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FOR CHILDREN OF THE 20th CENTURY, a fairly standard variation on the verse-chorus verse-chorus-bridge-chorus formula becomes our most important poetry. This marriage of sound and language dominates our commutes, assaults us while we buy our jeans, accompanies us while we walk our dogs, and brings to life that final montage sequence on nearly every episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
Songs can feed our souls with beauty, mystery and wisdom, or grate on us with sappy sentiment, mindless clichés, tired riffs and overwrought melodies—it all depends on the men and women creating them, and the following 100 have become our favorites. They range in age from Conor Oberst (26 at the time of publication) to Hal David (85); in style from the aggressive politi-hop of Public Enemy to the cheeky twang of Dolly Parton; in outlook from the brooding, internal tumult of Morrissey to the unfettered, existential exuberance of The Flaming Lips.
These are very personal choices. Though a collection of 50 writers and musicians helped compile the list, they were encouraged to vote for the songwriters they treasured the most, not the ones with the highest sales, the biggest impact on culture or even the greatest influence on other songwriters. In the same way, we’ve enlisted a different writer to investigate each of these 100; to find out what makes them such intriguing, affecting and effective songsmiths. So welcome to the latest chapter in Paste’s conversation about art; we hope it inspires some heated debates, new discoveries and lots of listening.
(Above: Neil Young)
100. T Bone Burnett
99. Andre Benjamin & Antwan Patton (Outkast)
98. Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo)
97. Josh Ritter
96. Jimmy Cliff
95. Patti Smith
94. Sam Phillips
93. Joseph Arthur
92. Alejandro Escovedo
91. Drive By Truckers (Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Jason Isbell)
90. Nick Cave
89. Victoria Williams
88. Parliament (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
87. Lyle Lovett
86. Sam Beam (Iron & Wine)
85. David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones)
84. John Linnel & John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
83. Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie)
82. John Darnielle (Mountain Goats)
81. Wayne Coyne & Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips)
80. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Nick Mason)
79. Stephen Malkmus (Pavement, Silver Jews)
78. Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices)
77. Bruce Cockburn
76. Will Oldham (aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Palace Music, etc.)
75. Ron Sexsmith
74. Linford Detweiler & Karin Bergquist (Over the Rhine)
73. Julie Miller
72. Michael Jackson
71. Vic Chesnutt
70. Alex Chilton (Big Star, The Box Tops)
69. Merle Haggard
68. Allen Tousaint
67. Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)
66. Charles Thompson (aka Frank Black, Black Francis) (Pixies)
65. Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love)
64. Andy Partridge (XTC, Dukes of Stratosphear)
63. Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention)
62. Sting (The Police)
61. John Hiatt
60. Jimmy Webb
59. Jack White (White Stripes, Raconteurs)
58. Sly Stone (Sly & the Family Stone)
57. Morrissey (The Smiths)
56. James Brown
55. Dolly Parton
54. Aimee Mann
53. James Taylor
52. Paul Westerberg (The Replacements)
51. Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham
50. Public Enemy (Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler, et al)
49. Cat Stevens
48. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
47. Sufjan Stevens
46. David Byrne (Talking Heads)
45. Jackson Browne
44. Al Green
43. Ryan Adams (Whiskeytown)
42. Loretta Lynn
41. Ray Davies (The Kinks)
40. Burt Bacharach & Hal David
39. Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham)
38. Kris Kristofferson
37. Smokey Robinson
36. Beck Hansen
35. Steve Earle
34. John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
33. Pete Townshend (The Who)
32. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
31. Carole King
30. John Prine
29. Tom Petty
28. Robbie Robertson (The Band)
27. Radiohead (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway)
26. R.E.M. (Peter Buck, Bill Berry, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe)
25. Chuck Berry
24. Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Golden Smog, Loose Fur, etc.)
23. Elton John & Bernie Taupin
22. Lucinda Williams
21. Lou Reed (Velvet Underground)
20. Van Morrison
19. Patty Griffin
18. U2 (Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton)
17. Holland-Dozier-Holland
16. David Bowie
15. Willie Nelson
14. Stevie Wonder
13. Paul Simon
12. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
11. Randy Newman
The Top 10
10. Prince
9. Joni Mitchell
8. Elvis Costello
7. Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys)
6. Leonard Cohen
5. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
4. Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
3. Bruce Springsteen
2. Neil Young (Buffalo Sprinfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
1. Bob Dylan
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Where's Mark Eitzel? He ought to be on this list somewhere.
Don Henley? Surely one of the best!
Jack Johnson? Chris Martin (Coldplay)?
Matthew Ryan is easily in the top 100.
John Frusciante NEEDS to be on this list although most people don't know his solo stuff even though its amazing and lots of people don't even know hes the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers (who should also be on the list)
this is a terrible list.
Where is Dianne Warren? Desmond Child? Richard Leigh? Skip Ewing? Jeff Steele? Craig Wiseman? Bob Dipiero? Etc...
This is a list of Artists who may have also written some songs and had popular success, but fails to get into the professional songwriters who put them on the map.
Are you kidding me? No Bob Marley?
I suggest Todd Snider for your consideration.
no Robyn Hitchcock? appalling!
Good list but definitely out of order in some places and missing some important names such as John Lennon, Bob Marley (be ashamed of yourselves), Elliot Smith, Allman Bros.,...and more.
Pink Floyd at 80 and James Brown (who couldn't even read) in the 50's? Talking about songwriters right? Joni Mitchell and Costello in the top ten is pure insanity. Should have gone a little more like this if lyrics are rendered:
1) Bob Dylan, 2) Lennon and Mcartney, 3) Bob Marley, 4) Neil Young, 5) Jagger and Richards, 6) Page and Plant, 7) Tom Waits, 8) Hank Williams, 9) David Bowie, 10) Pink Floyd.
1)Bob Dylan
2)Lennon - Mcartney
3)dunno but i think that Arthur Lee from Love should be in top 10 definitly, his masterpiece "Forever Changes" has amazing lyrics.
Give me a break. How could you not have John Lennon or Leonard Cohen. I do agree Dylan is the greatest songwriter who ever live.
Hmmm... John Lennons not alive so you can escape peoples wrath on that.
But McCartney should've been on there.
Nick Cave shouldve been MUCH higher.
And you totally missed out on Will Sheff from Okkervil River - who right now I firmly believe is standing side by side with Conor Oberst for best young songwriter.
Best Young Songwriter: Jesse Lacey of Brand New who also should be on this list.
Where the hell is Noel Gallagher???
Where is Dave Matthews? Missed that one big time.
so def. Jesse Lacey (Brand New), Aaron weiss (mewithoutYou), Dustin Kensrue (Thrice), Ace Enders (the Early November), Nate Ruess (The Format)
Sufjan Stevens should be so much higher on the list he is amazing.
and John Lennon isn't going to be on it since it is 100 best "Living" Songwriters
Lists are inherently ridiculous, but it drives up the hits. My missing favorites:
- Stew (solo, The Negro Problem, and the Tony-winning rock play "Passing Strange")
- Stephen Merritt (The Magnetic Fields)
Morrissey only 57?
Surely a mistake!
you didn't even state what this list was based on. what, to you guys, constitutes a great songwriter? making a list like this is just a ridiculous idea. you can't RATE the greatest novelists or the greatest film makers, especially not song writers, because they are always changing and evolving, writing better music or maybe writing some really shitty stuff too. maybe you could rate the greatest albums, or songs. but rating humans is just too subjective.
Kristyn osborn.
FAIL!!! Where on earth is Donald Fagan on your list? Fagan/Becker are easily top ten.Also to those lamenting that there is no Lennon or Marley the header says LIVING songwriters....
ummm....
where are the following?
~John Lennon
~Kurt Cobain
~Bob Marley
Wth?!?!?!
those guys are legends, and you put retards that don't belong in the top....
omg
What about Lenon-MaCartney?????
a lot of you don't realize that it's the
100 Best LIVING songwriters.
meaning still alive today.
where the fuck is noel gallagher man?
The fact that Noel Gallagher isnt in it is a travesty!! Noel Gallagher is far better then Radiohead ffs
I don't see why you put entire groups on this list instead of the songwriters in the groups. I can't believe this list doesn't include Ani Difranco, Clarence Greenwood, and Brandi Carlile. Leonard Cohen should've been higher up also, and where is Eddie Vedder?
Well, what can I expect from a best songwriters list that puts Prince in the top 10 and Stevie Nicks on the same line as Lindsey Buckingham? Songwriters like Jackson Browne and Don Henley should be rounding out the top 10, not Prince. And Lindsey Buckingham isn't even in the same league as Stevie Nicks, same group yes, same level - he wishes.
This is why I don't like music critics. This list has nothing to do with actual record sales, it's just some dude's opinion. Smokey Robinson is one of the most prolific and successful songwriters of all time(he's written more motown hits than I can count), yet he's at #37. And... you've got to be kidding. No Diane Warren? She's written 80 top 10 hits!!! Who wrote this list?
Dude... HARRY NILSSON.
Oh wait he died... Stillson ya gotta mention the Nilsson.
Half of the people you guys are complaining about are dead, ya goons! Top 100 LIVING Songwriters.
Umm... did you miss Eliza Gilkyson on that list or did I?
Gary Louris/Mark Olson, Grant Hart/Bob Mould, Craig Finn, Hank Williams, Neko Case, Shane MacGowan, almost said Townes van Zandt but, oh yeah, he's dead, one last awesome songwriter.....me..
and how about Lee Mavers (the La's) ?
Buck Williams, It's a list of songwriters that are living. so i don't think elliott and lennon really qualify.
this is for everyone alive, you idiots! John Lennon, Elliott Smith, Hank Williams and Bob Marley would not be on this list!
great list, though I could see both Mac McCaughan and Stephen Merritt somewhere in the 71-80 range. glad to see alex chilton and conor oberst represented, but no Paul Westerberg?
WHAT...RAY DAVIES..AT 41??? HE WISHES HE WAS THAT OLD IM SURE...HE SHOULD BE IN THE TOP TEN...AND THE KINKS ARE RETURNING AGAIN...WHY NOT?..JUST LISTEN TOO SOME OF THE PATHETIC STUFF OUT THERE THAT THINKS ITS ROCK MUSIC...PRINCE AT #10???? SOMEBODY HERE HAS TAKEN SOME PURPLE HAZE ALRIGHT...NO WAY THE PURPLE TWERP CAN BE AT THAT #..THE REST OF THE LIST..NOT BAD.
nm. i didn't see Westerberg. and ray davies should have been higher.
Oh the joys of music.
Like film, like novels, it's all objective people. Most of these artists have been around for a while, have a large catalog to pull from, and definitely have put their time in. But it doesn't matter cause it all comes down to opinion vs. opinion.
I'm though I must admit that the fact that William Sheff isn't on here slightly confuses me.
It continues to astound me that Matthew Ryan doesn't get the attention he deserves. His songs are beautifully crafted: stunning moments of pain, hope, humor and grace. While casting a wavering light on the dark corners and crevices of Ryan's complex soul--the songs, like all the best songs--speak to the human yearning for love and understanding.
How can you possibly overlook Neil Finn??????
c'mon man, get with it!
Todd Snider???? like really...this list is pretty much crap
I went over this list of greatest song writers of all time. there is one name that should be one more name in there. and the name is roy orbison, orbisons songs were a work of art, and he perfected them with his magnificent
voice. he should be in the top 10. and another thing. how can you put bob
dylans voice in the top 10 instead of
roy orbison? no offense to bob, i am a
fan of his songs, but he sounds like a
dang on sick bull frog. roy could sing
circles around dylan,mccartney, lennon and franklin. I like them all,but i do not think your so called list is too
accurate. I am sorry if i offended anyone, but that is just the way i feel
about the matter. thank you for your
time.
okay, there is no excuse for not having Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian up there. Wow.
Fairly comprehensive list, and fairly decent categorization, although the top ten spots could use a little shuffling. And, if you're gonna acknowledge some top indie sensitive-singer-songwriters, there is really no excuse for having Sufjan Stevens ahead of Conor Oberst, and especially not 20 places ahead. What were you thinking?
The exclusion of Matthew Sweet and Neil Finn (along with dropping the free DVD) were links in the chain that eventually led me to not renew my subscription. Now I notice that Joe Henry isn't on the list either - He should get in on the merit of "Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation" alone, not to mention a 20-year body of phenomenal songwriting. Look at the bottom 30 and tell me these three aren't more deserving than most of those. C'mon!
Sting # 62? - You're kidding me !!
Ummm Sufjan Stevens should definently be higher, listen to The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out To Get Us.
1 - 9.) Jeff Mangum
10.) Neil Young
Lennon/McCartney Should be in the top 10, actually it should be number 2!
Without James McMurtry, Ani DiFranco, Bill Morrissey, John Gorka and Steve Forbert, this list is just ignorant and useless.
I'm a Springsteen fan, but to put him ahead of McCartney is a stretch.
SHANE MACGOWAN...and yes he is still alive.
Everyone seems to be wondering why John Lennon and Bob Marley aren't on the list. Perhaps check the title of the list: best LIVING songwriters. I can't believe so many people are wondering why they're not on the list. THEY'RE NOT ALIVE.
Neil Diamond? Where's Neil Diamond? No John Lennon either? How about Al Kooper, little fruitcakes? Terry Kath?
C'mon kids, if you're going to write *about* music, why don't you *learn* about it **first**. You've got Outkast and Beck listed and you even left out John Lennon? I'm surprised you children omitted Kurt Cobain at least at THAT level.
This list is missing several names.
Don Henley
Glenn Frey
John Lennon
J.d. Souther
Any list of top living songwriters that doesn't have Rufus Wainright on it is hard to take seriously
I'm sorry, I may not have checked the list thoroughly, but where the fuck is Noel Gallagher? What a joke, who the fuck came up with this?
I have to say that I am constantly confused as to why on lists like this Pete Seeger never makes the cut, especially considering that artists like Springsteen and Steve Earle (who publicly acknowledge Pete as a significant influence) do. Pete may be almost 90, but he's still very much alive.
Do you guys know Jarvis Cocker? ... maybe in the US nobody cares about Pulp's main songwriter, but in UK he is considered as one the best lyricists ever. The same thing could be said about Robert Smith (The Cure), Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy) and more recently about James Skelly (The Corals) and Alex Turner (The Artic Monkeys). And where the hell are Pj Harvey and Bjork ? Also, Nick Cave deserved to be higher in the ranking. I believe that there is a strong North-American bias in your list !
Where on earth is Bob Marley?
This has been frustrating, even if many people have tried to bring attention to the fact that this is a list of LIVING songwriters, other people keep coming back complaining about Bob Marley and Lennon missing...Are you people completely STUPID or what????
Anyway, living or not, there's no argument thart Dylan is head and shoulders above anybody else that's ever been.
Bob Dylan, the top song writer of all-time says that SHANE MCGOWEN is the best. And he didnt even make the list here?! That's ridiculous. I'm not saying he is "THE" best but he deserves some friggin' consideration. And where is
Eddie Vedder? The guy is an awesome songwriter.
Andrew Bird, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Tori Amos, Eddie Vedder? I understand we all have our own taste, but this list definitely needs to be revised. I thought PASTE would have done a better job...
Great, Great, Great list. everybody always complains in comments, but never give praise. This is a very well rounded and up-to-date list of LIVING songwriters. Still, can't believe there's no Jeff Mangum on here and that only one other person mentioned him here on the comments. If not for him, some of the people on here maybe never would have started making music. Also, where are Will Sheff and Colin Melloy? Great list and check out some of the lists we do over at my site: here at Consequence of Sound
Rosanne Cash???
ummm.... You forgot Todd Rundgren
RDDavies at #41 ~ hullo!
56. James Brown
Died in 2006.
That oversight sorta takes the comedy out of the best dead songwriters list paste came up with.
Where is Billy Joel?
He might turned quirky since 1983 and on, but a decade before that he was more witty, wistful, introspective, sentimental and contained more special touch than any singer/songwriter then.
ryan adams is a better songwriter than paul westerberg?!?! please. robert pollard, stephen malkmus, and frank black in the 70's?! conor oberst is better than ALEX CHILTON?!?! wow guys, you got the right people, but the order is terrible.
p.s. fuck noel gallagher (worst lyricist ever!)
As far as this list goes... I'd have to say that the order is out of control.. But besides Mangum, and Noah Lennox... Almost everyone is here.. Here is my top 10..
10) Tom Waits
9) Jeff Mangum
8) Holland dozier Holland
7) Mick and Keith
6) Stephen Malkmus
5) Goffin,King,Spector
4) Noah Lennox
3) Bob Dylan
2) Brian wilson
1) Smokey Robinson
Oh yeah... Conor Oberst FUCKING SUCKS!!
Oh yeah... Shane and Merritt are top 20 as well!
What happen to Guy Clarke?? Chopped Liver I guess?? Who made this list?? Whoever did should start listening to more diversified types of music. This is awful!!
Ben Folds
Walter Becker/Donald Fagan
Raphael Saadiq
Neil Finn
David Gray
Rufus Wainright
John Mayer
???
Becker/Fagan for the songs
Dianne Warren because it is not a list of personalities
Gordon Lightfoot is still alive - you may have heard different
Bob Dylan in its right place!!
ps: fuck Bono, he's just a self-centered moron!!
I actually think its a decent list. Happy to see that Conor Oberst made it on there. One of the artists from this generation who has yet to disappoint me with any material. He comes up with some lyrics that are impossible to anticipate.
I think that this list shouldn't exist, the subject is too vague, when I saw Roger Waters at only 80, I almost thought this list was a joke, just listen to "The Wall" and you'll understand why, however the first one is a good choice, especially for "Masters of War"
Hey at least Andy Partridge MADE the list..He's a Top 10 living songwriter for sure...And who the shit is Noel Gallagher???
No Mark Kozelek!? SHAME!
What about Jim Steinman, some of the greatest rock anthems of the70's
JOHN WILLIAMS?? DIANE WARREN??
Er - hard to take this list seriously without the inclusion of Neil Diamond or the prolific Diane Warren. Diamond may have spent 25 years in MOR hell but the guy was a terrific songwriter in the 60s - early 70s. He seems to have recaptured some form now under the critical ear of Rick Rubin. I'd put Diamond in the top 20, possibly top 15 songwriters of all time.
c'mon! where's the regina spektor love!?
What?!? No James Blunt, that's tragedy!
No seriously, thanks for putting Andy Partridge, Paste Mag. He ought to be on the top 20's at least. So many of his peers pray to have a songwriting talent like the XTC vocalist. And yes, I agree with one of the posters, Jarvis Cocker should be there. He is the brightest amongst the lamey Britpop group, even better songwriting skills than the sometimes too abstract Radiohead.
Wait Michael Jackson is there? Let's be specific. Michael Jackson, Off the Wall- Thriller yes. MJ - Bad, History, no, not really.
WHAT ABOUT CHRIS KNIGHT.I THINK HE SHOULD BE IN THE TOP 20 AT LEAST.
Where the hell is Billy Corgan? He is an amazing songwriter.
robert nesta marley - around 300 songs - all amazing - jah rastafari
talk about a lame list............robert pollard writes rings around these jamokes
ROBERT HUNTER is alive. American Beauty is the 2nd best white American RR album ever made. Check the songlist. His pre-1975 writing for the Grateful Dead is awfully good, and there's a LOT of it. Jeff Tweedy ? David Byrne ? Kris Kristoferson ? Ummm. No.
where is Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows? I don't disagree with the list, I just think he and Bob Marley should definitely be on this list.
What about Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails? Just because you lead in a metal band doesnt mean you cant write great songs.
May God have mercy on Paste's soul.
Where the hell is Tim Kasher (ie Cursive and The Good Life)
Incredible song writer... and last time i checked .. still alive...
You have got to be kidding me. Paul Williams (Rainbow Connection, Old Fashioned Love Song, Sad Song (That Used To Be Our Song), We've Only Just Begun, and MANY more is not on this list? HOW? If a huge song was written since like 1972, there's a strong chance that he had a hand in it or flat out wrote it.
Randy Newman made the list at 11, and Williams isn't on it, and Van Morrison ranked lower!? Whoever came up with this list has to be sniffing molten vinyl fumes. Seriously.
WHAT THE FUCK!?!?
This list is fucking attrocious. What the hell are Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan doing that far above David Bowie? Why is Morrissey credited as just Morrissey and not Morrissey/Marr and why is he only at number 57? It is pretty ignorant to leave Marr out of this, with out him there would be no Morrissey. He is like Keith Richards to Mick Jagger. Elvis Costello in the top 10, above Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and many others? What did he fucking write that was decent? Alison? This list is clearly someones personal opinion and not fact.
I see a lot of good names. These lists are never perfect. But they're such a great distraction! Is Jeff Tweedy really a better songwriter than Chuck Berry? Glad to see Vic Chesnutt. Sam Beam is a fad. And, well...
-Iggy Pop
-Toots Hibbert
-Phoebe Snow
-Terry Callier
-QTip/Phife (Tribe Called Quest)
-Robyn Hitchcock
-Robert Wyatt
-Cat Stevens
-Tom Verlaine
-Don Van Vliet
-Jonathan Richman
-Daniel Johnston
-Michael Hurley
-Billy Bragg
-Joanna Newsom
-John Cale
-Brian Eno
-Robert Smith
-etc...
Shane McGowan?
Everybody seems to want dead people on this list of the best 100 LIVING songwriters. The one that I would like to see near the top of the list is Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies. Deep, haunting lyrics. Original style. All topped off by Byrd's creativity and sister Margo's sultry, almost narcotic voice. Glad to see Over The Rhine on the list. Noel Gallagher should definitely be on it somewhere. Townes Van Zandt.
Tom Petty????? Be serious. What a clown. Dylan wannabe.
to "someone" - of course this list is someone's f*ing opinion! "clearly not fact." - are you f*ing kidding me? Where would you find a list like this that is "fact"?
to others -
Yes, neil diamond didn't make the list.
those confused should just take it as a sign and move on.
Sam Beam is not a fad. He is a friend of mine and too many people don't find his voice and arrangement, i guess, edgy enough so they totally discount his lyrics. And at #86 how can you really complain.
Billy Bragg is missing.
Carole King?
Lyle Lovett is great but if you love him you know you must believe that James McMurtry is the better lyricist.
no JEFF MANGUM???? Seriously? :'(
Ahhh...No, Ray Lamontagne...seriously!? Till The Sun Turns Black is phenomenal
Living...so what is Michael Jackson doing on here!?!?!?
David Gray is not on this list? Wow!!!
This list is solid, simply because Tom Waits, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Bruce Springsteen are in the Top 10. I just have one question though. Why is Billy Corgan no where to be found? Along with the other four names mentioned, these men might make up my Top 5.
Blah'.
Townes Van Zandt
There's always room for argument, but that top ten looks pretty solid. I'd like to see the Avett Brothers on the list. Five more years and they may join the top 20.
Any list with this title which doesn't have Sam Baker on it is a joke.
Scott Walker writes a whole lot better than Outkast, Aimee Mann etc... he should be top 20 at the very least- I suspect Bowie, U2, Radiohead, Nick Cave etc... would agree
What about A.C. Newman?
The New Pornographers have made some of the best music of the past 10 years.
Conner Oberst (and others) above Patti Smith. Really??? I'm afraid that says a lot about Paste!
In response to some other comments, I thought Noel Gallagher was already dead. Oh wait, that's just his career and relevance. I looked over the list and didn't see Eric Clapton at all, which is insane. Also didn't see Chan Marshall, Bill Callahan, and Matt Ward. And not to be offensive, but Jeff Tweedy is dead now. I know the list was made earlier in the year, but how about amending it?
Paul Weller has quite a few gems.
Where's Bill Anderson, Jeffery Steele, John Rich
It's funny I came to check out this list just to see if Mark Eitzel wasn't on here. Not expecting him to get the credit he deserves...but then I read the list and besides some crap picks I kinda agree on some of the choices...so in saying that where the fuck IS Mark Eizel?
Anyone knows who wrote the largest number of songs?
I could present names of two Bengali (Indian/Bangladeshi) lyricists, Kazi Nazrul Islam (from 4500-5500), and Rabindranath Tagore (nobel-laurate, 2200-2500).
Any name, and the number of songs?? Thanks.
Wow, can't believe Diane Warren didn't even make the list! arguably should be in the top 10-20. This list seems to lean towards more obvious artists than actual songwriters.
Hate to break it, but Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley and John Lennon cannot possibly be included in a list of living songwriters on accounts of being dead. However, this same logic need not apply to John Bonham and half of Pink Floyd.
3 words "Neil F-in Diamond"
Coldplay totally suck.
This is bullshit