The Poker Face hitmaker was among the honourees at the New York City ceremony, picking up the inaugural Contemporary Icon Award from her jazz partner Tony Bennett, while she later took to the stage to fete songwriter Linda Perry by singing her track What's Up?

Gaga later wrote on Instagram.com, "Being a songwriter is first and foremost how I identify in life. Tonight's award means a lot to me."

During the show at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, Buble honoured Van Morrison with a performance of Moondance and the Canadian crooner also presented him with the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award for songwriting excellence, while Nate Reuss was feted with the Hal David Starlight Award for young songwriters.

Other performers included Carly Rae Jepsen, who sang Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper, and U.S. talk show host Stephen Colbert, who sang As Good As I Once Was by country star Toby Keith.

Perry, Lauper and Keith were all inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia and his collaborator Robert Hunter, country songwriter/producer Bobby Braddock and late blues star Willie Dixon.

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BBC: Cyndi Lauper and Van Morrison added to Songwriters Hall of Fame ...