In the most unusual pairing of the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame's opening round, we find Bob Dylan, perhaps the genre's most important songwriter, matched up against the group that helped introduce the world to three of the most famous guitarists in history, the Yardbirds.

Each month, your votes will determine which of eight legendary artists or bands is immortalized forever for their contributions to classic rock history. The case for the Yardbirds is pretty easy to make: besides their string of classic singles ('For Your Love,' 'Shapes of Things,' 'Over Under Sideways Down'), they at one time featured Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page among their ranks.

How can one musician stand up against all that firepower? Well, it's actually not that hard if you're talking about Bob Dylan, whose impact is more properly measured in the songwriting styles he created and the genres he successfully merged, rather than just by the (amazing) list of songs and albums he's released during his famously winding and still-evolving career.

As you can see, both contenders are worthy, but only one can advance to our semifinals. You can vote once a day in each of our four first round battles from now until 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, March 17. The first entrant into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame will be revealed on April 1, 2013. You can read the official Hall of Fame rules right here.

Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame
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