The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 induction ceremony took place last night (November 14), but Iron Maiden weren’t there to receive their award because they’re currently on tour. However, St. Vincent, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk, Mötley Crüe’s John 5, and Jack Black—who gave the formal induction speech for Iron Maiden right before—assembled in their place to perform the 1983 hit “The Trooper.” Watch the all-star lineup go metal mode below.
During his speech, Black touched on the lifelong influence Iron Maiden have had on metal, how much their music has meant to him, and their steadfast commitment to touring the world. “Has there ever been a band that has rocked this hard for this long? The answer is ‘No,’” Black joked. “In fact, they’re not even here tonight because they’re rocking halfway around the world.”
Iron Maiden has had quite a few lineup changes over their 51-year-long run, and the Rock Hall is honoring their full roster: Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Paul Di’Anno, Blaze Bayley, Dennis Stratton, Nicko McBrain, and Clive Burr.
This year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was not live streamed. Instead, fans can tune in to watch a broadcast of the event on ABC and Disney+ on December 8. This year’s other inductees were Oasis, Phil Collins, Wu-Tang Clan, Joy Division/New Order, Sade, Billy Idol, and Luther Vandross. The Early Influence Award was handed out to Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons this year. Meanwhile, the Musical Excellence Awards went to Linda Creed and Rick Rubin, among others, while the late Ed Sullivan honored with the 2026 Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-artists.
