NEW YORK — Steely Dan, Timbaland, R.E.M., Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an incoming class of musicians who have scaled the heights of country, classic rock, pop, hip-hop and alt-rock.
Steely Dan — co-founded by Donald Fagan and the late Walter Becker — will finally find their place in the hall despite being a staple of classic rock with songs like "Reelin' in the Years," "Do It Again" and "Hey Nineteen." They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Producer-writer Timbaland, the mastermind behind hits like Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'," Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack," Ginuwine's "Pony" and Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On," will also join the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame class.
R.E.M. — the inducted members are Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe — are behind such alt-rock hits as "Losing My Religion," "Everybody Hurts," "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "The One I Love." The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2007 class in their first year of eligibility.
The class of 2024 also includes Pitchford, who helped Kenny Loggins with the megahit "Footloose," Whitney Houston with "All The Man That I Need" and co-wrote "Fame" and "Holding Out For a Hero"; and Nashville hitmaker Lindsey, who helped write "Girl Crush" for Little Big Town and "Jesus, Take the Wheel" for Carrie Underwood.
Public Enemy, Bryan Adams, George Clinton, Tracy Chapman, Blondie, Heart, The Doobie Brothers and David Gates were on the ballot but unlucky this year. Eligible voting members turned in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the songwriter category and three from the performing-songwriter category.
The induction ceremony will be held on June 13 in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced at an upcoming date.
Last year's inductees included Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard and Teddy Riley. Some of those already in the hall include Dolly Parton, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Smokey Robinson.
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.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY; Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
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