In the past month, 17 of the best musicians of our time have been nominated to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Who will be the ones to truly stand the test of time?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a museum and institution dedicated to showcasing the top musicians from throughout history. Each year, musical artists are nominated to be inducted into the elite group of iconic rock and roll-ers. However, not every musician makes their way onto the walls of the sacred institution. 

How do the critics decide what makes rock and roll?

The 2026 Nominees

This year, 17 artists were nominated this past February. They were nominated by the “Nominating Committee.” This is a large group of inductees, artists, musical historians, journalists, and others involved in the music industry. 

Here are the 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees:

• The Black Crowes
• Mariah Carey
• Melissa Etheridge
• Billy Idol
• Iron Maiden
• New Edition
• P!NK
• Shakira
• The Wu-Tang Clan
• Jeff Buckley
• Phil Collins
• Lauryn Hill
• INXS
• Joy Division/New Order
• Oasis
• Sade
• Luther Vandross

These artists were picked out of thousands of creators. They were chosen because they matched several criteria. Firstly, in order for a musician to be nominated for induction, a full 25 years must have passed since their first commercial recording. That is the main criteria for eligibility. However, the artist must also demonstrate “musical excellence, impact, and influence.” This means that their music has stayed impactful, whether that be through bands that were inspired by them or people who still listen to and support their art. This also means that they expressed meaningful ideas through their lyrics or instrumentation.

Other common factors include critical acclaim/recognition, commercial success with hit singles or popular albums, longevity, and long-term influence. All together, these values make up a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. 

Feel free to scroll through and take a look at our nominees this year. 

The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes is a rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. The band was originally started by two brothers Chris and Rich Robinson. Their debut album “Shake Your Money Maker” was considered to have brought back rock during a time when cheesy pop and hair metal bands were almost exclusively heard everywhere. Their records spanned multiple genres including blues, rock, and soulful R&B. They were heavily influenced by AC/DC, Robert Plant, and Aerosmith. 

In 2013, turmoil broke out and the brothers swore to never speak or play together again. The journey with this band has been an interesting and dramatic one. They were followed by more rock groups such as The Temperance Movement and eventually Jet. 

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was born in New York, 1969. She is a well-established pop icon best known for her high octave hits. You may know her Christmas song, “All I Want for Christmas is You” which can be heard playing really anywhere during the holiday season. She was primarily influenced by 1970s and 1980s style soul music as well as gospel and R&B. She has been said to have been inspired by Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Her music certainly had left a lasting impression of the music industry. 

Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge joined the rock scene in 1988 when she released her debut album. After that, she gained more success from her songwriting. This eventually led her to receive a Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996.

She is known for her raspy vocals and provocative lyrics. She later used her career to spread awareness about breast cancer, a disease that she had won a battle to. 

She is given credit to influencing artists such as Taylor Swift, Sheryl Crow, and Brandi Carlile. 

Billy Idol

Billy Idol is an English rock singer who came to fame in the 1970s London punk scene as the frontman for a group called “Generation X.” He later became a well-known solo artist with songs like “White Wedding,” “Rebel Yell,” and “Dancing with Myself.” He was a very successful artist in the 1980s when he moved to New York to continue his solo career. 

He was a major influence for rock, punk, and pop artists such as Yungblud, and fellow nominee, P!NK. 

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden was an English heavy metal band formed in London by bassist and frontman, Steve Harris in 1975. They are known for their intense instrumentation and insane live performances. They were an extremely influential metal band, later inspiring the success of Metallica and Slipknot.

New Edition

New Edition was a R&B group from Roxbury, Massachusetts that certainly made their mark on the music industry. They were known for their deep, harmonious vocals and engaging choreography. Rising to fame in the 1970s, they would later inspire other boy bands such as NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. They evolved throughout the different musical eras from the 1970s to the 1990s, always staying as a cohesive group. 

P!NK

Born Alecia Beth Moore in a Pennsylvania small town, P!NK rose to fame as a breakout background singer in a female R&B group. She was influenced by Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Billy Joel, and Whitney Houston. She became a well-known pop singer songwriter. She even became the first non-British artist to win the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. She would later inspire other musicians such as Demi Lovato and Katy Perry. 

Shakira

Shakira is a Columbian singer known for her stunning vocals and dazzling dance moves. She became one of the most successful Latin American artists, her music spanning both Spanish and English-speaking cultures. She is very well known for her song “Hips Don’t Lie.” She is considered to have influenced Camila Cabello and Selena Gomez. 

The Wu-Tang Clan

The Wu-Tang Clan was a hip-hop group that was created in Staten Island, New York, in the 1990s. This group consisted of several artists. Beyond their group identity they also made progress on their individual projects, eventually building up a musical empire. Originally it was a group of 3 cousins, Robert Diggs, Gary Grice, and Russell Jones called the Force of the Imperial Master. However, the band grew to about 9 members under the new name. Groups like Killarmy or Gravediggaz were said to be inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan’s interesting way of producing music. 

Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley, originally from California, soon became a revolutionary musician from his time. He was the son of Tim Buckley, a well-known folk-rock singer. This gave him a lot of pressure to take after his father. Despite this he became his own artist. He was heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin. He was well known for his album “Grace” and his most popular song “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over,” one of his few releases before a tragic death in 1997. Groups like Radiohead, Coldplay, and new singer Sombr were all motivated by Jeff Buckley’s musical style.  

Phil Collins

Phil Collins is an English singer, drummer, songwriter, and producer who gained popularity in the 1970s and 80s. He was the lead singer of rock band Genesis, performing as drummer alongside Peter Gabriel before becoming the lead singer in 1976. He also gained some success from his solo career, known for his distinctive vocals. Phil Collins credits his drumming style with Ringo Starr and Buddy Rich. Bands like Radiohead and Queen came after Genesis’s progressive musicality. 

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill is a singer and rapper who rose to fame after being the only female member of a hip hop group, The Fugees. She loved to perform from a young age. Eventually, she became a solo artist. She not only contributed to the music industry, but she also acted in movies and TV shows such as “The Sister Act 2.” Her own musical style transcended genres, being influenced by Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder. Her own music would later lead to artists such as SZA, Beyonce, and Kendrick Lamar.

INXS

INXS was an Australian rock band formed in Sydney 1977. They gained fame throughout the 1980s and 90s, blending many musical genres including new-wave, ska, rock, and funk. The band wrote powerful ballads as well as pop hits. INXS released many popular albums despite losing popularity later on. They would later influence Maroon 5, The Killers, and The 1975. 

Joy Division / New Order

Although Joy Division and New Order are technically different and separate bands, their cohesiveness and overlap of members and genre is enough for the bands to be considered under one nomination. Joy Division came first, being formed in England, 1976 with the frontman Ian Curtis. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the band until his unfortunate and sudden death in 1980. Keyboardist Bernard Sumner took over as lead vocalist in 1980 with the band’s new name, New Order. One of their most notable songs, “Ceremony” was a transitional song, being written by Ian Curtis but performed by Bernard Sumner and New Order. These bands would later influence bands like Interpol, or the Killers with their interesting way of approaching rock and lyricism. 

Oasis

Oasis is an English rock band formed in 1991 by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher. They became famous for songs such as “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova”.” They were a generationally defining Britpop band. They were considered rivals of the band Blur. The band later suffered when the brothers began to fight. The band officially broke up in 2009, however, several years later they introduced a reunion tour. The band would inspire groups like Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys. 

Sade 

Sade was an English soul and R&B band formed in 1982. The band was named after one of the original members and singer, Sade Adu. They were known for their distinctive and sophisticated sound. They were influenced by artists such as Bill Withers and the Isley Brothers. Sade would end up inspiring the music of Drake, Alicia Keys, and Maxwell. 

Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross was an iconic R&B/soul singer who rose to fame in the late 1960s-70s. He first got recognized from his background vocals on popular albums from artists such as David Bowie, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder. He was even on an episode of “Sesame Street.” His musical styles can be heard in newer artists such as Aretha Franklin, who he produced for. 

The Induction Process

All of these unique artists were chosen for their musical brilliance, impact, and longevity. However, each year only about 7 artists will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this upcoming April. A ton of experts, historians, and others from the industry will have to decide what truly makes rock and roll. 

If you are interested, you can vote for your favorite artists on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website. Whoever wins the popular vote will gain one ballot for the main race. Still, it’s strange to imagine the process that this music goes through to be picked. Musicians all over the world work to create art that will outlive them or represent them or set them free. Choosing the “best” few and putting them into a museum is certainly an interesting concept. 

At the end of the day, all of these artists made the criteria and left behind something amazing. And we, the listeners, are the real winners.