A supergroup featuring members of Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, and St. Vincent honored Iron Maiden with a thrilling rendition of “The Trooper” at the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
St. Vincent’s Annie Clark, who once played the 1983 classic on bass at a middle school talent show, led the group, which also featured Metallica’s Kirk Hammett on guitar and Robert Trujillo on bass. The band was rounded out by Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk and metal guitarist John 5.
While that quintet honored Iron Maiden with plenty of firepower and shredding, Clark got an extra assist on vocals from Jack Black, who bounded onto the stage to help belt that classic Iron Maiden “Oh oh oh” refrain.
Black also inducted Iron Maiden during the ceremony, positing at one point: “Has there ever been a band that has rocked this hard for this long? The answer is ‘No.’ In fact, they’re not even here tonight because they’re rocking halfway around the world.”
Indeed, Iron Maiden chose not to attend the 2026 Induction Ceremony because it conflicted with a slate of previously scheduled Australian tour dates. As the band’s manager stated earlier this year, “In accepting, Iron Maiden made it very clear to the R&R HoF that the fans always come first and that the shows will of course go on.”
Iron Maiden were finally inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame after being eligible for more than two decades, going back to 2005. They were joined in the performer class by Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. Elsewhere, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons received the Early Influence Award; Rick Rubin, Philly soul songwriter Linda Creed, producer Arif Mardin, producer Jimmy Miller were honored with the Musical Excellence Award; and Ed Sullivan was given the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
