David Byrne, members of KISS among the nominees for 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame

David Byrne, and members of KISS and The Guess Who are among the contenders for the 2026 class of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The organization has announced the artists in the running for induction next year, with the Talking Heads frontman, KISS’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and The Guess Who’s Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings all nominated in the performers category.

Other performers nominated this year include: The Go-Go’s Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine and Jane M. Wiedlin; America’s Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell; Kenny Loggins; Taylor Swift; Pink; Sarah McLachlan; LL Cool J; The Carpenters’ Richard Carpenter; Harry Wayne Casey aka KC of KC and the Sunshine Band; and Boz Scaggs.

In the non-performing category, the nominees include folks who wrote or co-wrote hits like Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Donna Summers’ “Hot Stuff,” Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” Madonna’s “Like A Prayer,” Starship’s “We Built This City” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical.”

Nominees become eligible 20 years after their first commercial release of a song. Voting will run through Dec. 4, and the inductees will be celebrated at a gala event in New York City next year.

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