George Clinton, Eminem, Janet Jackson, Boy George, N.W.A & ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ Theme Composer Among 2025 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Nominees

Greg Evans
·4-min read

Janet Jackson, Eminem, N.W.A, George Clinton, Boy George, Sheryl Crow and Sonny Curtis — an original member of Buddy Holly’s Crickets who went on to compose the theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show (“Love Is All Around”) — are among the 2025 nominees announced Tuesday for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. See the full list below.

Eligible Hall of Fame voting members will have until midnight ET on December 22 to turn in ballots, with their choices of up to three nominees in each of the songwriter and performing songwriter categories. The winning nominees will be inducted at the 2025 Induction & Awards Gala in New York City.

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The Songwriters Hall of Fame is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating “the exceptional work and lives of composers and lyricists who make an indelible impact creating music around the world.” A songwriter with a catalog of notable songs qualifies for induction 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song.

Here are the 2025 non-performing and performing nominees for the Songwriters Hall of Fame and five songs chosen by Hall that are a representative sample of their catalogs:

NON-PERFORMING SONGWRITERS

Walter Afanasieff 
All I Want for Christmas Is You * Hero * License To Kill * Love Will Survive * One Sweet Day

Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan 
Secret Agent Man * Eve of Destruction * Where Were You When I Needed You * You Baby * Can I Get to Know You

Mike Chapman 
Ballroom Blitz * The Best * Love Is a Battlefield * Stumblin’ In * Kiss You All Over

Sonny Curtis 
Love Is All Around (Theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show) * I Fought the Law * Walk Right Back * More Than I Can Say * I’m No Stranger to the Rain

Tom Douglas 
The House that Built Me * Little Rock * I Run to You * Grown Men Don’t Cry * Love Me Anyway

Franne Golde 
Dreaming of You * Nightshift * Don’t Look Any Further * Don’t You Want Me * Stickwitu

Ashley Gorley
I Had Some Help * Last Night * You Should Probably Leave * Play It Again * You’re Gonna Miss This

Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins 
Say My Name * The Boy Is Mine * You Rock My World * Deja Vu * Telephone

Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter 
One Tin Soldier (Theme from Billy Jack) * Don’t Pull Your Love * Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got) * It Only Takes a Minute * Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.)

Tony Macaulay 
Baby Now That I’ve Found You * Build Me Up Buttercup * Don’t Give Up on Us * (Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All * Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)

Roger Nichols 
We’ve Only Just Begun * Rainy Days and Mondays * I Won’t Last a Day Without You * Out in the Country * Times Of Your Life

Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham 
I’m Your Puppet * Cry Like a Baby * A Woman Left Lonely * Out of Left Field * It Tears Me Up

Narada Michael Walden 
How Will I Know * Freeway of Love * You’re a Friend of Mine * Baby Come to Me * Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

PERFORMING SONGWRITERS

Bryan Adams 
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You * Heaven * All for Love * Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? * Summer of ‘69

George Alan O’Dowd p/k/a Boy George 
Karma Chameleon * Do You Really Want to Hurt Me * Time (Clock of the Heart) * Love Is Love * Miss Me Blind

George Clinton 
Atomic Dog * Flash Light * (Not Just) Knee Deep * I’d Rather Be with You * Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)

Sheryl Crow 
All I Wanna Do * Soak Up the Sun * If It Makes You Happy * A Change Would Do You Good * Everyday Is a Winding Road

Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons p/k/a Doobie Brothers 
Listen to the Music * Takin’ It to the Streets * Black Water * What a Fool Believes * Long Train Runnin’

Marshall Mathers p/k/a Eminem 
Lose Yourself * Stan * Mockingbird * Houdini * Rap God

David Gates 
Everything I Own * Make It with You * Baby I’m-a Want You * The Guitar Man * If

Janet Jackson 
Black Cat * Together Again * Again * Got ‘til It’s Gone * Rhythm Nation

Tommy James 
Mony Mony * Crimson and Clover * Crystal Blue Persuasion * Sweet Cherry Wine * Tighter, Tighter

Mike Love 
California Girls * Good Vibrations * The Warmth of the Sun * I Get Around * Fun, Fun, Fun

Alanis Morissette 
You Oughta Know * Ironic * Hand in My Pocket * Thank U * Uninvited

Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella p/k/a N.W.A 
Express Yourself * Dopeman * Fuck Tha Police * Gangsta Gangsta * Straight Outta Compton

Steve Winwood 
Higher Love * Gimme Some Lovin’ * I’m a Man * Valerie * Roll With It

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