Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 17 Nominees for 2026 Include Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Pink, Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Wu Tang Clan

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled its 17 nominees for the class of 2026, showcasing a deliberately diverse array of influential artists. The slate spans hard rock, pop, hip-hop, and R&B, featuring acts from Iron Maiden and The Black Crowes to Mariah Carey, Sade, and the Wu-Tang Clan. This broad selection continues the institution's ongoing effort to frame rock and roll as an expansive, evolving spirit rather than a narrowly defined sound.

Notably, ten artists are first-time nominees. This group includes the late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, whose seminal 1994 album 'Grace' has influenced countless musicians, alongside global icons like Shakira and pop powerhouse Pink. Also newly on the ballot are Phil Collins, both as a solo artist and for his work with Genesis, the R&B groups New Edition and Luther Vandross, and the groundbreaking hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. The remaining seven nominees are returning, with five—Mariah Carey, Oasis, The Black Crowes, Billy Idol, and Joy Division/New Order—carrying over from the previous year's ballot. This immediate re-nomination for Oasis is particularly pointed, coming after former frontman Liam Gallagher's very public disdain for the honor last year.

The voting process by an international body of over 1,000 artists, historians, and music industry professionals will conclude in April, when the inductees in the performer category are announced. Separate committees will also choose honorees in the Musical Influence, Musical Excellence, and Ahmet Ertegun Award categories. These parallel tracks allow the Hall to recognize pivotal non-performers, such as producers and songwriters, ensuring a more complete historical record. The Ahmet Ertegun Award is named for the late co-founder of Atlantic Records, a label instrumental in the careers of artists like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.

This year's list underscores a clear institutional direction. The inclusion of a figure like Shakira, whose fusion of Latin rhythms, rock, and pop has made her one of the world's best-selling music artists, alongside the raw, genre-defining hip-hop of the Wu-Tang Clan, represents a modernized canon. As music historian Dr. Elena Torres noted, "The Hall is effectively mapping a family tree of musical innovation. Nominating Joy Division, whose post-punk sound shaped alternative rock, alongside their dance-oriented successor New Order, in a single entry is a masterclass in tracing artistic evolution." The final selections will ultimately reveal how the Hall balances its historical roots with a contemporary, global understanding of influence.