Two major and largely unexpected reunions were recently announced, as both Oasis and Linkin Park will be returning to the stage.
Both reunions have been overwhelmingly celebrated, with the bands’ respective fan bases clamoring for the chance to see their favorite act in concert once again. Still, the return of Oasis and Linkin Park also opens questions surrounding their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame likelihood.
Could momentum from these respective reunions push both bands to induction in 2025? Let’s dive in.
Oasis Reunion Could Revive Hall of Fame Debate
Of the two acts, Oasis is the one who has been previously considered for enshrinement. The band was nominated for the 2024 class, but did not receive the necessary support to earn induction.
Never afraid to court controversy, both Noel and Liam Gallagher have openly expressed their distaste for the Hall.
In 2017, Noel refuted the suggestion his band should be inducted, saying: “I know what it is. I know what it entails, and it won’t be fucking happening, OK?’”
Likewise, Liam rejected any idea of Oasis in the Hall. “Fuck the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame its full of BUMBACLARTS,” the singer tweeted in 2024. In a separate discussion around the same time, the frontman described the Hall as “mentally disturbed.”
READ MORE: Five Reasons Oasis Should Be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
So why should anything have changed now that Oasis have gotten back together? Well, for starters, it’s clear that both Gallaghers have a history of changing their minds. After all, Noel and Liam insisted they’d never reunite, yet here we are. And while Oasis has a history of rebelling at awards shows – in 2010 Liam infamously threw his BRIT Award in the crowd after the band’s 1995 LP (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? was named the best album of the last 30 years – the Gallaghers do enjoy celebrating their own greatness. With a new harmonious outlook, it seems likely the brothers would reconsider their stance on the Hall of Fame if elected.
Watch Oasis Performing ‘Wonderwall’ in 1996
On the flip side, the Hall has undoubtedly taken notice of the excitement surrounding Oasis’ reunion. The band’s U.K. ticket sales caused a Taylor Swift-like meltdown at Ticketmaster, and there’s already substantial anticipation for a U.S. tour leg. When Oasis appeared on the 2024 ballot, some argued the group’s commercial peak was too short to be worthy. Considering the worldwide enthusiasm generated by their reconciliation, such criticisms now feel invalid. Oasis’ staying power and legacy is front-page news once more. It seems impossible for the Hall to ignore.
Will Linkin Park Be Elected in First Year of Eligibility?
In 2025, Linkin Park will become eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the first time. While classic rock purists will undoubtedly scoff at the suggestion that a band who debuted in 2000 could get inducted before such legendary acts as Styx, Iron Maiden or Motorhead (among many others), Linkin Park’s resume is downright daunting.
With more than 100 million albums sold, the band ranks among the most commercially successful acts of the 21st Century. Their debut and sophomore LPs, Hybrid Theory (2000) and Meteora (2003), each sold more than 10 million copies. We cannot find evidence of another rock band matching that achievement.
READ MORE: These Are the Only 33 Classic Rock Albums to hit No. 1 Since 2000
Like Nirvana and Pearl Jam less than a decade before them, Linkin Park led a massive musical movement. For as much as people like to decry the early 2000s rap-rock era, there’s no denying its complete cultural dominance at the time. Tracks like “In the End,” “Crawling” and “One Step Closer” were ubiquitous radio hits. Linkin Park was all over MTV, their posters plastered in bedrooms across the world, and they even memorably shared the stage with Paul McCartney and Jay-Z at the 2006 Grammys, combining “Numb/Encore” with the Beatles‘ “Yesterday.”
Watch Linkin Park, Jay-Z and Paul McCartney Perform at the 2006 Grammys
After the tragic 2017 death of Chester Bennington – and a star-studded tribute concert that followed – Linkin Park appeared to be done for good. Now, the band’s return with singer Emily Armstrong has ignited their fan base once more. With a new album and fall tour dates on the way, Linkin Park is once again one of the most talked-about acts in music.
We’ve seen the Hall gleefully jump on hype trains in the past – see Kate Bush’s induction following her Stranger Things bump, or Foreigner finally earning induction on the wave of a viral campaign. The institution clearly knows that timing is everything, and welcoming Oasis and Linkin Park in 2025 would capitalize on their reunion hysteria.
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Many have shared their thoughts on possible induction.
Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff