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It’s all about the pen game. The Songwriters Hall of Fame has revealed its list of nominees for the Class of 2025, with hip-hop icons N.W.A. and Eminem, as well as R&B legend Janet Jackson, leading the pack. On Tuesday, November 12, the organization unveiled this year’s nominees, which span multiple genres, including country, rock, folk, and pop.
Get this, in addition to the three headline names, the list includes influential figures like funk pioneer George Clinton, hit-making producer and songwriter Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, and celebrated rock artist Alanis Morissette.
Now just so you understand the magnitude of this honor, to be eligible for induction into the prestigious Hall of Fame, a songwriter or performer must have released their first commercial song at least 20 years ago. Voting for the 2025 class is now open and will close on December 22 at midnight ET. Voters can select up to three nominees from both the songwriter and performer categories.
What’s more, over the past few years, the Songwriters Hall of Fame has increasingly recognized hip-hop artists for their groundbreaking contributions to music. The trend began in 2017 when Jay-Z made history as the first rapper to be inducted into the Hall. His induction was a momentous occasion, celebrated by many, including former U.S. President Barack Obama. Reflecting on his admiration for Jay-Z, Obama shared, “I sampled his lyrics to close my speech at Selma… I tweeted a reference to ‘My First Song’ as I was putting the finishing touches on my final State of the Union Address. I had to brush some ‘dirt off my shoulders’ during a campaign.”
Obama added with a smile, “I’m pretty sure I’m still the only President to listen to Jay-Z’s music in the Oval Office. That may change at some point, but I’m pretty sure that’s true now.” TBH, he’s probably right.
But wait, other hip-hop legends who have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame include Jermaine Dupri, Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, and The Neptunes.
Taking it back just a year, the 2024 class of inductees included an eclectic mix of talents, such as rock icons R.E.M., Steely Dan, and SZA, as well as established songwriters like Hillary Lindsey, Diane Warren, and Cindy Walker.
English (US) ·