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Taylor Swift makes tearful 21-minute speech as she joins Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift makes tearful 21-minute speech as she joins Songwriters Hall of Fame
The singer thanks her family as she becomes the youngest woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Taylor Swift attends Songwriters Hall of Fame induction with Travis Kelce
Taylor Swift attends Songwriters Hall of Fame induction with Travis Kelce
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Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift attends Songwriters Hall of Fame induction with Travis Kelce
Bryan West
USA TODAY NETWORK
June 11, 2026
Updated June 12, 2026, 3:38 a.m. ET
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NEW YORK —
Taylor Swift
accepted one of songwriting's highest honors June 11, telling the audience that despite the twists and turns of a 23-year career, "the songwriting was the easiest thing I ever did."
The singer-songwriter was inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
, becoming the youngest female songwriter ever inducted into the organization. The honor comes 20 years after the release of "Tim McGraw," the debut single that launched her recording career in 2006.
"When I say that songwriting was the easiest part for me, I think what I mean is that it was instinctual," she said. "No one taught me how to do it."
The Eras Tour mastermind attended the ceremony alongside her parents, Scott Swift and Andrea Swift; her brother, Austin Swift; and her future in-laws, Donna Kelce and Ed Kelce. Her fiancé,
Travis Kelce
, arrived as the event got underway.
Kelce did not walk the carpet with Swift and has largely staye…
Taylor Swift Shines at Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony Red Carpet
Taylor Swift Shines at Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony Red Carpet
Grab a pen and an old napkin—because you’re going to want to write down everything aboutTaylor Swift’s latest look.
The “Our Song” singer stepped out in New York June 11 for the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and trust, she’s making the whole place shimmer.
Swift, who was not joined by fiancéTravis Kelceon the red carpet, woreastrapless black gown with a corset bodice and high slit from Alice + Olivia as she arrived at New York City'sMarriott Marquis Hotel. She paired figure-hugging dress with diamond and citrine earrings by Mindi Mond.
While Swift is truly dazzling, she’s not the only star to receive the Hall of Fame honor this year.Kenny Loggins,Walter Afanasieff,Terry BrittenandGraham Lyle,KISS’Gene SimmonsandPaul Stanley,Christopher “Tricky” StewartandAlanis Morrissetteare also set to be honored during this year’s ceremony.
Indeed, the “Opalite” singer’s peers have crafted equally iconic tracks like “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Afanasieff) and “You Oughta Know” (Morrissette).
But, Swift is making a bit of additional history with her induction. At 36 years old, she’s officially the youn…
Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift, Alanis Morissette inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift has become the youngest woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She's among the writers behind some of pop's biggest hits to be inducted in 2026.
Taylor Swift Gives Emotional 21-Minute Songwriters Hall of Fame Speech ...
Taylor Swift Gives Emotional 21-Minute Songwriters Hall of Fame Speech ...
Taylor Swift Gives Emotional 21-Minute Songwriters Hall of Fame Speech: See Her Best Quotes!
By
Maddy Lennon
|
Jun 12, 2026
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Credit: Getty Images
Taylor Swift
had a lot to say while accepting one of the biggest songwriting honors of her career.
The 36-year-old superstar gave a 21-minute acceptance speech at the
2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame
induction ceremony on Thursday night (June 11) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
Taylor
was inducted as part of the 2026 class alongside
Alanis Morissette
,
Kenny Loggins
,
Christopher “Tricky” Stewart
,
Paul Stanley
and
Gene Simmons
of Kiss,
Terry Britten
and
Graham Lyle
, and
Walter Afanasieff
.
She also made history as the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the second-youngest inductee overall, behind
Stevie Wonder
.
Keep reading to see the biggest quotes from Taylor Swift’s Songwriters Hall of Fame speech…
Next >
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Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift Thanks Family, Tears Up at Songwriters Hall of ... - Variety
Taylor Swift Thanks Family, Tears Up at Songwriters Hall of ... - Variety
Jun 11, 2026 9:53pm PT
Taylor Swift Tears Up While Thanking Family During Songwriters Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech: ‘You’re the Reason I’m Here Tonight’
By
Steven J. Horowitz
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Steven J. Horowitz
Senior Music Writer
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Getty Images
Taylor Swift gave an epic 21-minute acceptance speech
at the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
2026 induction ceremony, which took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Thursday night.
Before her acceptance speech, which occurred just past midnight, Sombr paid tribute to Swift with a performance of her songs “Cardigan” and “Dear John.” Then, Swift retraced her trajectory during her speech, thanking her family for making sacrifices to lay the groundwork for her career.
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Taylor Swift becomes the youngest woman inducted into the Songwriters ...
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Taylor Swift has become the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at age 36
NEW YORK --NEW YORK (AP) —Taylor Swiftbecame the youngest woman ever inducted into theSongwriters Hall of FameThursday night at age 36.
"It was instinctual. No one taught me how to do it," she said of songwriting through a raspy voice she attributed to screaming along to the night's performances andWednesday night's historic NBA gamebetween the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
She told the room about her family uprooting their lives to move her from Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee, as a tween.
“I will never be able to express my gratitude,”the singer-songwritersaid while holding back tears — crediting their sacrifice for her career.
She offered young songwriters advice: “You really have to prioritize what you love, down to your very core. Because you'll need that."
Steven Spielbergintroduced Swift with a surprise speech about the power of songwriting. “There is something undeniable about how songs imprint on our souls,” he said, before changing his focus to Swift. “Somehow Taylor knows us…
Taylor Swift tears up delivering 21-MINUTE speech as she becomes ...
Taylor Swift tears up delivering 21-MINUTE speech as she becomes ...
ByJACQUELINE LINDENBERG
Published:01:43 EDT, 12 June 2026|Updated:03:04 EDT, 12 June 2026
146
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Taylor Swiftbecame emotional as she gave a 21-minute speech during the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony inNew York Cityon Thursday.
The 36-year-oldGrammywinner, who wassupported by fiance Travis Kelce during the star-studded event, reached a major milestone as she became the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Following a tribute from Sombr and being introduced by famed directorSteven Spielberg, Swift took to the stage to reflect on her journey in the music industry.
At one point, the star was brought to tears as she got candid about the sacrifice her parents Andrea and Scott made so she could follow her dreams, perVariety.
'It was easy to choose songwriting over everything else in my life,' she told the crowd as well as her parents who were also in attendance.
'But it couldn't have been easy for my parents and my brother to just pick up and move our entire family fromPennsylvaniato relocate to Nashville so that I could hone my craft in the songwriting capital…
Taylor Swift breaks down in tears during 21-minute Songwriters Hall of ...
Taylor Swift breaks down in tears during 21-minute Songwriters Hall of ...
Taylor Swift delivered powerful speech after historic songwriting honor
Taylor Swift became teary-eyed while giving a touching 21-minute speech at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2026 induction ceremony.
As theOpalitesinger made history by becoming the youngest female artist to ever receive the honor at the event which took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Thursday night, she especially expressed her gratitude to her family for making sacrifices to pave the way for her.
“It was easy to choose songwriting over everything else in my life,” Taylor began.
"But it couldn’t have been easy for my parents and my brother to just pick up and move our entire family from Pennsylvania to relocate to Nashville so that I could hone my craft in the songwriting capital of the world. But after making obvious that this was not even remotely a temporary phase their teen daughter was going through, they uprooted their entire lives to move me to Music City. And even though words are supposed to kind of be my thing, I will never be able to express my gratitude to you guys for doing that for me. You’re the …
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
<p>At 36, Taylor Swift is now the youngest woman in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She credited her parents’ life-changing sacrifice for helping launch her career.</p>
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman in Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman in Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Thursday night at age 36.
'It was instinctual. No one taught me how to do it,' she said of s...
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman ever inducted into Songwriters Hall ...
Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman ever inducted into Songwriters Hall ...
Taylor Swift has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
NEW YORK --Taylor Swiftbecame the youngest woman ever inducted into theSongwriters Hall of FameThursday night.
"It was instinctual. No one taught me how to do it," she said of songwriting through a raspy voice she attributed to screaming along to the night's performances andWednesday night's historic NBA gamebetween the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
She told the room about her family uprooting their lives to move her to Nashville as a tween. "I will never be able to express my gratitude," she said while holding back tears - crediting their sacrifice for her career.
She offered young songwriters advice: "You really have to prioritize what you love, down to your very core. Because you'll need that."
Steven Spielbergintroduced Swift with a surprise speech about the power of songwriting. "There is something undeniable about how songs imprint on our souls," he said, before changing his focus to Swift. "Somehow Taylor knows usall too well."
Swift started her speech by acknowledging Spielberg. "Because of examples like Steven's, I…
Taylor Swift Becomes Youngest Female Hall of Fame Inductee ...
Taylor Swift Becomes Youngest Female Hall of Fame Inductee ...
Taylor Swift has made history as the youngest woman ever inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
. The 36-year-old singer received the honor at last night’s 2026 Induction and Awards Gala in New York City. The event came exactly 20 years after the release of her debut single, “Tim McGraw.”
According to
Variety
, not only is Taylor Swift the youngest woman ever to be inducted, she is also the second youngest person in history. Only Stevie Wonder was younger, being inducted at 32 years of age. Swift is also the only artist to win the Hal David Starlight Award and later become a full inductee into the Hall of Fame, according to
Page Six
.
The songs officially recognized by the organization include “Love Story,” “Blank Space,” “Anti-Hero,” “The Last Great American Dynasty” and “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”.
Fashion & Family
Taylor Swift arrived at the prestigious event wearing a strapless black floral dress, according to
Us Magazine
. The “Love Story” singer accessorized her look with Mindi Mond earrings, black heels and her signature red lipstick.
Getty
Taylor Swift was inducted into the Songwri…
NEW YORK — Taylor Swift on Thursday became the youngest woman ever inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star's record-breaking career.
R...
NEW YORK — Taylor Swift on Thursday became the youngest woman ever inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star's record-breaking career.
Read more: tmt.news/2364148
Taylor Swift Becomes Youngest Woman Ever Inducted Into Songwriters ...
Taylor Swift Becomes Youngest Woman Ever Inducted Into Songwriters ...
Breaking
Money
Taylor Swift Inducted Into Songwriters Hall Of Fame
By
Martina Di Licosa
,
Former Reporter.
Martina Di Licosa is a reporter covering consumer businesses
Jan 21, 2026, 09:16am EST
Jan 21, 2026, 10:13am EST
Topline
Taylor Swift was announced as a member of the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee on Wednesday in her first year of eligibility, the organization
said
, becoming the youngest woman ever to reach the milestone.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO STANDALONE PUBLICATION USE (NO SPECIAL INTEREST OR SINGLE ARTIST PUBLICATION USE; NO BOOK USE)) Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
Key Facts
At 36, she is the youngest woman, and second-youngest person in history to reach the milestone, a title previously held by Carole Bayer Sager, according to
Billboard
.
Now that she’s been inducted, Swift is eligible for the Hall of Fame’s highest honor, the Johnny Merce…
Taylor Swift makes tearful 21-minute speech as she joins Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift makes tearful 21-minute speech as she joins Songwriters Hall of Fame
The singer thanks her family as she becomes the youngest woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Corroboration
No verdict, no pronouncement. The model extracts atomic factual claims with verbatim quotes; every quote is validated against the source text and corroboration is computed by counting how many editorially-opposed blocs assert each fact. 5 fabricated/unverifiable quotes were rejected by the cite-or-die gate.
The spine · 2 facts corroborated across ≥2 opposed blocs
2×broadly confirmedTaylor Swift became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
turkeywestern
abc_au“Taylor Swift has become the youngest woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
bluesky“Taylor Swift on Thursday became the youngest woman ever inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame”
dailysabah“Taylor Swift became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Thursday night at age 36.”
wtae“Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame”
2×broadly confirmedTaylor Swift was 36 years old when inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
turkeywestern
dailysabah“Taylor Swift became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Thursday night at age 36.”
wtae“At 36, Taylor Swift is now the youngest woman in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
Single-source · 8 — reported by one bloc only (uncorroborated)
Taylor Swift said, 'It was instinctual. No one taught me how to do it.'
dailysabah
Taylor Swift attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony with Travis Kelce.
usatoday.com
Taylor Swift attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony with her parents, Scott Swift and Andrea Swift.
usatoday.com
Taylor Swift attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony with her brother, Austin Swift.
usatoday.com
Taylor Swift attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony with her future in-laws, Donna Kelce and Ed Kelce.
usatoday.com
Taylor Swift credited her parents’ life-changing sacrifice for helping launch her career.
wtae
Taylor Swift’s debut single, 'Tim McGraw,' was released in 2006.
usatoday.com
Taylor Swift gave a 21-minute speech at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction.
bbc
Framing · 5 — loaded language surfaced (spin shown, not adopted)
abc_au
“She's among the writers behind some of pop's biggest hits to be inducted in 2026.”
→ Taylor Swift was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2026.
bluesky
“another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star's record-breaking career.”
→ Taylor Swift was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
usatoday.com
“one of songwriting's highest honors”
→ Taylor Swift was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
usatoday.com
“the Eras Tour mastermind”
→ Taylor Swift attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
wtae
“life-changing sacrifice”
→ Taylor Swift credited her parents for helping launch her career.