The Recording Academy has named Ross Golan — an outspoken songwriters advocate who has written songs for Ariana Grande, Céline Dion, Sabrina Carpenter and more — co-chair of its Songwriters & Composers Wing, where he will work in tandem with current chair Evan Bogart and senior managing director Susan Stewart to shape programming, promote membership and collaborate with industry partners.
In addition to his work as a songwriter — he was BMI’s 2016 Songwriter of the Year and his musicals have garnered eight Drama Desk nominations — Golan runs the podcast “And the Writer Is,” which racks up over a million views across platforms every week. He was the first songwriter on the board of the National Music Publishers Association and is currently on the board of Songwriters of North America and the co-chair of NMPA’s Gold and Platinum Program.
His appointment is a strong statement by the Academy, as songwriters remain at a distinct financial disadvantage in the streaming economy.
Along with his role as co-chair, Bogart — also a multiplatinum hit songwriter as well as a publisher — will represent the Academy on a national level as vice chair of its Board of Trustees, as announced in June. See the Recording Academy website for more details on the S&C Wing’s work.
“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 says. “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.”
Since the S&C Wing’s inception in 2021, Bogart and Stewart have led the Academy’s charge to champion songwriters and composers by developing opportunities for celebration, collaboration, advocacy, networking, and education. The S&C Wing is home to over 6,000 Academy members, and as noted in the Academy’s fall 2024 membership report, songwriters and composers make up 46% of the Academy’s voting membership. In 2023, the Academy awarded the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical GRAMMY Award for the first time, further recognizing artistic excellence in songwriting.
The S&C Wing’s commitment to elevating the creators working in these crafts has also helped lead the Academy to monumental legislative victories, including the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act in California and the federal Help Independent Tracks Succeed (HITS) Act. Most recently, the S&C Wing wrapped up its 2024-2025 programming year, “A Year of Best Practices,” with the S&C Wing working in tandem with the Academy’s 12 Chapters to educate members across genres and professional levels on important standards for songwriters and composers during programs that ranged from local initiatives to a global virtual event premiering in nine countries.