BMI Congratulates its 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductees & Honorees

It was another amazing celebration of music, Thursday night, as the Songwriters Hall of Fame welcomed a new class of inductees and distributed prestigious honors during the annual induction gala held at Manhattan's Marriott Marquis. BMI inductees this year included legendary singer/songwriter Taylor Swift, who made history as the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the institution, as well as renowned songwriter and BMI Icon Graham Lyle. BMI Icon and rock n' roll titan John Fogerty received the organization's highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, for songwriters who have "achieved gold-standard status in music history." Singer/songwriter RAYE received the coveted Hal David Starlight Award, making history for becoming the first British woman to ever receive the honor, which is given to young songwriters making a significant impact in the music industry.

Beyond the accolades, it was a dynamic evening filled with special tribute performances of some of the honorees' biggest hits. Highlights included Tamar Braxton kicking off the night with a version of "Single Ladies" by Beyoncé, Kylie Cantrall performing a rendition of Rihanna's "Umbrella," John Forgerty playing hits like "Proud Mary," "Fortunate Son," "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" and "The Old Man Down the Road," Billy Corgan performing covers of "Rock and Roll All Night" and "Shout It Out Loud" in honor of inductees Kiss, Brandi Carlile playing a powerful rendition of "Uninvited" by Alanis Morrisette, Gavin DeGraw singing a cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home," and Sombr paying tribute to Taylor Swift with commanding performances of her songs "Cardigan" and "Dear John." Other notable moments included celebrated director Steven Spielberg inducting Taylor Swift and actress Jane Seymour inducting Graham Lyle and his songwriting partner Terry Britten.

See photos from the star-studded evening of song and celebration. Congratulations to all!