The Class of 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees were revealed, and celebrations ensued, but a noticeable snub is now the real topic of discussion.
Eight of the 17 nominees voted into the institution are Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. An additional 10 acts will be acknowledged under the categories Early Influence Award, Musical Excellence Award, and the Ahmet Ertegun Award. A ceremony honoring the legacies will take place on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.
Performers like the Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Melissa Etheridge, P!nk, Shakira, and New Edition fell short of the threshold and will have to shoot for future induction. The latter influential voices behind hits like “Candy Girl,” “If It Isn’t Love,” “Can You Stand the Rain,” and “Cool It Now” were expected to be a shoo-in.
New Edition — comprised of members Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe, and Johnny Gill — topped the 2026 Fan Vote with 1,022,683 tallies; contenders, ranked by votes, were Collins 900,825, P!nk 852,581, Shakira 738,034, Vandross 732,747, INXS 645,021, and two-time nominee Sade 622,997.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website has this to say about the sextet: “New Edition revolutionized the modern R&B sound with their tight choreography, lush harmonies, coordinated fashion, and universal appeal — influencing artists from NSYNC to K-Pop. During a career spanning nearly five decades, they transitioned from youthful pop stars to sophisticated R&B trailblazers — at each step, deepening their cultural influence.”
The long-awaited honor echoes New Edition’s overdue recognition in their hometown Boston, where the group was celebrated with “New Edition Day” and a Roxbury street renamed in its honor — a tribute many fans viewed as long deserved for pioneers who helped shape modern R&B.
That history of delayed recognition has followed the group for years, which is why the moment carried added weight for supporters who saw it as more than a celebration, but long-postponed respect.
Certainly, the committee grasps that the group has proven its impact, right? Fans are not so sure that is the case. Their outcry online includes the comment, “What was the point of having the fans vote, if they were just gonna choose whoever they wanted anyways? I’m a little heated!”
An angry tweet reads, “Some absolute b.s. And while New Edition is being gracious about it. I’m pissed off. And all of that adding on the extra people of color to negate this b.s is not working. We see you hoes. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, you trash for this.”
Method Man also spoke out in a video circulated on social media. “Those dudes are excellent, and it’s not just the group New Edition but what they’ve done in the game,” he began. “I mean, they made a move before Wu-Tang had made a move…splintering into different groups and solo acts, just conquering the game from angles.”
The “C.R.E.A.M.” rapper said New Edition’s denied entry left him feeling “heartbroken” and made the celebratory moment bittersweet. “They deserve their flowers, and they really deserve to be in that Hall of Fame… These are my guys, man… I really was rooting for my guys; even if we didn’t get it in, I wanted them to get in,” he said.
New Edition remained optimistic that their induction would come to fruition. “We didn’t get inducted this year, but don’t get it twisted… we’re just getting started,” said the group in a released statement.
“If you know the game, you know this ain’t always first-round picks. Ask Dave Matthews Band — they ran it back 6 years straight before they got their flowers. So we’ll be back. Stronger and better, because we know all of you will be behind us every step of the way.”
Mariah Carey earned her third nomination this year, only to be denied again. A fan vented, “Who is on the board??… This feels rude, disrespectful & intentional at this point.” According to the Hall of Fame, the “committee is made up of a diverse group of about 40 music industry professionals – Inductees, academics, journalists – whose passion, expertise, and livelihood is all about music.”
Similar delays were experienced by Janet Jackson, with three nominations before induction in 2019; LL Cool J, with six nominations before induction in 2021; and Chaka Khan, seven times (as a solo act and member of funk band Rufus) before taking her Hall of Fame place in 2023.
Performers become eligible 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. New Edition’s debut single and album, both named “Candy Girl,” came out in 1983. This year marked their first time as Hall of Fame nominees. They are currently headlining “The New Edition Way” tour with legends Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton.
