The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its latest batch of nominees, featuring a diverse array of musicians such as Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, and Shakira. This eclectic group is part of a larger list of 17 performers who stand a chance of being celebrated in the prestigious hall, which honors artists spanning a wide range of musical genres, from rap and R&B to Britpop, metal, and pop.
The 2026 nominee lineup also includes notable names like Melissa Etheridge, Jeff Buckley, Pink, New Edition, Sade, the Wu-Tang Clan, the Black Crowes, Oasis, Joy Division/New Order, and Billy Idol. This announcement was made public by the Rock Hall on Wednesday, highlighting the breadth and depth of talent being considered for induction.
John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, remarked in a statement, “This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture.” His words underscore the Hall’s commitment to celebrating the dynamic and influential nature of the genre.
The inductees for 2026 will be revealed in April, with additional honorees entering under special committee categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence, and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award. This comprehensive approach ensures a broad recognition of contributions to music.
To be eligible for induction, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior. The nominees are evaluated by a voting body comprising over 1,200 artists, historians, and professionals from the music industry, ensuring a well-rounded and informed selection process.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction. Nominees will be voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals.
Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order return to the nominations after missing induction last year. The list this time also repeats two sets of musical brothers who have had public feuds and recent reunions — The Black Crowes and Oasis.
Collins, with such hits as “In the Air Tonight” and “One More Night,” has earned eight Grammys, including album of the year in 1985 for “No Jacket Required.” Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” made history as the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for album of the year in 1999.
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Carey, nominated in 2024 and 2025, has had 19 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while soul-jazz vocalist Sade, also nominated in 2024, had such soft rock hits as “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.” The Wu-Tang Clan have been hailed as rap innovators since their game-changing 1993 debut album “Enter the Wu-Tang.”
INXS ruled the late 1980s charts with hits like “Need You Tonight,” “Devil Inside” and “New Sensation.” Two-time Grammy winner Etheridge is best known for her songs “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.” Iron Maiden helped power the new wave of British heavy metal with iconic albums like “The Number of the Beast.”
New Edition had the hits “Cool It Now” and “Candy Girl,” while Shakira has been lauded for her ability to bridge Latin music with rock and pop. Pink has had four No. 1 songs and three No. 1 albums, including “The Truth About Love.”
Ten of the 17 nominees are on the ballot for the first time: Buckley, Collins, Etheridge, Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.
Vandross, who sold more than 25 million albums and had the hits “Here and Now” and “Any Love,” died in 2005. Buckley, whose 1994 debut album “Grace” is widely acclaimed, died in 1997.
Last year, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Soundgarden, Joe Cocker, Salt-N-Pepa, The White Stripes, Carol Kaye, Nicky Hopkins, Lenny Waronker, Thom Bell and Warren Zevon all were inducted.
