The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced its 2025 class of inductees: George Clinton, Mike Love, Ashley Gorley, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Tony Macaulay, and The Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons. The ceremony will take place on June 12th at its longtime home of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
In a statement, SHOF Chairman Nile Rogers shared, “The foundation of the music industry exists because songwriters compose great songs. Without them, there is no recorded music, no concert business, no fans, or merchandising; it all starts with the song and the songwriter.”
“We are therefore very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important writers of all time and that this year’s slate represents not just iconic songs, but also diversity and unity across genres and ethnicity. These songwriters have enriched the lives of billions of listeners the world over. It’s our honor to honor them.”
In order to be considered for induction, nominees must have been published songwriters for a minimum of 20 years with a notable catalog of hit songs. To highlight their repertoires, the Songwriters Hall of Fame shares a list of key songs in each nominee’s discography.
For Clinton, they chose “Atomic Dog,” “Flash Light,” “(Not Just) Knee Deep,” “I’d Rather Be With You,” and “Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker.)”
Love’s list included “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “The Warmth of the Sun,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and “California Girls.”
The Doobie Brothers’ Johnston, McDonald, and Simmons received nods for “Listen to the Music,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Black Water,” “What a Fool Believes,” and “Long Train Runnin’.”
Clinton, Love, and The Doobie Brothers have all been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Clinton was inducted in 1997 as the leader of Parliament/Funkadelic, Love in 1988 with The Beach Boys, and The Doobie Brothers as a group in 2020.
Visit the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s official website for a full list of nominees.
