Rock Hall 2026 class
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 — performers named include Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu‑Tang Clan ( ). Non‑performer honors include Early Influence and Musical Excellence recognitions for artists such as Celia Cruz and Fela Kuti and producers like Arif Mardin and Rick Rubin — New Edition won the fan vote with 1,022,683 votes but were not chosen for induction ( ).
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2026 class is in, with eight performers led by Phil Collins, Oasis, Sade and Wu-Tang Clan. (rockhall.com) The performer inductees announced April 13 are Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan. The Hall revealed the class during an “American Idol” episode on ABC and Disney+. (rockhall.com) The Hall also named Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons for its Early Influence Award. Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin received Musical Excellence honors, and Ed Sullivan received the Ahmet Ertegun Award. (rockhall.com) This year’s class includes several long-waiting acts: Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade had all been nominated before, while Collins, Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan were first-time nominees. The Hall says artists become eligible 25 years after their first commercial recording. (rockhall.com) The 2026 ballot also revived a familiar Rock Hall tension between fan voting and the final result. New Edition won the fan vote with 1,022,683 votes, but the group was not inducted. (wkyc.com) The Hall’s press release did not describe the fan vote as binding, and coverage of this year’s process said more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals take part in the broader selection system. That left nominees including Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Shakira and New Edition outside the final class. (rockhall.com; msn.com) The Hall also used the non-performer categories to widen the story of who shaped popular music. National Public Radio said the Early Influence slate marks the first time the Hall used that category to honor Latin and African pop with Cruz and Kuti. (wshu.org) The induction ceremony is set for November 14 in Los Angeles, and the Hall said ABC and Disney+ will carry the event in December. For now, the 2026 class gives the Hall a performer lineup that stretches from British metal and Manchester rock to quiet-storm soul and Staten Island rap. (prnewswire.com; rockhall.com)
