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Iron Maiden will miss this fall’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, their manager has confirmed – because they will be doing the very thing that made them Hall of Fame-worthy in the first place: playing live. The band has concert dates in Australia and in November doesn’t dream of disappointing her fans.
“As most keen observers have already noted, the band will be on tour in Australia around the November date of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles,” manager Rod Smallwood said in a statement on Thursday. “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 take place.”
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on November 14th – right between Maiden’s performances in Sydney and Melbourne. The band has been eligible for recording since 2005.
Who could still show up?
Although the six touring band members will be on the other side of the world at this point, at least three former Maiden members could make an appearance. Drummer Nicko McBrain, who joined the band in 1982 and retired from touring in 2024, is expected to be available. Likewise, guitarist Dennis Stratton, who was only heard on the self-titled debut album from 1980, does not seem to have any other commitments – as does singer Blaze Bayley, who was the frontman on “The X Factor” (1995) and “Virtual XI” (1998).
An Iron Maiden spokesperson did not immediately respond to ROLLING STONE’s inquiry about whether McBrain would attend the ceremony. Bayley and Stratton’s representatives also did not return calls.
“I wake up … to find tons of messages congratulating me on being accepted into the RNRHOF,” Stratton wrote on his website after it was announced that he was among the inducted members. “I just want to say that I’m very proud and honored to be part of this amazing band. I just hope I get something to hang on the wall to remember this great achievement.”
Smallwood thanks, Dickinson rails
Although the band has been dismissive of the Rock Hall in the past, Smallwood released a statement thanking the institution on Monday after the induction was announced. “We would like to thank the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for including us – and past members who have all been a part of our history – on the 2026 inductee list,” he said. “Iron Maiden has always put our relationship with our fans above all else – including awards and recognition from the industry. That said, it’s obviously nice to be recognized and honored for achievements within the music industry too!”
Frontman Bruce Dickinson had significantly less kind words for the institution at a spoken word show in 2018. “I honestly think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is complete and utter nonsense,” he said. “It’s run by a bunch of self-righteous Americans who wouldn’t recognize rock & roll even if it slapped them in the face. They should stop taking Prozac and start drinking damn beer.”
In 2019, bassist and founding member Steve Harris told Rolling Stone that it didn’t bother him that he wasn’t recorded at the time. “I don’t mind not being represented in things like that,” he said. “I don’t think about things like that. It’s very nice when people give you awards or recognition, but we didn’t go into the music business for things like that. I certainly won’t lose any sleep if we don’t get an award – not just this one, but any one. I don’t think we necessarily deserve one or the other. With what we do, whatever comes out of it is great. And what doesn’t come out of it is just as great.”
