(New York) Steely Dan, REM, Timbaland, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford will be inducted into the United States Songwriters Hall of Fame, joining other country, rock, pop, hip-hop and alternative music landmarks.
Steely Dan – co-founded by Donald Fagan and the late Walter Becker – is finally entering the temple despite being a classic rock staple 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.
RE M. — inductees include Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe — are responsible for such alt-rock hits as losing my Religion, Everybody Hurts And It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). Nashville hit singer Hillary Lindsey helped write Girl Crush for Little Big Town and Jesus, Take the Wheel for Carrie Underwood.
PHOTO CHARLES SYKES, INVISION ARCHIVES/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Timbaland
The class of 2024 also includes Dean Pitchford, who helped Kenny Loggins with his megasuccess Footloose and also co-wrote Fame And Holding Out For a Heroas well as producer-writer Timbaland, the mastermind behind SexyBack by Justin Timberlake and Get Yer Freak On by Missy Elliot.
Public Enemy, Bryan Adams, George Clinton, Tracy Chapman, Blondie, Heart, The Doobie Brothers and David Gates were also on the ballot, but were unsuccessful.
The jury members chose three candidates in the songwriters category and three in the singer-songwriters category. The induction ceremony will take place on June 13 in New York.
Members admitted last year included Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard and Teddy Riley. They join Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, who have received this honor in the past.
The Composers Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor creators of popular music. A songwriter with an extensive catalog of hits is eligible for induction 20 years after a song’s first commercial release.