100 Greatest Songwriters
-
liv4art:
Interesting that Paul nudged out John. I was thinking they'd be paired.
Likely has to do with how successful they were on the charts as solo artist. Paul had more number one hits than John. But it is weird. Why not have Lennon and McCartney AND Paul and John separate?
-
I was shocked to see Paul at two. When I noticed songwriting partnerships, I expected Lennon-McCartney at number one, Lennon alone elsewhere in the top 50, and McCartney alone nowhere to be found. I'd personally have him as my number one (quite the bombshell for a McCartney board, no?) but I had a big stupid grin on my face seeing him given an actual modicum of respect from Rolling Stone for once! I don't think I'm qualified to make a list like this, but my first thought was that the Bee Gees at 95 was absurd. It's like their disco output - which is still great - overshadows the variety and volume of their music. I'd have them in my top ten, to be honest. Honorable mentions: I thought Billy Joel and John/Taupin should have been ensconced in the top 20.
-
service_gamer:
I was shocked to see Paul at two. When I noticed songwriting partnerships, I expected Lennon-McCartney at number one, Lennon alone elsewhere in the top 50, and McCartney alone nowhere to be found. I'd personally have him as my number one (quite the bombshell for a McCartney board, no?) but I had a big stupid grin on my face seeing him given an actual modicum of respect from Rolling Stone for once! I don't think I'm qualified to make a list like this, but my first thought was that the Bee Gees at 95 was absurd. It's like their disco output - which is still great - overshadows the variety and volume of their music. I'd have them in my top ten, to be honest. Honorable mentions: I thought Billy Joel and John/Taupin should have been ensconced in the top 20.
I know, right? Hell must have frozen over!
-
How in the world is Dylan ranked higher than Paul? Paul had many more hits than Dylan and sold more records. Dylan melodies and music compositions were nowhere near Paul's level. Many of Paul's songs he never recorded were huge hits for other artists. In terms of influence, I'd argue that songs like Blackbird and Let it Be have more influence today than Blowing in the Wind or The times they are a changing.
-
JoeySmith:
How in the world is Dylan ranked higher than Paul? Paul had many more hits than Dylan and sold more records. Dylan melodies and music compositions were nowhere near Paul's level. Many of Paul's songs he never recorded were huge hits for other artists. In terms of influence, I'd argue that songs like Blackbird and Let it Be have more influence today than Blowing in the Wind or The times they are a changing.
-
RMartinez:
The title is a bit misleading. The best songwriters of all time? How about Beethoven and Mozart. They would be ahead of Lennon and McCartney. They should clarify the best POP songwriters of the last seventy five years.
Beethoven and Mozart weren't songwriters. They wrote orchestral music. Not the same thing. Rolling Stone probably assumes folks just know that their list is a rock 'n' roll list with a sprinkling of folk, country and hip-hop. Obviously any list of all-time great songwriters would have to include the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and modern geniuses like Stephen Sondheim. They just don't exist in Rolling Stone's world.
-
Bruce M.:
RMartinez:
The title is a bit misleading. The best songwriters of all time? How about Beethoven and Mozart. They would be ahead of Lennon and McCartney. They should clarify the best POP songwriters of the last seventy five years.
Beethoven and Mozart weren't songwriters. They wrote orchestral music. Not the same thing. Rolling Stone probably assumes folks just know that their list is a rock 'n' roll list with a sprinkling of folk, country and hip-hop. Obviously any list of all-time great songwriters would have to include the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and modern geniuses like Stephen Sondheim. They just don't exist in Rolling Stone's world.
Correct, the 'Hoven and 'Zart not songwriters. But, as per another thread, both musicians.... I always figured Rolling Stone's list was judged on the music within the magazine's life.... Otherwise, so many songwriters on the list have been ignored ahead of the others.... would'be been a far more interesting exercise if they agreed that the singer of the Lennon-McCartney song was the prevalent writer and then they were forced to judge that in conjunction with the solo material. A big battle for number one and two. Dylan doesn't do it for me. Never has. I'm too stubborn to scrape away the voice from the songwriter. I know that's wrong, but I simply cannot do it.... still perplexed that Billy Joel was not higher up.
-
Bruce M.:
RMartinez:
The title is a bit misleading. The best songwriters of all time? How about Beethoven and Mozart. They would be ahead of Lennon and McCartney. They should clarify the best POP songwriters of the last seventy five years.
Beethoven and Mozart weren't songwriters. They wrote orchestral music. Not the same thing. Rolling Stone probably assumes folks just know that their list is a rock 'n' roll list with a sprinkling of folk, country and hip-hop. Obviously any list of all-time great songwriters would have to include the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and modern geniuses like Stephen Sondheim. They just don't exist in Rolling Stone's world.
That's pretty much my point. Of all time? They should say of the 20th century, since modern songwriting as we know it did not exist before that, for the most part. Better description would have been The 100 Best Popular Songwriters of the 20th Century.
-
It's obviously popular music. Otherwise they're missing jazz, country and every other genre. Bob Dylan is generally considered a great songwriter. He might sing like his jaw is wired shut, but he wrote a lot of pretty good songs. Obviously, Paul is better at melody, but Dylan's lyrics don't make his fans cringe.
-
Taylor Swift makes it into the top 100 and Kate Bush doesn't? Totally laughable list which is impossible to take seriously.
-
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
I'd have Neil in there absolutely, one of the best songwriters of the last thirty years! I think his lack of commercial success in the US is probably held against him being on the list. If this was a UK mags list it would be a very different story!
-
BOYCIE:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
I'd have Neil in there absolutely, one of the best songwriters of the last thirty years! I think his lack of commercial success in the US is probably held against him being on the list. If this was a UK mags list it would be a very different story!
How true! (I don't even know who Neil & Tim Finn are!) ops:
-
Nancy R:
BOYCIE:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
I'd have Neil in there absolutely, one of the best songwriters of the last thirty years! I think his lack of commercial success in the US is probably held against him being on the list. If this was a UK mags list it would be a very different story!
How true! (I don't even know who Neil & Tim Finn are!) ops:
You've never heard of Split Enz and Crowded House? Really??
-
1. Bob Dylan 2. Paul McCartney 3. John Lennon http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters
-
Nancy R:
BOYCIE:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
I'd have Neil in there absolutely, one of the best songwriters of the last thirty years! I think his lack of commercial success in the US is probably held against him being on the list. If this was a UK mags list it would be a very different story!
How true! (I don't even know who Neil & Tim Finn are!) ops:
Neil even performed at Linda's memorial concert back in 1999. Paul called Neil the best songwriter in the world a few years back!
-
Today on the radio in KC I heard FIVE McCartney tunes (Jet, Yesterday, Live and Let Die, Hey Jude, and With a Little Luck). I heard zero Dylan songs and zero Lennon songs. Just saying.
-
wingsoverkc:
Today on the radio in KC I heard FIVE McCartney tunes (Jet, Yesterday, Live and Let Die, Hey Jude, and With a Little Luck). I heard zero Dylan songs and zero Lennon songs. Just saying.
Good Radio Show^^ A huge fan may be there.
-
I think Paul should have been ranked in first place. From a hardcore fan
-
RMartinez:
Nancy R:
BOYCIE:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
I'd have Neil in there absolutely, one of the best songwriters of the last thirty years! I think his lack of commercial success in the US is probably held against him being on the list. If this was a UK mags list it would be a very different story!
How true! (I don't even know who Neil & Tim Finn are!) ops:
You've never heard of Split Enz and Crowded House? Really??
I've heard the name Crowded House only, but have no idea who's in the group!
-
Nancy R:
RMartinez:
Nancy R:
BOYCIE:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
I'd have Neil in there absolutely, one of the best songwriters of the last thirty years! I think his lack of commercial success in the US is probably held against him being on the list. If this was a UK mags list it would be a very different story!
How true! (I don't even know who Neil & Tim Finn are!) ops:
You've never heard of Split Enz and Crowded House? Really??
I've heard the name Crowded House only, but have no idea who's in the group!
Problem i guess is that Crowded House had two big hits in the US in the mid '80's and then just fell off the radar over in America. Thing is Nancy even in the UK where they have had much more commercial success Neil is not known, only the band name and the hits are known reasonably well.