Donna Summer is posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame – Brandon Sun

NEW YORK (AP) — There are giants, and then there is Donna Summer. The disco queen and then some, known for such timeless tunes as “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” “Bad Girls,” “Dim All the Lights,” “On the Radio” and “She Works Hard for the Money,” have been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the hall said.

Summer, who died in 2012 at age 63, was welcomed into Songwriters Hall on Monday in a ceremony at The Butterfly Room at Cecconi's in Los Angeles. It was led by Oscar winner Paul Williams. Summer's husband Bruce Sudano and their daughters Brooklyn Sudano and Amanda Sudano Ramirez attended the ceremony.

“Donna Summer is not only one of the defining voices and performers of the 20th century; she is one of the greatest songwriters of all time who changed the course of music,” Williams said in a statement. “She wrote timeless and transcendental songs that continue to captivate our souls and imaginations, inspiring the world to dance and, most of all, to feel love.”

The summer's blend of R&B, soul, pop, funk, rock, disco and electronica spawned numerous chart-topping hits in the '70s and '80s, as well as three multi-platinum albums. She has won five Grammys. She was unstoppable – both as a performer and as a writer.

“This is important to me because I know how important this was to Donna,” Sudano said in a press release. “The backstory is that despite all the accolades she's received throughout her career, respect as a songwriter has always been something she feels has been overlooked. So I know that for her to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, she's very happy… somewhere.”

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969. A songwriter with a notable song catalog is eligible for induction 20 years after the song's first commercial release.

The annual Songwriters Hall of Fame gala does not typically include a posthumous induction; they are reserved for individual events.

Songwriter Pete Bellotte, known for his work with Summer on the songs “Hot Stuff,” “I Feel Love” and “Love To Love You Baby,” is currently a 2026 nominee for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Love To Love You Baby” was co-written by Summer and produced by Giorgio Moroder. One of the biggest hits of the summer, the song has been covered numerous times, including on tracks by Beyoncé, LL Cool J and Timbaland.

The 2026 inductees will be announced in early 2026.