Mariah Carey and N.W.A could very well be headed to the 2018 Songwriters Hall of Fame. The two acts are among those nominated for the prestigious distinction.
Carey’s legendary career boasts the most No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100. She co-wrote 17 of her 18 chart-toppers. Meanwhile, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees N.W.A could become the second rap act to make it to the Songwriters Hall following JAY-Z, who celebrated the honor this year. Jermaine Dupri also earned a nomination for his work behind the scenes.
Fellow nominees include John Mellencamp, Tracy Chapman, Alice Cooper, Jimmy Cliff, the Isley Brothers, Chrissie Hynde, Alan Jackson, Kool & the Gang, Tom Waits and Tom T. Hall. Other non-performing nominees were also revealed, including William “Mickey” Stevenson, Bill Anderson, Maurice Starr, Allee Willis, Steve Dorff, Mike Chapman, Randy Goodrum, and Tony Macaulay. Songwriting duos include Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, Denny Randell and Sandy Linzer, and L. Russell Brown and Irwin Levine.
This year, JAY’s longtime friend and publisher Jon Platt spoke on hip-hop’s entry to the Songwriters Hall. “When it comes to the industry’s biggest honors, the hip-hop community has a very long history of being told, ‘You’re not songwriters,’ ‘You’re not quite there yet,’ ‘It’s not your time yet,’” he said. “Well, to all the songwriters and artists from our community and our generation, JAY would want you to know that this induction is a signal that your time has come and your time is now.”
Six of the nominees will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at next year’s gala in New York on June 14. Voting takes place through Dec. 17.
