CLEVELAND -- Long before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame threw open its doors in 1995, the gritty city on a river and Great Lake had music coursing through its veins. Not only was the phrase 'rock 'n' roll'' first uttered over Cleveland airwaves, but that tagline almost simultaneously accompanied the world's first rock concert. The hottest music market between New York and Chicago, Cleveland delivered break-out acts like the O'Jays, Raspberries and James Gang.

While there are many reasons to visit Cleveland, the music scene, both past and present, remains one of the most popular. So, when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced that for the first time in more than a decade the induction ceremony would be held in Cleveland on April 4, music fans everywhere began planning their road trips. Better still, for the first time in the event's 24-year history, it is open to the public -- and already sold out.

For those about to rock Cleveland-style, we have compiled a list of the city's biggest chart toppers. Don't worry if rock 'n' roll isn't necessarily your bag -- there's more than one way to get your groove on in C-Town.

ROOTS ROCK

In the early 1950s, disk jockey Alan Freed assigned a catchy label to the R&B platters he was spinning on Cleveland radio. To further capitalize on this 'rock 'n' roll'' craze, Freed and partner Leo Mintz staged the Moondog Coronation Ball, unwittingly giving birth to the modern rock concert. The show corralled the era's hottest acts, including the Dominoes and Paul ''Hucklebuck'' Williams. In true rock fashion, that concert quickly descended into chaos when the venue was overrun with zealous fans. Cleveland continues the tradition, staging a Moondog Coronation Ball every March.

Clevelanders have always been a loyal lot. When a USA Today telephone poll asked readers to select a home for the as-yet-unbuilt Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland routed the competition, garnering 15 times the votes of second-place Memphis. Since opening, the iconic glass-and-steel museum has attracted more than 6 million guests.

The 150,000-square-foot museum is packed tighter than a garage band's van, so set aside a good chunk of time to do the place justice. The overflowing and ever-shifting stash of artifacts, memorabilia, film and ephemera tracks the story of rock from its roots to the present.

LIVE MUSIC

Cleveland's live music scene is no less dynamic today than it was in Freed's day, though the venues are a bit more spread out.

The Beachland Ballroom, once a social club for Cleveland's considerable Croatian-American contingent, features nationally acclaimed indie-minded rock acts like Matthew Sweet and Waco Brothers, who jam in the grand hall. The adjacent tavern room is smaller, more intimate, and ideal for catching up-and-comers on the rise.

You can't talk rock without mentioning the Grog Shop. The small-capacity club is routinely packed, thanks to a never-ending lineup of breakout bands and admired regional acts. The scene is coarse, loud and steamy, but it would be hard to get any closer to the action.

Nighttown looks, feels and sounds like an old-school New York jazz supper club. Named by Down Beat magazine as one of the world's ''100 Great Jazz Clubs,'' Nighttown snags the biggest acts in music. Guests sit within spittin' distance of legends like Wynton Marsalis, John Pizzarelli and Benny Golson. Table seating at this snug club is on a first-come, first-served basis.

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