Though its absence from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been criticized from many quarters, Iron Maiden is pleased that the number of its beast has finally come up for induction.
The heavy metal stalwart was previously nominated in 2021 and 2023 and has been near the top of most lists of Rock Hall snubs over the years. Now it’s one of eight acts in the performer category that will be inducted during the shrine’s annual ceremony on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles. The group — which formed in 1975 in London — also received 395,000 votes in the fan vote.
In a statement following Monday night’s announcement on American Idol, longtime Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood said, “We’d like to thank the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for including us (and former members who were all part of our story) in the 2026 roll call of inductees. Iron Maiden have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades. However, having said that, it’s always nice to be recognised and honoured for any achievements within the music industry too!”
Smallwood added that, “It also seems appropriate for the band to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year as we continue our 50th anniversary celebrations with our Run For Your Lives World Tour visiting the Americas and beyond. We would also like to congratulate our fellow 2026 inductees and extend our gratitude as ever to our fans for their loyalty, perseverance and support for over 50 years now! See you all, somewhere on tour.”
The tour, which focuses on material from Iron Maiden’s first nine albums, launched last May in Europe and picks up again on May 23 in Greece, with dates through November in Europe, North and South America, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Additionally, a documentary film, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition, opens in theaters worldwide on May 7. The group has said it’s planning a break for 2027.
Guitarist Adrian Smith recently told Billboard in an interview about the film that Iron Maiden’s long history of road work is as integral to the band’s connection with fans as its body of 17 studio albums. “It’s always been a touring band — tour, tour, tour, tour,” Smith notes. “Obviously there were albums in between that, but the philosophy was, ‘Let’s do this the hard way,’ I guess. We were never gonna get massive hit records — and I’m not criticizing people who did. What I’m saying is … we took the music to the people. I think in the long run people remember that, and it’s a very honest way to build up a following. We’re getting the payback for that now. It’s like a celebration, the band and the audience, ‘Look what we’ve done together!’ There’s always been that connection.”
As Smallwood notes, the Rock Hall induction will honor past members such as the late Paul Di’Anno and Clive Burr, as well as ‘90s frontman Blaze Bayley and longtime drummer Nicko McBrain, who retired from touring after 2024 due to health issues. The constant throughout has been bassist Steve Harris, who’s shepherded Maiden through myriad personnel changes and musical trends that have not always been kind to metal bands.
“He’s the driving force behind the band; he always has been and probably always will be,” Smith acknowledged. “We’re part of it. We’re contributors. But Steve is who’s really kept this alive.”
There’s no word yet on what Maiden might have planned for the ceremony. Frontman Bruce Dickinson, who’s in his second stint with the band, has been outspoken in the past about his disdain for the Rock Hall, labeling it “an utter, complete load of bollocks” while speaking to fans in 2018. He’s also said he feels Maiden deserves to be inducted, however.
