Oasis, Phil Collins, and Iron Maiden Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2026 class of inductees on Monday, April 13, naming Oasis, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Joy Division and New Order, Wu-Tang Clan, Sade, Billy Idol, and the late Luther Vandross in the performer category. The announcement was made during a broadcast of "American Idol" by Ryan Seacrest and Lionel Richie, according to AP. The induction ceremony is scheduled for November 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with a television broadcast set for December on ABC and Disney+. The class of 2026 is notable for an unusually high number of British acts, with Oasis, Iron Maiden, Joy Division and New Order, Sade, and Billy Idol all hailing from England. Nominees were voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals, according to AP.

Phil Collins joins rare double inductee club Phil Collins becomes a double inductee, having first entered the Hall in 2010 as a member of Genesis, and now recognized for a solo career that produced hits including "In the Air Tonight" and "One More Night." Collins earned eight Grammy Awards during his career, including album of the year in 1985 for "No Jacket Required," according to AP. Iron Maiden, formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975, received the honor after multiple previous nominations, with the recognition arriving in time for the band's 50th anniversary, according to Tgcom24. Joy Division and New Order are being inducted as a single joint act, reflecting their shared membership and musical lineage — Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris were members of both bands. Oasis, the Manchester band formed in 1991 and led by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, is being recognized in part following their 2025 reunion tour, which Rolling Stone described as packing stadiums across the planet. Wu-Tang Clan, the hip-hop collective formed in Staten Island in 1992, and Luther Vandross, the soul singer who died in 2005 and sold more than 25 million albums, complete the performer category. 25 (million albums) — Luther Vandross total album sales

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was established in Cleveland, Ohio, and requires that an artist's first commercial recording have been released at least 25 years before the year of nomination. The 2025 class included Bad Company, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Cyndi Lauper, and Outkast, among others, according to Deutsche Welle. Phil Collins was previously inducted in 2010 as a member of the progressive rock band Genesis. Iron Maiden had been nominated at least twice before the 2026 class, and in the cycles of 2021 and 2023 had been favored by the public vote but not selected by the jury, according to Tgcom24.

Celia Cruz becomes first Spanish-speaking artist inducted The Early Influence category this year honors Cuban singer Celia Cruz, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, rappers Queen Latifah and MC Lyte, and country rocker Gram Parsons. Cruz, who was born on October 21, 1925, and died on July 16, 2003, is recognized as the first predominantly Spanish-speaking artist to enter the Hall, according to ANSA. After rising to fame in Havana's music scene in the 1950s, Cruz was forced into exile and moved to New York, where she helped bring salsa to a global audience, according to ANSA. Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician and political activist, is recognized for creating afrobeat by fusing West African highlife, jazz, and funk between the late 1960s and 1970s, and is described by ANSA as the first major protagonist of African pop to enter the Rock Hall. Gram Parsons is cited for bridging 1960s rock and modern country music, according to Reuters. The Musical Excellence category honors songwriter Linda Creed and producers Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, and Rick Rubin.

Ed Sullivan honored more than 50 years after his death The Ahmet Ertegun Award will be given posthumously to American television host Ed Sullivan, more than 50 years after his death, in recognition of how his Sunday night television program served as a launchpad for nearly every major musical act of the 1950s and 1960s, and for how his show helped break racial barriers in American entertainment, according to AP. The full class of 2026 totals 18 new members across all categories, according to Deutsche Welle. Rolling Stone noted that the Hall's decision to finally induct Joy Division and New Order drew particular attention, given that the bands had been passed over in previous years in favor of other acts. Questions also remain about whether Oasis members will attend the November ceremony, with Liam Gallagher having posted sarcastic commentary on social media following the announcement, according to Rolling Stone. The ceremony will return to the Hall's home city of Cleveland in 2027, according to AP.

England: 5, United States: 3