Lady Gaga, Shakira, Jack White, P!NK and Grandmaster Melle Mel are among the artists nominated for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2027. The newly announced ballot features 26 songwriters and songwriting teams across pop, rock, hip-hop, country, R&B and Latin music, with six places available in next year’s class.
The nominees are divided into two categories: performing songwriters and non-performing songwriters. Eligible voting members can select up to three candidates in each category, with ballots due by midnight EST on December 14, 2026. The six inductees will be announced in early 2027 ahead of the annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York City.
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Among the performing-songwriter nominees, Lady Gaga earns recognition for a catalogue that includes global hits such as “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” “Born This Way” and “Shallow,” as well as her recent collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile.” Shakira is also nominated, with songwriting credits spanning “Whenever, Wherever,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” “La Tortura” and “Inevitable.”
Other major names on the performing-songwriter ballot include Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, Boy George, Vince Gill, Ne-Yo, P!NK, Sia, Jack White and Grandmaster Melle Mel. The latter is recognized for helping shape hip-hop songwriting through influential records such as “The Message,” while White’s catalogue includes the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America, members of WAR and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill are also nominated.
The non-performing songwriter category highlights creators whose work has shaped popular music behind the scenes. Kandi Burruss, known for co-writing TLC’s “No Scrubs” and Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills,” is among the nominees. Stargate, the production and songwriting duo of Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Hermansen, are recognized for hits including Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.”
The category also includes will.i.am, whose songwriting credits extend beyond the Black Eyed Peas, as well as Dan Wilson, who co-wrote Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Other nominees include Pete Bellotte, a key collaborator in Donna Summer’s catalogue; Boy Meets Girl’s George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, writers of Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know”; and Stock Aitken Waterman, the songwriting and production trio behind “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
Maurice Starr, Andreas Carlsson, Tom Douglas, Bob McDill and Toni Wine round out the non-performing category, alongside the songwriting team of Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer. Several nominees are returning candidates from previous ballots.
Founded in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates the creators behind some of music’s most enduring compositions. Its eligibility rules generally require a songwriter to have a catalogue of notable songs and to be at least 20 years removed from the first commercial release of a song they wrote.
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