Oasis among record number of Brits entering Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Oasis Joins Record-Breaking Group of British Artists Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
This year marks a historic moment as six British performers are set to join the ranks of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Oasis, Iron Maiden, and Sade being standout names among the eight selected. The total of six acts from the UK out of eight inductees includes Manchester’s Joy Division and New Order, who are being recognized as a single entity, as well as Phil Collins and Billy Idol. The previous record for British inductees in a single year was five, achieved in 2019 when Radiohead, The Cure, Def Leppard, Roxy Music, and The Zombies were honored. In contrast, 2021 saw no British acts receiving induction at all.
Eligibility and Unlikely Announcements
Eligibility for the Hall of Fame is determined 25 years after an artist’s initial commercial release, and the 2026 class includes six British artists alongside two international acts. The honourees were revealed during an episode of ABC’s American Idol, presented by Ryan Seacrest and judge Lionel Richie, who was inducted in 2022 for his solo work. Notably, Richie’s band The Commodores have never been recognized by the Hall of Fame. The talent show seemed an unexpected setting for the announcement, especially since one of the inductees was Joy Division, the famously somber Manchester post-punk band. Their surviving members formed New Order, and the Hall of Fame is honoring them collectively.
Behind the Inductions
Joy Division and New Order are being honored together, with the latter achieving significant U.S. success through Quincy Jones’ production and performances at the Hollywood Bowl. Oasis, also from Manchester, will be inducted the year after they played their largest U.S. tour, which sold out two nights at the 90,000-capacity Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Liam Gallagher has previously expressed hesitation about attending the November ceremony in Los Angeles, dismissing the event as “some geriatric in a cowboy hat.” Noel Gallagher, however, accepted an invitation to visit the Cleveland museum in 2017. “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,” he said. When asked if the band deserved the honor, he quipped, “I certainly think I do.”
Sade, fronted by Nigerian-born singer Sade Adu, who grew up in the UK from age four, is the first British Black woman to be inducted. Their U.S. success, including the number one album Soldier of Love in 2010, which sold half a million copies in its first week, has made them particularly notable in the Hall of Fame. The band is best known for hits like Your Love is King and Smooth Operator.
Controversies and Celebrations
Iron Maiden, who first gained acclaim in the 1980s, are finally inducted after years of nominations. Their singer, Bruce Dickinson, has been vocal about his skepticism, criticizing the Hall of Fame as “run by a bunch of sanctimonious Americans who wouldn’t know rock’n’roll if it hit them in the face” during a 2021 Australian tour. He reiterated this stance in 2023, stating, “I don’t want to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, because we’re not dead yet!”
Billy Idol, whose hits include White Wedding and the U.S. number one Mony Mony, has expressed excitement about his induction. “You really get a chance to thank your fans,” he said in 2023. “That’s what I like about it. You know, you get a chance to really thank everybody who supported you through thick and thin. So that’s an incredible honour.” He performed Rebel Yell with Carrie Underwood on the latest episode of American Idol, and the pair were announced as inductees. The ceremony, held in Los Angeles, will take place in November.
“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.
“I certainly think I do,” Gallagher added when asked about the band’s merits.
“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 2021 Australian tour.
“I don’t want to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, because we’re not dead yet!” Dickinson stated in 2023.
