Mariah Carey couldn’t care less that her name didn’t make the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame‘s 2026 final induction list — and she made that crystal clear.
On Monday, outside New York City’s The Peninsula Hotel, Mariah told TMZ exactly what she thought of the latest snub. She brushed it off without missing a beat.
“Who cares! Give it to someone else,” she said — making it obvious she’s completely unbothered.
Her fans, however, were not taking it so well. Supporters gathered outside her SUV were vocal about the slight, calling it a disrespect to the Hall itself.
Mariah thanked them warmly and made her loyalty plain: “I always love my fans.”
This marks the third consecutive year Carey has been nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction — and the third time she’s been passed over.
The Class of 2026 was announced on April 14 during a live airing of American Idol. Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah, Oasis, Sade, Joy Division/New Order, Wu-Tang Clan, and the late Luther Vandross all earned the honor. Carey, along with Lauryn Hill, Pink, Shakira, and others, did not make the cut.
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Even Rock Hall Chairman John Sykes was left scratching his head. In a recent interview, he said he genuinely believed Carey deserved induction this year, describing her as a genius artist who has moved generations of fans.
He offered a blunt theory for why voters keep shutting the door on her: her massive success may actually be working against her. Some voters may feel she doesn’t need the validation — and that others could use it more.
The continued snub has only added fuel to an ongoing debate about who truly belongs in the Hall — especially for an artist with 19 No. 1 hits and a legacy that runs deep across pop and R&B.
It’s also worth noting that the music industry hasn’t been shy about honoring Carey elsewhere. Earlier this year during Grammy Week in Los Angeles, she was named MusiCares Person of the Year — one of the most prestigious recognitions in the business. That makes the Rock Hall’s repeated cold shoulder all the more puzzling.
As always, Mariah seems to have bigger things on her plate. She revealed she recently purchased a new home outside New York City.
That news came alongside the listing of her iconic Tribeca penthouse at 90 Franklin Street for $27 million. The three-story, nearly 13,000-square-foot Art Deco triplex was originally purchased in 1999 for $9 million.
The property was famously featured on MTV Cribs in 2001 and offers 360-degree views of Lower Manhattan along with over 1,100 square feet of private outdoor space.
