Donna Summer came to prominence at the height of the disco craze, so it might have come as a surprise to those who don’t remember or are not a fan of the genre that the late singer (and songwriter) was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on December 16, 2025, during a ceremony held in Los Angeles.
Summer began her career in the blues-rock group Crow before reinventing her sound alongside producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. By the 1970s, Summer had become a dance-floor staple, thanks to her hits “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” and “Last Dance.” The Queen of Disco went on to sell more than 150 million records and earned four No. 1 singles on the Hot 100. Summer died in 2012 at the age of 63.
In October, the Songwriters Hall of Fame announced its full 2026 nominee slate, with Taylor Swift, LL Cool J, and David Byrne topping the performer-songwriter side. The non-performer side featured frequent Summer collaborator Bellotte, among others. The official class will be announced in the new year.
Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano, had the statement prepared for the induction: “I know how important it was for Donna. With all the accolades that she received over her career, being respected as a songwriter was always the thing that she felt was overlooked. So for her to be accepted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, I know that she’s very happy somewhere.”
