The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026, with Nigerian music legends Fela Kuti and Sade Adu among the globally recognised artists being inducted for their lasting influence on music and culture.
The announcement, made on April 13, 2026, revealed a wide-ranging list of inductees across multiple categories, including Performers, Early Influence Award recipients, Musical Excellence honourees, and a special Ahmet Ertegun Award. The induction ceremony is scheduled for November 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, and will later be broadcast on ABC and Disney+.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is regarded as one of the highest honours in the global music industry, recognising artists whose work has significantly shaped the evolution of rock and popular music across generations, while also serving as a museum that preserves and documents global music history.
In the Performer category, Sade joins a diverse lineup that includes Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan, reflecting the Hall of Fame’s recognition of artists who have shaped rock, soul, R&B, and alternative music across decades.
Sade, whose full band identity blends jazz, soul, and R&B influences, is celebrated for a timeless catalogue that has sold millions of records worldwide. The group’s music is widely regarded for its emotional depth and signature sound, which has remained influential across generations.
In the Early Influence category, Fela Kuti is honoured alongside Celia Cruz, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons, recognising pioneers whose work reshaped musical direction and cultural expression globally.
Fela Kuti is described by the Hall of Fame as a revolutionary figure who fused jazz, West African rhythms, and soul to pioneer Afrobeat, while using music as a tool for political expression and social commentary.
Born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in 1938, he rose to prominence after forming his band Koola Lobitos in London and later developing Afrobeat after exposure to African American jazz, funk, and civil rights-era influences in the United States.
He is credited with transforming music into a vehicle for resistance, with works such as Expensive Shit and Water No Get Enemy reflecting both artistic innovation and political criticism.
The Hall of Fame noted that despite being jailed and widely criticised during his lifetime for anti-government messaging, Fela Kuti remains one of the most influential African musicians in global history.
Other honourees in the Musical Excellence category include Rick Rubin, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, and Linda Creed, recognised for shaping modern music production and songwriting.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame stated that eligibility requires artists to have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior, with selections made by industry professionals, historians, and past inductees.
The 2026 class has been described as one of the most diverse in the institution’s history, reflecting its continued expansion beyond rock into global, cross-genre musical recognition.
Ademide Adebayo
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