Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees can be difficult to predict, but it can be even harder to predict the inductees. So many deserving names featured on the ballot each year make it hard to whittle them down to a select few. It gets difficult knowing that you can only predict a handful of them for induction.
With that said, here’s a list of the eight artists nominated by the Hall this year that seem the most poised for induction.
Billy Idol
Despite being a major hit-maker in the MTV-era of popular rock music, Billy Idol’s cultural impact can often feel undersold. His platinum blonde hair and constant sneer laid the groundwork for mainstream depictions of punk subculture. Songs like “White Wedding,” “Rebel Yell,” and “Eyes Without a Face” remain some of the biggest songs of the 80s. While his career mostly wrapped up after 1993’s ambitious yet misguided Cyberpunk album, there’s no denying his impact.
Idol is also the kind of artist that the Hall has loved inducting in the last few years. He is an 80s icon with undeniable radio hits who is also willing to acknowledge his nomination. Recent inductees like Duran Duran, Eurythmics, and Cyndi Lauper fall in this category. That isn’t to mention that Idol returns to the ballot immediately after missing induction in 2025. While very few artists are inducted after back-to-back nominations (the last time it happened was with Radiohead in 2019 after missing out with their first nomination in 2018), it isn’t unreasonable to think that Billy Idol could be an exception. With his Billy Idol Should Be Dead documentary making waves, 2026 seems like Idol’s year for induction into the Rock Hall.
The Black Crowes
Speaking of artists that the Hall loves to induct, The Black Crowes are the poster boys for classic rock revivalism. Ever since their 1990 debut, the band has been performing their brand of southern rock-and-soul. With songs like “Remedy,” “She Talks to Angels,” and their cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle,” The Black Crowes have carved a fanbase for themselves despite debuting in the era of grunge and alternative rock.
The fact that their sound is so clearly derived from the 60s and 70s has made their nomination somewhat polarizing. Still, they do suit the “classic radio rock” status that many recent inductees have had. Recent inductees like Bad Company, Foreigner, and Peter Frampton have been favorites of that crowd. With no other band on the ballot this year with the same retro sound (not to mention frontman Chris Robinson paying tribute to the aforementioned Bad Company at last year’s induction ceremony), The Black Crowes have a clear lane to induction. While their potential induction would undoubtedly be contentious, it would likely please many of the rock purists who pay attention to the Hall’s activity.
INXS
A more surprising pick for nomination this year, INXS’ fanbase has been petitioning for their induction for years at this point. One of the most popular bands to ever come out of Australia, INXS defined the funkier side of new wave. Songs like “Need You Tonight” and “Never Tear Us Apart” feature the sexuality and sentimentality, respectively, that many associate with the mainstream rock music of the decade. Meanwhile, cuts like “Suicide Blonde” kept them popular in the 90s. The tragic suicide of frontman Michael Hutchence in 1997 has only added to the mystique behind INXS.
Australia’s musical environment has been largely underrepresented by the Rock Hall in the past. So far, the only born-and-raised Australians in the Hall are 2003 inductees AC/DC. Other Australian icons like Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue remain snubbed. INXS’ international popularity and enduring radio hits may help them reach induction. With their induction, the Hall would be adding an essential piece of Australian music history to their institution.
Luther Vandross
The past couple of years have created the perfect storm for Luther Vandross’ nomination for the Rock Hall. Between the documentary Luther: Never Too Much receiving plenty of critical praise throughout 2025, his album Never Too Much being inducted into the Grammys Hall of Fame, and his 1982 song “If This World Were Mine” being prominently sampled by Kendrick Lamar and SZA on the 2024 smash hit “Luther,” it seems like the world has spent quite a bit of time reminiscing on the late Vandross’ legacy and cultural impact.
Even beyond his recent cultural resurgence, Luther is one of the most commercially successful R&B artists of his era. He stands as one of the biggest soul singers who has yet to be inducted into the Hall. Considering his recent popularity and status as a generally beloved figure of R&B who was gone too soon, Vandross seems like one of the most definite locks for induction this year.
Mariah Carey
Also coming from the R&B realm is three-time nominee Mariah Carey. If there is one un-inducted artist whose repeated omission feels baffling, it is Mariah. One of the best-selling artists ever, Mariah is a pop culture icon. From her early-career 90s hits like “Fantasy” and “Hero” to her post-Y2K classics, such as “We Belong Together” and “Obsessed,” Mariah has transcended decades to become one of the most highly regarded women active in music today.
While being pitted against fellow R&B legends Luther Vandross and Sade in the same ballot would normally make it hard to predict Mariah confidently, one thing makes her induction more likely this year than ever before: Beyoncé. With Beyoncé becoming eligible for the Hall next year and being an obvious nominee and likely inductee for 2027, the Hall will most likely want to make sure they get their history right and induct Mariah on her third nomination.
Oasis
Another act on their third nomination, Oasis is the definitive Britpop band. While groups like Blur, Pulp, and Suede made waves in their native UK, Oasis was the group that brought the Britpop sound to an international audience. Songs like “Wonderwall,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” and “Live Forever” continue to captivate listeners to this day and allow them to continue being one of the most prominent rock bands of the 90s. They remained one of the most successful touring bands on the planet until their initial break-up in 2009.
Beyond the fact that being on their third consecutive nomination shows an interest from the Hall to get them inducted, Oasis’ massively successful reunion tour will likely give them the push needed to finally be enshrined by the Rock Hall. After all, the Hall would have to be horribly misinformed to not induct one of the biggest rock bands to ever come out of the UK. Between their third nomination and continued reunion, it seems like 2026 is set to be another great year for Oasis.
Phil Collins
Perhaps the most definite lock for induction this year. Phil Collins’ initial induction came when prog-turned-pop legends Genesis received the honor back in 2010. When his Genesis bandmate Peter Gabriel received a second, solo induction in 2014, it was only a matter of time until Collins received the same treatment. One of the biggest hitmakers of the 80s, songs like “In the Air Tonight” and “I Don’t Care Anymore” are staples of the era’s pop canon.
Beyond being a mainstream darling and beloved elder statesman of pop, Collins’ nomination gives the chance to honor another legend for a second time. Artists like Carole King, Stevie Nicks, and Ozzy Osbourne have received second inductions in recent years for their solo work. This practice has been somewhat controversial due to these inductions taking focus away from un-inducted acts. Nonetheless, it has allowed the Hall to attach massive names to their ceremonies for a second time around. If Phil Collins does not make it into the Hall this year, you can bet on uproar from his massive fanbase.
Wu-Tang Clan
Few, if any, other rap collectives have had the same kind of cultural impact as the Wu-Tang Clan. If you ever hear lo-fi beats with classic movie samples, chances are that it was influenced by de facto group leader RZA’s production. If you’ve ever heard New York’s Staten Island referred to as “Shaolin,” seen a giant yellow “W” on a piece of clothing, or heard someone exclaim that “Wu-Tang is for the children,” then you have this group to thank.
Songs like “Protect Ya Neck” and “C.R.E.A.M.” are iconic, but what truly helps the Wu is the fact that the Hall likes to induct at least one rapper/rap collective each year. Since 2020, at least one rap artist has been inducted through the ballot of nominees. While fellow nominee Lauryn Hill also falls under this category, her limited solo output and infamously flaky live shows will likely harm her chances at getting in on her first nomination. On the other hand, Wu-Tang has the iconic members, songs, and imagery to get them in right away.
Side Categories
Since 2020, the Hall has regularly inducted artists under the Musical Excellence and Musical Influence categories. These ill-defined non-Performer categories have seen inductions ranging from guitar legend Link Wray, singer-songwriter Warren Zevon, and proto-punks the MC5 to metal legends Judas Priest, R&B icon Chaka Khan, and hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc. Needless to say, anything goes for these categories. The lack of a nominee list for these categories makes it much harder to predict, but that cannot stop Rock Hall obsessives from trying.
Previous nominees that couldn’t make it in after multiple nominations are always possibilities in these side-categories. This includes the likes of the New York Dolls, Devo, The Meters, Chic, and Fela Kuti. Other possibilities include genre pioneers like Giorgio Moroder or The Sugarhill Gang, as well as critical darlings like Big Star. As far as session musicians go, Steve Vai and Sly & Robbie seem like reasonably likely picks. Even some behind-the-scenes figures like Rick Rubin, Joe Meek, Bob Geldof, or the late Steve Albini could see an induction for their work as producers.
It is practically impossible to predict these side-category inductees. Nonetheless, the chaos of the Musical Excellence and Musical Influence categories has created a sort of charm in recent years. What they lack in sensibility, they make up for in recognizing some often-overdue names still looking for induction.
Conclusion
As always, the Rock Hall is a strange beast of an institution. When you think that you’ve figured out the kind of artists that they like to nominate, you find out otherwise. They do something like ignore Coldplay and nominate Jeff Buckley instead. The same goes for the artists that they induct. While these are the eight artists that seemingly have the best shot at induction, any of the seventeen nominees have a decent shot at receiving the honor.
No matter who ends up enshrined and who gets left out for another year, people will pay attention. As always, there will be plenty of controversy, drama, and excitement surrounding this year’s batch of inductees.
