MADONNA, pop music’s quick-change artist, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday and paid tribute to people who encouraged her and even critics who panned her for helping drive her career.

Philly soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, literate songwriter Leonard Cohen, British rockers the Dave Clark Five, and surf instrumentalists the Ventures were among the other inductees.

Madonna recalled key moments of her career, from playing her demo tape for record company president Seymour Stein when he was in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV, to her shock at looking out from the stage at thousands of girls dressed like her. “It freaked me out,” she said.

She fondly remembered a teacher who encouraged her to follow her dreams when she was only 14, and said she’s lucky to have people around her that are still doing that.

Even the people who “said I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing, that I was a one-hit wonder, they helped me, too,” she said. “They inspired me because they made me question myself repeatedly and pushed me to be better.”

Singer Justin Timberlake, who helped produce Madonna’s upcoming album, inducted her to the hall.

Madonna didn’t perform but asked punk rockers Iggy Pop and the Stooges to sing “Burning Up” and “Ray of Light.” At the end, a shirtless Pop said: “you make me feel shiny and new, like a virgin touched for the very first time,” and tossed his microphone to the floor.

The Dave Clark Five followed the Beatles in the original British Invasion with catchy hits including “Glad All Over.” Led by drummer and songwriter Clark, the band enters the hall at a tragic time: singer Mike Smith died at age 64 of pneumonia less than two weeks ago.

(SD-Agencies)