Iron Maiden, Oasis, Sade and Wu-Tang Clan will enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026 under the same official category: Performer. Metal, Britpop, soul and hip-hop describe styles associated with these acts, but they are not separate induction categories. The classification appears in the official announcement of the 2026 class.
What is each inductee's category?
- Iron Maiden — Performer: a British band associated with heavy metal.
- Oasis — Performer: a British band associated with 1990s rock and Britpop.
- Sade — Performer: a group led by Sade Adu whose music combines soul, jazz and R&B.
- Wu-Tang Clan — Performer: a New York hip-hop collective.
The Rock Hall also includes Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order and Luther Vandross in this category. The range of musical genres on the list helps explain why the institution's name does not restrict recognition to rock bands in the narrow sense.
What are the other categories in the 2026 class?
The announcement divides the inductees into four groups. In addition to Performer, there is the Early Influence Award, recognizing early influence, for Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons; the Musical Excellence Award, for Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin; and the Ahmet Ertegun Award, given to Ed Sullivan. These categories reflect types of contribution recognized by the Hall, not a simple division by musical genre.
When is the ceremony?
According to the same announcement, the 2026 induction ceremony is scheduled for November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. A broadcast on ABC and Disney+ was announced for December. The full list of inductees is on the official 2026 class page.
