Rock Hall Names the Troubadour a Landmark; L.A. Gets Inductions Every Other Year

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will designate West Hollywood's Troubadour as a Landmark in music history on Wednesday at 3 p.m., kicking off a string of Los Angeles events ahead of Saturday's induction ceremony at the Peacock Theater. The bigger news: Rock Hall chairman John Sykes promises the induction ceremony will now happen in L.A. "at least every other year." That ends the old rotation drift between New York and Cleveland, and it reverses decades in which the show rarely reached California at all.

"The first decision I made when taking over the role as chairman of the Hall of Fame was to make a dedicated commitment to our presence in Los Angeles," Sykes told Variety. "Since the inaugural Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 1986, Los Angeles had hosted just two ceremonies prior to 2020. Since then, we have brought the ceremony to LA three additional times, bringing the total to five."

Why the Troubadour?

The Landmark designation puts the club in the company of the Ryman Auditorium, the Bottom Line, the Surf Ballroom and King Records. "Los Angeles has played an important role in shaping popular music since the '60s, and the Troubadour is one of the places where that history really came to life," Sykes said. "Elton John is just one of the artists who got their first break here."

Sykes framed the honor as a nod to independent clubs generally — "places where artists can take chances, find their audience and develop their sound before the rest of the world catches on," he said. Think of it as the Hall finally crediting the small rooms, not just the names they produced.

What does Gram Parsons have to do with it?

The Wednesday dedication lands hours before the Troubadour hosts a sold-out tribute to Gram Parsons, the late singer who fused country, rock and soul and enters the Hall Saturday as an Early Influence inductee. The show, co-presented by the Parsons Estate, features Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, the Black Crowes, Jesse Welles, Margo Price and Grace Potter, among other devotees.

"Gram Parsons was an incredibly influential artist who helped change the direction of American music," Sykes said. "He brought country, rock, soul and other influences together, especially in this town, in a way that hadn't really been done before, and you can hear his influence in generations of artists who followed him."

What's the rest of the week's schedule?

• Tuesday: The Morrison Gallery, inside the Sunset Marquis hotel in West Hollywood, opens "Snapshot: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame In Focus," an exhibition of seen and previously unseen photographs of inductees, including the incoming class of 2026.
• Wednesday: Troubadour Landmark dedication at 3 p.m.; the Parsons tribute follows in the evening.
• Friday: The Grammy Museum hosts a conversation with Peter Hook of Joy Division and New Order — the two bands enter the Hall jointly Saturday — at the 200-seat Clive Davis Theater, moderated by the Rock Hall's VP of education, Jason Hanley.
• Saturday: The induction ceremony at the Peacock Theater, with some tickets still on sale.

Who's being inducted in 2026?

The Performer category covers Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan. Early Influence honors go to Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Parsons. Musical Excellence awards recognize Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin, while Ed Sullivan receives the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

Can you watch it?

Not live. Unlike recent years, the ceremony won't be livestreamed — a you-had-to-be-there affair until an ABC special premieres Dec. 8, then lands on Disney+ and Hulu the following day. There will be a red carpet livestream Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, co-hosted by Allison Hagendorf and Maria Ferrer, on the Rock Hall's official YouTube channel.

Sykes says the Hall now wants the ceremony to anchor "a week-long celebration" built around L.A.'s music history — meaning the Troubadour plaque may be the first of many West Coast rituals, not a one-off.