(top row) Walter Afanasieff | Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan | Mike Chapman | Sonny Curtis | Tom Douglas | Franne Golde | Ashley Gorley
(second row) Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins | Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter | Tony Macaulay | Roger Nichols | Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham | Narada Michael Walden
(third row) Bryan Adams | George Alan O'Dowd p/k/a Boy George & Culture Club | George Clinton | Sheryl Crow | Michael McDonald, Patrick Simmons and Tom Johnston p/k/a Doobie Brothers | Marshall Mathers p/k/a Eminem
(bottom row) David Gates | Janet Jackson | Tommy James | Mike Love | Alanis Morissette | Dr. Dre, Easy E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella p/k/a N.W.A. | Steve Winwood
Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) has announced its slate of nominees to be voted upon for induction at its 2025 Induction & Awards Gala in New York City.
Songwriters Hall of Fame is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the exceptional work and lives of composers and lyricists who make an indelible impact creating music around the world. A songwriter with a catalog of notable songs qualifies for induction 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song. Eligible voting members will have until midnight EST on December 22, 2024 to turn in ballots, with their choices of up to three nominees in each of the songwriter and performing songwriter categories.
Songwriters Hall of Fame 2025 Nominees for Induction*:
(*Please note, after each nominee name below, the five songs listed in italics are merely a representative sample of their extensive catalogs.)
Listen while you scroll!: Non-Performing Nominees | Performing NomineesNon-Performing Songwriters
Walter Afanasieff
Key songs in the Afanasieff catalog include: All I Want for Christmas Is You * Hero * License To Kill * Love Will Survive * One Sweet Day
Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan
Key songs in the Barri/Sloan catalog include: Secret Agent Man * Eve Of Destruction * Where Were You When I Needed You * You Baby * Can I Get to Know You Better
Mike Chapman
Key songs in the Chapman catalog include: The Best * Love Is A Battlefield * Ballroom Blitz * Stumblin’ In * Kiss You All Over
Sonny Curtis
Key songs in the Curtis catalog include: Love Is All Around (Theme from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”) * I Fought the Law * Walk Right Back * More Than I Can Say * I’m No Stranger to the Rain
Tom Douglas
Key songs in the Douglas catalog include: The House That Built Me * Little Rock * I Run To You * Grown Men Don’t Cry * Love Me Anyway
Franne Golde
Key songs in the Golde catalog include: Dreaming of You * Nightshift * Don’t Look Any Further * Don’t You Want Me * Stickwitu
Ashley Gorley
Key songs in the Gorley catalog include: I Had Some Help * Last Night * You Should Probably Leave * Play It Again * You’re Gonna Miss This
Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins
Key songs in the Jerkins catalog include: Say My Name * The Boy Is Mine * You Rock My World * Deja Vu * Telephone
Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter
Key songs in the Lambert/ Potter catalog include: One Tin Soldier (Theme from “Billy Jack”) * Don’t Pull Your Love * Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got) * It Only Takes a Minute * Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.)
Tony Macaulay
Key songs in the Macaulay catalog include: Baby Now That I’ve Found You * Build Me Up Buttercup * Don’t Give Up on Us * (Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All * Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
Roger Nichols
Key songs in the Nichols catalog include: We’ve Only Just Begun * Rainy Days and Mondays * I Won’t Last A Day Without You * Out in the Country * Times of Your Life
Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham
Key songs in the Penn/Oldham catalog include: I’m Your Puppet * Cry Like a Baby * A Woman Left Lonely * Out of Left Field * It Tears Me Up
Narada Michael Walden
Key songs in the Walden catalog include: How Will I Know * Freeway of Love * You’re a Friend of Mine * Baby Come to Me * Who’s Zoomin’ Who?
Performing Songwriters
Bryan Adams
Key songs in the Adams catalog include: (Everything I Do) I Do It For You * Heaven * All for Love * Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? * Summer of ‘69
George Alan O’Dowd p/k/a Boy George
Key songs in the Boy George catalog include: Karma Chameleon * Do You Really Want to Hurt Me * Time (Clock Of The Heart) * Love Is Love * Miss Me Blind
George Clinton
Key songs in the Clinton catalog include: Atomic Dog * Flash Light * (Not Just) Knee Deep * I’d Rather Be With You * Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)
Sheryl Crow
Key songs in the Crow catalog include: All I Wanna Do * Soak Up the Sun * If It Makes You Happy * A Change Would Do You Good * Everyday Is a Winding Road
Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons p/k/a Doobie Brothers
Key songs in the Doobie Brothers catalog include: Listen to the Music * Takin’ It to the Streets * Black Water * What a Fool Believes * Long Train Runnin’
Marshall Mathers p/k/a Eminem
Key songs in the Eminem catalog include: Lose Yourself * Stan * Mockingbird * Houdini * Rap God
David Gates
Key songs in the Gates catalog include: Everything I Own * Make It With You * Baby I’m-a Want You * The Guitar Man * If
Janet Jackson
Key songs in the Jackson catalog include: Black Cat * Together Again * Again * Got ‘til It’s Gone * Rhythm Nation
Tommy James
Key songs in the James catalog include: Mony Mony * Crimson and Clover * Crystal Blue Persuasion * Sweet Cherry Wine * Tighter, Tighter
Mike Love
Key songs in the Love catalog include: California Girls * Good Vibrations * The Warmth of the Sun * I Get Around * Fun, Fun, Fun
Alanis Morissette
Key songs in the Morissette catalog include: You Oughta Know * Ironic * Hand in My Pocket * Thank U * Uninvited
Dr. Dre, Easy E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella p/k/a N.W.A.
Key songs in the N.W.A. catalog include: Express Yourself * Dopeman * Fuck Tha Police * Gangsta Gangsta * Straight Outta Compton
Steve Winwood
Key songs in the Winwood catalog include: Higher Love * Gimme Some Lovin’ * I’m a Man * Valerie * Roll With It