Post Malone to Receive Hal David Starlight Award at Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala

Post Malone is receiving a special honor at the Songwriters Hall of Fame gala (SHOF).

The rapper will be bestowed with the Hal David Starlight Award at the annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner on June 15 in New York City. Named after former SHOF Chairman Hal David, who was also a songwriter of hits by Dionne Warwick and the title tracks of such movies as What’s New Pussycat? and Alfie, the award is given to “young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs,” according to a press release.

Over the past decade, Post Malone has solidified himself as a force in the rap world, crafting his hits “Rockstar,” “Circles,” “Psycho,” “Better Now,” “Sunflower” and many others. All four of his albums have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the Top 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

“Over the last few years I have had the pleasure of watching Posty become one of the biggest artists in the world and he’s done it by writing phenomenal songs,” current SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers says in a statement. “Way before Post Malone was a superstar, he was a great songwriter, and this is his first step into the Songwriters Hall of Fame!”

Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Lil Nas X, John Mayer, John Legend and Drake are among the other esteemed artists who’ve received the award since it was instituted in 2004. Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Glen Ballard, Jeff Lynne, Teddy Riley and Liz Rose are the 2023 inductees into the SHOF.

“The music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first,” Rodgers said at the time of the induction announcement. “We are therefore very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time and that the 2023 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who have enriched our lives and, in their time, literally transformed music and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world.”

Photo Credit: Tina Benitez-Eves