Just like last year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame partnered with ABC’s American Idol to reveal their 2026 Rock Hall induction class.
After an opening performance featuring Billy Idol and guitarist Steve Stevens with American Idol judge Carrie Underwood playing “Rebel Yell,” the festivities were underway. This all came during a Top 11 night as the finalist pool for this season dwindles while performing songs from past Rock Hall inductees. Recent Rock Hall inductees Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo served as mentors to the singers for the evening.
Who Are the 2026 Rock Hall Induction Class Performance Category Members?
There will be 18 acts and individuals in total that will be inducted into the Rock Hall this year, including the eight acts that are part of the Performer Category.
In alphabetical order, the Rock Hall Performer Inductees for 2026 include:
Phil Collins
Billy Idol
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
Oasis
Sade
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan
READ MORE: Ex-Iron Maiden Member Quietly Added to Rock Hall Nomination Ballot
Who Else Is Going Into the Rock Hall in 2026?
Recent years have seen the Rock Hall branching out with more induction categories. Among them is the Early Influence Award.
Early Influence inductees for 2026 include the “Queen of Salsa,” Latin American superstar Celia Cruz. Afrobeat pioneer and activist Fela Kuti is being inducted. Female rappers Queen Latifah and MC Lyte are going into the Rock Hall and ‘70s folk rock hero Gram Parsons completes the list of Early Influence inductees.
Another mode of Rock Hall entry is through the Musical Excellence Award. Those going into the Rock Hall through the Musical Excellence award include songwrriter-producer-backing vocalist Linda Creed, longtime producer and Atlantic and Manhattan Records honcho Arif Mardin, Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood and Motorhead producer Jimmy Miller and producer-turned Def Jam and American Records founder and former Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin.
The final inductee is the Ahmet Ertegun Award inductee that will be the late ‘60s talk show host Ed Sullivan, who had a hand in introducing many of the era’s biggest music acts to a nationwide audience.
Performer Category:
Phil Collins
Billy Idol
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
Oasis
Sade
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan
Early Influence Award:
Celia Cruz
Fela Kuti
Queen Latifah
MC Lyte
Gram Parsons
Musical Excellence Award:
Linda Creed
Arif Mardin
Jimmy Miller
Rick Rubin
Ahmet Ertegun Award:
Ed Sullivan
Who Did Not Make the Rock Hall in 2026?
While eight of the 17 Rock Hall nominees are going in, that means there are nine Rock Hall nominees that will have to wait at least another year (or longer) for induction.
Among those not going in is New Edition, who actually led the Rock Hall fan voting. But as the fan vote accounts for just one vote amidst all of the Rock Hall ballots cast, it appears as though the voting body outweighed the fan wishes for this year. New Edition collected over 900,000 fan votes after the initial nominees were announced.
Pink, Shakira and INXS, who finished third, fourth and sixth in the fan voting, were also left out when the inductees were revealed. Others who were intially nominated but didn’t make the final cut included Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Melissa Etheridge, The Black Crowes and Jeff Buckley.
The 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place this fall.
Below, check out our list of acts still waiting we feel are deserving of a Rock Hall induction.
45 Hard Rock + Metal Acts Who Deserve to Be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Somehow, these artists haven’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet.
Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff
