2027 Songwriters Hall of Fame Ballot Features 40+ Nominees Across Genres
Voting for the 2027 class closes December 14, with nominees spanning pop, rock, hip-hop, and country, including Lady Gaga, Jack White, and Boy George.
By Bianca Herrera ·
The 2027 Songwriters Hall of Fame class will draw from a field of more than 40 nominees, a list that spans five decades of popular music production. The ballot includes high-profile performers such as Lady Gaga, Shakira, Pink, Boy George, Jack White, Sia, Vince Gill, and Ne-Yo. It also names Blondie members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein. The group covers a wide range of styles, including pop, hip-hop, Latin, funk, and rock.
The selection process distinguishes between performing songwriters and non-performing composers. The non-performing category features individuals and teams responsible for hits written for other artists. Nominees in this group include George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of Boy Meets Girl, who wrote Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “How Will I Know.” The ballot also lists the trio Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, and Richard Gottehrer, known as FGG Productions. They produced and wrote “I Want Candy” for The Strangeloves and “My Boyfriend’s Back” for The Angels.
Other non-performing nominees include Maurice Starr, who wrote “Candy Girl” for New Edition and “Step By Step” for New Kids on the Block. The Swedish production team Stock Aitken Waterman is also on the list, credited with Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” and Kylie Minogue’s “I Should Be So Lucky.” Dan Wilson, known for Adele’s “Someone Like You,” and Toni Wine, who wrote “A Groovy Kind of Love” for Phil Collins, round out the list of prominent writers in this category. R&B and pop producers Kandi Burruss and the Norwegian duo Stargate are also nominated, as is will.i.am.
The country music sector is represented by Tom Douglas, nominated for Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” and Tim McGraw’s “Grown Men Don’t Cry.” The ballot also includes members of established rock groups. ZZ Top’s Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, and Dusty Hill are eligible for induction, as are Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America. The funk group War is represented by eight members: Thomas Sylvester Allen, Harold Ray Brown, Morris Dickerson, Jerry Goldstein, LeRoy L. Jordan, Lee Oskar Levitin, Charles William Miller, and Howard E. Scott.
Several nominees are attempting induction for the second or third time. Maurice Starr, Tom Douglas, Vince Gill, Boy George, and members of Blondie and America were previously on the ballot. Pink was nominated in 2026 but did not make the final cut. Swedish producer Andreas Carlsson, known for hits with Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, and disco songwriter Pete Bellotte are also returning. Bob McDill, a country songwriter, is on the ballot for the sixth time in 15 years, having previously written “Amanda” for Don Williams.
Eligible voting members must submit their ballots by midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 14. Voters may select up to three nominees from the songwriter category and up to three from the performing-songwriter category. The Hall was established in 1969 to honor creators of popular music. A songwriter becomes eligible 20 years after the first commercial release of a song. The 2027 inductees will be announced in early 2027.
The 2026 class included Taylor Swift, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Christopher Stewart, Alanis Morissette, and Kenny Loggins. It also recognized non-performers Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, as well as Walter Afanasieff. Past inductees include Elton John, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond, Phil Collins, R.E.M., Steely Dan, Dean Pitchford, Hillary Lindsey, and Timbaland.
