Taylor Swift is up for another major honor with the pop superstar being named among the 2026 nominees for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Fifteen years after receiving the institution’s Hal David Starlight Award — for a young songwriter making a significant impact — the 35-year-old is up for official membership, alongside an array of seasoned heavyweights and hitmakers from the worlds of pop, hip-hop, folk, country and rock music.
On Thursday, the New York City-based organization announced that LL Cool J, Kenny Loggins, Pink, Sarah McLachlan, David Byrne and KISS were included in its list of nominees for potential induction into next year’s class.
Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine, and Jane M. Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s, along with Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings of The Guess Who, and Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell from America are among other notable names.
Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, who wrote some of Tina Turner’s biggest solo hits, Country Music Hall of Famer Bob McDill, and Grammy winner Walter Afanasieff — known for collaborating with Mariah Carey and producing Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” — are also on the ballot for membership.
The list of 27 nominees is divided into non-performing and performing songwriters, with three from each group selected after voting among eligible members concludes Dec. 4.
According to the organization, a songwriter with “a catalog of notable songs qualifies for induction 20 years after their first commercial release of a song.”
Swift’s first single, “Tim McGraw,” was released in June 2006. The Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony is usually held in June, meaning the “Life of a Showgirl” star may just make the cut during her first year of eligibility.
If inducted, Swift would be the first person to graduate from the Starlight Award to full Songwriters Hall of Fame membership. Previous honorees of the Starlight Award include Gracie Abrams, Lil Nas X, Ed Sheeran and Rob Thomas.
