Of course Mariah Carey is on the list.
The 2020 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame were announced on CBS This Morning on Thursday (Jan. 16) and the honorees include one of the biggest pop stars of the modern era. CBS' Anthony Mason did the honors, beginning with Mariah Carey, whose record 19 solo No. 1 hits he touted, praising the singer for her "stunning five-octave range" and for co-writing most of her hits, including her recent long-awaited No. 1 holiday smash, "All I Want For Christmas Is You."
Also on the list were the Isley Brothers, best known for their smash hits "Shout," "It's Your Thing" and "Who's That Lady," as well as 1980s new wave superduo the Eurythmics ("Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"), songwriter Rick Nowles (Belinda Carlile "Heaven is a Place on Earth," Dido's "White Flag" and collaborations with Madonna, Lana Del Rey, Adele, Sia and A$AP Rocky).
Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (aka The Neptunes), made the list for their undeniable sound and songwriting on hits by Nelly, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Clipse, Madonna and many more, as did Motown writing legend William "Mickey" Stevenson ("Devil with the Blue Dress On," "Dancing in the Street," "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted," "Stubborn Kind of Fellow"). Rocker Steve Miller will be inducted as well for his indelible run of huge hits in the 1970s and 80s, including "The Joker," "Jet Airliner," "Take the Money and Run," "Abracadabra," "Space Cowboy" and "Fly Like an Eagle."
Miller was on hand to accept the honor, saying it "feels delightful… it's really a great, great honor." Explaining why the nod was so important to him, the 76-year-old singer and guitar wizard said, "the songs are the most important part of everything. To be honored this way is unexpected."
