Songwriter of Madonna's 'Like a Virgin', Billy Steinberg, dies aged 75

Billy Steinberg, a Grammy-winning American songwriter who contributed to multiple number-one hits, including Madonna's 'Like a Virgin', has passed away at the age of 75.

Steinberg's attorney confirmed the songwriter passed away in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer.

Steinberg was described by his family as a "visionary lyricist, devoted husband, loving father, and one of the most influential songwriters of his era."

He also wrote songs for artists such as Roy Orbison, Demi Lovato, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and The Bangles.

The Californian songwriter, who was born William Steinberg, started working with singer-songwriter Tom Kelly in the early 1980s.

The pair briefly led a rock band called i-Ten and contributed to multiple singles that reached the top of the charts.

The breakthrough for Steinberg and Kelly came in 1984 when Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' became the title track of her second album and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Other successful hits that the two collaborated on included Whitney Houston's 'So Emotional' (1987), Cyndi Lauper's 'True Colours' (1986), and the Divinyls' 'I Touch Myself' (1990).

Steinberg later co-wrote songs in the early 2000s, including 'Give Your Heart a Break' by Demi Lovato and 'Too Little Too Late' by JoJo.

In a statement his family said, "His lyrics often began as deeply personal reflections, transformed into anthems in which millions found themselves."

They continued on to say, "Billy Steinberg's life was a testament to the enduring power of a well-written song – and to the idea that honesty, when set to music, can outlive us all."

His family also noted that he received multiple industry accolades throughout his four-decade career, including a Grammy Award for his work on Celine Dion's 1996 album Falling Into You.

Friends and fans of the songwriter have paid tribute to Steinberg, with Chrissie Hynde writing, "Billy, a gentle soul and a great talent, will be greatly missed."

Cyndi Lauper labelled Steinberg as a "true genius" and said, "He was a great lyricist and a wonderful collaborator."

Steinberg was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011, which regarded him as one of the "most successful songwriters" whose compositions have become "enduring classics".