Rock Hall Night in Los Angeles: Phil Collins, Billy Idol and Wu-Tang Clan Lead a Class Where Several Stars Will Be Missing

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame welcomes its newest class on Saturday night in Los Angeles, and some of the most famous names on the list will not be in the room. The 2026 induction ceremony is set for the Peacock Theater, and fans at home will have to wait: an edited version debuts on ABC on Dec. 8 before streaming on Disney+, according to Disney+.

The class is one of the broadest in years. The Hall announced 19 inductees in April across four categories. The performers are Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, the late Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan. The Early Influence Award goes to Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons. Songwriter Linda Creed, producers Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin receive the Musical Excellence Award, and the Ahmet Ertegun Award honors Ed Sullivan, the television host whose Sunday-night variety show brought rock and roll into American living rooms.

Attendance has become the story of the week. Phil Collins plans to attend, but the health problems that have kept him off the stage since 2022 will keep him from performing, Axios reported. Billy Idol, by contrast, plans to take the stage.

Several headliners are staying away. Both Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis have said they won't be there, and Noel has long sneered at the idea of the Hall, Rolling Stone reported, according to Hearst's KCRA. Iron Maiden will miss the night because of a previously scheduled tour of Australia. Sade has said the band will not make the trip. And a full Joy Division/New Order reunion with bassist Peter Hook is not expected, given the band's long-running feud, according to the same report. Billboard and Axios have both been tracking the final list of who is coming.

The Hall has kept its list of presenters and performers largely under wraps, and the Associated Press, in a preview published by the Hindustan Times, said the music world was getting ready to celebrate the new members.

For some inductees, Saturday ends a long wait. Oasis were nominated for a third straight year before finally getting in, and Sade appeared on the ballot for a second time, while Wu-Tang Clan, Collins and Vandross all made it on their first nomination, according to Variety.

The honorees span generations and styles. Vandross was one of the great voices of rhythm and blues. Queen Latifah built a career that runs from rap to television and film. Celia Cruz, the queen of salsa, left Cuba after Fidel Castro's revolution and carried its music to the world. Ed Sullivan's selection is a reminder that rock and roll became America's music in part because families watched it together on Sunday nights.

Halls of fame are arguments about memory, and this one will spark plenty of debate about who belongs and who stays home. For many of our readers, the most meaningful inductions may be the ones that honor craftsmanship and longevity: a drummer-turned-singer whose songs defined a decade, a soul singer whose voice set the standard for love songs, and a television host who understood that music brings families together.

There is also a gentle lesson in the empty seats. Fame can make an honor feel optional. The artists who show up to say thank you, to the bandmates, families and fans who carried them, tend to give the speeches people remember.

The ceremony itself will not be broadcast live. ABC will air an edited special on Dec. 8, followed by Disney+. Until then, fans will have to rely on reports from inside the Peacock Theater for word on who performed, who spoke and whether any surprise guests turned up. Liberty Bell Report will share the highlights once the night is over.