Tupac & Janet Jackson Officially Join 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame

Two monumental albums that shaped music history are receiving one of the industry’s highest honors.

The Recording Academy has announced that All Eyez on Me by Tupac Shakur and Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson are part of the Grammy Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

The Grammy Hall of Fame honors recordings that are at least 25 years old and possess lasting qualitative or historical significance as reported by WBLS.

Why Tupac’s All Eyez on Me Matters

Released in 1996, All Eyez on Me was Tupac’s first album after signing to Death Row Records and became one of the most influential hip-hop releases of all time.

Key highlights:

• One of the first double-disc rap albums to achieve diamond-level success

• Featured hits like “California Love” and “How Do U Want It”

• Defined West Coast rap dominance in the mid-1990s

• Helped cement Tupac as one of hip-hop’s most studied and discussed cultural figures

Its induction reinforces the album’s long-term cultural weight beyond chart success.

Why Janet’s Rhythm Nation 1814 Still Resonates

Released in 1989, Rhythm Nation 1814 was a cultural blueprint.

The album:

• Blended pop, R&B, industrial and dance production

• Addressed social justice, unity, and empowerment

• Produced seven Top 5 Billboard singles

• Elevated Janet into global pop royalty

The album’s themes remain relevant today — which is precisely what the Hall of Fame recognizes.

🎤 What the Grammy Hall of Fame Represents

Established in 1973 by the Recording Academy, the Grammy Hall of Fame celebrates recordings that transcend their era. Inductees are selected by a committee of music historians and industry experts.

The 2026 inductees will be honored at the Grammy Hall of Fame Gala in May in Los Angeles.

For hip-hop and R&B culture, this year’s selections feel especially symbolic — a reaffirmation that these genres are not trends, but pillars of modern music history.