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Why this ballot matters
Readers do not need hype, they need context. The Songwriters Hall of Fame is about catalogs that endure, not one-off virality. The core rule is simple, eligibility begins 20 years after the first commercial release. That favors writers who built repertoires across eras, formats and lineups. It also reframes Swift’s timeline, she is not early, she is right on schedule
Hook to remember, the ballot is a shortlist, not a coronation. Voting members have until December 4 to submit choices, with inductees revealed at the 2026 Induction & Awards Gala in New York City. The wait is part of the theater
Who is on the ballot
This is the headline set. The names read like a decade-spanning playlist, Taylor Swift, Pink, LL Cool J, Kenny Loggins, Sarah McLachlan, David Byrne, Boz Scaggs, Richard Carpenter, Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings of The Guess Who, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America, plus Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine and Jane M. Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s. Two constants tie them together, hooks with staying power and choruses that outlived the trends that birthed them
À lireSelena Gomez turns the lights down and the stakes up with “In the Dark”
À lireJustin Bieber joins Twitch and gives fans a raw look before Coachella 2026
If you want a quick listening sprint, try Byrne’s Once in a Lifetime, Swift’s All Too Well and McLachlan’s Angel. Three schools of writing, one throughline, lyric architecture that sticks
Non-performing songwriters
Less photogenic on red carpets, essential on record sleeves. The ballot features Walter Afanasieff, Pete Bellotte, Andreas Carlsson, Steve Kipner, Jeffrey Steele, Patrick Leonard, Bob McDill, Kenny Nolan, Martin Page, Vini Poncia, Tom Snow, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and Larry Weiss. If the song title list looks like a greatest-hits rack, that is the point, “Umbrella,” “Genie in a Bottle,” “Lady Marmalade,” “We Built This City,” “Rhinestone Cowboy”. Behind every stadium chorus is a calendar full of drafts
The duo in contention
There is one team nominated as a unit, Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, whose credits include the Tina Turner standard What’s Love Got To Do With It. The moral here is not romantic, it is practical, co-writing multiplies angles, and the ballot recognizes that reality
What changes if they are inducted
For audiences, this ballot formalizes what fans already know, the pop canon is plural. For the industry, it kickstarts catalog economics, reissues, sync placements, documentary cycles. Induction does not just polish plaques, it breathes new life into backlists that younger listeners often find through playlists or film cues. One line, then we move on, legacy and discovery can coexist without stepping on each other
The narrative around Swift and Pink
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I have covered both artists through brittle press cycles and euphoric tour peaks. The thing that holds up is not scale, it is songcraft under pressure. Pink’s blunt precision on Just Like a Pill and What About Us pairs vulnerability with punch. Swift’s writing evolved from diaristic country to architected pop storytelling, where bridges carry emotional weight and structure is part of the feeling. Agree or not, the ballot is acknowledging the work, not the headlines
Timeline and how to follow
Voting closes December 4 for eligible members. The 2026 Induction & Awards Gala will be held in New York, with details announced closer to the date. If you care about this history, track the official ballot pages, because the “who got in” conversation gets loud and messy without the primary source. A small plea, skim less, listen more, then argue well
