INXS Miss Out as Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Is Announced
Australia's own INXS have missed out on induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the 2026 class has been unveiled.
Australia's own INXS have missed out on induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the 2026 class has been unveiled.
Despite being among this year’s 17 nominees, the rock icons were not included in the final class announced today (April 14th), extending their long wait for induction into the Cleveland institution.
The 2026 performer inductees feature a wide-ranging lineup spanning rock, pop, soul, metal and hip-hop, including Phil Collins, Oasis, Iron Maiden, Sade, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Wu-Tang Clan, and Luther Vandross.
INXS had joined a competitive field of first-time nominees alongside artists such as Lauryn Hill, Pink, Shakira, Jeff Buckley, and Wu-Tang Clan, as well as returning contenders including Oasis, Iron Maiden and Mariah Carey.
“Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music’s highest honor,” John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year’s ceremony – it’s going to be an unforgettable night.”
The ceremony will take place on November 14th in Los Angeles.
Reporting from inside the Australian music business since '94.
Per Variety, Collins was already inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis, but this year marked the first time he was on the ballot as a solo artist. Two other first-timers besides Collins made it in on their first nomination: Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.
Oasis, Iron Maiden and Joy Division/New Order got voted in on their third try. It was the second time being up for the honour for Sade and Idol.
Oasis' Liam Gallagher has been resistant to the Hall of Fame in past years. In 2024, when Oasis was first nominated, the famously cantankerous vocalist reacted to the news by posting on X: “Fuck the Rock n Roll hall of fame its full of BUMBACLARTS” (sic).
Still estranged at that time from his brother, Noel Gallagher, Liam additionally wrote: “The little fella loves hanging out with celebrities so he’d prob go; as for me I’m washing my hair and having a pedicure and a manicure.”
A further 10 inductees have been announced, selected outside of the wider voter process, by Rock Hall committee members. They come in not as “performers” per se but in the categories of Early Influences, Musical Excellence and the singular Ahmet Ertegun Award.
These additional inductees are Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons for the Early Influence Award; Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, and Rick Rubin for the Musical Excellence Award; and Ed Sullivan for the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Notably, Parsons had been nominated three times before - the last time being more than 20 years ago - and Kuti got a nom twice, previously, but neither had been voted in.
The honorees were announced live on-air during a Monday night episode of American Idol, by 2022 Hall of Fame inductee Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest, in a Hall of Fame-themed episode.
More from The Music Network
Reporting from inside the Australian music business since '94.
Get our top stories straight to your inbox daily by signing up to our Newsletter
