The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heritage and legacy of a spectrum of the most beloved English language songs from the world's popular music songbook. It not only celebrates these established songwriters, but is also involved in the development of new English language songwriting talent through workshops, showcases, and scholarships. There are many programs designed to teach and discover new English language songwriters. Nile Rodgers serves as the organization's chairman.
Jonathan Mark Foreman is an American musician who is the lead singer, guitarist, primary songwriter, and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. As a solo act, Foreman has released 14 extended plays and two studio albums.
Halloween, Alaska is a Minnesota-based band consisting of James Diers, Jake Hanson, Bill Shaw, and Dave King. All of the group's members live in the Twin Cities. Original keyboardist and programmer Ev left the band in 2008. Original bassist Matt Friesen left the band in 2009. The group first formed in 2002, and work on a self-titled debut soon began to be recorded. Completed in 2003, the disc earned considerable acclaim not only in the Twin Cities but also from indie tastemakers and college radio programmers across the US, combining ambient electronic elements with moody alt-pop songwriting. Two tracks from the disc were featured in the Fox television series The O.C.: "Des Moines" in season one, and "All the Arms Around You" in season two. The track "State Trooper", featured on their self-titled debut, is a cover version of the song by Bruce Springsteen. East Side Digital reissued the album in 2005, adding remixes and bonus tracks. A second disc titled Too Tall to Hide was released in 2005 and features another cover song - "I Can't Live Without My Radio" by LL Cool J. Champagne Downtown was released on April 7, 2009. An EP of remixes by Twin Cities artists was released in November 2009. Their most recent album, Le Centre, was released in 2018.
Rebecca Johnson, also credited as Rebekah and Rebecca Jordan, is an American singer-songwriter and actress from Ohio. She wrote the song "Beautiful Disaster" for Kelly Clarkson. Her own music is a mix of pop, jazz, soul, and Americana. She composes on both piano and guitar.
Ruth Moody is an Australian-born soprano singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys.
James Ellis Ford is an English record producer and songwriter, known for being a member of Simian Mobile Disco and the Last Shadow Puppets as well as his production work with Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Haim, Gorillaz, Klaxons, Jessie Ware, Kylie Minogue, Declan McKenna and the Pet Shop Boys.
NicolleJean Leary, better known as Nikki Jean, is an American singer-songwriter. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Jean started out as a lead singer of a short-lived Philadelphia band called Nouveau Riche. She was introduced to rapper Lupe Fiasco when he was working on his 2007 album Lupe Fiasco'sThe Cool and achieved initial success as the featuring artist on his single "Hip Hop Saved My Life". She continues to collaborate frequently with him.
Donovan Woods is a Canadian folk and country singer-songwriter. He has released several albums of folk and roots music, including the Juno Award-winning Both Ways.
Cavo is an American hard rock band from St. Louis, Missouri. Because of their sound and musical influences, they are sometimes classified as post-grunge as well as alt rock.
Jeremy Matthew Messersmith is an American indie pop musician based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
Charles T. Harmon, known professionally as Chuck Harmony, is an American record producer and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He is a three-time Grammy Award nominee, and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song for his contributions to Fantasia's 2010 single "Bittersweet".
House of Balloons is the debut mixtape by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on March 21, 2011, by the artist's own record label XO. The mixtape was released for free on the Weeknd's website and was the subject of increased media discussion upon the use of its songs on television, as well as the then-anonymous identity of the individual behind the Weeknd. House of Balloons was entirely recorded in Toronto, with production handled primarily by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, and Illangelo, alongside additional contributions from Cirkut, Jeremy Rose and Rainer. Its title is derived from the nickname the singer gave to his former home in Parkdale, Toronto.
Thursday is the second mixtape by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on August 18, 2011, by XO. Like his debut mixtape House of Balloons (2011), the Weeknd collaborated with producers and songwriters Doc McKinney and Illangelo; the duo produced Thursday in its entirety, and it contains fewer samples than its predecessor. Recorded in Toronto, the mixtape features a guest appearance from the Canadian rapper Drake.
Hell in a Handbasket is the eleventh studio album by Meat Loaf, released September 30, 2011, in Australia and New Zealand, through Legacy Recordings. A wider global release followed in early 2012. It features guest appearances from Lil Jon, Mark McGrath, Trace Adkins, John Rich, and Chuck D, as well as Meat Loaf’s regular collaborators Paul Crook and Patti Russo.
Natalie Warner is an American singer, songwriter, and producer.
Carlo Montagnese, known professionally as Illangelo, is a Canadian record producer, songwriter, and mixing engineer from Calgary, Alberta, who came to attention as long-time collaborator of the Weeknd. Having executive produced his 2011 mixtapes compiled in his Trilogy (2012) album, Montagnese has served as a frequent contributor for many of his following releases. Apart from his work with the Toronto native, his other notable credits include Post Malone's "I Fall Apart", Fall Out Boy's "The Last of the Real Ones", Wiz Khalifa's "Remember You", Drake's "Crew Love", Ricky Hil's "Nomads", and remixes such as Lady Gaga's "Marry the Night " and Florence and the Machine's "Shake It Out". He was one half of the duo Somewhere Else with collaborator Billy Walsh, and signed with Skrillex's OWSLA label and Brodinski's Bromance Records to release his debut concept album, History of Man (2013).
Martin Joseph Léonard Bresso, better known by his stage name Tchami, is a French record producer and DJ from Paris. A founding member of the Pardon My French collective, he is best known for his solo work and regarded as a pioneer of the future house genre – the term for which he coined – alongside Dutch DJs Oliver Heldens and Don Diablo.
Jody Gerson is the Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group. Upon assuming the role on January 1, 2015, Gerson became the first female CEO of a major music publisher and first chairwoman of a global music company. Gerson serves on the Executive Management Board for Universal Music Group.
Miranda Nicole Dodson is an American Christian musician and folk singer-songwriter, who primarily plays an alternative country, roots rock, and a worshipful style of music. She has released one studio album, Change a Thing, in 2010, and an extended play, Ascend, in 2014.
Imad-Roy El-Amine, known by his stage name Imad Royal, is a Lebanese Canadian electronic R&B singer, producer, and songwriter.
