Songwriter Ross Golan, who has co-written such hits as Selena Gomez’s “Same Old Love,” Flo Rida’s “My House” and Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman” –—all of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 — has been named co-chair of the Recording Academy’s Songwriters & Composers (S&C) Wing. In that capacity, he’ll work alongside songwriter and current chair Evan Bogart (who will become co-chair) and S&C Wing senior managing director Susan Stewart.
“From its inception, I’ve seen how the S&C Wing has provided its diverse and growing membership the support it needs to thrive in this challenging time,” Golan said in a statement. “We’re at a critical moment for songwriters and composers, and we creators need this community more than ever. It’s a privilege to step into this role as co-chair and I look forward to collaborating with the entire organization to advocate for the thousands of members who call the S&C Wing their home.”
In addition to being a songwriter, Golan, 45, is a record producer, podcaster and playwright. He was the 2016 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year and is currently published by Warner Chappell Music. Golan is also the host of the popular And the Writer Is… podcast, which is co-produced by Joe London.
Golan has long been a Recording Academy insider. In 2016, he co-authored an initiative to include songwriters as nominees in the Grammys’ album of the year category for the first time. That change took effect at the 2018 ceremony.
In 2018, Golan was a leading voice in the Music Modernization Act. In 2019, he became the first songwriter to sit on the board of directors of the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA). He’s also currently on the board of Songwriters of North America and the co-chair of NMPA’s Gold and Platinum Program.
The S&C wing, modeled after the academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing, was first announced on the Grammy telecast in March 2021. The S&C Wing has since worked to help boost songwriters’ profiles. In 2023, for example, the Academy first presented a Grammy Award for songwriter of the year, non-classical. The award was modeled after the award for producer of the year, non-classical, which was first presented in 1975. The first three winners of the songwriter award were Tobias Jesso Jr., Theron Thomas and Amy Allen.
The S&C Wing is home to more than 6,000 Academy members. As noted in the Academy’s fall 2024 membership report, songwriters and composers make up 46% of the Academy’s voting membership, more than any other creative discipline. Producers and instrumentalists are tied for second place with 33% each, followed by vocalists at 32% and engineers at 19%. (Members can check more than one box.)
In addition to continuing as co-chair, Bogart, 47, will also represent the academy on a national level as vice chair of its board of trustees, as announced in June.
The S&C Wing’s commitment to elevating the creators working in these crafts has also helped lead the Academy to legislative victories, including the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act in California and the federal Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act.