Genesis vs. Bob Seger – Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame, Round One

The way you vote in this opening-round Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame battle may depend partly on whether you prefer a spot of tea or a cold can of beer.

The latest acts to vie for inclusion into our 100 percent reader-voted Hall hail from opposite sides of the Atlantic: British legends Genesis are up against Detroit's own Bob Seger, and only one of them is moving on to the semifinals.

You don't need to be a fan of either act to know they don't have a lot in common, but they did both release their debuts in 1969, when Genesis arrived with 'From Genesis to Revelation' and Seger put out two LPs, 'Ramblin' Gamblin' Man' and 'Noah.' All three albums helped set the stage for a pair of the more acclaimed and commercially successful recording careers of the rock era.

Both acts went on to multi-platinum success in the '70s, albeit on decidedly different ends of the rock spectrum: Genesis quickly established a position at the vanguard of tuneful, smart and playful British prog, while Seger kept fine-tuning his brand of what one of his biggest hits would later call 'Old Time Rock and Roll.' Their stature grew during the decade, and by the '80s, they were both among the most popular artists in the U.S. and U.K.

In fact, both Genesis and Seger enjoyed some of their biggest hits in the '80s -- partly due to their years of work on the road and in the studio, and partly because they smartly adjusted their respective sounds to help fit in with the shifting trends of the decade. Hits like Genesis' 'Invisible Touch' and Seger's 'Shakedown' may not have sounded much like where either act started from, but millions of new fans didn't mind.

Genesis sputtered to a halt after 1997's 'Calling All Stations,' the only studio album completed following Phil Collins' exit, although they did reconvene their most commercially successful lineup for a 2007 tour. Seger, meanwhile, continues to record sporadically between tours; his most recent effort, 'Ride Out,' arrived in October 2014.

So who gets your vote? It's a tough question, but fortunately, you don't have to decide only once: you can cast your vote once every hour between now and 11:59PM ET on Feb. 16. The winner for the month will be announced on March 3. Be sure to read our official rules.

 See the Yearbook Photos of Phil Collins and Other Rock Stars