By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: (AP Photo)
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class is pure gold. It’s an impeccable group of greatness. Ten of the 17 nominees are on the ballot for the first time.
Joining the ballot are the following: Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan.
New Jersey native Hill made outstanding music in the 1990s with the trio “The Fugees,” then made history with her solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” which was the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for album of the year in 1999. Hill took home five Grammys that year. Overall, she has 8 Grammys (2 with The Fugees).
Hill can sing, rap, and write her own songs. When she emerged in the industry, it was rare to see a female artist who could excel at both singing and rapping. She brought a whole different style to the music industry.
Luther Vandross is one of the greatest singers of his generation. Vandross sold more than 25 million albums. Vandross delivered many great hits, including “Dance With My Father,” which earned him a Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Vandross also did well with “Here and Now,” “Never Too Much,” and “For You to Love.”
Vandross has collaborated with artists such as Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, and Beyoncé. Vandross passed away in 2005 at the age of 54. Vandross suffered from complications related to a severe stroke in April 2003. In addition, he battled with diabetes.
Speaking of Carey, she’s also joining Luther in this year’s class. She’s an outstanding songwriter and has a tremendous voice. Carey is arguably the best-selling female artist of all time. Her resume speaks for itself. She sold more than 200 million albums and 19 #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Of course, she’s also the “Queen of Christmas” music. Every time the holidays come around, a Mariah Carey song will be on Spotify and every other Christmas playlist.
Collins is back in the Rock and Roll conversation. As a member of the group Genesis, he was inducted for the first time. Now, he’s going in as a solo artist. We won’t forget his hits as a solo artist, such as “In the Air Tonight” and “One More Night,” which have earned eight Grammys, including album of the year in 1985 for “No Jacket Required.”
One of the things we can’t forget is the interesting collaboration between Collins and hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony on the song “Take Me Home.”
Sade joining this year’s class will bring a smile to many faces. The Nigerian-born British singer was nominated for induction in 2024. She became the first Nigerian-born artist to win a Grammy Award for Best New Artist with her band in 1986. The album “Promise” is phenomenal, with great songs such as “Never as Good as the First Time” and “The Sweetest Taboo,” which Taboo peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The vote will take place over the next two months, with those selected by the Hall’s 1,200 voters revealed in April.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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