The 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala, scheduled for Friday, May 8, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, is set to be a star-studded event, highlighted by the induction of Janet Jackson’s influential 1989 album, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. This induction continues a proud Jackson family tradition within the Grammy Hall of Fame. Her brother, Michael Jackson, was previously honored for his iconic albums Off the Wall and Thriller, both collaborations with legendary producer Quincy Jones. The Jackson 5 also received recognition for three of their four 1970 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There.”

Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet Jackson’s fourth studio album, was a groundbreaking concept album that courageously addressed pressing social issues, despite A&M executives initially hoping for material akin to her previous success, Control (1986). Although the album itself and its numerous hit singles did not win any Grammys despite six nominations over two years, the accompanying long-form music video earned a Grammy for Best Music Video. A notable disappointment for all involved was the album's omission from an Album of the Year nomination, an honor that Control had achieved.

The Gala will celebrate a diverse group of 14 inducted recordings that span nearly a century of recorded music. The Recording Academy and the Grammy Museum, co-presenters of the event, have announced an exciting lineup of performances. The father-daughter duo Fyütch & Aura V, who recently won a Grammy in February for Best Children’s Music Album for Harmony, will perform Ella Jenkins’ 1966 children’s classic “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song.” Aura V made history by becoming the youngest individually credited Grammy winner at just 8 years old, surpassing Blue Ivy Carter’s previous record. Jenkins herself was a recipient of a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and she passed away in 2024 at the age of 100.

A powerful tribute to Funkadelic’s 1971 album, Maggot Brain, will feature George Clinton, Funkadelic guitarist Blackbyrd McKnight, and Erykah Badu. This album, the funk rock band’s third studio effort, was the last recorded by its original lineup. Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic were honored with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart will perform selections from their 1976 debut studio album, Dreamboat Annie, which was first released in Canada in 1975 before its U.S. debut. The album spawned hits like “How Deep It Goes,” “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You,” and “Dreamboat Annie.” The Wilson sisters also received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Recording Academy in 2023.

Lucinda Williams is slated to perform songs from her 1998 album, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, her fifth studio set, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album and included singles such as “Right in Time” and the Grammy-nominated “Can’t Let Go.” Take 6 will deliver a performance of The Soul Stirrers’ 1950 recording “Jesus Gave Me Water,” a track from the early studio sessions of Sam Cook, who later became the legendary Sam Cooke. Cooke, who passed away in 1964 at 33, received a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

Taylor Hanson, renowned as a member of the Grammy-nominated trio Hanson, will present a tribute to Nick Drake’s 1972 album, Pink Moon. This was the English musician’s third and final studio album, and the only one released in North America during his lifetime before his untimely death in 1974 at age 26. Additional performances will include a set by Norah Jones, this year’s recipient of the Ray Charles Architect of Sound Award. Josh Groban and Teddy Swims will perform as part of a tribute to Warner Records, which is receiving the Visionary of Music Award.

Broadcast journalist Anthony Mason will host the event. The show will be produced by former Grammy Awards executive producer Ken Ehrlich, alongside Renato Basile, Chantel Sausedo, and Lynne Sheridan, with musical direction provided by Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning composer, producer, and conductor Cheche Alara. Tickets for the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala are currently available. An online auction will run from May 5 to May 21, coinciding with the Gala. It will feature a collection of guitars signed by artists such as Charli xcx, ROSÉ, and Sabrina Carpenter, as well as Platinum tickets to the 2027 Grammy Awards, with all proceeds benefiting the Grammy Museum.