We have the Class of 2026 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Performer category includes several long-overlooked acts including Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden and Joy Division/New Order, along with Oasis, hip-hop collective , and Wu-Tang Clan and R&B stalwarts Luther Vandross and Sade.
Set to be inducted with Early Influence Awards are Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons. Joining as Musical Excellence Award recipients are producers Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin along with songwriter Linda Creed. The 2026 Ahmet Artegun Award went to the late talent show host Ed Sullivan.
Read the mini-bios for 2026 inductees below.
Nine other acts who were 2026 RRHOF nominess buy didn’t get the call today: INXS, the late Jeff Buckley, Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Melissa Etheridge, New Edition, P!nk, Shakira and The Black Crowes.
“Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music’s highest honor,” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Chairman John Sykles said in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year’s ceremony – it’s going to be an unforgettable night.”
Said induction gala is set for November 14 at L.A.’s Peacock Theater. The ceremony will air on ABC in December and stream on Disney+.
Here are mini-bios for today’s honorees:
Billy Idol
After his British punk band Generation X broke up, Idol released his self-titled debut solo LP in 1982, scoring hits “White Wedding” and “Hot in the City.” The following year he released his album Rebel Yell which yielded MTV-favorite hits including the title track, “Eyes Without a Face” and “Flesh for Fantasy”
Iron Maiden
The band’s self-titled debut album in 1980 included such songs as the title track and “Running Free,” establishing the group as one of heavy metal’s signature bands
Joy Division/New Order
A cornerstone of the 1970s Manchester punk/new wave music scene, Joy Division released alternative rock classics like “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and “Blue Monday.” Following the 1980 death by suicide of frontman Ian Curtis, the band renamed itself New Order and became a mainstream success with the hit “Blue Monday”;
Luther Vandross
After finding success as a backing vocalist, songwriter, and arranger – most notably on David Bowie’s Young Americans, Vandross released his debut album Never Too Much in 1981. Throughout the decades he crossed over to the pop charts (“Here and Now”), worked as a producer for Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Diana Ross, and continued polishing his skills as an interpreter (“Superstar,” “Endless Love”). He died in 2005 at the age of 54
Oasis
Exploding out of the 1990s UK music scene, Oasis would eventually sell over a hundred million records, with their second album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? featuring hits “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova”
Phil Collins
Joining the band Genesis in 1970, Collins established himself as one of the most inventive and gifted drummers of his generation. Stepping into the role of lead singer in 1975 after Peter Gabriel’s departure, he helped guide Genesis’ evolution from expansive arrangements toward tightly crafted, radio-ready songs, yielding hits like “Follow You Follow Me,” “Misunderstanding,” and “That’s All.” His solo hits include “In the Air Tonight,” “Against All Odds” and “Take Me Home”
Sade
With a career spanning four decades, the group Sade, led by singer-songwriter Sade Adu, is known for a unique sound with laid-back rhythms, elegant arrangements, melodic saxophone lines, and the smooth vocals of Adu. Best known for the massive hit “Smooth Operator”
Wu-Tang Clan Redefining what a hip-hop group could be, this collective of rappers – RZA, GZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, U-God, Masta Killa and Cappadonna – released Enter The Wu in 1993 and created a movement that has influenced countless artists including such as Jay-Z, Nas and many others.
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