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 含羞草研究社渁 comet含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社淓verybody Hurts含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).含羞草研究社� On Thursday, they stunned audiences with the undisputed highlight of the night: reuniting for an acoustic version of 含羞草研究社淟osing My Religion.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲e are R.E.M.,含羞草研究社� Stipe said. 含羞草研究社淎nd this is what we did.含羞草研究社�
Stipe highlighted their strength as a group and early endeavors to own their master recordings and split songwriting credits equally. 含羞草研究社淭here are a lot of people who believed in us,含羞草研究社� he said.
Jason Isbell covered the group含羞草研究社檚 hit, 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).含羞草研究社� Afterward he joked, 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e never said that many words that quickly in my whole life.含羞草研究社�
Nashville hitmaker Hillary Lindsey, who helped write 含羞草研究社淕irl Crush含羞草研究社� for Little Big Town and 含羞草研究社淛esus, Take the Wheel含羞草研究社� for Carrie Underwood, was inducted along with Dean Pitchford, who helped Kenny Loggins with the megahit 含羞草研究社淔ootloose含羞草研究社� and co-wrote 含羞草研究社淔ame含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淗olding Out For a Hero.含羞草研究社�
The Bacon Brothers, the folk-rock duo of actor and Michael Bacon, introduced Pitchford with a rambunctious take on 含羞草研究社淔ootloose,含羞草研究社� tambourine and all. Denise Williams removed her shoes to dance while belting her Pitchford-penned hit, 含羞草研究社淟et含羞草研究社檚 Hear It For the Boy.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been 40 years, can you believe it,含羞草研究社� Pitchford said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 deeply grateful 含羞草研究社� Above all, thank you for hearing me.含羞草研究社� He then sang his composition, 含羞草研究社淥nce Before I Go.含羞草研究社�
Irving Azoff led the celebration of Steely Dan, telling a story about the legendary band submitting a blank glossy image as their promo artwork.
含羞草研究社淭o say they had a great sense of humor would be an understatement,含羞草研究社� he said.
Co-founded by Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker, Steely Dan are known for their classic rock songs including 含羞草研究社淒o It Again含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淗ey Nineteen.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 like to thank my partner Walter Becker, wherever he may be,含羞草研究社� Fagen said in his acceptance speech.
Phish frontman covered Steely Dan含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淜id Charlemagne含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淩eelin含羞草研究社� in the Years.含羞草研究社� Their 含羞草研究社渞eal genius含羞草研究社� is their songs, Anastasio said.
Nile Rodgers presented singer with the Hal David Starlight Award for 含羞草研究社済ifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭here would be no music industry if there were no songs,含羞草研究社� Rodgers told the artists and industry professionals in the room. 含羞草研究社淓verything begins with a song.含羞草研究社�
Rodgers received roaring applause when he veered off the prompter to comment, 含羞草研究社淪potify, we need you to make a point of songwriters being your priority.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭his means the most to me,含羞草研究社� SZA said in front of the crowd that included her parents. 含羞草研究社淚 struggle at the artist thing. But writing is where I felt like a person, that I had value 含羞草研究社� it was beyond, was I pretty, was I liked.含羞草研究社�
Receiving the award 含羞草研究社渧alidates my entire career,含羞草研究社� she said before leading the crowd in a stripped down version of her hit, 含羞草研究社淣obody Gets Me.含羞草研究社�
honored Lindsey, one of her longtime songwriters she called 含羞草研究社渢he queen of modern Nashville songwriters,含羞草研究社� before jumping into a full-band rendition of the tearjerker, 含羞草研究社淛esus, Take the Wheel.含羞草研究社�
Lindsey joked that the first song she wrote 含羞草研究社渨as probably about poops and boogers and things,含羞草研究社� later describing a childhood spent singing into anything in the house, including 含羞草研究社渕y mom含羞草研究社檚 tampons.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淐ountry done come to town y含羞草研究社檃ll,含羞草研究社� she said, before playing a short medley of songs she co-wrote, including 含羞草研究社淢illion Reasons含羞草研究社� and a duet with Keith Urban on his 含羞草研究社淏lue Ain含羞草研究社檛 Your Color.含羞草研究社�
Missy Elliott shouted out the for introducing her to Timbaland in an energetic introduction to her longtime writing and production partner, noting he had 含羞草研究社渁 gift.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭imbaland literally changed the cadence of the time, because he also treated hip hop records like R&B records,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淗e would take the hooks and put a different sound.含羞草研究社�
Timbaland told the audience the songwriting recognition was the best award he could get.
含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 really talk too much. I just talk with my music,含羞草研究社� he said, centering his speech on his collaborators and his family, including his grandmother who allowed him to work in her home to write 含羞草研究社淥ne in a Million含羞草研究社� for the late singer .
含羞草研究社淚 want to thank baby girl, rest in peace, I hope you含羞草研究社檙e watching,含羞草研究社� he said.
He conducted a group of musicians in a medley of some of his most recognizable songs including Aaliyah含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淎re You That Somebody,含羞草研究社� Ginuwine含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淧ony,含羞草研究社� Justin Timberlake含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淪exyBack含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淪uit & Tie,含羞草研究社� Elliott含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淕et Ur Freak On,含羞草研究社� Beyonc茅含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淒runk in Love含羞草研究社� and Nelly Furtado含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淧romiscuous.含羞草研究社�
Paul Williams presented Diane Warren with the Johnny Mercer Award, the highest honor bestowed by the event, joking that artificial intelligence 含羞草研究社渨orries about Diane Warren.含羞草研究社� Andra Day performed 含羞草研究社淪tand Up for Something,含羞草研究社� written by Warren, who previously was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
含羞草研究社淚 have to thank my mom for being the first one I had to prove wrong,含羞草研究社� Warren said. 含羞草研究社淪ongwriting isn含羞草研究社檛 something I do, it is who I am.含羞草研究社�
The night ended with a performance marking the 40th anniversary of another song written by Warren: DeBarge含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淩hythm of the Night.
Ahead of Thursday含羞草研究社檚 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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