Three of the most influential acts are heading for the pavement. Linkin Park, Smashing Pumpkins and the Ramones have all been named to the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Class of 2027, announced Thursday by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
The three sit in the Recording category, part of a 32-name class spanning film, television, live performance, radio and sports. They were picked from hundreds of nominations at a selection committee meeting on May 15, ratified by the Chamber’s board on July 22, and unveiled a day later at a press conference at Funko Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard, hosted by Walk of Famers Ming-Na Wen and Sheila E. with Chamber president and CEO Ron Frierson.
The Recording field is the broadest of the six categories this year, and it is where the rock world’s interest lands. Joining the three bands are Karol G, David Guetta, the late country outlaw Waylon Jennings, hip-hop pioneer Joseph Saddler — Grandmaster Flash — composer Marc Shaiman, Sia and Lil Wayne.
For two of the three honorees, the star arrives without the men most associated with the band. The Ramones are being recognized long after the deaths of all four of their classic members — Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy — decades on from a run that effectively invented American punk. Linkin Park, meanwhile, receive their star nine years after the death of co-vocalist Chester Bennington; the group returned to the road in 2024 with Emily Armstrong sharing lead vocals alongside Mike Shinoda.
Smashing Pumpkins, led throughout by Billy Corgan, complete the trio, their catalogue stretching back to the alternative wave of the early 1990s.
Walk of Fame selection chairman Peter Roth framed the class in the usual celebratory terms:
“The Walk Of Fame Selection Committee is proud to welcome the Class of 2027 to one of the most enduring symbols of achievement in entertainment. These 32 extraordinary individuals have each made a lasting impact on audiences around the world through their talent, creativity, and dedication to their craft. We are honored to recognize their remarkable contributions and look forward to celebrating them as they take their place in Hollywood history.”
Beyond the recording names, the class is heavy on screen talent. The Motion Pictures category takes in Cheech & Chong, Idris Elba, Sam Elliott, sisters Elle Fanning and Dakota Fanning in a double ceremony, Kate Hudson, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell and Netflix chief Ted Sarandos.
Television honorees are David Alan Grier, Lisa Kudrow, Bill Lawrence, Pedro Pascal, Adam Scott, Jeff Probst, Keke Palmer and Raven-Symoné. In Live Theatre and Live Performance, the picks are comedian Jo Koy, singer Nicole Scherzinger and ballet dancer Roberto Bolle. Jimmie Johnson takes the Sports Entertainment slot, and radio personality Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey rounds out the class.
No dates have been set. Recipients have two years from selection to schedule their dedication before the honor lapses, and individual ceremonies are usually confirmed about ten days ahead on the official Walk of Fame website. The events are free to attend and broadcast worldwide.
