Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Iron Maiden and more to enter Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

A record number of British performers are to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, with Oasis, heavy metal legends Iron Maiden and Sade amongst those voted in.

The total of six British acts out of eight inductees includes Manchester's Joy Division and New Order (who are being treated as one act), Phil Collins (previously inducted in 2010 as a member of Genesis) and rocker Billy Idol.

In the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 40-year history, the previous record for British acts being inducted in a single year was five, when Radiohead, The Cure, Def Leppard, Roxy Music and The Zombies were all honoured in 2019.

As recently as 2021, there were no British inductees at all.

The 2026 inductees:

Acts become eligible for inclusion 25 years after their first commercial release.

Liam Gallagher previously dismissed the Hall of Fame, declaring that he wasn't interested in receiving an award from "some geriatric in a cowboy hat".

However, the musician posted on X on Tuesday: "Reverse psychology vibes in the area, Oasis RNR hall of farmers, I mean famers."

A fan responded: "Not too good for it after all x," with Gallagher replying: "Nope."

When asked by another follower what he would say in his acceptance speech, Gallagher added: "Well I'll obv bring a box of chocolates and flowers and apologise to the organisers for my ignorance."

He later posted: "I wanna thank all the people who voted for us it's a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I'd dream about 1 day being in the RnR hall of tame it's true what they say anything is possible if you have a dream LG x."

The 2026 honourees were announced during an episode of ABC's American Idol, by the presenter Ryan Seacrest and one of the show's judges Lionel Richie, who was himself inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 for his solo work, although his band The Commodores have never made it in.

The talent show seemed a somewhat incongruous place for the list to be read out, given that one of the acts being honoured was the famously gloomy Manchester post-punk band Joy Division.

The remaining members of Joy Division became the band New Order and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is honouring them both together.

New Order went on to have huge success in the US, being signed by Quincy Jones and playing the Hollywood Bowl.

Peter Hook, their former bass player and a founding member of Joy Division, posted a reaction video on social media, whilst wearing a t-shirt of fellow inductees Oasis.

He said that he was "wonderfully pleased" and that he had "been looking forward to it for years". He dedicated the award to Joy Division's singer Ian Curtis and "fans of both bands."

"I will see you on the night," was how he ended the message, which presents a conundrum for the members of New Order, to whom he no longer speaks.

Hook sued Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert over royalties in 2015, with an out of court settlement being reached in 2017.

Oasis, who also hail from Manchester, are being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame the year after they played their biggest ever US tour.

It included selling out two nights at the 90,000 capacity Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California.

Noel Gallagher told Rolling Stone magazine in 2017 that he had accepted an invite from a representative of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to visit the museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

"I know what it is (the Hall of Fame). I know what it entails and it won't be happening, ok? They showed me all these exhibits of Oasis stuff. It's a great place, but I won't be doing it," he said.

When asked if the band deserved to be in the Hall of Fame he joked: "I certainly think I do."

Sade, the band fronted by singer Sade Adu, is even more successful in the US than the UK; the singer's most recent album Soldier of Love was a Stateside number one in 2010, selling half a million copies there in its first week.

Adu was born in Nigeria but grew up in the UK from the age of four. She is the first British black woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The group is best known for hits such as Your Love is King, Smooth Operator and Sweetest Taboo.

More than 20 years after they became eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Iron Maiden are finally to be inducted, having first been nominated in 2021 and again in 2023.

Their singer Bruce Dickinson has also been critical of the Hall of Fame, saying during a spoken word tour of Australia: "It's run by a bunch of sanctimonious Americans who wouldn't know rock'n'roll if it hit them in the face," adding that they needed "to stop taking Prozac and start drinking beer".

Today the band's co-manger Rod Smallwood has issued a statement on their website saying: "Iron Maiden have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades. However, having said that, it's always nice to be recognised and honoured for any achievements within the music industry too!"

Billy Idol, whose hits include White Wedding and the US number one Mony Mony, is also to be inducted, after having been nominated once before.

Unlike Oasis and Iron Maiden, he has spoken about his desire to be included, having told Ultimate Classic Rock: "You really get a chance to thank your fans. That's what I like about it. You know, you get a chance to really thank everybody who supported you through thick and thin. So that's an incredible honour."

He appeared in person on last night's American Idol, performing his song Rebel Yell with Carrie Underwood, one of the show's judges. It was then announced that he and his long-term collaborator, the guitarist Steve Stevens, had made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Speaking to Billboard magazine, Idol said: "I can't believe it... it's just been fantastic, being part of this musical revolution we really believed in and to be pushing the culture along.

It's been really fun, and a dream come true. And then this is just icing on the cake, just... wow, what an honour! I almost can't put it into words. To be able to have your peers vote you in and that, it's pretty special.

Collins was also pleased with his individual recognition, posting on Instagram: "Obviously I'm pleased and honoured to be inducted. It wraps up what has been a wonderful life in music."

The two non-Brits acts who will be inducted this year are the late soul singer Luther Vandross, who died in 2005, and the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan.

The first ever Brits to be inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were The Beatles in 1988, the first year they were eligible.

George Harrison and Ringo Starr attended the ceremony but Paul McCartney did not, issuing a statement saying: "After 20 years, the Beatles still have some business differences, which I had hoped would have been settled by now. Unfortunately, they haven't been, so I would feel like a complete hypocrite waving and smiling with them at a fake reunion."

Pink Floyd fall-outs were at a peak back in 1996, when David Gilmour brandished their Hall of Fame trophy on stage and said: "I'll have to grab a couple more of these for our two band members who have started playing different tunes. Roger (Waters) and Syd (Barrett). We'll take a couple of these home."

That same year, David Bowie gave no explanation as to why he left it to Madonna to pick up his trophy, with the Material Girl thanking him "wherever you are".

In 2006 Johnny Lydon from punk band The Sex Pistols sent a hand-written letter explaining why they would not be going: "Were (sic) not your monkey" and describing the museum as "urine in wine".

In 2018, Dire Straits front man Mark Knopfler missed his band's induction, with bass player John Illsley telling Billboard: "It just didn't appeal to him. He's got his reasons, which he really doesn't want to share with me which is unusual because we've shared most things over the years."

The nominees for the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame are chosen by a group of around 40 industry professionals, described as inductees, academics and journalists whose passion, expertise, and livelihood is all about music.

This year there were 17 nominees.

Once this list has been decided, more than 1200 people, including every living inductees are sent a ballot and can vote on which nominees should be inducted.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on 14 November at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, where the 2029 Oscars will be held.

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Source: BBC
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