The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its class of 2026, with Oasis, Sade, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Billy Idol, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan named as the year’s Performer inductees, a class with enormous resonance for South African music fans and one of the most heavily British lineups in the institution’s history.
The inductees were revealed on Monday night by presenters Ryan Seacrest and Lionel Richie during a Rock Hall-themed episode of American Idol. The induction ceremony will take place on 14 November 2026 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, with the show airing on ABC and Disney+ in December.
Oasis, Phil Collins, and a record British contingent
Oasis’s induction comes on the back of the band’s celebrated reunion, with Liam and Noel Gallagher back on stage for the first time in nearly two decades, and the honour arrives at a moment of genuine momentum for the Mancunian icons.
Liam Gallagher, who in previous years had described the Rock Hall in decidedly unprintable terms, reacted to the news with characteristic candour softened by evident pride.
“I wanna thank all the people who voted for us, it’s a real honour,” Gallagher posted on social media.
“Ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about one day being in the RnR Hall of Fame. It’s true what they say, anything is possible if you have a dream.”
When fans reminded him of his earlier dismissals of the institution, Gallagher credited his mother for his change in perspective. “She’s told me to stop being a dick and go to the awards and behave,” he wrote.
He subsequently confirmed that both Gallagher brothers would attend the ceremony:
“We’re both going, we’re sooooooo proud and humble.”
Phil Collins, inducted as a solo artist for the first time (he has been a Hall member since Genesis’s 2010 induction), is unlikely to perform at the ceremony due to ongoing health challenges.
Collins retired from live performance in 2022 and has said he requires around-the-clock care. His inclusion nonetheless represents a long-overdue recognition of one of the bestselling solo catalogues in pop history.
Sade, Luther Vandross, and the artists who matter most to South African fans
For South African listeners, the inductions of Sade and Luther Vandross carry particular weight. Sade, the English group fronted by the British-Nigerian vocalist Sade Adu, built a following across the African continent from the early 1980s that has proved extraordinarily durable.
Albums including Diamond Life, Promise, and Stronger Than Pride remain fixtures of South African home listening, and Adu’s voice is among the most frequently cited musical reference points in South African entertainment culture.
The Rock Hall’s citation noted that “the velvety, intimate quality of Sade’s music echoes across generations of artists, from Drake and Adele.”
Luther Vandross similarly commands a devoted following in South Africa. His catalogue, spanning Never Too Much, Always and Forever, and A House Is Not a Home, has soundtracked weddings, funerals, and everything in between for four decades of South African listeners.
The ceremony and where to watch
The induction ceremony on 14 November will be recorded at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles and broadcast on ABC in the United States. South African viewers will be able to access the broadcast via Disney+ when the show airs in December 2026.
A confirmed South African streaming date has not yet been announced; Swisher Post will update this article when it is confirmed.
Also recognised in this year’s class are Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons in the Early Influence Award category, with Rick Rubin, Arif Mardin, producer Jimmy Miller, and Linda Creed receiving Musical Excellence awards.
