(Since its inception in 1973, the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame has enshrined nearly 1,000 recordings across all genres. The Making Of … series presents firsthand accounts of the creative process behind some of the essential recordings of the 20th century. You can read more Making Of … accounts, and in-depth insight into the recordings and artists represented in the Hall, in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition book.)

"Walk On By"
Dionne Warwick
Scepter (1964)
Single
Inducted 1998

(As told to Roy Trakin)

The song was originally the B-side of "Any Old Time Of Day." It didn't really get played on the radio until [New York DJ] Murray the K turned the record over after holding a contest for which side the listeners preferred, and they chose "Walk On By."

I liked it the first time I heard it. Like most of the songs I was given to record at the beginning of my career, it was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, who were not only my songwriters, but my producers. I depended on them to give me great songs, and they did, as my history shows.

I met Burt first. He had written a song called "Mexican Divorce," with another writer named Bob Hilliard, for the Drifters. I was one of the background singers on the session, and after the date was finished, he asked if I'd be interested in singing some demos he was writing with a new partner, Hal David. And that was the start of our association.

We recorded the song at Bell Sound Studios in New York, live with full orchestra ... strings, horns, [a] rhythm section, [and] background singers. That's something I miss terribly. Those were always wonderful musical events. It was basically a performance, and a lot of fun.

With Burt Bacharach sitting at the piano or in the control room, it was never the first take, even if, in fact, it usually ended up being the first take [that we used for the record]. It wasn't about punching in overdubs. We did every single recording full-out, and on about the 28th take, I think someone probably said — if it wasn't me — "I think we may have it."

The song had a memorable melody and words. If I had known it was going to be a hit, I'd be sitting on a mountain with a ruby in my hand. I was dear, dear friends with both Burt and Hal. We depended on each other to bring to the table the expertise we each possessed. Hal David's lyrics were the most incredible I've ever sung. And Burt created those intricate, but memorable, melodies. And I was the vehicle to bring all of that to the listeners' ears.

I'm totally enamored [with] Isaac Hayes' cover, which he made his own. Very much like what Aretha did with "I Say A Little Prayer" or Luther Vandross did with "A House Is Not A Home." When anyone covers a song, it's a compliment to the original version.

To this day, I can't leave the stage without singing it. It's a song that not only I have grown to love over my 50 years in the industry, but it has become a favorite of my audience. The songs that I've had the pleasure of recording with Bacharach [and] David have grown with me. I'm singing it for people my age, who have brought their children, and in turn, they've brought their children. It's been able to age with each new group of listeners.

(Roy Trakin, a senior editor for HITS magazine, has written for every rock publication that ever mattered, some that didn't, and got paid by most of them.)

The Recording Academy has announced 10 recordings to be newly inducted to the distinguished GRAMMY Hall Of Fame as part of its 2024 inductee class and in celebration of its 50th anniversary this year. This year's GRAMMY Hall of Fame additions, the first inductions since 2021, include four albums and six singles that exhibit qualitative or historical significance and are at least 25 years old. The inducted recordings, which will be added to the iconic catalog residing at the GRAMMY Museum, will be honored at GRAMMY Museum's inaugural GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala and concert, presented by City National Bank, taking place Tuesday, May 21, at the NOVO Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets for and performers at the Gala will be announced at a later date. 

The 2024 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducted recordings range from Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill to Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction. Others include recordings by De La Soul, Buena Vista Social Club, Donna Summer, Charley Pride, Wanda Jackson, Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra, the Doobie Brothers, and William Bell. Eligible recipients will receive an official certificate from the Recording Academy. With these 10 newly inducted titles, the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame currently totals 1,152 inducted recordings.

See below for a full list of the 2024 recordings inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, and see the full list of all past GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducted recordings.

Full list of 2024 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Inducted Recordings:

3 FEET HIGH AND RISING
De La Soul
Tommy Boy (1989)
(Album)
Inducted: 2024

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
Guns N' Roses
Geffen (1987)
(Album)
Inducted: 2024

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB
Buena Vista Social Club
World Circuit/Nonesuch (1997)
(Album)
Inducted: 2024

“I FEEL LOVE”
Donna Summer
Casablanca (1977)
(Single)
Inducted: 2024

“KISS AN ANGEL GOOD MORNIN'“
Charley Pride
RCA Victor (1971)
(Single)
Inducted: 2024

“LET'S HAVE A PARTY”
Wanda Jackson
Capitol (1960)
(Single)
Inducted: 2024

THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL
Lauryn Hill
Ruffhouse/Columbia (1998)
(Album)
Inducted: 2024

“ORY'S CREOLE TROMBONE”
Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra (As Spike's Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra)
Nordskog (1922)
(Single)
2024

“WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES”
The Doobie Brothers
Warner Bros. (1978)
(Single)
Inducted: 2024

“YOU DON'T MISS YOUR WATER”
William Bell
Stax (1961)
(Single)
Inducted: 2024

"We're proud to unveil the diverse mix of recordings entering the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in its 50th year," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. "The music showcased here has played a pivotal role in shaping our cultural landscape, and it's a true honor to recognize these albums and recordings, along with the profound influence each has had on music and beyond."

"The artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers who composed this year's inducted recordings are a reflection of the sheer talent and hard work that goes into creating such seminal music," GRAMMY Museum President/CEO Michael Sticka said in a statement. "It's a privilege to be able to welcome these new additions into our distinguished catalog and celebrate the recordings at our inaugural gala on May 21."

The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's National Trustees in 1973. The inducted recordings are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts with final ratification by the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees.

This year, the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala will be the first of what will become an annual event and includes a red carpet and VIP reception on the newly opened Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum, followed by a one-of-a-kind concert at the NOVO Theater in downtown Los Angeles. 

The inaugural gala and concert is produced by longtime executive producer of the GRAMMY Awards, Ken Ehrlich, along with Chantel Sausedo and Ron Basile and will feature musical direction by globally renowned producer and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to halloffame@grammymuseum.org.

Explore the history of the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame

Following a two-year hiatus, the GRAMMY Museum and Recording Academy are reinstating the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame on its 50th anniversary. The momentous event will be celebrated with an inaugural gala and concert on Tuesday, May 21, at the NOVO Theater in Los Angeles; tickets and performers for the event will be announced at a later date. As part of the return, 10 recordings, including four albums and six singles, will be newly inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame later this year.

The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's National Trustees in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts with final ratification by the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees. There are currently 1,152 inducted recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. View the full list GRAMMY Hall Of Fame past inductees.

This year, the GRAMMY Museum’s GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala will be the first of what will become an annual event, and includes a red carpet and VIP reception on the newly opened Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum, followed by a one-of-a-kind concert at the NOVO Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.

The inaugural gala and concert is produced by longtime executive producer of the GRAMMY Awards, Ken Ehrlich, along with Chantel Sausedo and Ron Basile and will feature musical direction by globally renowned producer and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to halloffame@grammymuseum.org.

Keep watching this space for more exciting news about the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame!

2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Winners & Nominees List

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

10 Essential Facts To Know About GRAMMY-Winning Rapper J. Cole

Regarded as one of the most influential and popular songwriters in American music history, the death of Burt Bacharach at age 94 marks the end of an unparalleled career.  The legend's work spanned decades and dominated the charts, simultaneously defining eras and minting a litany of some of music’s brightest singers along the way.

For his efforts, the songwriter was awarded a total of six GRAMMY Awards and 21 nominations, as well as multiple songs in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame including "The Look of Love" and "Walk On By."

"Burt Bacharach was a visionary who composed and arranged some of the most timeless songs in the late 20th century," said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason, jr.  A six-time GRAMMY Award-winner and recipient of the Recording Academy Trustees and Lifetime Achievement Awards, Burt’s impact across the music industry is undeniable. We’ve lost one of music’s giants, and he will be dearly missed."

A testament to his longevity, Bacharach's first GRAMMY nomination occurred nearly 60 years ago. In 1964, he received the nod for Song Of The Year/New Song Of The Year for writing "Wives and Lovers," a tongue-in-cheek meditation on marriage for the artist Jack Jones. Most recently, Bacharach was nominated for Best Musical Theater Album at the 64th GRAMMY Awards in 2022. He wrote new songs for the Paris recording of Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater's Some Lovers.

The pillars of Bacharach's amazing career were supported by his three important partnerships: first with the songwriter Hal David, with whom Bacharach began his songwriting career. Upon their falling out, Bacharach began writing with third wife Carole Bayer Sager.

Throughout his career, Bacharach’s legendary collaboration with Dionne Warwick resulted in the singer’s biggest hits. "Burt’s transition is like losing a family member," Warwick said upon news of Bacharach’s death. "These words I’ve been asked to write are being written with sadness over the loss of my dear friend and my musical partner."

From a discography that includes hit pop singles, memorable movie themes and blockbuster Broadway musicals, here are 10 of Bacharach’s most notable songs.

"Wives and Lovers" (1963)

The song that earned Bacharach his first GRAMMY turned into a hit for the singer Jack Jones, and was later recorded by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, Vic Damone and Nancy Wilson. It was also his and David’s first collaboration. "We wrote ‘Wives and Lovers’ for the movie (of the same name)," David later recalled to the website Songwriter Universe, noting it was later cut from the final product. "It wasn’t in the movie because Burt was still under contract to another studio."

"Walk On By" (1963)

Another seminal hit courtesy Bacharach and David, "Walk On By" was recorded by Warwick in New York City weeks after the Kennedy assassination, then released in the spring of the following year.

Read more: The Making Of Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By"

A GRAMMY nominee for Best R&B Recording, it was one of many of the duo and Warwick’s acclaimed collaborations. The song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 1998 and has been covered by Issac Hayes, Aretha Franklin, Average White Band, and others.

"What the World Needs Now Is Love" (1965)

Starting off with a melancholy horn riff before blossoming into a hopeful melody, one of Bacharach’s most indelible tunes was written for Warwick before Jackie DeShannon released it as a single. Just as any expertly-crafted pop song sounds deceivingly simple on its surface, "What the World Need Now Is Love" took over two years for Bacharach to complete. It was subsequently nominated for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)/Best Background Arrangement at the 8th GRAMMY Awards.

"What’s New Pussycat" (1965)

This Tom Jones-sung pop confection was written for a 1965 comedy film of the same name, but nearly did not see the light of day. "The producer, Charlie Feldman loved it when he first heard it," Bacharach remembered in 1986. "But [Feldman] had a question of, ‘How are they going to dance to it in discotheques, you know? It's a waltz. How is it going to be a hit?’ [I said], I don't know, I think it could be, but I don't know, I just know that for your picture, it services your picture."

"Alfie" (1966)

"It took me three weeks to write the music for 'Alfie," Bacharach told the Guardian in 2015 of the song he’d later win the GRAMMY for Best Instrumental Arrangement. Penned for the hit movie of the same name, Bacharach noted his scrupulous process was one secret to his success. "I probably wound up using what I started with, or close to it. But I have to turn a song upside down and make sure it’s really as good as I can make it."

"The Look of Love" (1967)

Oozing with sultriness, the sensual "The Look of Love" was made popular by English singer Dusty Springfield and is another Bacharach entry into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, inducted in 1998. Written for the 1967 movie Casino Royale (the first James Bond film), Bacharach was inspired after watching footage of star Ursula Andrews. The soundtrack later garnered him and David three GRAMMY nominations. 

"Promises, Promises" (1968)

With its adventurous melody and tongue-twister lyrics, "Promises, Promises" the Warwick-sung song comes from a Bacharach-David’s hit musical of the same name.  For the duo, it was a unique creative process which brought that show to life: "There were a few tunes in Promises, Promises that I did write where I started with the music first," Bacharach later said. "But the majority of it was lyrics first."

"Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head" (1969)

Inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2014 and recorded by the singer B.J. Thomas while recovering from laryngitis, "Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head" was produced as a part of Bacharach and David’s soundtrack for the movie classic Butch Cassiy and the Sundance Kid. A western was a unique choice for the colleagues, but the combination turned into a blockbuster choice.

"I wrote the entire melody, and the only words that kept running through my mind from top to bottom were 'raindrops keep fallin’ on my head,'" Bacharach wrote in his 2014 autobiography, before adding however: "David tried to come up with another title, as the sun is shining brightly throughout the sequence (in the movie)."

"Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (1981)

Yet another one of Bacharach’s contributions to film history, the song recorded by Christopher Cross resulted in a later-career hit for Bacharach in the early '80s. Co-written with Cross, director Peter Allen and Bayer-Sager, the ballad was nominated for Song Of The Year at the 24th GRAMMY Awards.

"That’s What Friends are For" (1985)

Winning GRAMMY Awards for both Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals and Song Of The Year in 1987, one of Bacharach’s final hits of his career proved to be one of his biggest. Recorded by Warwick along with Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and Elton John, the heartfelt track was produced to raise money for AIDS research, then at the height of the epidemic and wound up raising $3.4 million for the cause.

Remembering Jeff Beck: 5 Essential Tracks From The Guitar Wizard And Influential Innovator