U2 Opens Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Induction in Los Angeles as Phil Collins and Seven More Acts Are Inducted
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2026 induction ceremony was held on Saturday night, November 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, where U2 made a surprise opening appearance, performing their new single "Silencio" before launching into their 1984 classic "Pride (In the Name of Love)." According to the Associated Press, singer Bono alternately raised a peace sign and a fist as guitarist the Edge and the band played the song written about Martin Luther King, Jr.; U2 themselves were inducted in 2005.
Eight acts entered in the Performer category: Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division and New Order (inducted jointly), Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan. The Hall revealed almost nothing about the show in advance, and many inductees opted out of performing or appearing: Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher had a gig in Britain that night, while his brother Liam Gallagher posted on X that it was too far to travel and that he does not like award ceremonies; Iron Maiden were on tour in Australia; Sade chose to sit it out; Phil Collins was expected to appear but said he cannot play his songs for health reasons; key members of New Order were also out for health reasons; and Luther Vandross died in 2005.
Hip-hop was set to be a highlight, with Wu-Tang Clan inducted alongside Queen Latifah and MC Lyte and all expected to appear. Billy Idol, inducted with his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens, took the stage ready to perform. Latifah and Lyte entered as Early Influence Award recipients, alongside the late Gram Parsons, Fela Kuti and Celia Cruz; Kuti becomes the first African-born artist in the Hall, and Cruz the first member who sang primarily in Spanish. Parsons received a separate tribute on Wednesday night at the Troubadour club in West Hollywood, where Emmylou Harris sang his songs alongside Elvis Costello and Sheryl Crow.
The Musical Excellence Award went to producers Rick Rubin, Linda Creed, Arif Mardin and Jimmy Miller, and TV host Ed Sullivan received the Ahmet Ertegun Award. The ceremony was held in Los Angeles for the second straight year and will rotate more often among Los Angeles, New York and Cleveland, where the Hall itself is located. After livestreaming in recent years, the show returns to an edited broadcast, set to air on ABC and Disney+ on December 9.
Source: Associated Press
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：2026年摇滚名人堂入选典礼举办地洛杉矶 Peacock Theater（原 Microsoft Theater）。Wikimedia Commons 图片（CC0）。 / Photo: Peacock Theater in Los Angeles (formerly Microsoft Theater), venue of the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Image via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
