Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette among Songwriters Hall of Fame 2026 inductees

You know the songs. 

But do you know the songwriters?

The 2026 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame are credited with smash hits that include Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You and Beyoncé's Single Ladies.

Established in 1969, the Hall of Fame celebrates and honours the work of those behind the songs we love and those earworms we'd rather forget, but can't because they're just so well written.

Each year, a new slate of songwriters is recognised for their catalogue of hits. They qualify for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.

The star-studded 55^th annual ceremony was held in New York City this week.

At the ceremony, John Fogerty was presented with the Johnny Mercer Award, which is the highest honour bestowed by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

Fogerty's classic songs, including Proud Mary and Bad Moon Rising, have sold more than 100 million copies.

Rachel Keen, professionally known as Raye, was honoured with the Hal David Starlight Award for gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact with their original songs.

Here are the latest inductees and some of their key songs.

Walter Afanasieff

• All I Want for Christmas is You
• My All
• Hero
• Love Will Survive
• One Sweet Day

Acclaimed American songwriter, producer, and composer Walter Afanasieff has written hits for and collaborated with a catalogue of stars, including Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, Aretha Franklin, and Michael Bolton.

As a longtime collaborator with Mariah Carey, he co-wrote and produced many of her biggest hits, including Hero, All I Want for Christmas is You, One Sweet Day, and My All.

He's also a film and television composer who has contributed music to Disney projects such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

Terry Britten and Graham Lyle

• What's Love Got To Do With It
• We Don't Need Another Hero
• Typical Male
• Devil Woman
• I Should Have Known Better

English-Australian songwriter, record producer and guitarist Terry Britten was born in Manchester and moved to Australia as a child.

After beginning his musical career in Australian pop-rock band the Twilights, he shifted his focus to songwriting and producing when the group disbanded in 1969 and after working as a session guitarist in London.

Britten and Graham Lyle, who is from Largs, Scotland, co-wrote Tina Turner's Grammy-award-winning song What's Love Got to Do with It, beginning a long association with Turner.

They also co-wrote Toughen Up, recorded by Olivia Newton-John.

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss

• Rock and Roll All Nite
• I Love It Loud
• Calling Dr Love
• Shout It Out Loud
• Christine 16

Kiss has an extensive discography and has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

They have 36 million monthly listeners in 92 countries on streaming platforms.

The band has had 14 multi-platinum and platinum releases, 30 gold records, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Kenny Loggins

• Danny's Song
• Footloose
• Celebrate Me Home
• Return to Pooh Corner
• What A Fool Believes

Kenny Loggins is the man behind a host of songs that have been the soundtrack to many lives. Among them is Footloose, which surpassed one billion streams on Spotify in 2025.

Loggins has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy awards.

Alanis Morissette

• You Oughta Know
• Ironic
• Hand in My Pocket
• Thank U
• Uninvited

Alanis Morissette's 1995 album Jagged Little Pill became a 2019 Broadway musical that made its way to Australia.

Morissette performed Mary Jane and You Oughta Know from the album at the induction ceremony.

"It's write or die."

Christopher "Tricky" Stewart

• Umbrella
• Single Ladies
• Obsessed
• Just Fine
• Break My Soul

Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is known for Beyoncé's Single Ladies, Rihanna's Umbrella, Mariah Carey's Touch My Body, Justin Bieber's Baby, and so much more.

He's a five-time Grammy award winner who has had six Billboard Hot 100 number one singles and 18 top 10 records. He has amassed billions of streams.

Stewart has collaborated with an impressive and long list of stars, including Madonna, BTS, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Frank Ocean, Alicia Keys, Celine Dion, and Jay-Z.

Taylor Swift

• All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) *
• Blank Space
• Anti-Hero
• Love Story
• The Last Great American Dynasty

Taylor Swift, 36, became the youngest woman inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

She's the second-youngest person to make it into the Hall of Fame behind Stevie Wonder, who was 33 when he was inducted in 1983.

At the ceremony, Swift described her songwriting as "instinctual".

"No-one taught me how to do it," Swift said.