Three “non-performing” songwriters – Hillary Lindsey, Timothy Mosley (Timbaland) and Dean Pitchford – and members of two groups – Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) and Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (Steely Dan) – are the 2024 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
They will be honored at the organization’s 2024 Induction and Awards Gala, which is slated for Thursday, June 13, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
There are usually three inductees in each category – non-performing and performing – but this year there are just two in the latter category. Twelve performing songwriters and 10 non-performing songwriters competed for these slots.
Timbaland competed as a non-performing songwriter, even though he has had five top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as an artist, including three on which he was the lead artist: “Give It to Me,” “Apologize” and “The Way I Are.”
SHOF chairman Nile Rodgers said in a statement, “We are … very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time and that the 2024 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who have enriched our lives and literally enriched music and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world.”
A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.
Induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame is a prestigious honor for songwriters and one that is very hard to achieve. The list of nominated songwriters who weren’t chosen this year ought to make those who were chosen feel both proud and humbled. Performing songwriters who weren’t chosen this year are Bryan Adams; Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings; Debbie Harry, Chris Stein & Clem Burke (Blondie); Tracy Chapman; George Clinton; Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons & Michael McDonald (The Doobie Brothers); David Gates; Ann Wilson & Nancy Wilson (Heart); Kenny Loggins; and Chuck D and Flavor Flav (Public Enemy).
Non-performing songwriters who weren’t chosen this year are L. Russell Brown, Dean Dillon, Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter, Tony Macaulay, Roger Nichols, Maurice Starr and Narada Michael Walden.
Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $2,000 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, (914) 579-1000 and SHOF@buckleyhallevents.com. Net proceeds from the event go toward the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs. Songwriters Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 organization. The non-deductible portion of each ticket is $215. Contributions are fully tax-deductible as provided by law.
Here’s a quick look at this year’s inductees. The “key songs” are supplied by the SHOF. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.