007 voting period -- and if she gets inducted, the ceremony would be held in 2008.