While he holds the title for most #1 albums of any solo act in music history, she holds the title for second-most chart-topping albums among female artists. Now, after lending Billboard decades of some of its most memorable hits and lyrics, the coming months will see them vie for a new title: inductee into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

That’s right, both meeting 20-year minimum of respectively contributing lyrics to their own or others’ musical endeavors, rap royal Jay Z and Queen of Pop Madonna (who is already featured in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) are looking to add yet another highlighted achievement to their already full resumes, as announced today.

Tuck in below to see who they’ll be competing against for the honors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0tkQc21E7w

The two are joined by fellow hitmaking songwriters Gloria Estefan, Max Martin, George Michael, Cat Stevens, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Sly Stone, Bryan Adams, Vince Gill , and Bread’s David Gates.

The final group of five individual writers or writing teams will be inducted in a ceremony to be held in New York on June 15.

If selected Jay will be the first rapper in history to be inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. Best of luck to all listed!

Congrats

in other Madonna news.....

Madonna Is Billboard's 2016 Woman of the Year

10/14/2016 by Billboard Staff

When the 11th annual Billboard Women In Music event hits New York City this winter, royalty will be present.

The seven-time Grammy winner will receive the honor at the 11th annual Women in Music event, held Dec. 9 in New York City and airing nationally on Lifetime on Dec.12. The star-studded event is held in conjunction with the publication of Billboard’s Women in Music list, which identifies the 50 most powerful female executives in the industry each year.

Can someone explain to me why Jay Z is being nominated for this?

mjscarousal said:

Can someone explain to me why Jay Z is being nominated for this?

A better question would be is why hasn't a hip hop or rap artist been nominated before. I get some people don't like rap, but it's a an art form and big part of modern music.

Aren't rap lyrics the same as lyrics from other genres.

Jay Z has won 21 Grammy awards, does he not deserve those too?

jam and lewis get in but not Prince?

Glindathegood said:

mjscarousal said:

Can someone explain to me why Jay Z is being nominated for this?

A better question would be is why hasn't a hip hop or rap artist been nominated before. I get some people don't like rap, but it's a an art form and big part of modern music.

Aren't rap lyrics the same as lyrics from other genres.

Jay Z has won 21 Grammy awards, does he not deserve those too?

So because Jay Z has won 21 grammys you automatically think that qualifies him to be inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame?

I agree with your point about Hip Hop because it is an artform that is often snubbed. However, I am not sure if Jay Z would be my first pick in representing that genre. There are plenty of much more talented and legendary songwriters that are more deserving.

luvsexy4all said:

jam and lewis get in but not Prince?

True. Where is Prince, that is nuts he hasn't been nominated yet. Hopefully for 2018 he will be considered. However I don't really listen to Jay Z, but been a Madonna fan for a long time. Congrats to both.

Can a non Jay Z stan tell me how Jay Z deserves to be in the Songwriters Hall of Fame? What has he done to change the game of Songwriting? I really want to know.

I'm not a stan of Jay Z at all. I don't even listen to much hip hop. But songwriting does include lyrics as well as music.

As far as Prince, is this award the kind of thing where a manager or someone working for the artist has to submit their music to be considered? I think it might be.

I don't think Prince was too bothered about awards so he probably never bothered to submit his music.

I don't see the big fuss about awards. So I never get worked up about them, saying someone doesn't deserve one or someone is owed one.

I'm a big fan of Madonna and it's nice she's being considered, but even if she wasn't, I wouldn't be bothered about it or offended. It wouldn't affect my fanhood at all.

Your right its not that big of a deal but this is a music discussion forum and for the purpose of the thread, I don't see anything wrong with questioning or arguing points that support these nominations. Now I am not a big Madonna fan, but she has at least written songs herself that are classics and that still reasonate today so imo her nomination is deserving. Jay Z on the other hand, I can't think of any songs that he has written that have been groundbreaking for music. I agree with you about Prince, he deserves to be nominated and inducted.

I wish Kate Bush would get nominated

Goddess4Real said:

I wish Kate Bush would get nominated

She actually deserves to be nominated but why is Jay Z?

mjscarousal said:

Goddess4Real said:

I wish Kate Bush would get nominated

She actually deserves to be nominated but why is Jay Z?

I have no idea, maybe its music industry politics when there are others who have been overlooked over the years like Kate

I'm not the biggest Jay fan, but his early albums were 99% fire. He's a great songwriter. I have no beef with him getting in.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I'm not the biggest Jay fan, but his early albums were 99% fire. He's a great songwriter. I have no beef with him getting in.

You think he deserves to be the first Hip Hop act inducted?

I don't think so.

Great songwriter? He is not. Love you but he is not.

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

You think he deserves to be the first Hip Hop act inducted?

I don't think so.

Great songwriter? He is not. Love you but he is not.

Why don't you think he's a great songwriter? He's a great rapper, no? He has 3 of the greatest rap albums ever with Reasonable Doubt, Black Album and Blueprint. Of course I don't think he should be the first rapper inducted. Others came before him. But if he's the first to get in than so be it.

But the question is whether or not he is outstanding songwriter, not rapper. Personally, I think he is neither and highly overrated.

Because he hasn't written anything that has been groundbreaking that would warrant him to be inducted in a "Songwriters Hall of Fame" and I notice people are always citing Reasonable Doubt as his best works but I promise you I never hear any of those songs on the radio. I hear more Nas and Tupac songs from that same decade on the radio more so than any song from off that album. Jay Z has corny lyrics and his rhymes are playdoh next to the true greats like Nas and Tupac.

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

But the question is whether or not he is outstanding songwriter, not rapper. Personally, I think he is neither and highly overrated.

Because he hasn't written anything that has been groundbreaking that would warrant him to be inducted in a "Songwriters Hall of Fame" and I notice people are always citing Reasonable Doubt as his best works but I promise you I never hear any of those songs on the radio. I hear more Nas and Tupac songs from that same decade on the radio more so than any song from off that album. Jay Z has corny lyrics and his rhymes are playdoh next to the true greats like Nas and Tupac.

Jay is a better rapper than Nas and especially Tupac. Pac is one of the more overrated rappers. But he's a great songwriter. Same with Nas. If you put Pac and Jay in a freestyle street battle, you think Pac is coming out on top. No way. Now when he gets his pen and pad and writes some dope stuff, that's where he's his best at. They're all three top Hip-Hop artist of all time tho.

Those are your subjective opinions which you are completely entitled to have. However, whether you think someone is a better rapper in terms of their flow is irrelevant because that has nothing to do with how well they write a song and come up with lyrics which IMO Nas and Tupac are way more talented than Jay Z in. Jay Z is a wack rapper and a corny songwriter and he is not all three best of all time but your entitled to your opinion.

Tupac was a poet and gifted writer how dare you call him overrated compared to that corny gimmick rapper. I am confused with how in what universe you find him more overrated than Jay Z

What about Big Pimpin or HOV all these gimmick songs is better than Dear Mama or Killumanti??? Mind you, these are some of Jay Z's more popular songs. Hell, none of these songs touches Ain't Hard Tell lyrically for Nas. SMH

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

Tupac was a poet and gifted writer how dare you call him overrated compared to that corny gimmick rapper. I am confused with how in what universe you find him more overrated than Jay Z

What about Big Pimpin or HOV all these gimmick songs is better than Dear Mama or Killumanti??? Mind you, these are some of Jay Z's more popular songs. Hell, none of these songs touches Ain't Hard Tell lyrically for Nas. SMH

2Pacs whole All Eyez On Me album was a gimmick.

Your not being open minded in critiquing the rappers. You never answered my previous question. Some of Jay Z's widely known songs and albums are all gimmick albums and songs. There not as nearly as compelling and creatively constructed compared to Nas and Tupacs more known songs and classic albums and I personally don't think all the songs on that album are all gimmicks. Well I guess we just view this topic differently and I will agree to disagree.

[Edited 10/23/16 16:31pm]

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

Your not being open minded in critiquing the rappers. You never answered my previous question. Some of Jay Z's widely known songs and albums are all gimmick albums and songs. There not as nearly as compelling and creatively constructed compared to Nas and Tupacs more known songs and classic albums and I personally don't think all the songs on that album are all gimmicks. Well I guess we just view this topic differently and I will agree to disagree.

[Edited 10/23/16 16:31pm]

How am I not being open minded? You said Jay Z is corny you said all of his stuff is corny. I said Pac is a better songwriter than Jay. But Jay is the better rapper. And the majority of All Eyez On Me was a gimmick give or take a few songs. Most major publications have Jay and Pac usually in the top 5-10 rappers of All-Time. Rapper Kool Moe Dee has Jay at 15, Pac at 13 and Nas at 11. Last year Billboard had Jay as the 2nd greatest MC of All-Time and controversially left Pac outside the top ten.

Then I said whether or not you think Jay is a better rapper has nothing to do with his songwriting skills because that is what he is being nominated for his songwriting. When I said he was corny I was specifically referring to his lyrics and his songwriting. Specifically focusing on songwriting and coming up with lyrics Nas and Tupac are superior than Jay Z. Even if 2pac has to write his lyrics out, he is still more talented in his songwriting. I don't focus on publications or what list a publication creates because they usual generate their list based on political agendas. Jay Z is usually ranked higher on these lists than Tupac and is more commercially successful so I was confused as to why you find Tupac to be more overrated and the reason why I said your not being open minded is because your obviously a Jay Z fan. You said he was a better rapper than Tupac and Nas and make points about him that have nothing to do with his songwriting specifically.

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

Then I said whether or not you think Jay is a better rapper has nothing to do with his songwriting skills because that is what he is being nominated for his songwriting. When I said he was corny I was specifically referring to his lyrics and his songwriting. Specifically focusing on songwriting and coming up with lyrics Nas and Tupac are superior than Jay Z. Even if 2pac has to write his lyrics out, he is still more talented in his songwriting. I don't focus on publications or what list a publication creates because they usual generate their list based on political agendas. Jay Z is usually ranked higher on these lists than Tupac and is more commercially successful so I was confused as to why you find Tupac to be more overrated and the reason why I said your not being open minded is because your obviously a Jay Z fan. You said he was a better rapper than Tupac and Nas and make points about him that have nothing to do with his songwriting specifically.

My first reply in the thread was I'm not a big Jay fan. I'm actually a bigger Pac fan. I'm just a fan of Hip-Hop and know what's good Hip-Hop. I've never heard a Hip-Hop fan say Jay was corner. Maybe they don't like him but not call him corny. I'm not a big Eminem fan, but I wouldn't call him corny. It sounds like you just don't like Jay-Z which is fine, but he's far from corny. And he's been getting mad respect before he even released his first album. He was openning for Big Daddy Kane, Wu-Tang had him on releases years before he dropped Reasonable Doubt. He was high on Hip-Hop list 12-15 years ago before he got all these major business in the past 10 years or so.

No... I don't like Jay Z . He is mediocre to me and very overrated but for the purpose of the topic, he is a corny and mediocre songwriter and I don't think he deserves to be inducted in a Songwriters hall of fame. Again, I found it interesting how in the beginning you insisted that you felt Pac and Nas were more overrated than Jay and then you proceeded to give reasons that had nothing to do with his songwriting as to why you felt he was better than Nas and 2pac. That is why I said you must be a fan. Just because he opened for Big Daddy Kane and collabed with Wu Tang doesn't mean he deserves to be inducted into a Songwriters Hall Fame. What do these things have to do with his songwriting?

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

No... I don't like Jay Z . He is mediocre to me and very overrated but for the purpose of the topic, he is a corny and mediocre songwriter and I don't think he deserves to be inducted in a Songwriters hall of fame. Again, I found it interesting how in the beginning you insisted that you felt Pac and Nas were more overrated than Jay and then you proceeded to give reasons that had nothing to do with his songwriting as to why you felt he was better than Nas and 2pac. That is why I said you must be a fan. Just because he opened for Big Daddy Kane and collabed with Wu Tang doesn't mean he deserves to be inducted into a Songwriters Hall Fame. What do these things have to do with his songwriting?

Wu Tang and BDK don't work with wack rappers. They obviously thought he was talented if he was working with them years before he even put out his debut album. Biggie was featured on Jay debut. Check how many times Biggie was featured on any one else record in his short career (non Bad Boy/Junior Mafia releases). Not a lot. And I don't think Nas is overrated but Pac is and I like Pac. And you not liking Jay Z, your bias is getting in the way of him being rewarded for anything. Because you think he's corny. What's your favorite Jay-Z song? Favorite album. Favorite guest appearance on another song.

What does all these things have to do with songwriting though? I don't see how Jay Z collaborating with Wu Tang or BDK reflect his songwriting skills or abilities. That's like me saying Michael worked with Stevie and Paul so that validates his songwriting skills...well it doesn't. His skills are his skills and nobody validates that or reflect his abilities but his own.

I don't have a favorite Jay Z anything because I don't care for his music. Even his music in the 90's and early 00's was mediocre to me compared to his peers. I don't think my biased is getting in the way of him being awarded for anything. I've said out of all those rappers he is def the most commercially successful. However, I don't think he deseves to be inducted in a Songwriters Hall of Fame and I don't see how all these other things you keep mentioning validates his songwriting skills.

mjscarousal said: