If we have to whittle it down, then we could knock out Stevie Wonder. Not because he doesn't deserve a place in the Hall of Fame, but because that accolade would probably be overshadowed by the Billboard Century Award, which will be presented to Stevie Wonder at the Billboard Music Awards in Vegas next month.
Announcing that they would award their highest honour for creative achievement to Wonder, Billboard co-executive editor Tamara Conniff told reporters last week: "Stevie Wonder is an American icon. His genius has transformed not only R&B, but popular music overall. He has used his vibrant music as a vehicle to sing about the highs and lows of romance while not shying away from addressing racial, social and spiritual issues. Stevie represents the essence of the Billboard Century Award - an artist whose career and body of work continues to evolve and influence new generations of musicians. We are honoured to present him with our 2004 accolade."