Sidetracks & Detours 22nd March 2026: 17 ACTS NOMINATED FOR THE ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME 2026: & Peter Pearson hears ERIB BIBB and band play live.

The doors are opening at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (see Museum right) for its queue of nominees for 2026. In the queue shortlist is headlined by Sade, Phil Collins, Oasis, The Black Crowes, Joy Division and New Order, Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden, and Billy Idol, all of whom have appeared on previous ballots.

Standing at the doors for the first-time are INXS, Jeff Buckley, Lauryn Hill, Luther Vandross, Wu-Tang Clan, Melissa Etheridge, New Edition, Shakira, and, naturally, P!NK. The official inductees will be announced in April, and the ceremony will take place later in the fall. The criteria for entry into the Rock Hall remains the same, in that you are eligible once your first commercial recording turns 25 years old. In 2025, the organization inducted Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, the White Stripes, Salt-N-Pepa, and Warren Zevon into its ranks, though for several other criteria besides longevity.

Sitting at 17 nominees, 2026 marks one of the Rock Hall’s biggest fields of would-be candidates yet. This is round three for Carey, Iron Maiden, Joy Division and New Order, and Oasis, while the Black Crowes, Idol, and Sade are on the ballot for the third time. P!NK is the only artist to make the ballot on their first year of eligibility. The 10 first-time nominees debuted in either the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s. Collins is already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, having been enshrined as a member of Genesis in 2010. Two nominees only have one studio album in their catalogue: Jeff Buckley, who released Gracein 1994, and Lauryn Hill, who released The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998. Joy Division and New Order continue to be grouped together, despite existing as two very separate bands.

While the Rock Hall continues to incorporate rap, pop, Latin, electronic, dance, and metal music into its selections, just one country musician, Dolly Parton has been inducted in the last 23 years, and 2026 will not feature any artists from the genre. 1,200 voters will fill out their ballots between now and April. Along with the Hall’s normal inductees, they will also hand out committee prizes for Musical Influence, Musical Excellence, and the Ahmet Ertegun Non Performeer Award. 

THE BLACK CROWES

The Southern blues revival band led by brothers Chris and Rich Robinson appear on the list for the second consecutive year. After decades of changing lineups and breakups, the Georgia-born brothers reunited both in the studio and on the road in recent years. The band’s tenth studio album, A Pound of Feathers, will be released on March 13.

JEFF BUCKLEY

Dave Lorey on World Cafe. a window into Jeff Buckley´s artistic life.

Dave Lory On World Cafe: A Window Into Jeff Buckley’s Tremendous Artistic Life

The Los Angeles session musician turned New York City cult-icon only released one studio album in his lifetime, but he left a long-lasting legacy for his emotive lyricism and fluid vocal range. Buckley, who died in 1997 while working on his second album, appears on the Rock Hall shortlist for the first time.

MARIAH CAREY

It’s safe to say the Rock Hall is obsessed with Mariah Carey — 2026 marks her third consecutive year nominated for induction. One of the most emblematic voices in pop, with over a dozen number one hits, Carey’s reign over the Billboard charts continues every holiday season.

PHIL COLLINS

From prog rock drummer to pop rock frontman, Phil Collins is one of the most commercially successful artists in music history. Having already been inducted into the Rock Hall as a member of Genesis in 2010, this nomination recognizes his enduring impact as a solo singer and songwriter.

MELISSA ETHERIDGE

With her signature vocal style and evocative storytelling, Etheridge has crossed boundaries and borders in rock and roll for decades. A queer icon and staunch advocate for LGBTQ and environmental causes, the first-time Rock Hall nominee has long woven activism into her musical legacy, which includes hit songs like Bring Me Some Water and Come to My Window.

LAURYN HILL

It’s hard to overstate Lauryn Hill‘s impact on hip-hop and neo soul, both as a member of the Fugees and as a solo artist. The first rapper to ever win a Grammy for album of the year in 1999 for her paradigm-shifting album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she continues to be one of the most influential yet elusive figures in pop culture. This year marks her first time appearing on the Rock Hall shortlist.

BILLY IDOL

A key figure of the second British invasion, fuelled by the rise of MTV in the ’80s, the bleach-blond rock star appears on the Rock Hall shortlist for the second consecutive year. Known for hits like Dancing with Myself, Rebel Yell and White Wedding, Idol continues to extensively tour around the world.

INXS

It was after extensive touring, several studio albums and an assist from Nile Rodgers, the Australian band broke out internationally in the 1980s with songs like Original Sin, Need You Tonight and Devil Inside. Following lead singer Michael Hutchence’s death in 1997, the band continued performing with a rotating roster of vocalists until 2012. This is the first time they appear on the Rock Hall induction shortlist.

IRON MAIDEN

Tthe heavy metal band has been redefining rock and roll since the 1980s,  with anthemic storytelling, full-throttle instrumentation and a high-caliber recording output. With dozens of studio and live albums, on-going stadium tours and a multi-generational fan base, 2026 marks Iron Maiden‘s third nomination for Rock Hall induction.

JOY DIVISION/NEW ORDER

NPR Music

All Songs+: “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order

Another English group that appears on the shortlist for the third time this year is the consolidated entry for Joy Division and New Order. Both bands featured guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook (left) and drummer Stephen Morris. Joy Division‘s post-punk sound, which featured the baritone vocals of Ian Curtis, gave way to New Order‘s more electronic and dance-driven rhythms in the 1980s club scene.

NEW EDITION

Formed in Boston in 1978, New Edition set the standard for what modern boy bands could look and sound like. With R&B hits like Candy Girl, Cool It Now and Mr. Telephone Man, the quintet’s original line-up and later vocalist Johnny Gill are all first-time nominees for Rock Hall induction.

OASIS

The Britpop group led by the famously feuding brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, are shortlisted for the third year in a row. Last year, the brothers put aside their beef for a cross-Atlantic reunion tour that briefly broke Ticketmaster.

P!NK

With the release of her first solo album in 2000, P!NK broke the mould, with a lyrics, punk-fuelled attitude and R&B infused sound leading to decades of commercial success. This is her first year nominated for Rock Hall induction; of the artists on the 2026 shortlist, she’s the one who most recently became eligible for the recognition.

SADE

The English band named after lead vocalist Sade Adu changed the sonic landscape of the 1980s and ’90s with its blend of jazz, soul and R&B. The velvety, intimate quality of Sade’s music echoes across generations of artists, from Drake to Adele, and has earned a second nomination for Rock Hall induction.

SHAKIRA

Over the last three decades Shakira, the Colombian punk rock princess turned global pop star, has shape-shifted and re-invented her sound, all while remaining one of the most recognizable and admired voices in Latin music. For over a year, she’s been  on a world wide tour to globally promote her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. Widely considered her comeback record after a few years away from the spotlight, this new era likely helped land Shakira a first-time nomination for Rock Hall induction.

LUTHER VANDROSS

In addition to working as a producer for A-listers like Diana Ross Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin , Luther Vandross became an R&B and soul legend for the sheer power of his own voice beginning in the 1980s. With over a dozen studio albums, he’s influenced a new generation of stars including Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and most recently, Kendrick Lamar. For Vandross, this is a first-time Rock Hall induction nominee.

WU-TANG CLAN

The Rock Hall has made a concerted effort to expand the definition of rock icons in past years, particularly when it comes to hip-hop — so it’s no wonder Wu-Tang Clan is in the running. What’s more curious is why it’s taken so long for the New York powerhouse to appear on the list for the first time, given the group’s individual and collective output over the last three decades plus.

The inductees out of this pretty long short list of nominees will be announced in April.

ERIC BIBB

Stoller Hall,  Manchester, March 12th 2026

review by Peter Pearson

This was the first time I had been in Stoller Hall, although I had attended classical recitals in the adjoining smaller hall. Both halls are part of Chethams Music School campus. It is a lovely hall, but I was surprised at its relatively small seating capacity. It holds 482 and the concert was sold out.

Last time I saw Eric Bibb (right) (other than in the Transatlantic Sessions tour) in Manchester, it was at the Royal Northern College of Music, which holds 710. From memory that was likewise a sell-out. A couple of years ago he played Stoller Hall and I was a little late in trying to get a ticket. It was sold out months before the performance date and I could not get a ticket. So if you want to see Eric at this venue, you have to book early.

It was not a solo acoustic concert. Eric’s band consisted of back up with electric/slide guitar, bass guitar and keyboard and percussion, with vocal support from wife, Ulrika, (left) on several songs.

One of the defining features of Bibb’s music is his ability to blend different genres seamlessly. He draws inspiration not only from traditional blues, gospel, and folk music, but also elements of jazz, reggae, and world music. (That is what makes his play-lists so long) This fusion of styles is perfectly demonstrated on his new album One Mississipi. At the Merch table both vinyl and cd versions were for sale.

I never cease to be amazed at the price of vinyl at these gigs .At £35 for the vinyl I thought crikey, I paid £3-50 back in the day for my copy of the Eagles Hotel California and I was never so pleased as when CD versions became available, though I still have a turntable and pre cd vinyl.´

The evening commenced with a half hour acoustic performance by Janileigh Cohen. After cutting her young  musical teeth busking the streets of Manchester she has made the step up to the big stage and recently released a crowd funded album.

At 8-30 Eric entered the stage alone. He is 75 now but doesn’t look it. Tall lean, loose pants, wide smile and trademark Panama Hat (the subject of one of his songs on an early album). Taking a seat centre stage he proceeded to tune an acoustic guitar, remarking that tuning’s a bit like airplane maintenance; always worth it.

He opened with an old blues number by St Louis Jimmy Oden which, he said is ideal for getting the fingers working. From the outset it is clear that the audience, mostly 60 or over, are loyal supporters of his music. Sitting down with one leg bouncing up and down to the beat he moved not so much with but into the music. He remained seated for the concert until the final three up-tempo numbers.

After bringing the band onstage he introduced the title track from his new album. A protest song, it was written by his high school friend singer songwriter Janis Ian and Fred Koller. Note perfect, it showcased his deep warm voice and rhythmic guitar playing.

The godson of the late Paul Robeson, Bibb was born in New York but has lived in Stockholm, Sweden, for most of his adult life.

Sweden, he explained, has given him a vantage point from which to reflect on his homeland. ´America’s always having to deal with a brutal past´, he said, before introducing the song Silver Spoon, a story about his move from America to Sweden.

The evening was a perfect mix of old favourites and new material. A master storyteller through his music, he preceded every song  by an engaging anecdote. Before performing one of his old favourites, the ballad Dance Me To The End Of Love, and inviting wife Ulrika to join him on stage, he explained that the song title was also the name of a Leonard Cohen song.  That’s alright he said because you can copyright a song but not a song title .Ulrika remained on stage for my own favourite, Needed Time, and judging by the applause, a favourite, too, for most of the audience, It was followed by another favourite ballad, Saucer and Cup.

Throughout the near 2 hour set his band of all top notch musicians provided the perfect accompaniment to his guitar and vocals.

In lieu of the usual encore Eric stood up to perform a rousing finale starting with old favourites, In My Father´s House followed by Drag Your Spirit Down and, from the new album, This One Don’t. Finally the audience were invited to join in on the traditional song, I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground.

This was a night that will be remembered by all who were lucky enough to be in attendance. It’s a shame that these days these types of gig in the area are becoming few and farther between.