By “Tampa” Earl Burton
Later than usual, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced its long-awaited nominees for induction in 2026. The list was heavily dominated by first-time nominees (ten) and by women (six of the 17 nominees were ladies). Something else that also dominated? The fact that it looks like the Hall is trying to rectify past sins while moving on from the Sixties and Seventies.
The 2026 Nominees
Let’s first list the nominees for the Class of 2026 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In alphabetical order: The Black Crowes Jeff Buckley* Mariah Carey Phil Collins* Melissa Etheridge* Lauryn Hill* Billy Idol INXS* Iron Maiden Joy Division/New Order New Edition* Oasis P!nk* Sade Shakira* Luther Vandross* Wu-Tang Clan*
(* – first-time nominees)
Seventeen artists (eighteen, if you want to count the JD/NO nomination as separate entities) have earned the honor of being considered for the Hall. The thing is that, out of this list, only seven of them will earn the honor of induction. It will all come down to the voting of the Voting Committee of the Hall over the next two months, as 1200 people (the living members of the Hall, plus select artists and bands not inducted, journalists, DJs, historians, music industry executives, and others) and the Fan Vote make their voices heard.
But I can already tell you who will be inducted… just read on!
Chances of Induction
We can split the seventeen nominees into three distinct categories: Locks, In the Mix, and No Chance in Hell for induction. Let’s start with the Locks, and we will throw some commentary in with the selections.
Locks Mariah Carey – They are going to keep nominating her until she gets in, and they are not going to side-door her, either. Carey’s credentials as one of the biggest stars of the Nineties, plus her ubiquitous presence during the Christmas season, make her a lock. Iron Maiden – This is the third nomination for the iconic heavy metal band, and it is about time that the Hall corrects this obvious oversight. If they aren’t elected as Performers this year, you’ll see the side-door of the Musical Excellence or Musical Influence entry used, much like they did for Judas Priest and Warren Zevon.
Joy Division/New Order – Another band that is on their third nomination (previously nominated in 2023 and 2025), they were a formative part of the early synth rock movement. They, too, have been overlooked on several occasions, like Maiden, and it is also time that the Hall corrects this error.
Wu-Tang Clan – This is a first-year nominee that looks like a lock. They broke the mold when they created this band, and the individual members not only set benchmarks as Wu-Tang but were also highly influential as solo artists.
In the Mix
The Black Crowes – This was a borderline call; I almost put them in the No Chance in Hell category, because (as much as I love their music) they did not do anything that really broke away from the pack in the Eighties. This seems to be more of a “definite rock band” nomination than a performance pick.
Melissa Etheridge – Arguably should have been inducted before Sheryl Crow was, Etheridge has been a stalwart of the rock world since the mid-Eighties. She has established the standard for female singer/songwriters and has been a magnificent advocate for several philanthropic causes. Almost a lock, but not quite.
Billy Idol – After missing out last year, Idol is another one who almost cracked into the Locks category. The issue I have with Idol is that he really didn’t break any new ground; he moved from the punk world (with Generation X) to a solo career and…what else? He has a great chance to be inducted, however, despite what I view as a lack of significant achievement.
INXS – There have been vehement calls for the Aussie legends’ induction, and I would agree they SHOULD have already been inducted. The issue is that they carried on too long after the passing of their leader and vocalist, Michael Hutchence, who had committed suicide; they became a parody of themselves. Maybe people in the Voting Committee will get beyond that and induct the band.
Oasis – Like Joy Division/New Order in the Eighties, Oasis led the Britpop attack of the Nineties and etched their name into rock and roll history. They had a phenomenally successful reunion in 2025 and demonstrated their impact, even in today’s music scene.
Luther Vandross – A nod to the R&B crooners, Vandross is a deserved nomination. But what about Lou Rawls? How about Barry White? James Ingram? This is a case of the Hall bypassing those who seriously laid the groundwork so that Vandross could soar.
No Chance in Hell
Jeff Buckley – One album is worthy of induction? Look, I understand the emotional connection that people have with Buckley, whose life was cut short in 1997. But it is rare when an artist or band demonstrates the impact on rock and roll and overlooks the lack of a discography. Buckley does not pass that impact test.
Phil Collins – Collins is already in the Hall with the vehicle that made him famous, the prog-rockers Genesis. In my estimation, Collins’ poppy addition to the musical landscape was more a distraction from his truly artistic work. Although he has a litany of hits and album sales, this is a Bon Jovi situation – induction by quantity, not quality.
Lauryn Hill – I have seen people crowing about Buckley, then look at Hill and say, “She doesn’t have the catalog.” You can’t have a double standard, and if Hall isn’t viable, then neither is Buckley. You probably could have chosen The Fugees if you wanted to get Hill in the Hall, as they were a much more impactful group.
New Edition – This is a head-scratcher, in that the band was better as solo artists than as a group. When you have such solo artists as Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill, and others who made their bones as solo artists, why induct the band? Take them into consideration for each man as a solo entity.
P!nk/Sade/Shakira – I lopped these three together simply because they occupy the same space. All are excellent vocalists; all were outstanding performers, especially P!nk; and P!nk and Shakira are freshly eligible for the Hall. As much as I would like to see P!nk inducted (more “rock and roll” attitude out of Alecia Moore than many already inducted), there is no chance that the voters will look beyond her more poppy escapades. Shakira seems to be this year’s Mana (international artist deserving of recognition; should have been Soda Stereo or Sepultura), and Sade didn’t have the support when she was previously nominated.
I am going to offer two different lists to close out my essay. The first will be MY personal choices for the Performer inductees. The second will be who the Hall is likely to induct. My List
Iron Maiden INXS Melissa Etheridge The Black Crowes Joy Division/New Order Billy Idol Wu-Tang Clan
Probable Hall Inductions
Mariah Carey Phil Collins Billy Idol Sade Wu-Tang Clan
Luther Vandross Oasis The Fan Vote has now opened, allowing fans to submit their seven selections for induction daily. At the end of that Fan Vote, the top seven finishers will be given one more vote beyond what the 1200 voting members have logged in. Once that is completed, sometime in April, we will learn who the Class of 2026 is for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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