KISS rocker Gene Simmons already has qualms about hip-hop being included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The nominees for the 2026 Rock Hall class might have him even more agitated.
Lauryn Hill, Wu-Tang Clan, Mariah Carey, Sade, and Luther Vandross are among a list of 17 artists/groups who could be inducted this year. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation revealed the list of artists on Instagram on Wednesday (Feb. 25), revealing a wide-ranging ballot spanning rock, pop, hip-hop, and R&B.
Phil Collins, New Edition, Oasis, and Cyndi Lauper are also up for induction, along with The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Melissa Etheridge, Billy Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, P!NK, and Shakira.
“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.
For Hill and Wu-Tang, the first time nominees continue to leave a stamp on hip-hop and beyond, more than 30 years after their debuts. With “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” the Jersey rapper/songstress became the first female artist to take home five Grammy awards in a single night, winning Best New Artist and Album of the Year, a first for a hip-hop album. Since their debut in 1993, Wu-Tang has redefined the nature of a crew in hip-hop as well as business, with each notable member having individual solo record deals along with classic projects like “Enter The 36 Chambers,” Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx,” GZA’s “Liquid Swords” and more.
Eligibility for the Rock Hall comes 25 years after the release of an individual or entity’s first commercial recording. Voters gauge an artist’s impact, commercial success, body of work, and influence on other artists.
The 2026 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will likely be revealed in early April, with the official ceremony taking place in the fall.
