Revealing the special surprises from American Idol Season 24 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night that fans never saw coming.

Everything To Know About American Idol Season 24 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Night, Including The Mentors (SPOILERS)

WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 24!

American Idol season 24 will celebrate its annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night on April 13, 2026, and it will be an extraordinary episode filled with phenomenal performances and two legendary mentors. American Idol season 24 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night follows the ’90s-themed Judges’ Song Contest, during which the show said goodbye to Julián Kalel and Jake Thistle at the beginning of the episode when the results of the delayed Songs of Faith Night elimination were revealed.

After the American Idol season 24 Top 12 finalists performed ’90s songs chosen for them by the judges, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan, contest winner Lionel was tasked with saving one of the bottom two contestants: Rae or Jesse Findling. Lionel saved Rae, which meant that Jesse went home, and the Top 11 finalists advanced to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night.

American Idol Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night has become a beloved annual tradition, and features the contestants singing songs from artists who’ve been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In season 24, music legends and partners and married couple Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will serve as mentors for the Top 11 finalists. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo Have Appeared On American Idol Before

Pat and Neil are no strangers to American Idol, as they first appeared on the reality singing competition in season 17 in 2019. They participated in the Celebrity Duets round, in which the Top 20 contestants performed duets with famous singers, including Jason Mraz, Brett Young, Shaggy, Elle King, Julia Michaels, Lukas Graham, lovelytheband, Cynthia Erivo, Chris Isaak, and Ben Harper. Pat and Neil performed with contestants Kate Barnette and Madison VanDenburg, singing Pat’s songs “Heartbreaker” and “We Belong,” which Neil produced.

In an interview with ScreenRant, Masked Singer S14 runner-up Phillip Phillips discusses his journey as Pugcasso and how it compared to American Idol.

According to an ABC press release, Pat and Neil will not only mentor the American Idol season 24 Top 11 finalists during Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, but they’ll also be performing.

The American Idol Season 24 Top 9 Finalists Will Be Revealed

During American Idol season 24 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, the Top 9 finalists will be revealed after the Top 11 compete for America’s votes. The Top 11 consists of Braden Rumfelt, Brooks, Chris Tungseth, Daniel Stallworth, Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, Keyla Richardson, Kyndal, Lucas Leon, Philmon Lee, and Rae. Each of the contestants will select a song from a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Class Of 2026 Will Be Announced Live

As usual, the inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2026 will be announced live during American Idol Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night. Host Ryan Seacrest will reveal which of the nominees have been selected. The nominees include The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, Billy Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, New Edition, Oasis, P!nk, Sade, Shakira, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan.

According to the official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website, inductees are selected by an international voting body made up of more than 1,200 inductees, historians, and members of the music industry, as well as the results of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s annual online Fan Vote, which counts as one ballot.

American Idol Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night celebrates the best of the best artists in music, and it challenges the contestants to take on the songs of music legends. It’s going to be very exciting to see what advice icons Pat and Neil give to the finalists, and to watch them perform. With one of the most talented groups of contestants in the show’s history, American Idol season 24 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night is going to be epic.