Phil Collins Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Travis Barker

Phil Collins fought through tears at the Peacock Theater on Saturday receiving an electrifying ovation during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles as music icons gathered for the star-studded gala.

The 75-year-old Collins took the stage slowly using a pair of canes, addressing mobility issues and other health problems that have kept him from performing since 2022. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker inducted the legendary artist, praising his unprecedented dual stardom as both a drummer and a hit-making pop singer in the 1980s.

Collins was joined in the audience by his daughter, actor Lily Collins, and four other children while watching the evening unfold. At the same time he launched his solo career with massive tracks such as “You Can't Hurry Love,” “Against All Odds,” and “Take Me Home,” his debut success built upon a rich musical history.

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I grew up just wanting to play the drums. Everything else has been a really happy accident. I can’t believe, when I look back, how life has gone.

Barker said that the songwriter’s track “In the Air Tonight” gave the world arguably the most badass drum fill of all time.

Moments afterward, Cynthia Erivo performed a dramatic, slowed-down version of the track featuring a powerful, soaring peak that drove the audience to their feet, while Barker replicated that precise drum break himself. Collins was already enshrined in the hall as a member of Genesis, but now holds the solo honor.

Travis Barker and Cynthia Erivo perform onstage during the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Peacock — Photo: Billboard

Oprah Winfrey took the stage to induct the late R&B legend Luther Vandross, celebrating the singer who died in 2005 at age 54.

His 1981 debut album, “Never Too Much,” propelled him into crossover pop stardom, and he also worked as a producer for Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Diana Ross while cementing his legacy as one of the definitive vocal interpreters of the 1980s and 1990s. Winfrey praised his timeless catalog and velvet voice.

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Luther Vandross sang with such passion and soul it could reach something deep inside that you didn’t even know needed to be reached.

We went from being banned on the radio to the Rock and Roll Hall.

The evening also marked a banner night for women in hip-hop as Queen Latifah and MC Lyte entered the hall as recipients of the Early Influence Award alongside posthumous inductees Gram Parsons, Fela Kuti, and Celia Cruz.

MC Lyte was the first artist inducted during the segment, with Remy Ma celebrating her as a trailblazing rapper from the late 1980s who ensured there was room for others. Later, Megan Thee Stallion inducted Queen Latifah, calling her a groundbreaker who taught others to recognize royalty within themselves. Latifah reflected on the achievement from the stage.