Prince Posthumously Inducted Into Songwriters Hall of Fame

Prince was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Saturday (July 27) at a 40th anniversary screening of his film Purple Rain at Minneapolis’ Target Center. This is the second time this year that the SHOF has posthumously inducted a legendary songwriter. It honored the late Cindy Walker at an event in April.

Upon accepting the award from Gilbert Davison, a longtime professional colleague of Prince’s, Prince’s sister, Sharon L. Nelson, said, “You will always remember his songs. This is the award he wanted more than any other in life — to be known as a great songwriter.”

Why didn’t the SHOF didn’t get around to honoring Prince in his lifetime? He was selected for induction in 2013, but SHOF policy is that a songwriter has to personally attend the annual induction and awards gala to be officially inducted, and Prince’s schedule didn’t permit him to attend for a few years.

SHOF president and CEO Linda Moran stated that the organization had been working with him to coordinate his schedule. “He reached out at the end of 2015 and said how important the award was to him and that the June 2016 ceremony could work,” Moran said in a statement. “We planned that it would be unannounced and a surprise; but unfortunately, Prince passed two months beforehand in April. It has been a long road, but we are thrilled that one of the world’s most prolific and phenomenal songwriters is finally a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.”

A songwriter, producer, musician and pioneer of the Minneapolis Sound (which also included 2017 SHOF inductees Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis), Prince crossed genres with ease. Credited by his full name, Prince Rogers Nelson, he wrote every song in his catalog. He placed 19 songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, including five that went to No. 1: “When Doves Cry”; “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Kiss” (both credited to Prince and the Revolution); “Batdance”; and “Cream” (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation).

Prince also wrote hits for other artists including Sheena Easton, Kenny Rogers, Madonna, Stevie Nicks, Patti LaBelle, Celine Dion, Kate Bush and the Bangles. Several of his songs that he had recorded were also covered by other artists including Chaka Khan, Tom Jones, Sinéad O’Connor, Alicia Keys, the Pointer Sisters and Cyndi Lauper.

Prince won both an Oscar and a Grammy for his Purple Rain score. He also won a Grammy for best R&B song for writing “I Feel for You,” a 1984 smash for Khan. He was nominated for song of the year for writing “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a 1990 smash for O’Connor.

Walker, whose most famous song is the cross-genre classic “You Don’t Know Me,” was inducted into the SHOF in a special event on April 19 at historic Columbia Studio A in Nashville. The ceremony took place during a SHOF Master Session with Liz Rose, a 2023 SHOF inductee. The event was co-hosted by SHOF board member Fletcher Foster, who chairs the SHOF Nashville Committee.

The annual SHOF gala in June does not normally include posthumous inductions, though this year’s inductees included Steely Dan, whose Walter Becker died in 2017. The SHOF prefers the June event to have a celebratory mood, but it intends to continue hosting posthumous inductions at unique venues and special events such as this one.

“The ceremony at Columbia Studio A was warm, intimate and respectful,” Foster said in a statement at the time of Walker’s induction. “SHOF president and CEO Linda Moran says this now sets the stage for future posthumous inductions.”