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The legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz is among the artists to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026, a list that also includes Phil Collins, Billy Idol, and Iron Maiden.
Her unmistakable "¡Azúcar!" paves the way to the institution, which will honor her in the category of "Early Influence."
This recognition highlights artists whose music and style have directly influenced the evolution of rock & roll and musical culture.
The so-called Guarachera of Cuba thus becomes the first Cuban artist to enter this institution, recognized worldwide as the highest honor in popular music.
The Hall of Fame described Cruz on its official website with these words: "Cruz was a pioneer of Latin pop in the 20th century and beyond with her contributions to the Afro-Cuban guaracha style, as well as with the creation and popularization of salsa. With her powerful voice and vibrant image, Cruz was the voice of love and freedom following the Cuban revolution and during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States."
The institution also highlighted that "Cruz has sold over 30 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling Latin artists to date" and that "with classics like 'Quimbara', 'La vida es un carnaval', and 'La negra tiene tumbao', Cruz reigns as the undisputed queen of salsa."
The Musical Influence category recognizes artists whose style and career have directly influenced the development and evolution of rock & roll and culturally impactful music.
Cruz shares this category this year with Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons.
Born Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso in Havana on October 21, 1925, she was one of fourteen children and found her voice singing lullabies to her younger siblings.
He made his professional debut with Sonora Matancera in 1950 and served as their main vocalist for 15 years, until the success of the Cuban Revolution forced him to leave the island in 1960.
The Fidel Castro regime banned her and prohibited her music in Cuba, but that did not prevent Cruz from building a monumental career in exile.
In 1974, the album Celia & Johnny with Johnny Pacheco from Fania Records and the single "Quimbara" propelled her to international stardom, marking the beginning of nearly three decades of increasingly ambitious tours and productions.
Other artists included in the Hall of Fame in 2026
In total, the Hall of Fame inducted 18 artists in 2026: eight in the Performer category —Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan— five in Early Influence, four in Musical Excellence, and one recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
This last one was for Ed Sullivan, while Rick Rubin, Jimmy Miller, Arif Mardin, and Linda Creed received the Musical Excellence Award.
A bittersweet note accompanied the announcement: the Colombian singer Shakira, nominated for the first time this year, did not make the list of inductees.
The Hall of Fame selects its members through votes cast by an international panel of over 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals, although those inducted in the Early Influence category are chosen by internal committees.
Cruz's induction adds to a long list of posthumous recognitions: she won three Grammy Awards and four Latin Grammy Awards during her lifetime, received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and in 2024 became the first Afro-Latina to appear on a 25-cent coin in the United States.
The ceremony is scheduled for November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and a television special will air in December on ABC and the Disney+ platform.
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