The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced that Diane Warren will be the 2024 recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award at the organization’s induction and awards gala slated for Thursday, June 13, 2024, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
The Johnny Mercer Award, the Hall’s highest honor, is reserved for a songwriter or songwriting team who has already been inducted in a prior year and whose body of work is of such high quality and impact that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer. Diane Warren was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.
SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers said, “The songwriting community is filled with many special people who have delivered incomparable songs that have made the world go round. Within that special group of people, Diane Warren is unique; she is a force of nature that, despite her enormous success from ‘Rhythm of the Night’ to ‘I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing’ and at least 100 (15!) Academy Award nominations, she shows up to write songs every morning at 8 am! I am delighted to see her receive the esteemed Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, which is the gold bar standard. Diane is that and more!”
Warren said, “I’m beyond honored to receive the Johnny Mercer Award, especially looking at the names of the other songwriters who have gotten this great honor. When I was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, my mom was there and finally understood that I could make a living and life being what I was born to be and wake up every day loving to be… a songwriter. Now, both she and my dad will be looking down on me with big smiles on their faces. Thank you, Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
Warren has penned nine No. 1 and 33 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and is tied for having written the most chart-topping songs as a sole writer in Billboard history. Her catalogue includes “only Love Can Hurt Like This,” “Un-Break My Heart,” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.”
She has received 15 Academy Award nominations, is a Grammy winner with 15 nominations, an EMMY winner, and a two-time Golden Globe winner whose songs have been featured in more than 150 films. Most recently, she wrote the original song “The Fire Inside,” performed by Becky G for the film Flamin’ Hot, directed by Eva Longoria, which marked her 15th Oscar nomination. She is also the sole owner of Realsongs, her publishing company.
Inductees at this year’s event include Hillary Lindsey, Timothy Mosley p/k/a Timbaland, Dean Pitchford, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe p/k/a R.E.M., and Donald Fagen and Walter Becker p/k/a Steely Dan.
