Biography
Desmond Child, a Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter, stands as one of the most prolific and successful hitmakers in music history. He is also a producer across film, television, theater, and music, as well as a recording artist, performer, and author. His work spans over eighty Billboard Top 40 hits across six decades, including iconic songs like "Livin' On A Prayer," "You Give Love A Bad Name," "I Was Made For Lovin' You," "Dude Looks Like A Lady," "How Can We Be Lovers," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," "Livin' La Vida Loca," "The Cup Of Life," "Waking Up In Vegas," and "Kings & Queens," among many others.
His genre-crossing collaborations range from Aerosmith to Zedd and include artists such as KISS, Bon Jovi, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Michael Bolton, Katy Perry, Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Cyndi Lauper, Christina Aguilera, Weezer, The Black Keys, Ava Max, as well as characters like Mickey Mouse and Kermit The Frog. Collectively, his contributions have sold over 500 million records worldwide, with billions of downloads, YouTube views, and streams.
Desmond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008 and serves on its Board of Directors as well as ASCAP’s Board. In 2018, he received ASCAP's prestigious Founders Award, marking 40 years as a dedicated member. In 2012, he co-founded the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, where he holds the title of Chairman Emeritus. In 2022, he was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, and "Livin' La Vida Loca" was added to the National Archives of the Library of Congress for its cultural significance to America. In 2023, "Livin' On A Prayer" surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, followed by "You Give Love A Bad Name," "I Was Made For Lovin' You," and "Kings & Queens" reaching the same milestone in 2024. In 2025, Barbra Streisand released a duet with Josh Groban of "Where Do I Go From You," from the new musical BEBA'S MAMBO, co-written with Davitt Sigerson. His autobiography, LIVIN' ON A PRAYER: BIG SONGS BIG LIFE, co-authored with David Ritz, is now available in print and audiobook formats.
