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songwriter of the year

In the two years that the Recording Academy has presented a Grammy for songwriter of the year, non-classical, four women have been nominated for the award. Amy Allen, Nija Charles and Laura Veltz were nominated in the category’s inaugural year. Jessie Jo Dillon was nominated at the ceremony in February.
Men won both years. Tobias Jesso Jr. won in 2023 for writing songs by such artists as Harry Styles, Adele and FKA Twigs. Theron Thomas won earlier this year for writing songs by such artists as Lil Durk featuring J. Cole, Tyla and Chlöe.

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The list of 61 songwriters vying for nominations in that category this year includes 20 women, one of whom may make history as the first woman to win in the category.

The list includes two women who have already won Grammys – Allen, who won album of the year in 2023 for her songwriting contributions to Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, and Diane Warren, who won best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television in 1997 for “Because You Loved Me” from the Michelle Pfeiffer film Up Close and Personal.

This year’s entry list also includes eight women who have been nominated for one or more Grammys, but have yet to win – Dillon, Sarah Aarons, Caroline Ailin, Jessi Alexander, Brittany Amaradio (aka Delacey), Ink (Atia Boggs), Ali Tamposi and Emily Warren.

The list also includes 10 women who are vying for their first Grammy nomination – Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Jessie Early, Julia Gargano, Sarah Hudson, Lauren Lee Hungate, Steph Jones, Kayla Morrison, RAYE, Sasha Alex Sloan and Betsy Walter.

You may be surprised to see RAYE on the list, due to the academy’s focus in this category on non-artists. To qualify for the award, writers “must have written a minimum of five songs in which they are credited solely as a songwriter or co-writer” (and not also as a primary or featured artist, or producer). But if they meet that threshold, they may also have written or co-written tracks on which they were the artist.

RAYE qualified because in addition to writing for herself, she writes for other artists. Her entries this year include Rita Ora’s “Ask & You Shall Receive,” Halle’s “Because I Love You,” Jennifer Lopez’s “Dear Ben Pt. II,” Beyoncé’s “Riiverdance,” and Neiked’s “You’re Hired” (featuring Ayra Starr).

Nominated songwriters can come from any musical field, except classical. Those composers are recognized in the best contemporary classical composition category.

Will any of these women be nominated for songwriter of the year, non-classical? We’ll find out on Nov. 8 when the nominees are announced. Winners will be revealed on Feb. 2.

As a bonus, here are the first women to win in 10 other songwriting categories at the Grammys.

Song of the year: Carole King in 1972 for writing “You’ve Got a Friend,” which was featured on her Tapestry album and was also a No. 1 Hot 100 hit for James Taylor. It took a while for a woman to win this award: This was the category’s 14th year. King later also became the first woman to win the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Best rock song: Alanis Morisette in 1996 for co-writing “You Oughta Know,” the most incendiary track on her Jagged Little Pill album, with Glen Ballard. This was the category’s fifth year.

Best R&B song: Betty Wright in 1976, for co-writing her track “Where Is the Love” with Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch (both of KC and the Sunshine Band) and Willie Clarke. Note: This is not the far more famous Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway song of the same title, but confusion with that classic may have worked to this song’s benefit. This was the category’s eighth year.

Best rap song: Miri Ben Ari in 2005, for co-writing Ye’s “Jesus Walks” with Che Smith and Kanye West (as Ye was then known). This was the category’s second year.

Best country song: Debbie Hupp in 1980, for co-writing the Kenny Rogers ballad hit “You Decorated My Life” with Bob Morrison. This was the category’s 16th year.

Best song written for visual media: Cynthia Weil in 1988, for co-writing the Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram hit “Somewhere Out There” (from An American Tail) with her husband and longtime collaborator Barry Mann and film composer James Horner. This was the category’s first year. (The ballad also won song of the year.)

Best American roots song: Edie Brickell in 2014 for cowriting “Love Has Come for You” with Steve Martin. They also recorded the song. This was the category’s first year.

Best gospel song: Yolanda Adams in 2006 for cowriting her track “Be Blessed” with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and James Q. Wright. This was the category’s first year. The award is now known as best gospel performance/song.

Best contemporary Christian song: Laura Story in 2012 for writing her own track “Blessings.” This was the category’s third year. The award is now known as best contemporary Christan music performance/song.

Best contemporary classical composition: Joan Tower in 2008 for composing “Made in America.” This was the category’s 30th year.

Hipgnosis Song Management has bought 100% of Tobias Jesso Jr.‘s interest in his publishing, including the writer’s share of performance, for 40 of his songs. All tracks included in the deal were released between 2015 and 2020, including “When We Were Young” by Adele, “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan, “You Get My Love” by P!nk, “If You Leave Me Now” by Charlie Puth, “Hallelujah” by Haim and “Malibu Nights” by LANY, as well as several songs Jesso released himself.

News of the deal arrives on the heels of the Grammys, where Jesso made history as the first person to win in the new Songwriter of the Year category. He was awarded the prize based on his extensive impact on pop music in the last year, penning songs like “Boyfriends” by Harry Styles, “Can I Get It” and “To Be Loved” by Adele, “Careless” by FKA Twigs, “C’mon Baby Cry” by Orville Peck, “Dotted Lines” by King Princess, “Let You Go” by Diplo and TSHA and “No Good Reason” by Omar Apollo. None of these songs are included in the Hipgnosis deal.

Hipgnosis Songs Capital is an investment vehicle established by Hipgnosis in conjunction with Blackstone. In October 2021, the New York-based private equity firm pledged $1 billion to further investment in music IP and holds a majority stake in the venture. HSC is considered separate from Hipgnosis Songs Fund, the London-listed acquirer of music publishing and recording rights. Led by founder and CEO Merck Mercuriadis, the company also includes Hipgnosis Songs Management, which manages Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s catalog.

Jesso was represented in the deal by his manager, Ben Persky at Mixed Management, and lawyer Nicky Stein at Clintons.

“Tobias is amongst the most important songwriters in contemporary music today as demonstrated by his winning the 2023 Grammy Award for Songwriter Of The Year, in its inaugural year,” said Mercuriadis in a statement. “I fell in love with his songs right from the get go with Goon eight years ago and he never fails to deliver. I’m delighted to welcome Tobias and his manager Ben Persky to the Hipgnosis family.”

All songs included in Hipgnosis’ purchase are listed in alphabetical order below.

“Alive” by Sia

“Ayala” by XXXTENTACION

“Bad Words” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Broken” by Madison Ryann Ward

“Bruised Fruit” by St. Paul & The Broken Bones

“Can We Still Be Friends” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Can’t Stop Thinking About You” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Crocodile Tears” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“The End Of Love” by Florence + The Machine

“For You” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Grace” by Florence + The Machine

“Hallelujah” by HAIM

“Hollywood” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“How Could You Babe” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“How Do We Make It” by Jarryd James

“Hunger” by Florence + The Machine

“If He Won’t” by Guy Sebastian

“If You Leave Me Now” by Charlie Puth

“Just A Dream” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Lay Me Down” by Adele

“Leaving Los Angeles” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Malibu Nights” by LANY

“Marching Into The Dark” by John Legend

“Nice To Meet Ya” by Niall Horan

“Nice To Meet Ya (Diplo Remix)” by Niall Horan

“No Judgement” by Niall Horan

“Not Thinkin’ Bout You” by Ruel

“Not Thinkin’ Bout You (Remix) Ft. Goldlink” by Ruel

“Oh Lord” (from the soundtrack to Netflix’s The Get Down)

“Orlando” by XXXTENTACION

“Reasons” by Cautious Clay

“Roses” by Shawn Mendes

“Same Mistakes” by Seramic

“Same Old Story” by John Legend

“Slow Hands” by Niall Horan

“Still Around” by Paloma Faith

“Tell The Truth” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Treat Myself” by Meghan Trainor

“True Love” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Trying” by Seramic

“Unsaid” by Ruel

“The Wait” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“When We Were Young” by Adele

“Without You” by Tobias Jesso Jr.

“Work For Me” by Laura Mvula

“You Get My Love” by P!nk

The inaugural nominees in the Grammys’ new songwriter of the year, non-classical category range from a five-time Grammy winner, The-Dream, to a first-time nominee, Tobias Jesso Jr.

The-Dream is the only nominee in this category who has previously won a Grammy. His awards include song of the year and best R&B song for co-writing Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” The-Dream received six more nominations this year, including five that were expressly for his work on Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance.

Like The-Dream, Nija Charles is nominated for album of the year as a songwriter on Renaissance. Amy Allen and Jesso both have double album of the year nominations. Allen is nominated as a songwriter on Harry Styles’ Harry’s House and Lizzo’s Special. Jesso is nominated as a songwriter on Harry’s House and Adele’s 30.

The fifth nominee in the category, Laura Veltz, has no other nominations this year, though she was nominated for best country song in each of the three previous years.

Here are excerpts from the Recording Academy’s official description of the category, taken from the rules and guidelines handbook for the 65th annual Grammy Awards: “This category recognizes the written excellence, profession and art of songwriting for non-performing and non-producing songwriters … Songwriters must have written a minimum of five songs in which they are credited ‘solely’ as a songwriter or co-writer. Songs in which the songwriter was also credited as a primary or featured artist, producer or [in] any other supporting role do not qualify to achieve a minimum song threshold for consideration. Songwriters may supplement their core five song submission with up to four more songs … Songs from albums released in a previous year are not eligible, even if released as a single or added to a new album released during the current eligibility year. Re-released, covered, remixed, reissued, and historical recordings of songs are not eligible.

The addition of this new category coincides with the launch of the Recording Academy’s Songwriters & Composers Wing. Last week, we took a closer look at the nominees for producer of the year, non-classical. Now, let’s look at the nominees for songwriter of the year, non-classical.