Thread: Greatest Songwriters of All Time

1. Bob Dylan
2. Townes Van Zandt
3. Willie Nelson
4. Paul McCartney
5. Tom Petty

Rolling Stone list

https://www.rollingstone.com/interac...t-songwriters/

100 Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson
99 Tom T Hall
98 Otis Blackwell
97 Taylor Swift
96 Timbaland and Missy Elliott
95 The Bee Gees
94 John Prine
93 Billie Joe Armstrong
92 Paul Westerberg
91 Eminem
90 Babyface
89 Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
88 Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill
87 Kris Kristofferson
86 Sam Cooke
85 R.E.M.
84 Kanye West
83 Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
82 Marvin Gaye
81 Björk
80 R. Kelly
79 Lucinda Williams
78 Curtis Mayfield
77 Allen Toussaint
76 Loretta Lynn
75 Isaac Hayes and David Porter
74 Patti Smith
73 Radiohead
72 Fats Domino and Dave Barthomolew
71 Walter Becker and Donald Fagen
70 Dan Penn
69 James Taylor
68 Jay Z
67 Morrissey and Marr
66 Kenny Gamble and Leon A Huff
65 George Harrison
64 Bert Berns
63 Chrissie Hynde
62 Harry Nilsson
61 Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
60 Willie Nelson
59 Tom Petty
58 George Clinton
57 Joe Strummer and Mick Jones
56 Madonna
55 Tom Waits
54 Kurt Cobain
53 Stevie Nicks
52 The Notorious B.I.G.
51 Willie Dixon
50 Billy Joel
49 Don Henley and Glenn Frey
48 Elton John and Bernie Taupin
47 Neil Diamond
46 Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
45 Robbie Robertson
44 Jimmy Webb
43 Johnny Cash
42 Sly Stone
41 Max Martin
40 John Fogerty
39 David Bowie
38 Al Green
37 Jackson Browne
36 Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter
35 Bono and the Edge
34 Michael Jackson
33 Merle Haggard
32 Burt Bacharach and Hal David
30 Dolly Parton
29 Pete Townshend
29 Buddy Holly
28 Woody Guthrie
27 Ray Davies
26 James Brown
25 Randy Newman
24 Elvis Costello
23 Robert Johnson
22 Van Morrison
21 Lou Reed
20 Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
19 Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry
18 Prince
17 Neil Young
16 Leonard Cohen
15 Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland
14 Bruce Springsteen
13 Hank Williams
12 Brian Wilson
11 Bob Marley
10 Stevie Wonder
9 Joni Mitchell
8 Paul Simon
7 Carole King/Carole King and Gerry Goffin
6 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
5 Smokey Robinson
4 Chuck Berry
3 John Lennon
2 Paul McCartney
1 Bob Dylan

Shane MacGowan
John Prine
Kris Kristofferson
Bob Dylan
Willie Nelson

Steely Dan
Jerry Cantrell
Paul Simon
Prince
John & Paul
Jack White
Corgan
Reznor
Elton John
Leon Russell
Billy Joel
Brian Wilson
John Fogerty
Dave Grohl
Lou Reed
Black Francis
Bob Marley
Van Morrison
Eminem
Taylor Swift
John Linnell and Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
David Bowie
David Bryne
Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices)
Kevin Parker (Tame Impala)
Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse)
Tom Petty
Rivers Cuomo
George Harrison
Roger Waters
Jeff Lynne
Lucinda

I like all the coffee shop heroes too, but they don't move me quite as much.

Originally Posted by aberdien

1. Bob Dylan
2. Townes Van Zandt
3. Willie Nelson
4. Paul McCartney
5. Tom Petty

Ugh.

There's a difference between lyricist and songwriter, and I'm tilting more towards the overall song instead of the bard-like troubadour candidates. I like them (Dylan, Jackson Brown, Neil Young, etc.) but it's more common I prefer a bangin' song whether or not it has great lyrics.

Great lyrics do SO much though--they can transform a plain song into a masterpiece.

I should not have left Townes Van Zandt off.

I knew I loved Kris Kristofferson as a songwriter but looking back on it for this thread I was blown away.

This is one of my favorites of his from a writing standpoint. There are lines in this song that tongue twisters but it all just flows so smooth and awesome. I have always loved this song.


In a side note I was named after Kris Kristofferson, my mom was a big fan. I am grateful for my name and I do love it, but all the other Kris's out there can attest to this one thing, it gets damn old saying "it's Kris with a K". I swear, I have said that singular phrase more times than I have said the word "and."

Joe is much easier.

Originally Posted by King87

Ugh.

are you ughing at how great those songwriters are?

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

There's a difference between lyricist and songwriter, and I'm tilting more towards the overall song instead of the bard-like troubadour candidates. I like them (Dylan, Jackson Brown, Neil Young, etc.) but it's more common I prefer a bangin' song whether or not it has great lyrics.

Great lyrics do SO much though--they can transform a plain song into a masterpiece.

I'm a lyrics guy all the way. I just like well written poetry read a faster pace and if you insist I guess there could be some guitar or some shit, just don't make it distracting.

I don't really give that much of a shit about lyrics, and I don't like poetry all that much. I find Dylan's early work in particular to be just boring singer songwriter stuff with mostly cringe lyrics. When he went electric though, that's when his songwriting improved. I think he's sometimes pigeonholed as a protest singing hippy "blowin in the wind" guy. His lyrics receive so much praise that I think the rest of his songwriting skills are underrated.

I almost always prefer sound over lyrics. Even when it comes to Townes Van Zandt, the sound of his music is the thing that hooks me. It's the sound of a guy with a somewhat soothing twangy voice. Even if you ignore the words he saying, the way he sings those words just sounds good and evokes feelings and emotions that wouldn't exist if someone else sang the song.

Bob Marley
Tom Petty
Van Morrison
Johnny Cash
Roger Waters

Any list of songwriters that doesn’t have John Prine in the top 10% is invalid IMO

Originally Posted by aberdien

I don't really give that much of a shit about lyrics, and I don't like poetry all that much. I find Dylan's early work in particular to be just boring singer songwriter stuff with mostly cringe lyrics. When he went electric though, that's when his songwriting improved. I think he's sometimes pigeonholed as a protest singing hippy "blowin in the wind" guy. His lyrics receive so much praise that I think the rest of his songwriting skills are underrated.

I almost always prefer sound over lyrics. Even when it comes to Townes Van Zandt, the sound of his music is the thing that hooks me. It's the sound of a guy with a somewhat soothing twangy voice. Even if you ignore the words he saying, the way he sings those words just sounds good and evokes feelings and emotions that wouldn't exist if someone else sang the song.

Ok, I'll swish TVZ around the ol' palette a bit more.

No homo.

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

Ok, I'll swish TVZ around the ol' palette a bit more.

No homo.

Not that there's anything wrong with that