The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has published its 2026 performer ballot, a 17 nominee shortlist that puts global pop and Latin names alongside stars from heavy metal, R&B and hip-hop.
The Hall says the ballot reflects how its scope has widened over time, with “rock and roll” now treated as a big tent for influential popular music.
Among the most high-profile nominees are Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Shakira and Phil Collins.
Organisers say the list recognises “the ever-evolving faces and sounds” of popular music and its influence on youth culture.
Collins is already inducted as a member of Genesis but now appears on the ballot as a solo artist. His solo career included hits such as ‘In the Air Tonight’ and earned him eight Grammy Awards.
Ten nominees appear on the ballot for the first time, including Hill, Collins, Pink, Luther Vandross, New Edition, Shakira, Wu-Tang Clan, Melissa Etheridge and Jeff Buckley.
Buckley’s 1994 album ‘Grace’ became a cult classic after his death in 1997, while Vandross, who passed away in 2005, sold more than 25 million records worldwide with hits ‘Here and Now’ and ‘Any Love.’
Hip-hop and R&B are especially prominent this year. Hill’s ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill‘ became the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1999.
The Wu-Tang Clan, meanwhile, are widely credited with reshaping hip-hop after their influential 1993 debut ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’.
Mariah Carey is back on the ballot after previous nominations, bringing a catalogue that includes 19 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles.
Alongside her returns jazz-soul vocalist Sade, who was also nominated in 2024 with soft rock hits as ‘Smooth Operator’ and ‘The Sweetest Taboo’.
The list also features returning nominees Billy Idol, reunited Britpop band Oasis and U.S. rock group The Black Crowes.
The Hall’s inductees are selected by a voting body of more than 1,200 musicians, historians and music industry professionals, alongside fan ballot voting.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years ago before they can be nominated.
Fans can vote through an official online ballot, which is now open. They can choose up to seven nominees per day, with the voting running through 3 April 2026.
The 2026 class will be announced in April, alongside additional honourees in categories that include Musical Influence, Musical Excellence, and the Ahmet Ertegun Award.