(New York) A comet must have landed during the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The members of REM had joked a few hours earlier that it would take “a comet” for the group to produce one last time together. Yet there they were, reunited at the gala at the Marriott Marquis hotel in New York on Thursday evening.
The annual event celebrated a talented group of songwriters, including REM, Steely Dan and Timbaland.
Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe of REM are responsible for many alternative rock hits such as Everybody Hurts And It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). On Thursday, they stunned the audience with the undisputed highlight of the evening: an acoustic version of losing my Religion.
“We are REM,” Michael Stipe said. And here is what we did. »
Stipe highlighted their strength as a group and their early efforts to own their master recordings and share songwriting credits fairly. “A lot of people believed in us,” he said.
Jason Isbell covered the group’s hit, It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). Afterwards, he joked, “I’ve never said so many words so quickly in my entire life.” »
Nashville hitmaker Hillary Lindsey, who helped write Girl Crush for Little Big Town and Jesus, Take the Wheel for Carrie Underwood, was inducted with Dean Pitchford, who helped Kenny Loggins with the mega-success Footloose and co-wrote Fame And Holding Out For a Hero.
The Bacon Brothers, the folk rock duo of actor Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon, introduced Pitchford with a boisterous version of Footloose. Denise Williams took off her shoes to dance while singing her Pitchford-penned hit, Let’s Hear It For the Boy.
Irving Azoff also led the celebration of the group Steely Dan, known for its songs Do It Again And Hey Nineteen.
Missy Elliott thanked the late rapper Magoo for introducing her to Timbaland in an energetic introduction to her longtime writing and producing partner, noting that he had “a gift.”
“Timbaland literally changed the cadence of the era because he also treated hip-hop records like R&B records,” she noted.
Elsewhere, Paul Williams presented Diane Warren with the Johnny Mercer Award, the event’s highest honor, joking that artificial intelligence “worries about Diane Warren.” Andra Day performed Stand Up for Somethinga song written by Warren, who was previously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those who create popular music. A songwriter with a notable song catalog is eligible for induction 20 years after a song’s first commercial release.
Among those inducted were Gloria Estefan, Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, as well as Elton John and Bernie Taupin.