100 Greatest Songwriters
-
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters#tom-t.-hall Interesting. Not sure I agree with the ranking, though most are great songwriters. A few I would not have in there at all. Rick Nielsen should be in there!
Interesting Paul and John are separate. I would rank Lennon and McCartney as no. 1 and then Paul and John as solo songwriters. But over all, I am good with this! 
-
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters Paul is #2 Who the curse words put Kanye West at Number 84 in this class? I wanna beat up the people who created this list to add this horrible thing to it. He's not the greatest! PERIOD!
-
jimmix:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters Paul is #2 Who the curse words put Kanye West at Number 84 in this class? I wanna beat up the people who created this list to add this horrible thing to it. He's not the greatest! PERIOD!
He's not even the most mediocre!
-
Predictable. I wonder if they forgot Jeff Tweedy. He may not be one of those who sell the most records but music lovers tend to understand his greatness.
-
I noted they included some writers as "partnerships" but split up Lennon and McCartney. Is that because they knew it would be a no-contest as to the Number One if they added them as a duo?.... And thus predictable and a non-article? I need to look more closely at the list, but seemed to be a few on there that had voices that kinda diminished their songwriting credibility (and I look at the package, and I know it should not be considered.... but I kinda do consider it, cos it can make a big difference as to a good song).... Geez, Billy Joel was not given much credence. Always respected Leiber and Stoller, cos they were happy to do the biz and then let the charismatic do the rest. And they were great songs. And the great Buddy Holly. I hate these lists that deliberately deviate from the obvious, and try to be controversial, just because another list of stating the obvious makes the entire purpose of the article another rehash. Wouldn't have Dylan number one.
-
The list is somewhat affected by the trend of the times. They always are. Five-ten years ago, it should be Indie, now it be commerce. Brian Wilson was higher back then, he had "Smile". Right now McCartney's considered hotter, probably due to the collaboration earlier this year. It is as if jazz has never existed on this list. One blues songwriter in Robert Johnson. There is a focus on pop and lack of diversity. Thelonious Monk could have been on it and represented jazz. If only for the wonderful "Round Midnight". Progressive rock? It's like it never existed. And Where's Jeff Tweedy? Townes Van Zandt?.... Bob Dylan tends to be classified #1 on songwriter lists. Perhaps because he is a little bit both and straddle all trends. Yep, my opinion. If I made a list
-
Yes, strange list... James Taylor at 69? George at 65? Billy Joel at 50? Elton & Bernie at 48? And I agree that having Paul together with John would of course, be a number 1.
-
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
-
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
Absolutely!!... Great call!!!!.... Well, Neil Finn, definitely. He is a gem. Can't believe I forgot that. And can't believe he is not in the list. He and McCartney would be a great collaboration. Crowded House had some great stuff, and Split Enz too. A wonderful songwriter!!!
-
toris:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
Absolutely!!... Great call!!!!.... Well, Neil Finn, definitely. He is a gem. Can't believe I forgot that. And can't believe he is not in the list. He and McCartney would be a great collaboration. Crowded House had some great stuff, and Split Enz too. A wonderful songwriter!!!
I agree. Paul should collaborate with Neil Finn. Bono too!
-
RMartinez:
toris:
RMartinez:
Neil Finn and Tim Finn should be in there as well.
Absolutely!!... Great call!!!!.... Well, Neil Finn, definitely. He is a gem. Can't believe I forgot that. And can't believe he is not in the list. He and McCartney would be a great collaboration. Crowded House had some great stuff, and Split Enz too. A wonderful songwriter!!!
I agree. Paul should collaborate with Neil Finn. Bono too!
Many years now that people have been thinking Paul and Neil Finn should write stuff together. And Bono and Paul too.... reckon both could happen with just one phone call. Well, two phone calls. Or maybe one phone call to both... That's the collaboration I want to hear.
-
Lists like this are inherently a bit arbitrary. And really, when you get to the level of Lennon, McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, etc. , saying one is "better" is really just a matter of taste. Still, I'm appalled that John Prine is only #94. He'd be in my top 10 any day of the week.
-
Bruce M.:
Lists like this are inherently a bit arbitrary. And really, when you get to the level of Lennon, McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, etc. , saying one is "better" is really just a matter of taste. Still, I'm appalled that John Prine is only #94. He'd be in my top 10 any day of the week.
I agree. When you get to Lennon and McCartney, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, etc. they are all great. John Prine is a much better songwriter than Kanye West.
-
Has the title of this thread (Songwriters) been misspelled this entire time and I'm just now noticing it?
-
Nancy R:
Has the title of this thread (Songwriters) been misspelled this entire time and I'm just now noticing it?
I actually hadn't noticed that either!.... I have taken a better look at this list.... Interesting that Bee Gees, REM, Bono and the Edge, Jagger and Richards are not separated into individuals.... yet John and Paul are... I guess the argument is the others didn't so much break off into their own thing for elongated periods... I don't know the criteria. I'm guessing... As said previously, it is ridiculous that Neil Finn is not in this list. Personally, I'd put Jeff Buckley in there, even just for that fleeting brilliance... And, whether one loves ABBA or not, Bjorn (not so much Benny) should be much higher up that list. They did create some timeless classics.... I'd put Simmons and Stanley in there too. At the higher end. Mercury and May. Those songs didn't just come out of thin air. And I don't recall seeing Gordon Sumner! C'mon, he's got to be in there (then again, maybe I missed it)... Still, Lennon and McCartney are Number One, without a doubt.
-
Any list of great songwriters that doesn't include Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein or the original American songwriter, Stephen Foster, and the king of all, Sir Duke, does not know what songwriting is. I'm not surprised by the inclusion of whoever is trendy right now, but I'm a little surprised not to see people from the Benny Goodman/Glenn Miller age and more modern people like Eric Clapton, Carly Simon, Jim Croce, Bill Withers, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Paul Williams, Ian Anderson, Lionel Richie or Crosby, Stills and Nash. And where is Diane Warren? She wrote more songs than most of these people combined. I'd also add Dewey Bunnell/Gerry Beckley, Rick Davies/Roger Hodgson, Chris Squire/Jon Anderson/Steve Howe, Geddy Lee/Alex Lifeson/Neil Peart somewhere on the list, and Ben Folds ? who's usually ignored in these things. And maybe Barry Manilow. He's not hip and cool, but he definitely wrote a few noteworthy songs.
-
IT made me happy to read this article. This proves the people who thought Paul's solo work was crap that it isn't and hearing Bob Dylan saying he is in awe of him makes it feel justified.
-
HaileyMcComet:
Any list of great songwriters that doesn't include Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein or the original American songwriter, Stephen Foster, and the king of all, Sir Duke, does not know what songwriting is. I'm not surprised by the inclusion of whoever is trendy right now, but I'm a little surprised not to see people from the Benny Goodman/Glenn Miller age and more modern people like Eric Clapton, Carly Simon, Jim Croce, Bill Withers, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Paul Williams, Ian Anderson, Lionel Richie or Crosby, Stills and Nash. And where is Diane Warren? She wrote more songs than most of these people combined. I'd also add Dewey Bunnell/Gerry Beckley, Rick Davies/Roger Hodgson, Chris Squire/Jon Anderson/Steve Howe, Geddy Lee/Alex Lifeson/Neil Peart somewhere on the list, and Ben Folds ? who's usually ignored in these things. And maybe Barry Manilow. He's not hip and cool, but he definitely wrote a few noteworthy songs.
Great comment... It's especially stunning that CSN and Jim Croce didn't make the list. I also agree that Cole Porter should have been included. It is obvious that Rolling Stone commissioned Millennials to make this list.
-
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.
-
Interesting that Paul nudged out John. I was thinking they'd be paired.
