Billy Steinberg, Prolific Songwriter Behind Hits for Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and More, Dies at 75

Billy Steinberg, a highly influential songwriter responsible for co-writing some of pop music’s most iconic songs, including Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors,” died Monday in California at the age of 75. His death followed a long battle with cancer, confirmed by his attorney, Laurie Soriano Variety.

A Partnership with Tom Kelly

Steinberg rose to prominence through his collaboration with Tom Kelly. Their partnership, beginning in 1981, was characterized by a clear division of labor: Steinberg focused on lyrics, whereas Kelly composed the music Syracuse.com. Steinberg emphasized that “every hit we wrote, the massive hits, always came from the lyrics.”

A String of Chart-Topping Hits

Together, Steinberg and Kelly crafted a remarkable string of hits that defined the 1980s and 90s. Their songwriting credits include:

• “Like a Virgin” – Madonna
• “True Colors” – Cyndi Lauper
• “Eternal Flame” – The Bangles
• “Alone” – Heart
• “So Emotional” – Whitney Houston
• “I Touch Myself” – The Divinyls
• “I’ll Stand by You” – The Pretenders
• “How Do I Make You” – Linda Ronstadt
• “I Drove All Night” – Roy Orbison and Cyndi Lauper

Continued Success After Kelly’s Retirement

After Kelly retired in the mid-1990s, Steinberg continued his successful career, collaborating with other artists. He penned hits such as Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You,” Demi Lovato’s “Deliver Your Heart a Break,” and JoJo’s “Too Little Too Late” Variety.

Early Career and Songwriters Hall of Fame

Before his songwriting success, Steinberg was the frontman for the rock band Billy Thermal. Their song “How Do I Make You” gained popularity and was later covered by Linda Ronstadt Syracuse.com. In 2011, Steinberg and Kelly were jointly inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Variety.

Palm Springs Roots and Recent Work

Born in Los Angeles, Steinberg had strong ties to Palm Springs, where his family operated a large grape harvesting company. He remained a longtime resident of Palm Springs and was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2008 KESQ. In 2025, Steinberg signed a publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing, alongside his son Ezra, under the Steinberg Music label Variety.