Top 100 Songwriters

[Rev. Powell]

It had to be done.

Who writes the catchiest melodies, and sets them to the most memorable lyrics? 

I'll start with my personal fave:

1. Tom Waits



COMPLETE LIST

1. Tom Waits
2. David Bowie
3. Bob Marley
4. Frank Zappa
5. Chuck Schuldiner
6. Joe Strummer
7. Michael Jackson
8. Johnny Cash
9. Billy Joel
10. Stevie Nicks
11. Carole King
12. Phil Collins
13. John Lennon
14. Morrissey
15. Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash
16. Burt Bacharach and Hal David
17. Desmond Child
18. Paul McCartney
19. Bob Halligan Jr.
20. Cole Porter
21. Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons
22. Irving Berlin
23. Kevin Cronin
24. Shane McGowan
25. Lamont Dozier
26. Pete Townshend
27. Andy McCoy
28. Bob Dylan
29. Huey Lewis
30. Neil Diamond
31. Don Dokken
32. Harold Arlen
33. Bill Monroe
34. Ashford & Simpson
35. David Wilcox
36. Bryan Ferry
37. Paul Simon
38. Eddie & Brian Holland
39. Andrew Bird
40. Brian Wilson
41. King Diamond
42. Blackie Lawless
43. Martin Gore
44. Hank Williams Sr.
45. Barry Manilow
46. Eminem
47. Lionel Richie
48. Prince
49. Robert Johnson
50. Andy McCoy
51. Stevie Wonder
52. Bernie Taupin & Elton John
53. Hoagy Carmichael
54. Michael Gira
55. Van Morrison
56. George and Ira Gershwin
57. Leadbelly
58. Duke Ellington
59. Willie Nelson
60. Steve Harris
61. John Lee Hooker
62. Shel Silverstein
63. Randy Newman
64. Jerome Kern
65. Paul Williams
66. David Coverdale
67. Nicky Wire
68. Willie Dixon
69. Ray Davies
70. Alex Chilton
71. Curtis Mayfield
72. Lou Reed
73. Neil Young
74. Gordon Lightfoot
75. Sly Stone
76. Antonio Carlos Jobim
77. Joe Strummer
78. Ray Stevens
79. Chris DeGarmo & Geoff Tate
80. Bruce Springsteen
81. Alex Turner
82. Burton Cummings
83. Elvis Costello
84. Rick Nielsen
85. Leonard Cohen
86. Midge Ure
87.  Patti Smith
88. Stiv Bators
89. Richard Thompson
90. Jonathan Cain
91. Paul Weller
92. Dan Auerbach
93. Alex Capranos
94. David Byrne
95. Jack White
96. Jerry Only
97. Mark Heard
98. Tonio K.
99. Leon Russell
100. Kris Kristofferson

[Nukie 2]

2) David Bowie


3) Bob Marley


4) Frank Zappa


5) Chuck Schuldiner


6) Joe Strummer

[Mr. DS]

7.) Michael Jackson

Hey, he did give us some of the best pop anthems ever. 

[Rev. Powell]

8). Johnny Cash

[AndyC]

9) Billy Joel

[Psycho Circus]

10. Stevie Nicks

[AndyC]

11) Carole King

[Psycho Circus]

12) Phil Collins

[Rev. Powell]

13). John Lennon

[Psycho Circus]

14) Morrissey

[Allhallowsday]

13). John Lennon

Citing JOHN LENNON without PAUL McCARTNEY may be missing the point (we're probably all aware that they did not write together, so it's fair enough to assert) but it's THE BEATLES' output LENNON will be most remembered for, and he and McCARTNEY are always credited together, per their agreement.  McCARTNEY probably wrote many more of the better known and beloved tunes, and did display a broad range. 

14) KURT WEILL and OGDEN NASH. They wrote "Speak Low," for one thing, one of the greatest songs in the English language.   
 

[AndyC]

15) Burt Bacharach and Hal David

[Psycho Circus]

16) Desmond Child

[Rev. Powell]

13). John Lennon

Citing JOHN LENNON without PAUL McCARTNEY may be missing the point (we're probably all aware that they did not write together, so it's fair enough to assert) but it's THE BEATLES' output LENNON will be most remembered for, and he and McCARTNEY are always credited together, per their agreement.  McCARTNEY probably wrote many more of the better known and beloved tunes, and did display a broad range. 

14) KURT WEILL and OGDEN NASH. They wrote "Speak Low," for one thing, one of the greatest songs in the English language.   

I was wondering if someone would call me on Lennon/McCartney--however, I thought it would go something like this:

"How can you mention John Lennon without adding

18). PaulMcCartney

?"

I think they both deserve their own place on this list, but I chose Lennon because his solo work was more interesting to me than McCartney's.

Great call on Kurt Weill!

[Psycho Circus]

19) Bob Halligan Jr