A new class of musical pioneers and hitmakers is headed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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The Class of 2026 for the heralded Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been revealed, headlined by legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan and soulful songwriter Sade. Late R&B singer Luther Vandross, Iron Maiden and Phil Collins will also join the star-studded class, the Rock Hall announced on Monday.
In all, 18 inductees were selected across four categories.
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air in December on ABC and Disney+.
Eight Artists Inducted in Performer Category
Eight artists -- Phil Collins, Oasis, Sade, Wu-Tang Clan, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, Billy Idol and New Order -- will be inducted under the Performer Category.
One could argue that Wu-Tang Clan deserved to be inducted years ago. With Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest being inducted in recent years, it's refreshing to see Wu-Tang Clan be immortalized, too.
The notorious rap group boasts several certified platinum albums, and its members also enjoyed massive success as solo artists. Since its inception in 1993, Wu-Tang Clan has sold over 20 million records in America alone.
Rock bands Iron Maiden and Oasis are also no-brainer entries for the iconic Rock Hall.
While Iron Maiden has a heavier, more guitar riff-centric sound than Oasis, both bands pushed the genre to new heights. Throughout the 1980s, Iron Maiden released seven high-octane albums that solidified them as one of rock & roll's biggest bands.
Mariah Carey Among Biggest Rock Hall Snubs
Like every year, not every artist made the cut. Among the most surprising snubs this year are Mariah Carey and New Edition.
New Edition, a first-time nominee, secured over 1 million fan votes but was still not inducted. Meanwhile, Mariah Carey, one of the most decorated music artists in history, was also left off this year's class. This is the third time that Carey was nominated and passed over.
Last year, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame chairman John Sykes spoke about the tedious voting process.
"I always like to call the nominating committee meeting a cross between a discussion between music professionals and WWE [World Wrestling Entertainment]," says Sykes, who has been chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation for six years.
Full details about the inductees and ceremony can be found here. The ceremony will not be televised live but will air in December on ABC.
