Tearful Phil Collins Gets the Night’s Biggest Ovation as Rock Hall Welcomes Its 2026 Class
Saturday night in Los Angeles belonged to Phil Collins — and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame crowd made sure he knew it.
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place Saturday night, Nov. 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and the night’s biggest ovation went to Collins. The 75-year-old fought back tears as the crowd rose to its feet in a thunderous ovation, walking with two canes amid ongoing health battles.
Collins was inducted for his solo career — he was already in the Hall as a member of Genesis — by Blink-182’s Travis Barker. Cynthia Erivo then delivered a show-stopping rendition of “In the Air Tonight” that brought the house down.
Oprah Winfrey made a surprise appearance to induct the late Luther Vandross, calling him “the maestro of the love song.”
Wu-Tang Clan turned the stage into a rowdy celebration, introduced by Chris Rock. Peter Hook performed with Deftones and CHVRCHES’ Lauren Mayberry for the Joy Division/New Order induction.
Oasis, Sade, and Iron Maiden all skipped the night, as expected — their absence was no surprise to anyone who had followed the run-up to the ceremony.
For Cleveland, this was still Ohio’s night. The Rock Hall is Cleveland’s institution, and even with the ceremony staged in Los Angeles, the 2026 class belongs to the city on the lake where the Hall calls home.
Missed it live? The ceremony airs edited on ABC Dec. 8 and on Disney+/Hulu Dec. 9.
Sources: Page Six, USA Today, Consequence. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
