From Iron Maiden to Shakira: The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Are a Serious Melting Pot
Every year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces its nominees, and every year someone on the internet asks the same question: wait, is that actually rock and roll?
This year, that question has never been louder — or more fun.
The Rock Hall unveiled 17 nominees for its Class of 2026 on Wednesday, spanning heavy metal, hip-hop, R&B, Latin pop, post-punk, Britpop, new wave, and whatever you want to call Phil Collins (no shade intended, he's brilliant). It is, to put it plainly, a lot. And the Hall seems perfectly fine with that. "This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture," said Rock Hall Foundation Chairman John Sykes.
Let's break it down:
The 'Obviously Yes, This Is Rock' Section
Some nominees are straightforward. The Black Crowes are Southern blues-rockers. Billy Idol is New Wave punk. INXS were charismatic '80s hitmakers. Joy Division and New Order evolved from post-punk to dance music and back again. And then there's Iron Maiden — one of the most decorated heavy metal bands in history, with dozens of studio and live albums and ongoing stadium tours ... receiving their third nomination. Three times. The voters keep nominating them and then apparently forgetting to actually vote them in.
Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, for his part, has made his feelings about the whole institution crystal clear. "I actually think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an utter and complete load of bol***ks, to be honest with you," he said back in 2018. "It's run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock & roll if it hit them in the face."
@rockhall Introducing Rock Hall's 2026 nominees ???? From the dancefloors of Manchester to the streets of Staten Island, this year's nominees cover every corner of the musical map. 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. #RockHall2026
♬ original sound - Rock Hall - Rock Hall
The 'It's Complicated' Section
Phil Collins is already in the Rock Hall as a member of Genesis. Now he's up as a solo artist — the drummer who somehow became one of the biggest vocal sensations of the 1980s. Jeff Buckley released exactly one studio album in his lifetime, 1994's Grace, and it was so good that the Hall is apparently willing to overlook the fact that one album is technically all he had. Melissa Etheridge is rootsy and guitar-driven enough to qualify. Oasis — on their third nomination, conveniently timed with their ongoing reunion tour — are rock, technically.
The 'This Is Definitely Not Rock' Section (And That's Okay)
Here's where it gets genuinely fun. Mariah Carey — on her third consecutive nomination — has over a dozen number one hits and owns Christmas. Liam Gallagher seems less than thrilled about the whole thing. "As much as I love Mariah Carey and all that, I want to say: Do me a favor and f*** off," he told The Sunday Times in 2024. "It's like putting me in the rap hall of fame."
Luther Vandross produced records for Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, and influenced Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Kendrick Lamar. An obvious legend. Sade is sophisticated and brilliant and about as "rock and roll" as a candlelit dinner. Shakira has sold hundreds of millions of records and bridged Latin music with pop in a way nobody else has. And Wu-Tang Clan, the Staten Island hip-hop collective that redefined what rap could be in the 1990s, are finally, finally on the ballot for the first time.
None of these artists are rock. All of them deserve to be in a hall of fame somewhere. Whether it should be this one is the argument the internet will be having for the next two months — which is, frankly, exactly what the Rock Hall wants.