You know most of the artists being inducted this year into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And some of them are superstars: Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Oasis, Joy Division/NewOrder, Queen Latifah, Gram Parsons, Sade, Luther Vandross, Wu-Tang Clan...

And Ed Sullivan. 

Ed Sullivan?

Yes, Ed Sullivan.

He earns posthumous honours for his role in bringing early rock and roll to audiences across North America and not only giving artists like Elvis Presley and the Beatles nationwide expsoure, but also giving a break to Black musicians when others wouldn't even let them on TV. 

"At a time when television was shaped by systemic racism, Sullivan consistently featured Black artists and refused to bow to network pressure to segregate. In 1953, Sullivan broke with the Hollywood blacklist to host Harry Belafonte and, in 1956, publicly supported Nat King Cole after a physical attack by Ku Klux Klan members in Birmingham, Alabama. Sullivan shook both men’s hands on camera despite the risk of backlash.

He also showcased pioneering Black artists such as Bo Diddley, the Platters, Jackie Wilson, Fats Domino, and numerous Motown acts including the Supremes, the Temptations, the Jackson 5, and Stevie Wonder, alongside lesser-known entertainers from Harlem’s club scene, like Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the Ravens."

He may not have had any musical talent, but he was keenly aware of who did. And he was one of the first to give them a chance. So in the end, his inclusion isn't all that strange.

The Induction Ceremony will take place on November 14th and this year's TV special will air on ABC December 8th. 

You can see all the 2026 inductees here.