The 2026 nominations for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have been announced.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled its 2026 nominees, and this year’s list is packed with legends from every corner of music. Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, and Shakira are among the artists in the running, representing every genre from hip-hop and metal to R&B, Britpop, blues, rock, and pop.
The Hall announced 17 performer nominees on Wednesday, Feb. 25, also naming Melissa Etheridge, Jeff Buckley, Pink, New Edition, Sade, and the Wu-Tang Clan as contenders.
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Billy Idol and Joy Division/New Order are back on the ballot after falling short of induction last year. Meanwhile, two famously feuding brother bands—The Black Crowes and Oasis—are once again up for consideration following recent reunions.
Phil Collins, known for classics like “In the Air Tonight” and “One More Night,” has won eight Grammys, including Album of the Year in 1985 for No Jacket Required. Lauryn Hill made history in 1999 when The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill became the first hip-hop album to win Album of the Year.
Mariah Carey, who was also nominated in 2024 and 2025, boasts 19 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Sade, another returning nominee, scored soft rock favorites like “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.”
The Wu-Tang Clan has been celebrated as hip-hop pioneers since their groundbreaking 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang. INXS dominated late-’80s radio with hits like “Need You Tonight,” “Devil Inside,” and “New Sensation.” Melissa Etheridge, a two-time Grammy winner, is best known for “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.”
Iron Maiden helped define the new wave of British heavy metal with albums such as The Number of the Beast. New Edition found success with songs like “Cool It Now” and “Candy Girl,” while Shakira has earned praise for blending Latin sounds with pop and rock. Pink, meanwhile, has notched four No. 1 singles and three chart-topping albums, including The Truth About Love.
Ten of this year’s nominees are first-time contenders: Buckley, Collins, Etheridge, Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Vandross, and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Luther Vandross, who sold more than 25 million albums and recorded hits like “Here and Now” and “Any Love,” passed away in 2005. Jeff Buckley, whose debut album Grace remains highly regarded, died in 1997.
“This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, per Rolling Stone.
The class of 2026 will be announced in April. That reveal will also include honorees in three special categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence, and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award.
To be eligible, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years ago. Final selections will be made by a voting body of more than 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals.
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 were all inducted.
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