Legendary Pop Songwriter Billy Steinberg Dies at 75 After Battle With Cancer
Billy Steinberg, the Grammy‑winning American songwriter behind some of the most iconic pop hits of the 1980s and 1990s, died on Monday, February 16, 2026, at his home in Brentwood, California. He was 75 years old. Steinberg had been privately battling cancer for some time before his death, his family confirmed.See more…
Steinberg’s career in music spanned more than four decades, and he became one of the most influential figures in modern songwriting. He found his greatest success working alongside longtime creative partner Tom Kelly, and together they wrote many of the biggest pop songs of their era. His work helped shape the sound of mainstream music across multiple generations.
Among the chart‑topping singles Steinberg co‑wrote were “Like a Virgin” for Madonna, “True Colors” for Cyndi Lauper, “Eternal Flame” for The Bangles, “So Emotional” for Whitney Houston, and “Alone,” popularized by Heart. These hits dominated radio play and are still celebrated today as classics of popular music.
Beyond his work in the 1980s and 1990s, Steinberg continued to write successful songs throughout his life, contributing to music for artists such as Celine Dion, JoJo, and Demi Lovato. He received a Grammy Award for his contributions to Celine Dion’s album Falling Into You and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011 alongside Tom Kelly.
Tributes have poured in from artists, collaborators, and fans around the world, many praising Steinberg’s lyrical brilliance and his warm, generous personality. He is survived by his wife Trina, his sons Ezra and Max, his sisters, and his stepchildren, all of whom remember him not only for his remarkable musical legacy but also for his devotion to family.
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