John Mulaney Dissects the 2026 Rock Hall Class — and Names His 2027 Picks

John Mulaney spent 90 minutes last month defending the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 — then drafted his own ballot for 2027. Speaking from a hotel room in Fort Worth, Texas, between dates on his Mister Whatever tour, the comedian delivered his third annual Rock Hall rundown ahead of the induction ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Los Angeles' Peacock Theater.

The 2026 class includes Iron Maiden, Oasis, Sade, Wu-Tang Clan, Luther Vandross, Phil Collins, Joy Division and New Order, Billy Idol, Ed Sullivan, and Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller, with Rick Rubin receiving the Musical Excellence Award.

What did Mulaney say about the no-shows?

Iron Maiden will not attend; they will be on tour. Singer Bruce Dickinson said: "I can't even summon the energy to be vitriolic about it. I appreciate that a significant number of people are happy for us. That's nice. It's not something we're bothered about." Bassist Steve Harris added: "I'm glad it's happened so the Americans will stop banging on about it."

Mulaney took the absences in stride — at first. "I'm sad Iron Maiden's not going," he said, noting he loved "Hallowed Be Thy Name" in high school. "They were so fan-grown and fan-supported that I kind of like that they're doing a show rather than showing up."

Oasis will also skip the ceremony. Liam Gallagher said in 2024: "Do me a favor and fuck off. It's like putting me in the rap hall of fame, and I don't want to be a part of anything that mentally disturbed." Yet this year Gallagher declared: "I want to thank all the people who voted for us. It's a real honor. Ever since I was a little kid singing in the shower, I dreamt about one day being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."

Mulaney's verdict: "That's equally fake. That's so funny." Asked which Gallagher to believe, he said: "I think it's the first. I think the proof is in that he's not coming."

Sade, too, has since confirmed the band will not attend. By the interview's end, Mulaney's mood had shifted. "I really came into this interview very positive and excited about this ceremony, and now I'm frustrated at people not coming, and I wonder if they should be kicked out," he said.

Which inductees won him over?

Mulaney saved his warmest words for Joy Division and New Order. "On a primal level, New Order is close to being my absolute favorite music," he said, naming "Leave Me Alone" as one of his favorite songs ever. His desert-island pick: "If you said you can bring as many albums with you or just all of Joy Division and New Order, I think I'd do the latter." His favorite New Order record is Power, Corruption & Lies — which he initially mistook for a greatest-hits collection. He floated Julian Casablancas or Irish singer CMAT to sing in the Ian Curtis tribute slot.

On Luther Vandross, a first-time nominee: "He's had such a big career. Absolutely great pick." He praised Vandross's longevity — hits and Grammys into the 2000s — and called him, like Iron Maiden, "an excellent choice."

Wu-Tang Clan will attend, all members according to RZA, who said a giant group chat of congratulations formed after the nominations. Mulaney's proposal: "They should auction off adding you for a day." He also endorsed long speeches, citing Janet Jackson name-checking her entire career at Barclays and the E Street Band's 30-minute oration in 2014. "This should always be one of the most unwieldy, unproduced events of the year," he said.

On Sonic Youth's continued exclusion — Kim Gordon recently called the Hall a "meaningless construct" — Mulaney argued for a perverse incentive: "People who actively say that the Rock Hall sucks should almost get special consideration. This is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We shouldn't reward good behavior."

Who does Mulaney want in 2027?

His wish list is short and pointed:

• Mariah Carey — "I don't want to get negative, but this is a blasphemy at this point"
• Supertramp — "I was shocked to know Supertramp is not in. Breakfast in America is a perfect album"
• Weezer
• Phish
• Lauryn Hill and/or the Fugees
• Musical Excellence Awards for John Cale and Steve Albini

What else is on Mulaney's calendar?

In January he launches Mulaney Takes Manhattan, a nine-show New York run scaling from the 150-capacity Comedy Cellar up to Madison Square Garden. He also revealed a childhood grudge: kicked out of a sixth-grade Beatles act after missing school, he reinvented the concert as an episode of The Ed Sullivan Show and hosted it himself.

His closing line on this year's ceremony: "I can't wait to see no one perform and a clip package of Ed Sullivan." The push-pull between affection and frustration, he said, is exactly why he loves the Rock Hall.