2026 Rock Hall Nominee Predictions

  There are no slam dunk first year eligibles this year.    I've tried to add some first time nominees though.  And a few returnees.  Going with 15 nominees. There were 14 last year. 

Alanis Morissette - 90's female Alt/Rock singers haven't been making it on the ballot.  But Alanis is still a big act from that era. Never nominated. 

B-52's - New wave legends have surprisingly (shockingly?) never been nominated.  

Beck - Nominated once in 2022, but a performer at last year’s induction ceremony. Seems like a good time to bring him back. 

Bryan Adams - His appearance as an inductor and performer at last year's Hall ceremony should help with a first time nomination.  

Coldplay - The Hall wants a big name that is still active and popular and big in the 00's. Never nominated

De La Soul - Hard to predict what rap act will go in after OutKast last year. Snoop would walk right in. But would the Wu-Tang Clan? Would De La Soul? Never nominated. 

Iron Maiden - What to about Metal? It’s a yearly puzzle. This twice nominated act (2021/23) is often mentioned as the next Metal artist to be inducted. But are the votes there this time? 

Jethro Tull - Are there still some classic rock era names left to nominate? Here’s one that comes up often. Never nominated. 

Lenny Kravitz - Nominated in 2024, but not last year.  

Luther Vandross - I predicted his nomination last year thanks to a 2024 documentary that got a lot of press.  But the Kendrick Lamar song that sampled him, "Luther" got quite a bit of airplay in 2025.  So, I'll try again.  Never nominated

Mariah Carey - Kind of a shock, to me at least that she can't get in.   This would be nomination number 3 (in a row).

Melissa Etheridge - We tend to forget how popular she was in the mid-90’s. Newish nomcom member Sheryl Crow thinks she belongs in the Hall. Never nominated. 

Monkees - Chubby Checker's induction showed that the right name from the 60's could still get an induction from the ballot.  This group would do the same thing. And it’s their 60th anniversary.  Never nominated.  

Oasis - The Gallagher brothers came storming back with a much publicized tour last year.  This would be nomination number 3 (in a row).

Smashing Pumpkins - Time for more 90's alt-rock acts to get noticed.  This band seems to have been just waiting for their turn at a nomination.  Never nominated.