Sade has announced they will not attend their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in person.
The English band, fronted by reclusive singer Sade Adu, 65, confirmed Tuesday they will skip Saturday’s ceremony at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The group — which also includes Paul Denman, Stuart Matthewman and Andrew Hale — released a statement explaining their absence without citing a specific reason.
“Sorry we can’t be there in person to celebrate with the other artists,” the band wrote in the statement. “Please know that our absence takes nothing away from how much this recognition means to us.”
Sade described the honor as “both a gift and a timely reminder to give thanks, not only to those who voted for us, but also every single person who lets our music into their lives… we are indebted to the ones who’ve been with us on this road to get here,” they said. The group thanked longtime manager Roger Davies in the same message.
The band also paid tribute to Mike Pela, a longtime collaborator who died suddenly in 2022. “This is as much yours as ours Mike forever our soul mate,” they wrote.
Sade joins a growing list of 2026 inductees who will not appear at the ceremony. Oasis, also being honored in the Performer Category, confirmed Monday they would skip the event.
Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher, 52, addressed the news directly on X when a disappointed fan pressed him for answers. “It’s too far to be going for the night I got sh-t to do it’s Christmas,” he wrote.
Unlike Gallagher’s blunt dismissal, Sade offered no explanation for remaining away from the Los Angeles stage.
The 2026 Performer Category inductees also include Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. No additional absences beyond Sade and Oasis have been confirmed from that group.
Sade formed in London in 1982 and built a career on sparse, sophisticated soul that made Adu one of music’s most elusive stars. The group has released only six studio albums across four decades, with each becoming a commercial and critical success. Their most recent LP, “Soldier of Love,” arrived in 2010 after a ten-year gap.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony streams live Saturday on Disney+.