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Thread: Greatest Songwriters of All Time

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    Default Greatest Songwriters of All Time

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

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    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

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    Shane MacGowan
    John Prine
    Kris Kristofferson
    Bob Dylan
    Willie Nelson
    Let's Rid3!!!!

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    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.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sting
    "You know cos I just lost my parents--both my parents died in the same year...to this day, people come up to me and say 'my dad died and that album really meant a lot to me,' which is very nourishing {pats heart} for a songwriter to hear that your songs have a utility beyond just their own solace, that it actually helps other people."

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    Quote Originally Posted by aberdien View Post
    1. Bob Dylan
    2. Townes Van Zandt
    3. Willie Nelson
    4. Paul McCartney
    5. Tom Petty
    Ugh.

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    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.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sting
    "You know cos I just lost my parents--both my parents died in the same year...to this day, people come up to me and say 'my dad died and that album really meant a lot to me,' which is very nourishing {pats heart} for a songwriter to hear that your songs have a utility beyond just their own solace, that it actually helps other people."

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    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."
    Let's Rid3!!!!

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    Joe is much easier.

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    Quote Originally Posted by King87 View Post
    Ugh.
    are you ughing at how great those songwriters are?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hawgdriver View Post
    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.
    Let's Rid3!!!!

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    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.

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    Bob Marley
    Tom Petty
    Van Morrison
    Johnny Cash
    Roger Waters
    Quote Originally Posted by Day1BroncoFan View Post
    I'm happier than tom brady in a gay bar....

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

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    Quote Originally Posted by aberdien View Post
    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.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sting
    "You know cos I just lost my parents--both my parents died in the same year...to this day, people come up to me and say 'my dad died and that album really meant a lot to me,' which is very nourishing {pats heart} for a songwriter to hear that your songs have a utility beyond just their own solace, that it actually helps other people."

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hawgdriver View Post
    Ok, I'll swish TVZ around the ol' palette a bit more.

    No homo.
    Not that there's anything wrong with that

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