Luther Vandross, Sade, Lauryn Hill are among the artists nominated for the first time for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the organization announced Wednesday.
The inductee list includes a wide net of 17 artists from R&B, hip-hop, Britpop, metal, blues rock and pop. Joining Vandross, Sade and Hill in the R&B & Hip-hop category are Mariah Carey, Wu-Tang Clan, and New Edition.
Hill, Vandross, New Edition and Wu-Tang Clan earned their first nominations this year, marking a major milestone in recognizing their lasting cultural and musical influence.
Carey was nominated previously in 2024 and 2025 while soul-jazz vocalist Sade was nominated once before in 2024.
“This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement.
The 2026 inductees will be revealed in April, along with inductees entering the hall under three special committee categories: Musical influence, musical excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction. Nominees will be voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals.
Fan voting is now opening: vote.rockhall.com
Last year, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Soundgarden, Joe Cocker, Salt-N-Pepa, The White Stripes, Carol Kaye, Nicky Hopkins, Lenny Waronker, Thom Bell and Warren Zevon all were inducted