Lady Gaga, Shakira, Pink Lead Songwriters Hall of Fame Nominees

The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced a star-studded list of nominees for the organization’s 2027 ceremony on Thursday, with Lady Gaga, Pink, Shakira, Jack White, Sia, Boy George and Vince Gill all among the potential honorees. Also among the performing writers on the ballot this year are Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Ne-Yo, America’s Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell and WAR’s Thomas Sylvester Allen, Harold Ray Brown, Morris “B.B.” Dickerson, Jerry Goldstein, LeRoy L. Jordan, Lee Oskar Levitin, Charles William Miller and Howard E. Scott. Considered one of the music industry’s most prestigious honors, the Songwriters Hall of Fame recognizes both performing writers, and the lesser-recognized non-performing pens behind pop’s biggest hits. Among the non-performing writers this year is Boy Meet’s Girl’s George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who together co-wrote Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) and “How Will I Know,” as well as Andreas Carlsson, who helped soundtrack the ’90s and early 2000s as a writer on “I Want It That Way,” “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me” among others. Also on the list this year is Stargate, the producer duo whose credits include Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” as well as Dan Wilson, who co-wrote Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Semisonic’s “Closing Time.” The songwriting trio of Stock Aitken Waterman, who wrote Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,”made the ballot this year, as did the trio of Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer, who wrote “I Want Candy” and “What Time Is It” among others. Rounding out the nominations this year were “Push It to the Limit” and “I Feel Love” writer Pete Bellotte, “No Scrubs” and “Bills Bills Bills” writer Kandi Burruss, “Song of the South” writer Bob McDill, The House That Built Me” writer Tom Douglas and “Black Pearl” and “Candida” writer Toni Wine. Notably included in the non-performing songwriter list as well is the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am, who along with writing his own group’s hits such as “Where is the Love” and “I’ve Got a Feeling,” has helped pen hits for others including John Legend’s “Ordinary People,” Britney Spears’ “Work Bitch” and Fergie’s “Glamorous.” Voting is now open for the organization’s voting body, with voting closing on December 14 at Midnight EST. The hall’s official class will be revealed in January. The ceremony itself typically takes place in June in New York. This year’s ceremony will follow an equally buzzy 2026 show from this year, where Taylor Swift became the organization’s youngest-ever inductee. Beyond Swift, this year’s class included Kenny Loggins, Alanis Morissette and Tricky Stewart, among others. Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty was awarded the Johnny Mercer Award, considered the Hall’s top honor.