Diane Warren

Those in the music business know her well.  She has received six Academy Award nominations for “Song of the Year”, five Golden Globe nominations (including one win), and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win.  She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.  She is the first person in history to have written seven songs all on the singles chart at the same time.  She has written over 70 songs that are featured in movies or television shows. 

She writes almost exclusively romantic songs, yet has never married.  She has written hit songs but has never recorded.  

Diane Warren was born September 7, 1956 in Van Nuys, California.  She felt alienated growing up but began writing music at age 14.  She says “Music saved me.”  Her mother wanted her to give up her dream of a songwriting career and take a secretarial job.  Today, secretaries all over the world listen to her songs on the radio while they work.  

Diane got her first break when Laura Branigan accepted a Warren composition and turned it into a #7 song in 1983—“Solitaire”.  

Warren was named Pop Songwriter of the Year by ASCAP in 1990, 1991, 1993, 1998 and 1999 and was Country Songwriter of the Year in 2000.  She won the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Frederick Loewe Music Award this year.  Warren has also won the Women in Film Crystal Award (2006), a 2001 award by the Hollywood Film Festival for Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting, Billboard’s Songwriter of the Year in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard’s Inaugural Film and TV Music Career Achievement Award in 2008.

Diane Warren's songs have sold over 125 million copies.  US Air, Delta and United Airlines have not devoted in-flight channels to her music.  Warren was given a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 2001 and was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame that same year.  

She owns her own publishing company, Realsongs.  She focuses nearly her entire day on her work.  The Diane Warren Foundation, in conjunction with ASCAP and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation created a joint initiative in 2000 called Music in the Schools.  To combat the shocking lack of support for public music education by the current leadership of city and state governments, the imitative provides sheet music, band arrangements and method books to schools that also receive musical instruments from VH1. 

Last year, Diane joined with Avon as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices, an online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women. 

A sample of Warren’s classic compositions is included below:

“Always Tomorrow”, sung by Gloria Estefan, reached #5 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Because You Loved Me”, sung by Celine Dion, featured in the movie Up Close and Personal,  reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 (6 weeks) and #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, setting a record with 19 weeks at #1, finished 1995 as the #3 song for the year and is the #18 song for the 90’s decade, #1 in Canada and Australia, sold two million copies in the U.S., won Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, nominated for Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , nominated for 1995 Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“Blame It on the Rain”, recorded by Milli Vanilli, reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart

“By the Time This Night is Over”, by Kenny G, sung by Peabo Bryson, reached #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“Can’t Fight Fate”, sung by Taylor Dayne, featured in the 1991 movie Class Action

“Can’t Fight the Moonlight”, sung by LeAnn Rimes, reached #1 in the UK, Belgium, Holland, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia, #1 song of the year in Australia, is the 18^th-biggest single in Irish history, featured in the movie Coyote Ugly, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“Chasin’ the Wind”, sung by Chicago

“Could I Have This Kiss Forever”, sung by Whitney Houston & Enrique Iglesias, reached #1 in Holland, Spain and Switzerland and on the Eurochart

“Do You Feel Me”, sung by Anthony Hamilton, nominated for Song of the Year by the Broadcast Film Critics Association

“Don’t Take Away My Heaven”, sung by Aaron Neville, reached #4 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Don’t Turn Around, originally recorded by Tina Turner, later sung by Neil Diamond and Ace of Base, the latter reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, was the #10 song of 1994, reached #1 in Canada, certified gold in the U.S.

“Faith of the Heart”, sung by Rod Stewart, reached # 3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“For You I Will”, sung by Monica, reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100 Chart and #3 on Adult Contemporary chart, featured in the 1996 animated movie Space Jam

“Have You Ever?”, sung by Brandy, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, the #14 song of the year 1999, reached #1 in New Zealand

“Hot Night”, featured in the 1984 movie Ghostbusters, nominated for a Grammy award

“How Do I Live”, sung by LeAnn Rimes and also by Trisha Yearwood, reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, the #4 song of the year and #12 for the 90’s decade, sold three million copies in the U.S. and four million worldwide, featured in the 1997 movie Con Air, Yearwood’s version won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Rimes’ version was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, nominated for Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, won ASCAP Award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“I Could Not Ask For More”, sung by Edwin McCain, reached #3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“I Don’t Wanna’ Live Without Your Love”, sung by Chicago, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing”, sung by Aerosmith, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 in Austria, Australia, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Switzerland, featured in the 1998 movie Armageddon, nominated for Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, nominated for Grammy Award for Best Song From a Motion Picture, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song From a Motion Picture, won Golden Satellite Award for Best Song

“I Get Weak”, sung by Belinda Carlisle, reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“I Turn To You”, sung by All-4-One, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“I Want You to Need Me”, sung by Celine Dion, reached #1 in Canada

“I Will Be Here For You”, sung by Michael W. Smith

“I’ll Be Your Shelter”, sung by Taylor Dayne, reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 in Canada

“I’ll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)”, sung by Expose, reached #8 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

“If I Could Turn Back Time”, sung by Cher, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Australia and Norway, single sold two million copies in the U.S.

“If You Asked Me To”, sung by Patti LaBelle, featured in 1989 James Bond movie License to Kill, and later released as the debut single by Celine Dion

“Just Like Jesse James”, sung by Cher, reached #8 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“Let Me Make It Up to You Tonight”, sung by Jody Watley, featured in the movie White Men Can’t Jump

“Live For Loving You”, sung by Gloria Estefan, reached #2 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“Look Away”, sung by Chicago, reached #1 for two weeks on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Love Can Move Mountains”, sung by Celine Dion, reached #2 in Canada

“Love Will Lead You Back”, sung by Taylor Dayne, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“Music of My Heart”, sung by Gloria Estefan and ‘N Sync, reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, certified gold in the U.S., featured in the movie Music of the Heart, nominated for Academy Award, nominated for Grammy Award,  won Song of the Year at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

“My First Night With You”, sung by Mya, certified gold in the U.S.

“Nothing Broken But My Heart”, sung by Celine Dion, reached #1 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Canada

“Nothing’s Gonna’ Stop Us Now”, sung by Starship, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, the #5 song of the year, reached #1 in Ireland and the U.K., certified gold in the U.S., sold over a million copies worldwide, featured in the movie Mannequin,  (nominated for 1987 Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, Best Song Written for a Motion Picture at the Grammy Awards and Song of the Year at the Golden Globe Awards, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“One Night Without You”, sung by Cosimo, reached #1 in Australia

“Reach”, sung by Gloria Estefan, reached #5 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Columbia

“Rhythm of the Night”, song by DeBarge, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, featured in the movie The Last Dragon, nominated for Song of the Year at the 1985 Golden Globes Awards

“Un Roman d’amitie (Friend You Give Me a Reason)”, sung by Elsa Lunghini, reached #1 in France

“Saving Forever For You”, sung by Shanice, reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“Set The Night to Music”, recorded by Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest, reached #6 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 on Adult Contemporary chart, also recorded by Starship

“Solitaire”, sung by Laura Branigan, reached #7 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

 “Some Kind of Miracle”, sung by Kelly Clarkson

“The Arms of the One Who Loves You”, sung by Xscape

“There You’ll Be”, sung by Faith Hill, reached #10 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Canada and Sweden, featured in the movie Pearl Harbor, nominated for Grammy Award for Best Song From a Motion Picture, nominated for 2000 Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, nominated for Song of the Year at the Golden Globe Awards, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song From a Motion Picture, nominated for Song of the Year from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, nominated for Golden Satellite Award

“Time, Love and Tenderness”, sung by Michael Bolton, reached #7 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Un-Break My Heart”, sung by Toni Braxton in 1996, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks in a row, was the #4 song of the year and the #4 song of the 90’s decade, reached #1 in Austria, Europe, Sweden and Switzerland, certified platinum in both the U.S. and U.K., won Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

“Water From The Moon”, sung by Celine Dion

“When I See You Smile”, sung by Bad English, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 in Canada

“Where the Dream Take You”, sung by Mya, featured in the 2001 animated movie Atlantis:  The Lost Empire, nominated for Best Original Song at the World Soundtrack Awards

“Wherever I Would Be”, sung by Dusty Springfield and Daryl Hall, featured in the 1995 movie While You Were Sleeping

“Who Will You Run To”, sung by Heart, reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart

“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me”, sung by Cher, featured in the movie Burlesque, won for 2009 Song of the Year at the Golden Globe Awards