The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represents a spectrum of the most beloved songs from the world's popular music songbook. It not only celebrates these established songwriters, but is also involved on the development of new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. There are many programs designed to teach and discover new songwriters.
The Hall of Fame only existed as an online virtual collection until 2010, when it was first put on display as a physical gallery inside The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. With an under-construction basement installation at the Brill Building in New York, the Hall doesn't have a permanent place and the awards aren't televised.
Through 2010, 383 individuals had been inducted into the SHOF. The British rock band Queen was the first band to be inducted in 2003.
The Abe Olman Publisher Award is given to publishers who have had a substantial number of songs that have become world-renowned and who have helped to further the careers and success of many songwriters.
1983 – Howard S. Richmond
1986 – Leonard Feist
1987 – Lou Levy
1988 – Buddy Killen
1990 – Charles Koppelman & Martin Bandier
1991 – Frank Military & Jay Morgenstern
1992 – Bonnie Bourne
1993 – Berry Gordy
1994 – Buddy Morris
1995 – Al Gallico
1996 – Freddy Bienstock
1997 – Gene Goodman
1998 – Irwin Z. Robinson
1999 – Bill Lowery
2000 – Julian Aberbach
2001 – Ralph Peer
2002 – Edward P. Murphy
2003 – Nicholas Firth
2004 – Les Bider
2005 – Beebe Bourne
2006 – Allen Klein
2007 – Don Kirshner
2008 – Milt Okun
2009 – Maxyne Lang
2010 – Keith Mardak
2012 – lance Freed
The Board of Directors Award is presented to an individual selected by the SHOF Board in recognition of his or her service to the songwriting community and the advancement of popular music.
1986 – Jule Styne
1988 – Stanley Adams
1992 – Edward P. Murphy
1996 – Anna Sosenko & Oscar Brand
1997 – Thomas A. Dorsey
The Contemporary Icon Award was established in 2015 to recognize songwriter-artists who attained an iconic status in pop culture. The American singer Lady Gaga was the first artist ever to win the award.
2015 – Lady Gaga
The Hal David Starlight Award honors young artists who have already made an impression on the music industry.
2004 – Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty)
2005 – Alicia Keys
2006 – John Mayer
2007 – John Legend
2008 – John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls)
2009 – Jason Mraz
2010 – Taylor Swift
2011 – Drake
2012 – Ne-Yo
2013 – Benny Blanco
2014 – Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons)
2015 – Nate Ruess (Fun)
2016 – Nick Jonas
2017 - Ed Sheeran
The Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award is specifically tailored for artists or "star makers" in the music industry who have been responsible for a substantial number of hit songs for an extended period of time, and who recognize the importance of songs and their writers.
1981 – Chuck Berry
1983 – Rosemary Clooney & Margaret Whiting
1990 – Whitney Houston
1991 – Barry Manilow
1995 – Michael Bolton
1996 – Gloria Estefan
1998 – Diana Ross
1999 – Natalie Cole
2000 – Johnny Mathis
2001 – Dionne Warwick
2002 – Garth Brooks
2003 – Clive Davis
2008 – Anne Murray
2009 – Tom Jones
2010 – Phil Ramone
2011 – Chaka Khan
2014 – Doug Morris
The Johnny Mercer Award is the highest honor bestowed by the event. It goes to writers already inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for having established a history of outstanding creative works.
1980 – Frank Sinatra
1981 – Yip Harburg
1982 – Harold Arlen
1983 – Sammy Cahn
1985 – Alan Jay Lerner
1986 – Mitchell Parish
1987 – Jerry Herman
1990 – Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick
1991 – Betty Comden & Adolph Green
1992 – Burton Lane
1993 – Jule Styne
1994 – Irving Caesar
1995 – Cy Coleman
1996 – Burt Bacharach & Hal David
1997 – Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman
1998 – Paul Simon
1999 – Stephen Sondheim
2000 – Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
2001 – Billy Joel
2002 – Michael Jackson
2003 – Jimmy Webb
2004 – Stevie Wonder
2005 – Smokey Robinson
2006 – Kris Kristofferson
2007 – Dolly Parton & Milliea Taylor McKinney
2008 – Paul Anka
2009 – Holland–Dozier–Holland
2010 – Phil Collins
2011 – Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
2013 – Elton John & Bernie Taupin
2014 – Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff
2015 – Van Morrison
The Patron of the Arts is presented to influential industry executives who are not primarily in the music business but are great supporters of the performing arts.
1988 – Martin Segal
1989 – Roger Enrico
1990 – Edgar Bronfman Jr.
1991 – Edwin M. Cooperman
1992 – Jonathan Tisch
1993 – Michel Roux
1994 – Philip Dusenberry
1995 – Theodore J. Forstmann
1996 – Sumner Redstone
1997 – Dr. Samuel LeFrak
1998 – David Checketts
1999 – Robert Mondavi
2001 – Iris Cantor
2003 – Martin Bandier
2004 – Michael Goldstein
2005 – Henry Juszkiewicz
The Pioneer Award was established in 2012 to recognize the career of a historic creator of an extensive body of musical work that has been a major influence on generations of songwriters.
2012 – Woody Guthrie
2013 – Berry Gordy
2014 – Milliea Taylor McKinney
Named for the former President of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award is given to individuals or teams who are recognized as having done a great deal to further the successes of songwriters.
1980 – Ethel Merman
1981 – Tony Bennett
1982 – Dinah Shore
1983 – Willie Nelson
1984 – Benny Goodman
1985 – John Hammond
1987 – Jerry Wexler
1988 – Dick Clark
1989 – Quincy Jones
1990 – B.B. King
1991 – Gene Autry
1992 – Nat King Cole
1993 – Ray Charles
1994 – Lena Horne
1995 – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé
1996 – Frankie Laine
1997 – Vic Damone
1998 – Berry Gordy
1999 – Kenny Rogers
2000 – Neil Diamond
2001 – Gloria & Emilio Estefan
2002 – Stevie Wonder
2003 – Patti LaBelle
2004 – Neil Sedaka
2005 – Les Paul
2006 – Peter, Paul & Mary
2012 – Bette Midler
Abe Olman was an American songwriter and music publisher. He was later director of ASCAP, and a founder of the Songwriters Hall of Fame which, in 1983, named the Abe Olman Publisher Award. In his honor, the Abe Olman Scholarship is given out each year by his family in the interest of encouraging and supporting the careers of young songwriters.
1990
Nancy Magarill & H. Sefus Henderson (ASCAP)
April Higuera (BMI)
Emil Trombino, Sal Trombino & Walter Zelinski (SHOF)
Thomas Kjellberg (SGA)
1991
Nanette Maxine Brown (ASCAP)
Dee Ann Macomson (SGA)
Ellen O’Brien & Rich Campbell (SHOF)
Pantera Saint-Montaigne (BMI)
1992
Mark Batson (BMI)
Lorraine Ferro & Stephanie Lewis (SHOF)
Darren Quinlan (ASCAP)
David Stewart (SGA)
1993
Ilene Angel (SHOF)
Gregory Cohen & Matthew Lewis (BMI)
Mike Flynn (SGA)
Anika Peress (ASCAP)
1994
Jazmin Jackson (ASCAP)
Rebecca Martin (BMI)
Amy Powers & Stephanie Salzman (SHOF)
Alan Wolpert & Bill Pitzonka (SGA)
1995
Mike Blaxill (BMI)
Janie Coulter & Barry Wittenstein (SHOF)
Tina de Varon (ASCAP)
Caroline Horn (SGA)
1996
Cara Beckenstein (SGA)
Tamara Feinman (SESAC)
Nicole Johnson (BMI)
Pilley (ASCAP)
Liz Queler (SHOF)
1997
Stephanie Cooke (ASCAP)
Amanda Green (SHOF)
Lauren Kinhan (SESAC)
Dan Siegler (BMI)
Richard Winter (SGA)
1998
Chris Alastair (ASCAP)
Chris Moore (BMI)
Ivy Markaity (SESAC)
Clare Cooper (SGA)
Sandy Fredrickseon (SHOF)
1999
Mike Errico (SHOF)
Delilah Harris (SESAC)
Natasha Ming (BMI)
Jean Norris (ASCAP)
Stephen Rosenthal (SGA)
2000
Angela Ai (SHOF)
Jabe Beyer (SESAC)
Edie Carey (BMI)
James Day (ASCAP)
Nina Mankin (SGA)
2001
Sophia Ramos Dupre (SESAC)
Tabitha Fair (BMI)
Carrie FitzGibbon (SHOF)
James Glasco (ASCAP)
Stephen Goldfinger (SGA)
2002
Colin Brooks (SESAC)
Elizabeth Jordan (SHOF)
Lee Kweller (SGA)
Johnny Rodgers (ASCAP)
John Stephens (aka John Legend) (BMI)
2003
Janice FitzGerald (SHOF)
Karen Jacobsen (SESAC)
Michael McLeod (SGA)
Jeanine Smith (BMI)
Meleni Smith (ASCAP)
2004
Bliss: Kiirsten Moore (BMI)
David Ippolito (SGA)
Michele Jaffe (SHOF)
Lori McKenna (ASCAP)
Sofia-Jay: Jay & Jennifer Lyons (SESAC)
2005
Laurel Barclay & Matt Katz-Bohen of Daddy (SESAC)
Loretta Collins (SGA)
Kiara Duran (NAPM)
Morley Kamen (ASCAP)
Sylvia Tosun (BMI)
2006
Cassandra Kubinski
Summer Johnson
Wes Hutchinson
Annie Dinerman
Susan Cagle
2007
Dan Ferrari
Jayms Madison
Alice Smith
Jodi Shaw
Adam Falcon
2008
Galia Arad
Linda Kiraly
Reeve Carney
Watt White
Shelly Bhushan
2009
Madi Diaz
Michael Grubbs
April Smith
Kirsten Thien
Natalie Warner
2010
Gabriella Caspi
Keli Price
Comic Book Heroes
Rebecca Jordan
Chris Tedesco
2011
Erin Christine
Markeisha Ensley
Rachel Brown
Nenna Yvonne & Daniel Wisniewski
Jason Kingston
2012
Shea Rose
Jody Mulgrew
Bebe Rexha
Jeremy Current
Lyle Divinsky
2013
Amy Allen
Ro James
Emily Warren
Kat Edmonson
Tyler Lyle
2014
Cobaine Ivory
Sydney Wayser
Travis Nilan
Claire Wilkinson
Audra Mae
Created In 2009, The Holly Prize is a tribute to the legacy of Buddy Holly, a SHOF inductee. The award recognizes and supports a new "all-in songwriter" — an exceptionally talented and inspired young musician/singer/songwriter whose work exhibits the qualities of Holly's music: true, great and original. The Holly Prize is administered and juried by the SongHall.
Ben Howard
Emily King
Jack Skuller
Jenny O.
Kendra Morris
Laura Warshauer
Shun Ng
Announced in 2011, along with a collaboration between the Songwriters Hall of Fame and NYU Steinhardt's Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, the NYU Steinhardt Songwriting Scholar Award is presented to a music composition student whose work holds great potential for success in the field, and embodies the art, craft, individuality and qualities of communication of the best songwriting.
AJ Smith
David Marenberg
Monica Cialona
Shan Gao
Tiger Darrow
The Towering Performance Award is given in recognition of one-of-a-kind performances by one-of-a-kind singers that have recorded outstanding and unforgettable interpretations of songs that have become iconic standards.
2005 – Bill Medley
2009 – Andy Williams
2012 – Ben E. King
The Towering Song Award is given to creators of an individual song that has influenced the culture in a unique way over the years.
1995 – "As Time Goes By" (written by Herman Hupfeld)
1996 – "Happy Birthday To You" (written by Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill)
1997 – "How High The Moon" (lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis)
1998 – "The Christmas Song" (written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé)
1999 – "Fly Me To The Moon" (written by Bart Howard)
2000 – "All of Me" (written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons)
2000 – "You Are My Sunshine" (recorded by Jimmie Davis)
2001 – "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" (lyrics by Beth Slater Whitson and music by Leo Friedman)
2002 – "You're a Grand Old Flag" (written by George M. Cohan)
2003 – "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (written by George Cory and Douglass Cross)
2004 – "What the World Needs Now is Love" (lyrics by Hal David and music by Burt Bacharach)
2005 – "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (written by Phil Spector, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil)
2006 – "When the Saints Go Marching In" (lyrics by Katharine Purvis and music by James Milton Black)
2008 – "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (lyrics by Jack Norworth and music by Albert Von Tilzer)
2009 – "Moon River" (lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Henry Mancini)
2010 – "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (written by Paul Simon)
2011 – "It Was a Very Good Year" (written by Ervin Drake)
2012 – "Stand by Me" ( written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller)
2013 – "A Change Is Gonna Come" (written by Sam Cooke)
2014 – "Over The Rainbow" (lyrics by E.Y. Harburg and music by Harold Arlen)
2015 – "What a Wonderful World" (written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss)
Created in 2013, The Visionary Leadership Award recognizes members of the Hall of Fame Board of Directors who have made a significant contribution in furthering the ongoing mission of the organization.
2013 – Hal David
2014 – Del Bryant
2015 – John A. Lofrumento
