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NEW YORK — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled its list of nominees for the class of 2026, featuring a diverse array of artists spanning multiple genres. Among the nominees are legendary names like Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross, and Shakira, covering everything from rap and metal to R&B, hip-hop, Britpop, blues rock, and pop.
Announced on Wednesday, the list includes 17 performers vying for a spot in the prestigious Hall of Fame. Notable names alongside the aforementioned icons are Melissa Etheridge, Jeff Buckley, Pink, New Edition, Sade, and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Returning to the nominations this year after missing out on induction last year are Billy Idol and Joy Division/New Order, both hoping to secure their place among rock royalty this time around.
This year’s roster also highlights two sets of musical siblings known for their public disputes and recent reconciliations: The Black Crowes and Oasis, both of whom have made headlines for their tumultuous relationships and celebrated reunions.
Phil Collins, celebrated for hits like “In the Air Tonight” and “One More Night,” boasts an impressive career decorated with eight Grammy Awards, including the coveted Album of the Year in 1985 for “No Jacket Required.”
Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” made history as the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for album of the year in 1999.
Carey, nominated in 2024 and 2025, has had 19 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while soul-jazz vocalist Sade, also nominated in 2024, had such soft rock hits as “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.”
The Wu-Tang Clan have been hailed as rap innovators since their game-changing 1993 debut album “Enter the Wu-Tang.”
INXS ruled the late 1980s charts with hits like “Need You Tonight,” “Devil Inside” and “New Sensation.” Two-time Grammy winner Etheridge is best known for her songs “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.”
Iron Maiden helped power the new wave of British heavy metal with iconic albums like “The Number of the Beast.”
New Edition had the hits “Cool It Now” and “Candy Girl,” while Shakira has been lauded for her ability to bridge Latin music with rock and pop.
Pink has had four No. 1 songs and three No. 1 albums, including “The Truth About Love.”
Ten of the 17 nominees are on the ballot for the first time: Buckley, Collins, Etheridge, Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan.
Vandross, who sold more than 25 million albums and had the hits “Here and Now” and “Any Love,” died in 2005.
Buckley, whose 1994 debut album “Grace” is widely acclaimed, 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,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement.
The 2026 inductees will be revealed in April, along with inductees entering the hall under three special committee categories: Musical influence, musical excellence, and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction.
Nominees will be voted on by 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.