Wu-Tang Clan, Queen Latifah and MC Lyte are among the artists who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year.
On Monday night (April 13), the 2026 inductees were announced on an episode of American Idol. The esteemed hip-hop group Wu-Tang will receive the honor in the Performer Category while solo MCs Latifah and Lyte will receive the Early Influence Award. Famed producer Rick Rubin will also get the Musical Excellence Award. The 2026 Induction Ceremony is set for Nov. 14 in Los Angeles and will debut on ABC and Disney+ in December.
From Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) to “Triumph” and more, the nine-member group including RZA, Method Man, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard have championed lyrical excellence and the art of collaboration throughout their more than 30 years in the game. Queen Latifah has nearly four decades in hip-hop under her belt, with lauded albums All Hail the Queen and Black Reign, in addition to classic tracks “U.N.I.T.Y.” adding to her lyrical legacy. MC Lyte’s “Poor Georgie” and Bad As I Wanna B are just a few of the much-respected rapper’s contributions to a quintessential catalog that has spanned 40 years.
Last year, OutKast was inducted into the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with Salt-N-Pepa, who were honored with the Musical Influence Award. To be eligible for nomination and induction, artists or bands must have released their first commercial recording 25 years ago.
Ms. Lauryn Hill was included in the nominations this year, but she was not selected for inudction by the international voting panel. Neither were icons like Mariah Carey and New Edition.
Here are all the 2026 inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
Performer Category
Wu-Tang Clan
Phil Collins
Billy Idol
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
Oasis
Sade
Luther Vandross
Early Influence Award
Queen Latifah
MC Lyte
Celia Cruz
Fela Kuti
Gram Parsons
Musical Excellence Award
Rick Rubin
Linda Creed
Arif Mardin
Jimmy Miller
Ahmet Ertegun Award
Ed Sullivan
See All the 2026 Inductees for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
See Which Rappers Are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
