INXS and Mariah Carey Rock Hall Noms

This marks the first-ever Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination for INXS, a significant acknowledgment for the Australian band decades after they first became eligible. Founding member Andrew Farriss noted that frontman Michael Hutchence, who died in 1997, had always hoped their music "mattered," and that this nomination shows it did. For Mariah Carey, this is her third nomination, following previous appearances on the ballot in 2024 and 2025. Carey has been eligible for induction since 2016 and holds the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles by a solo artist with 19. INXS formed in Sydney in 1977 and went on to sell over 50 million records worldwide. The band, which blended new wave, funk, and pub rock, was inducted into Australia's ARIA Hall of Fame in 2001. Their only US number-one single was "Need You Tonight" from their 1987 blockbuster album *Kick*. With a five-octave vocal range, Carey has sold more than 220 million records globally and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She is credited with popularizing the now-commonplace pop and hip-hop collaboration with her 1995 remix of "Fantasy" featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard. To be considered for the 2026 ballot, an artist's first commercial recording must have been released in or before 2001. INXS and Carey are part of a diverse list of 17 total nominees for the 2026 class. Ten of this year's 17 nominees are on the ballot for the first time, including Phil Collins, Shakira, Lauryn Hill, and the Wu-Tang Clan. Other returning nominees alongside Carey include Sade, Oasis, and Iron Maiden. A voting body of more than 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals will decide the final inductees. The winners for the Class of 2026 will be announced in April, with the induction ceremony scheduled to take place in the fall.