Record number of British stars to be inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

A record number of British musicians have made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year - including Oasis and Iron Maiden.

Announced during an episode of American Idol on Tuesday, six out of the eight latest honourees hail from the UK.

Phil Collins, Sade, Billy Idol and Manchester icons Joy Division and New Order (who are being treated as one act) also made the cut.

The two non-British honourees in the performer category were Luther Vandross, who died in 2005, and hip-hop innovators Wu-Tang Clan.

Liam Gallagher has previously spoken critically about the Hall of Fame, saying in 2024 he didn't want an award from "some geriatric in a cowboy hat," and saying on social media, "RNR hall of fame is for W******".

On Tuesday, Gallagher seemed to have a change of heart, writing on X: "I wanna thank all the people who voted for us it's a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I'd dream about 1 day being in the RnR hall of fame it's true what they say anything is possible if you have a dream LG x"

He later responded to a follower's question about what would be in his acceptance speech, saying, "Well I'll obv bring a box of chocolates and flowers and apologise to the organisers for my ignorance."

Last year, Oasis played their biggest ever US tour, with two sell-out nights in California.

Pioneers of a new wave of British heavy metal in the 1970s, Iron Maiden have released over 40 albums, including The Number Of The Beast.

The band's lead singer Bruce Dickinson has also been less than complimentary about the Hall of Fame in the past, saying in 2018, "It's run by a bunch of sanctimonious Americans who wouldn't know rock'n'roll if it hit them in the face".

Drummer, singer and songwriter Phil Collins, who was a giant of 1980s popular music, will become a double Hall of Fame member, after previously being honoured as a member of Genesis in 2010.

Responding to his second nod, Collins wrote on Instagram: "Obviously I'm pleased and honored to be inducted. It wraps up what has been a wonderful life in music."

Billy Idol, instantly recognisable for his bleach-blond hair and hits including White Wedding and Rebel Yell, bridged the gap between punk and rock in the 1970s and 1980s, and went on to become an MTV star in the 1990s.

Idol appeared in person on American Idol, performing alongside judge Carrie Underwood before his nomination was announced.

Soul-jazz star Sade Adu, who fronts the band Sade - famous for hits including Sweetest Taboo and Smooth Operator - makes history as the first British black woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Manchester bands Joy Division and New Order share a single induction, with the latter formed by the remaining members after the 1980 death of Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame chairman John Sykes said: "Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music's highest honour.

"We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year's ceremony - it's going to be an unforgettable night."

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Artists are eligible for inclusion in the hall 25 years after releasing their first commercial recording, with more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals voting to decide the nominees each year.

Nominees will be formally inducted in a ceremony at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles in November.

As well as being a hall of fame, the Cleveland, Ohio-based organisation - which was founded in 1983 by chairman of Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegun - is also a museum that documents the history of rock music and the artists, producers, engineers, and other personnel who have influenced its development.

(c) Sky News 2026: Record number of British stars to be inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame