Phil Collins, Lauryn Hill, and Shakira lead diverse Rock & Roll Hall of Fame shortlist

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled a notably wide-ranging slate of nominees for its 2026 induction class, blending pop superstardom, heavy metal, hip-hop innovation, and R&B legacy into one of its most stylistically varied ballots in recent years.
Among the headline contenders are Phil Collins, Lauryn Hill, Australian rock icons INXS, British metal pioneers Iron Maiden, late soul vocalist Luther Vandross, and global pop star Shakira, reflecting the institution’s continued shift toward recognising music’s broader cultural footprint.
Seventeen performers appear on this year’s ballot. Also nominated are Mariah Carey, Melissa Etheridge, the late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, pop star Pink, R&B group New Edition, British-Nigerian soul icon Sade, and hip-hop collective Wu‑Tang Clan, alongside returning nominees including Billy Idol and Joy Division/New Order.

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Two famously fractious sibling-led acts — The Black Crowes and Oasis — also return to contention following renewed public interest sparked by recent reunions.
Collins is already an inductee as a member of Genesis, but this marks recognition of his solo career, defined by chart-topping hits such as “In the Air Tonight” and “One More Night,” as well as eight Grammy Awards, including album of the year for “No Jacket Required”. Hill’s landmark album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” reshaped industry expectations when it became the first hip-hop record to win album of the year at the Grammys in 1999.
Carey, previously nominated in 2024 and 2025, remains one of pop’s most commercially successful artists with 19 Billboard Hot 100 No 1 singles. Meanwhile, Sade’s understated blend of soul and soft rock produced enduring classics, including “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo”.

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Hip-hop’s presence on the ballot remains strong through Wu-Tang Clan, widely credited with redefining rap’s sonic and business model following their influential debut “Enter the Wu-Tang”. Elsewhere, INXS dominated late-1980s rock radio with “Need You Tonight” and “Devil Inside,” while Iron Maiden helped define the new wave of British heavy metal through albums such as “The Number of the Beast”.
Ten nominees appear on the ballot for the first time this year, including Collins, Hill, Buckley, Etheridge, INXS, Pink, New Edition, Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. Vandross, who died in 2005 after selling more than 25 million albums worldwide, remains one of modern R&B’s defining voices. Buckley, whose debut album “Grace” achieved posthumous acclaim after his death in 1997, continues to influence generations of alternative musicians.

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“This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture,” chairman John Sykes said in a statement.
Artists become eligible 25 years after releasing their first commercial recording. More than 1,200 artists, historians, and industry professionals vote on the final class, which will be announced in April alongside special committee honourees for musical influence, musical excellence, and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award.
Last year’s inductees included Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes, underscoring the Hall’s ongoing effort to broaden its historical lens beyond traditional rock boundaries.