Iron Maiden are among the nominees who could enter the 2026 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
The British heavy metal superstars are one of 17 names who’ve been put forward on the Performer ballot this year, alongside the likes of rap legends the Wu-Tang Clan, post-punks Joy Division / New Order, drummer/vocalist Phil Collins, rock singer Billy Idol and Britpop sensations Oasis. See the full list below.
In a statement, chairman John Sykes says that the “diverse list of talented nominees recognises the ever-evolving faces and sounds of rock’n’roll and its continued impact on youth culture”.
More than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals will vote on who gets in over the coming weeks, with the induction ceremony set to take place at the Rock Hall building in Cleveland, Ohio in April. Recipients of the Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and Ahmet Ertegun Award honours are also being voted on.
Artists become eligible to enter the Rock Hall 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording, meaning Maiden have had the potential to be on the ballot every year since 2004. They were nominated in 2021 and 2023 but passed over both times.
The Rock Hall has been criticised for overlooking potential nominees, especially those on the heavier end of things. While the likes of Guns N’ Roses and Metallica entered in their first year of eligibility, others such as Maiden and Motörhead remain unincluded. Several artists have refused to attend their own Rock Hall induction ceremonies over the years, including members of the Sex Pistols and GN’R singer Axl Rose.
The secretive nature of the voting process has been scrutinised, with head of the nominating committee Jon Landau admitting in 2011 that their process has been “nontransparent”. In 2007, the Dave Clark Five were refused induction despite getting more votes than fellow nominees Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five. Co-founder Jann Wenner explained that “we couldn’t go another year without a rap act”.
Among the critics of the Rock Hall are Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson. During a 2018 Q&A, he called the institution a “complete load of bollocks”. He elaborated: “It’s run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn’t know rock’n’roll if it hit them in the face. They need to stop taking Prozac and start drinking fucking beer.”
The band are yet to issue a comment following this latest nomination. But, regardless of whether or not they make it into the Rock Hall, they already have a packed year lined up. They’re celebrating their belated 50th anniversary with the theatrical release of a documentary, Burning Ambition, in May. The same month, they’re kicking off the second European leg of their Run For Your Lives world tour, which will crescendo with a two-day festival, Eddfest, at Knebworth House in the UK from July 10 to 11.
In the autumn, the band will bring the Run For Your Lives show – which is seeing them play material only from their first nine albums – to North, Central and South America. See their full schedule and pick up remaining tickets via their website.
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – Performer class of 2026 nominees:
- The Black Crowes
- Jeff Buckley
- Mariah Carey
- Phil Collins
- Melissa Etheridge
- Lauryn Hill
- Billy Idol
- INXS
- Iron Maiden
- Joy Division / New Order
- New Edition
- Oasis
- Pink
- Sade
- Shakira
- Luther Vandross
- Wu-Tang Clan
