A comet must have landed at the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The members of R.E.M. only hours before it would take 鈥渁 comet鈥� to get the band to perform together one last time. Yet there they were, reunited during the gala at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City Thursday night.
The annual event celebrated a talented group of songwriters that included R.E.M., Steely Dan and , who conducted a medley of his massive hits.
Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe were behind numerous alt-rock hits such as 鈥淓verybody Hurts鈥� and 鈥淚t鈥檚 the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).鈥� On Thursday, they stunned audiences with the undisputed highlight of the night: reuniting for an acoustic version of 鈥淟osing My Religion.鈥�
鈥淲e are R.E.M.,鈥� Stipe said. 鈥淎nd this is what we did.鈥�
Stipe highlighted their strength as a group and early endeavors to own their master recordings and split songwriting credits equally. 鈥淭here are a lot of people who believed in us,鈥� he said.
Jason Isbell covered the group鈥檚 hit, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).鈥� Afterward he joked, 鈥淚鈥檝e never said that many words that quickly in my whole life.鈥�
Nashville hitmaker Hillary Lindsey, who helped write 鈥淕irl Crush鈥� for Little Big Town and 鈥淛esus, Take the Wheel鈥� for Carrie Underwood, was inducted along with Dean Pitchford, who helped Kenny Loggins with the megahit 鈥淔ootloose鈥� and co-wrote 鈥淔ame鈥� and 鈥淗olding Out For a Hero.鈥�
The Bacon Brothers, the folk-rock duo of actor and Michael Bacon, introduced Pitchford with a rambunctious take on 鈥淔ootloose,鈥� tambourine and all. Denise Williams removed her shoes to dance while belting her Pitchford-penned hit, 鈥淟et鈥檚 Hear It For the Boy.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 been 40 years, can you believe it,鈥� Pitchford said. 鈥淚鈥檓 deeply grateful 鈥� Above all, thank you for hearing me.鈥� He then sang his composition, 鈥淥nce Before I Go.鈥�
Irving Azoff led the celebration of Steely Dan, telling a story about the legendary band submitting a blank glossy image as their promo artwork.
鈥淭o say they had a great sense of humor would be an understatement,鈥� he said.
Co-founded by Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker, Steely Dan are known for their classic rock songs including 鈥淒o It Again鈥� and 鈥淗ey Nineteen.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檇 like to thank my partner Walter Becker, wherever he may be,鈥� Fagen said in his acceptance speech.
Phish frontman covered Steely Dan鈥檚 鈥淜id Charlemagne鈥� and 鈥淩eelin鈥� in the Years.鈥� Their 鈥渞eal genius鈥� is their songs, Anastasio said.
Nile Rodgers presented singer with the Hal David Starlight Award for 鈥済ifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry.鈥�
鈥淭here would be no music industry if there were no songs,鈥� Rodgers told the artists and industry professionals in the room. 鈥淓verything begins with a song.鈥�
Rodgers received roaring applause when he veered off the prompter to comment, 鈥淪potify, we need you to make a point of songwriters being your priority.鈥�
鈥淭his means the most to me,鈥� SZA said in front of the crowd that included her parents. 鈥淚 struggle at the artist thing. But writing is where I felt like a person, that I had value 鈥� it was beyond, was I pretty, was I liked.鈥�
Receiving the award 鈥渧alidates my entire career,鈥� she said before leading the crowd in a stripped down version of her hit, 鈥淣obody Gets Me.鈥�
honored Lindsey, one of her longtime songwriters she called 鈥渢he queen of modern Nashville songwriters,鈥� before jumping into a full-band rendition of the tearjerker, 鈥淛esus, Take the Wheel.鈥�
Lindsey joked that the first song she wrote 鈥渨as probably about poops and boogers and things,鈥� later describing a childhood spent singing into anything in the house, including 鈥渕y mom鈥檚 tampons.鈥�
鈥淐ountry done come to town y鈥檃ll,鈥� she said, before playing a short medley of songs she co-wrote, including 鈥淢illion Reasons鈥� and a duet with Keith Urban on his 鈥淏lue Ain鈥檛 Your Color.鈥�
Missy Elliott shouted out the for introducing her to Timbaland in an energetic introduction to her longtime writing and production partner, noting he had 鈥渁 gift.鈥�
鈥淭imbaland literally changed the cadence of the time, because he also treated hip hop records like R&B records,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e would take the hooks and put a different sound.鈥�
Timbaland told the audience the songwriting recognition was the best award he could get.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really talk too much. I just talk with my music,鈥� he said, centering his speech on his collaborators and his family, including his grandmother who allowed him to work in her home to write 鈥淥ne in a Million鈥� for the late singer .
鈥淚 want to thank baby girl, rest in peace, I hope you鈥檙e watching,鈥� he said.
He conducted a group of musicians in a medley of some of his most recognizable songs including Aaliyah鈥檚 鈥淎re You That Somebody,鈥� Ginuwine鈥檚 鈥淧ony,鈥� Justin Timberlake鈥檚 鈥淪exyBack鈥� and 鈥淪uit & Tie,鈥� Elliott鈥檚 鈥淕et Ur Freak On,鈥� Beyonc茅鈥檚 鈥淒runk in Love鈥� and Nelly Furtado鈥檚 鈥淧romiscuous.鈥�
Paul Williams presented Diane Warren with the Johnny Mercer Award, the highest honor bestowed by the event, joking that artificial intelligence 鈥渨orries about Diane Warren.鈥� Andra Day performed 鈥淪tand Up for Something,鈥� written by Warren, who previously was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
鈥淚 have to thank my mom for being the first one I had to prove wrong,鈥� Warren said. 鈥淪ongwriting isn鈥檛 something I do, it is who I am.鈥�
The night ended with a performance marking the 40th anniversary of another song written by Warren: DeBarge鈥檚 鈥淩hythm of the Night.
Ahead of Thursday鈥檚 festivities, country star Cindy Walker was into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Walker wrote songs performed by some of the biggest names in country music history and beyond, including , Merle Haggard, B.B. King, , Glen Campbell, Gene Autry, Bing Crosby and Roy Orbison.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those creating popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.
Some already in the hall include Gloria Estefan, Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond and Phil Collins.
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