Neil Sedaka, the singer and songwriter behind such hits as “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” “Calendar Girl,” and “Love Will Keep Us Together,” died on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 at age 86. In this 2020 “Sunday Morning” story, David Pogue talked with Sedaka – as well as Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson), author John Seabrook, and producer Oak Felder – about the elements that go into writing a hit song.
