![Carrie Underwood attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024](https://people.com/thmb/WL8xit4JgzlVDjzdnpiXcN2JFiY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(714x314:716x316)/Carrie-Underwood-061324-2-acd94b77849e40cab5cf1adf8d2ddb46.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
The masters behind the music are having a moment in the spotlight.
On Thursday night, June 13 in New York City, stars including Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Kevin Bacon stepped out to honor the writers responsible for some iconic hits at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala Induction Ceremony and Dinner.
As Songwriters Hall of Fame chairman Nile Rodgers said in a release ahead of the event, “The music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first. Without them there is no recorded music, no concert business, no merch ... nothing, it all starts with the song and the songwriter."
Among the honorees was SZA, who received the Hal David Starlight Award to recognize her impact on the music industry through her original songwriting.
"I swear, I'll be like, 'Oh I wrote this and I wrote that,'" the artist, 34, said. "And [people would] be like, 'OK,' especially if you're a woman, especially if you're a Black woman. So to win this... It just means the world."
Here, see all the stars and songwriters who gathered to celebrate.
Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban
![US singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood (L) and Australian-US musician Keith Urban speak onstage during the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2024 induction and awards gala at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on June 13, 2024.](https://people.com/thmb/Ejme8brFT29Qri6hlT2ImcrRLfY=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Keith-Urbansongwriters-hall-of-fame-20-06132024-c39f8b4ec1164dd19b13d27a6c927714.jpg)
ANGELA WEISS/Getty
SZA
![SZA](https://people.com/thmb/vP61jky-uyn6bTsdu-9HhbEMWVA=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(983x441:985x443)/Sza-Songwriters-Hall-of-Fame-061324-132b9ade55c545c0932ca233d1b9e749.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Carrie Underwood
![Carrie Underwood attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024](https://people.com/thmb/5ruznkw_YKsQu5lwoPhtJUl-YzM=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2)/Carrie-Underwood-061324-5df3e4e66e2f450b8de7d7c0c7ac0398.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Diane Warren
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: Diane Warren attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City.](https://people.com/thmb/kBQLE8uurKLyZp4o-DFtabEai_U=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/Diane-Warrensongwriters-hall-of-fame-19-06132024-e99d8d8dc4d24e3e8646cdc11afbd9bc.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Priscilla Presley
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: Priscilla Presley attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City.](https://people.com/thmb/ew8FHO796YKPbCu9Y7MdSoW3iYk=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/Priscilla-Presleysongwriters-hall-of-fame-18-06132024-56ee5ffcc9e848369282927999d039b1.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Richie Sambora
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: Richie Sambora attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City.](https://people.com/thmb/hpcLMDdT4V6uLy40lAWvQc__2o8=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/Richie-Samborasongwriters-hall-of-fame-16-06132024-519bdf84670f4119be092560b8432a57.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
El DeBarge
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: El DeBarge attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City.](https://people.com/thmb/6GS_b6B8xj8CzAysuinrM0wGbic=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/El-DeBargesongwriters-hall-of-fame-15-06132024-7e5685a4d8af4cee861d09b0f514b4e0.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Desmond Child
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: Desmond Child attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City.](https://people.com/thmb/j8PvqQRtVLS-5yhuqUaZKtvmuXE=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/Desmond-Childsongwriters-hall-of-fame-17-06132024-ca34474de18d4fb0bc4d4aaeec1c95f6.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Trey Anastasio
![Trey Anastasio attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024](https://people.com/thmb/PgbjUEFdQ89XVLTgC0hYtABPlOA=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2)/Trey-Anastasio-Songwriters-Hall-of-Fame-061324-6e98745acd254aeab61dfae059b3965f.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Paul Williams
![Paul Williams attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024](https://people.com/thmb/lJqkvirvErkDGmfMgr4chw2cuHQ=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2)/Paul-Williams-061324-c2bd7e8609ff4587bb97d644b3093658.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Nile Rodgers
![Nile Rodgers attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024](https://people.com/thmb/t54TH6U9ujlhVxk98SUuIPs5LSE=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2)/Nile-Rodgers-061324-6b38c1f624aa4ae9824cb5631f84aa8a.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon
![Kevin Bacon and his brother singer songwriter Michael Bacon attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2024](https://people.com/thmb/kZHTXbN80GgZytbbHcC5iCs1yBE=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(665x0:667x2)/Kevin-Bacon-Michael-Bacon-Songwriters-Hall-of-Fame-2024-061324-13b0938b9cc74914be51ed788c8cbace.jpg)
Bennett Raglin/Getty