Oasis Among Record Number of Brits Entering Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
This year marks a historic milestone for British music as an unprecedented number of artists will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Among them are Oasis, heavy metal pioneers Iron Maiden, and the smooth jazz group Sade. The six British acts out of eight total inductees include Joy Division and New Order (treated as a single entry), Phil Collins (formerly inducted in 2010 as part of Genesis), and Billy Idol. This surpasses the previous record of five British inductees in a single year, set in 2019 with Radiohead, The Cure, Def Leppard, Roxy Music, and The Zombies.
Eligibility for the Hall of Fame requires 25 years of commercial activity, and the 2026 class was revealed during an episode of ABC’s American Idol. Ryan Seacrest and judge Lionel Richie, who was inducted in 2022 for his solo career, announced the names. While the setting seemed unusual, it added irony, as Joy Division—a notoriously somber Manchester post-punk band—was honored alongside their successors, New Order. The latter enjoyed significant US success, including a collaboration with Quincy Jones and performances at the Hollywood Bowl. This isn’t the first time their legacy has intersected with American TV; in 1993, they appeared on Top of the Pops during a Baywatch crossover, featuring David Hasselhoff.
Oasis, also hailing from Manchester, will join the Hall of Fame following their massive US tour in 2025. The event saw both nights at the 90,000-capacity Rose Bowl in Pasadena sell out. Despite their acclaim, Liam Gallagher has expressed reluctance, stating he “wasn’t interested in receiving an award from some geriatric in a cowboy hat.” Noel Gallagher, however, acknowledged the honor in 2017, visiting the Cleveland museum but humorously dismissing the possibility: “I don’t be doing it,” he said, adding, “I certainly think I do” when asked if the band deserved recognition.
Sade, fronted by Nigerian-born singer Sade Adu, stands out as the first British Black woman inducted. Her 2010 album Soldier of Love topped charts in the US, selling 500,000 copies in its debut week. Known for tracks like Your Love is King and Smooth Operator, her career has bridged global audiences. Meanwhile, Iron Maiden, who first faced nomination in 2021 and again in 2023, will be recognized in 2026. Bruce Dickinson, their vocalist, has critiqued the Hall of Fame, calling it “run by a bunch of sanctimonious Americans” during a 2022 Australian spoken word tour. He later told the Telegraph in 2023, “I don’t want to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, because we’re not dead yet!”
Billy Idol, whose hits like White Wedding and Rebel Yell cemented his status, is also inducted. Unlike Oasis and Iron Maiden, he eagerly embraced the honor, stating, “You really get a chance to thank your fans. That’s what I like about it.” Idol previously performed at the Hall of Fame ceremony in 2022, singing No More Tears during Ozzy Osbourne’s induction. The remaining two inductees are Luther Vandross, who passed away in 2005, and the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan.
“I know what it is (the Hall of Fame). I know what it entails and it won’t be happening, ok? They showed me all these exhibits of Oasis stuff. It’s a great place, but I don’t be doing it,” said Noel Gallagher in 2017.
“It’s run by a bunch of sanctimonious Americans who wouldn’t know rock’n’roll if it hit them in the face,” Bruce Dickinson remarked during a 2022 Australian spoken word tour.
