Phil

Surprise guests, all-star performances and heartfelt speeches are staples when it comes to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony experience and this year’s edition, held at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles Saturday night, delivered.

Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, MC Lyte, Oasis, Queen Latifah, Rick Rubin, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan were among the new class of inductees while Oprah Winfrey, Neil Young, Bob Odenkirk, Travis Barker and Megan Thee Stallion brought star power, heart and musical history to their celebratory speeches.

From the Red Hot Chili Peppers performing in costume to Barker and Cynthia Erivo crushing the Collins classic “In the Air Tonight,” catch up on the highlights of the ceremony here before it airs Dec. 8 on ABC (streaming on Hulu and Disney+ the next day).

The Edge and Bono of U2 perform onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

U2’s opening surprise

The Rock Hall got one of the biggest rock bands in the world to open Saturday night’s show: U2. The band performed “Silencio” from new album “Carnaval de Luz” while surrounded by guys dressed as riot cops, which with the choreography kicked off the night in true Rock Hall fever dream fashion. They followed up by playing hit “Pride (In the Name of Love).” It’s also notable that the band, not obviously connected to this year’s class, got two performance slots.

Flea and Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers perform during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

Rick Rubin’s trio of tributes

Mega-producer Rick Rubin was inducted by Neil Young, who leafed through a legal pad as he enumerated some of the many acts whose vibes Rubin has helped protect decade by decade — including Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Adele and the Chicks — at times Neil Young-ishly looking down at an audience full of music execs and talking about how sacred the recording studio is from business people. (By contrast to Young’s long induction, here’s Rubin’s speech in its entirety: “Can’t kill rock and roll.”)

The comedic highlight of the night was a performance of “Give It Away” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers — all dressed like Rick Rubin with long white hair, white beards and orange-tinted sunglasses. In the first verse the song comes to an abrupt stop because there wasn’t any bass coming through.

The traditional all-star jam to close the night was eschewed in favor of another performance with ties to Rubin: what Public Enemy’s Chuck D introduced as a historic attempt to be “badass and funky at the same time.” It was Aerosmith and Run-DMC doing — what else? — “Walk This Way.”

Inductee Phil Collins and Travis Barker speak onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

Phil Collins’ unlikely tribute partners

The biggest response from the crowd early in the night came as Phil Collins made his way onstage, aided by a pair of canes, after a speech from Travis Barker.

“I’m really not as bad as it looks,” he joked in regards to his medical challenges over the last few years. He also shouted out his assistant, without whom he says he’d “be in a box,” and his ex-wives and their kids.

“You haven’t heard the last of me,” Collins said, regarding the rumors of tours and performances.

Barker was back behind the kit to perform “In the Air Tonight” with Cynthia Erivo. Chris Rock offered an appraisal of Cynthia Erivo’s performance moments later with “She f— did that s—.”

Inductees MC Lyte and Queen Latifah perform onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

Ladies first: Queen Latifah teams up with MC Lyte

MC Lyte and Queen Latifah performed together, and though it’s worth asking why none of the men had to share slots, these two traded songs back and forth with clear love and respect. The medley-closer of “Ladies First” got cameos by Megan Thee Stallion and Remy Ma, who inducted Queen Latifah and MC Lyte, respectively — and ended in a group hug.

Before that, they also praised each other during their speeches. “If it wasn’t for Lyte, I wouldn’t know that this was really possible,” Queen Latifah said.

During her speech, MC Lyte gave a parting shot of wisdom for the crowd that seems ever more important: “Build multiple streams of income, because one is not enough.”

Chris Rock, and Inductees the Wu-Tang Clan speak onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

Wu-Tang Clan brings the ruckus — and the thank yous — to the Rock Hall

Wu-Tang Clan’s nine MCs “were on a mission to open people’s minds,” Chris Rock said in his induction speech. And it went beyond music — it was about “the slang, the attitude, the hoodies, the Timbs.” The group “built a whole world and invited everyone in.”

RZA ran down a long list of the record execs who’ve worked with the group. “Shout out to our legal team as well.” In contrast, Method Man thanked his family: “I love y’all like cooked food.” Inspectah Deck said he was having a ball: “I partied with Billy Idol,” before the group’s speech was cut off, with boos from the crowd, before it reemerged to do a medley heavy on “36 Chambers (Enter the Wu-Tang).”

Gwen Stefani and Inductee Billy Idol perform onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

Billy Idol: Motivational speaker

No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal inducted Billy Idol, who made sure guitarist Steve Stevens got his flowers too. Kanal said Idol turned a “fist pump into a philosophy.”

After Idol and Stevens performed “Rebel Yell,” Stefani joined them for “Eyes Without a Face,” which she said she remembered hearing out of every boombox on the beach in 1984.

“We are beautiful because we are true to ourselves. Rock and roll gave me the ability to understand that and to live it,” Idol said in his motivational induction speech.

“Find out who you are, and be it,” he told his younger fans to end his speech. “And now, I’m gonna party with the Wu-Tang Clan!”

Inductee Peter Hook of Joy Division/New Order performs onstage Saturday during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Peacock Theater.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

Joy Division/New Order induction becomes a new wave dance party

Trent Reznor inducted New Order and the band’s earlier incarnation, Joy Division.

The only member of the groups in attendance was bassist Peter Hook, but he joined Deftones and Lauren Mayberry (of Churches) on Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” that had the Peacock Theater up and dancing.

“For me, it’s been a wild 50 years — I’ve been happy, I’ve been mad, I’ve been heartbroken in equal measure,” Hook said. “But I’m still f— here.”

He also gave a plug to his group, Peter Hook and the Light, which he noted plays both Joy Division and New Order songs.

Bob Odenkirk speaks onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for RRHOF)

The loud absences of the induction class

A few members of this year’s class didn’t attend the ceremony, notably Oasis, Sade and Iron Maiden.

Bob Odenkirk, on hand to induct the former, said he played Oasis songs every day before going on set as Saul Goodman, calling them “a dose of Viagra for the ego,” before country-rock singer Stephen Wilson Jr. turned “Wonderwall” into an Appalachian death march.

“There will only ever be one Sade,” Andra Day said in her induction speech before introducing Sienna Spiro to perform “Smooth Operator.”

Since British metal icons Iron Maiden were on tour in Australia, they didn’t perform at the ceremony. In their place we got a dynamite supergroup: Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, John 5, Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave’s Brad Wilk and St. Vincent performing “The Trooper.” Jack Black, clad in a Maiden shirt, jumped in on the chorus after giving the induction speech.

Meanwhile, Luther Vandross, who died in 2005, was feted by Oprah Winfrey in a heartfelt speech. “Luther never once over-sang a feeling,” she said. He “sang songs for weddings and heartbreaks and late nights and Sunday mornings.” Put on “A House Is Not a Home,” she suggested, and suddenly you’re “standing in the doorway of every love you ever lost.”

Usher performed a musical tribute medley of “So Amazing” and “Here and Now” — gorgeous ballads that Vandross used to show off how good he was at taking his time with a melody — and “Never Too Much,” which proved he also knew how to keep it moving.

“There’s nothing more difficult than taking something that’s really, really good and trying to make it better,” says Daniel Harding, newly appointed music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Harding is perched on a sofa at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in an office that belonged to Gustavo Dudamel for nearly 20 years. The name on the plaque outside the door is now Harding’s, but the decor — particularly the heavy Hollywood Bowl throw blanket that keeps sliding off the cushions behind him — is not. Understandably tired after flying in from Paris the night before, Harding is in town to conduct three concerts of Brahms and Bernstein this weekend.

The LA Phil is heralding a new era after Dudamel left for the New York Philharmonic, having achieved legendary status and leaving a world-class orchestra in his wake. Harding doesn’t officially begin his directorship until the 2027 season, but he has two programs on this season’s schedule.

With Harding’s arrival, the LA Phil has announced a new shared leadership model that represents a departure from the 17 seasons under Dudamel, who served as both music and artistic director. Instead, Harding will split responsibilities with Esa-Pekka Salonen, who holds the title of creative director, and Anna Handler, the new conductor-in-residence. On Wednesday, the LA Phil also announced a new row of artistic chairs: Samara Joy (McLendon) as creative chair for jazz (succeeding Herbie Hancock), Silvana Estrada as creative chair for Latin music, a new position, and Thomas Adés as creative chair for New Music (succeeding John Adams). A chair for film music is still being finalized, and veteran film composer Joe Hisaishi was recently appointed composer-in-residence.

(Hancock and Adams will join Zubin Mehta with emeritus titles. Dudamel holds an artistic and cultural laureate position.)

Esa-Pekka Salonen holds the title of creative director under the L.A. Phil’s new shared leadership model.

(David Swanson/For The Times)

It’s all very exciting and just a tad chaotic — kind of like a game of musical chairs. Scheduling the interviews and photos for this article has taken nearly four months seemingly because all of these musicians are busy and scattered to the four winds. McLendon is based in Harlem, where she has started a jam session night at a local restaurant. Estrada lives in Mexico City and is currently on tour with her band. Hisaishi lives in his native Japan, and Harding resides in Paris.

President Kim Noltemy’s strategy, to divide labor and empower an array of specialists, is a bold counter to the traditional model of the all-powerful artistic and music director.

“Our new artistic leadership team brings us a remarkable breadth of perspectives and strengths across disciplines,” Noltemy said in a news release about the most recent appointments, “allowing us to imagine new forms of presentation, build unexpected collaborations, and create experiences that challenge, inspire and engage audiences. Perhaps most important of all, this team will amplify the wide range of voices, cultures and genres in Los Angeles.”

It remains unclear just how the new system will work, but all participants seem eager to find the best way as they go, and Harding still emerges as the symbolic head of the system with direct purview over the orchestra itself.

Anna Handler, the new L.A. Phil conductor-in-residence leading the Beethoven program at the Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026.

(Ariana Drehsler/For The Times)

“They have a vision [that] more voices can represent better what they want to do in the future,” says Handler, whom I interviewed at Massachusetts’ Tanglewood music festival in August. “You know, one single voice is not enough to speak for everything they want to do and everyone they want to reach.”

Salonen offers a steady, familiar hand, although neither Harding nor Handler are strangers to this orchestra. Both are well-liked guest conductors, going back as far as 1997 for Harding.

Handler, who turned 30 in April, says that when her appointment was announced, “I think like 25 musicians wrote to me on WhatsApp or on Instagram, and they were all like, ‘This is so deserved,’ or ‘We are so happy, we can’t wait for the projects to come with you,’ or like, ‘We’re so happy you’re part of our family now.’”

Handler embodies the youthful and diverse future of classical music — half Colombian, half German, she speaks fluent Spanish and is interested in new technologies. She is also visibly enthusiastic about the vote of confidence from the LA Phil and the creative sandbox it represents.

“This position for me means a safe space to grow, step by step, and do projects that I couldn’t do somewhere else,” says Handler, who has something “super cool” in mind for a Hollywood Bowl concert next year and is particularly excited to work with children. “You have the Walt Disney Concert Hall which, when you set foot in this building, you are like, ‘Wow, am I in the future? Am I in the present? Am I in the past?’

“The building evokes inside of me a desire to experiment,” she says.

McLendon, 26, and Estrada, 29, have both been contracted to curate four concerts, in different LA Phil venues, for two years. McLendon says she wants to bring some East Coast influence to the L.A. scene, and — in addition to playing with her own septet — she has a dream for “a night where older musicians and younger musicians kind of share the stage in a way that maybe they haven’t done before outside of their respective projects.”

Estrada says one of her goals is exploding the idea many non-Latino people have that “the Latin sound is just one sound.”

“The Latino community is the soul of an entire continent,” she says. “So there are so many sounds and so many stories, really. And I think I’m really excited about, in one hand, bringing all this richness of the Latino culture, but also how this richness reacts to other cultures and to other sounds.”

“I think what is great about the LA Phil and all the venues they have,” Estrada says, “is it’s a really, really beautiful and empowering place to tell any story you want to tell.”

Harding, 51, arguably has the least specific and most challenging mandate.

Daniel Harding, the newly appointed director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, arrives in L.A. in May after he was announced as Gustavo Dudamel’s replacement.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

“The genuine success of everything that’s happened here in the last 20 years is so impressive and so deep,” Harding says, “that coming in and saying, ‘Yeah, I can contribute something,’ that feels like a step. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could be part of the journey as we continue to grow. But yeah, that’s a big challenge.”

The Oxford-born conductor and licensed pilot, who has co-piloted the London Symphony and captained the Orchestre de Paris and Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome (among other posts on an impressive CV), brings a dry, erudite charm and a different energy than his charismatic Venezuelan predecessor.

“I inherit from him an orchestra that has great energy and flexibility and knows what it is to sell something with what they call ‘sexy music-making,’” says Harding, “and it’s all there to be enjoyed and to be nourished. It’s a huge gift.”

Still, Harding adds: “We all hear different things. We all have slightly different priorities.”

Harding recalls conducting the orchestra two years ago, in a program of Britten and Strauss, and offering tweaks to color and balance: “I thought, yeah, there’s an orchestra which has a way of doing things which is very coherent, but they have so much available space in their musical awareness, and so much technical ability, that if you give them something else to think about or to munch on, the change is strong and quick.”

“Gustavo and I share a lot of things,” he continues, “but any two musicians hear things differently, see things differently, understand them differently — and I think the orchestra is very, very receptive to that.”

Gustavo Dudamel, left, hugs Daniel Harding, Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new music director, before a Rockies vs. Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium in May — just after Harding was announced as Dudamel’s replacement.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Harding is keeping his big dreams and schemes for the LA Phil close to the vest, but teases that one of them “involves one of our chairs, and it involves some of the people who make this town so admired all around the world, and it involves something that chair and I both grew up with. And that’s looking possible, and even if nothing else were to happen, if we make that one happen, I’ll be very, very excited.”

How this game of musical chairs will play out is a mystery, and it will likely take some time — and possibly trial and error — for Harding and his sprawling cohort to find their rhythm together. But the LA Phil is arguably the perfect band to take a big swing and try bold new things.

Handler cites her experience as a Dudamel Fellow, in 2024, conducting “Swan Lake” selections for the orchestra’s youth series.

“I had five performances, and what the musicians said to me about what they liked was that I did something different every time,” she says. “I tried this idea of experimenting for the sake of getting better, but also keeping it alive.”

Sam Smith was absent from the matchday squad for the victory over Kim Hellberg’s side.

The striker sustained a knee injury in the latter stages of Wrexham’s 1-0 loss to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Friday night.

Prior to the win against Middlesbrough, Parkinson confirmed the 28-year-old was set for a spell on the sidelines.

In the aftermath of the contest, the manager revealed Smith is set to undergo surgery next week and will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

“Unfortunately with Sam, he’s done his cruciate,” Parkinson added.

“He’s going to be out for nine months and faces the operation next Wednesday.”

Wrexham have been dealt numerous injury issues this season, with Josh Windass, Nathan Broadhead, Liberato Cacace and Callum O’Hare among those currently sidelined.

But Parkinson said he would not accept players feeling sorry for themselves, something he felt may have been the case at Sheffield United last time out.

“We’ve had injuries in other years, we’ve had setbacks, we’ve always dug deep,” Parkinson said.

“I felt at Sheffield United we looked like a team that had almost taken one blow too many, but I’m not accepting that.”