This list was originally posted on the Dave’s Music Database Facebook page on July 1, 2010. It has been updated several times since then, most recently in April 2026 when The New York Times Magazine presented its list of the “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters.” See other sources which were aggregated to create this list at the bottom of the page.
Despite attempts to gather a wide variety of lists, the emphasis of the lists still heavily largely on singer/songwriters from the rock era, giving short shrift to Broadway, early 20th century writers, and classical composers. As such, I have created two other lists – Composers from Broadway and the Early 20th Century and The Top 50 Classical Composers. However, here’s the list of rock-era songwriters.
See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories.
 Bob Dylan, image from cnn.com
1. Bob Dylan
2. John Lennon/ Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Paul Simon
5. Pete Townshend
6. Neil Young
7. Mick Jagger / Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
8. Elton John/ Bernie Taupin
9. David Bowie
10. Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John “Bonzo” Bonham)
 John Lennon and Paul McCartney, image from fanpop.com
11. Joni Mitchell
12. Ray Davies
13. Leonard Cohen
14. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett/ David Gilmour/ Nick Mason/ Roger Waters/ Richard Wright)
15. Carole King
16. Brian Wilson
17. Sting
18. Tom Waits
19. U2 (Bono/ Adam Clayton/ The Edge/ Larry Mullen, Jr.)
20. Kurt Cobain
 Paul Simon, image from morethings.com
21. Stevie Wonder
22. Elvis Costello
23. Chuck Berry
24. Van Morrison
25. Lou Reed
26. Morrissey
27. Jim Morrison
28. Prince
29. Billy Joel
30. Smokey Robinson
 Bruce Springsteen, image from reelworldtheology.com
31. Bob Marley
32. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/ Eddie Holland
33. Jerry Leiber/ Mike Stoller
34. James Taylor
35. R.E.M. (Peter Buck/ Bill Berry/ Mike Mills/ Michael Stipe)
36. Don Henley
37. John Fogerty
38. Nick Cave
39. Michael Jackson
40. Queen (John Deacon/ Brian May/ Freddie Mercury/ Roger Taylor)
 Pete Townshend, image from guitarplayer.com
41. George Harrison
42. Radiohead (Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke)
43. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones (The Clash)
44. Dolly Parton
45. Peter Gabriel
46. Burt Bacharach/ Hal David
47. Eddie Vedder
48. Gerry Goffin
49. Cat Stevens
50. Kris Kristofferson
 Neil Young, image from Samuel sounds blog
51. Eric Clapton
52. Roy Orbison
53. Stevie Nicks
54. Buddy Holly
55. Kenneth Gamble / Leon Huff
56. Barry Mann/ Cynthia Weil
57. Jeff Barry/ Ellie Greenwich
58. Jackson Browne
59. Doc Pomus/ Mort Shuman
60. Randy Newman
 Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, image from art.com
61. David Byrne
62. Jimi Hendrix
63. James Brown
64. Willie Nelson
65. Tom Petty
66. Lionel Richie
67. Neil Diamond
68. Little Richard
69. Beck
70. Glenn Frey
 Elton John and Bernie Taupin
71. Patti Smith
72. Noel Gallagher
73. Robbie Robertson
74. Chuck D
75. Richard Thompson
76. Chrissie Hynde
77. Paul Westerberg
78. Lucinda Williams
79. Stephen Merritt
80. Johnny Cash
 Joni Mitchell
81. Eminem
82. The Bee Gees (Barry Gibb/ Maurice Gibb/ Robin Gibb)
83. Tori Amos
84. Tupac Shakur (2pac)
85. Frank Zappa
86. Dave Matthews
87. Dianne Warren
88. Lindsey Buckingham
89. Kate Bush
90. Christine McVie
 David Bowie
91. David Crosby
92. Neil Peart
93. Curtis Mayfield
94. Isaac Hayes / David Porter
95. Boudleaux Bryant / Felice Bryant
96. Robert Smith
97. Sly Stone
98. John Hiatt
99. Laura Nyro
100. Steve Earle
Resources/Related Links:
- Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories
- Dave’s Music Database Facebook page (7/1/2010). “The Top 100 Songwriters of All Time”
This ranked list is a compilation of all the best-of songwriter lists below.
- aol.com (2/13/2006). “The Greatest Songwriters in Rock”
This is a top 10 ranked list with commentary. No author or year cited. However, the same content appears on a blog on myspace.com with a #11 ranked writer included and a date of 2/13/06.
- AssociatedContent.com (8/1/2009). “Ten Best Lyricists of All Time” by Nick Mayer
Includes commentary.
- BBC News (5/23/2001). “Dylan ‘the greatest songwriter’”
10 lyricists are ranked, according to percentage of votes received via a BBC News Online users poll out of 7722 votes cast.
- DigtalDreamDoor.com 8/23/2007). “100 Greatest Rock Songwriters.” Edited by Maria S.
This ranked list of 200 songwriters includes a handful of song titles by each entry.
- DigitalDreamDoor.com (5/13/2005). “100 Greatest Lyricists of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Edited by Eric.
This is a ranked list with no commentary. If songwriter is associated with a specific group, that is noted in parentheses.
- Faqs.com (2009). “The Best Lyricists of All Times.”
No longer online.
- Folkmusic.about.com (year?). “Top 10 Folk Music Singer/Songwriters.” By Kim Ruehl
This ranked list includes commentary.
- Gibson.com (9/9/2008). “6 of the Greatest Songwriting Partnerships of All Time.” By Aaron Lefkove
This unranked list offers commentary on six songwriting teams on Gibson Lifestyle’s Forum.
- Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
Ranked list of the 100 most successful songwriters in British chart history. Guinness published books on the UK charts for years and it is assumed that this list came from one of those editions, but there are no details.
- Listology.com (10/16/2008). “Top 5 Songwriters of All Time.” By podizz
No longer online.
- MakeFive.com (6/23/2008). “Top 5 Songwriters of All Time.” By alexmerced
14 songwriters are actually on this ranked list, which appears to be generated by online votes.
The New York Times Magazine (April 2026). “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters”
More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here, in an unranked list, are the artists they chose.
- NME.com (7/1/2010?). “The Greatest Lyricists Ever.”
Readers poll. Top 20. No longer online.
- NPR.org (7/5/2006). “The Best Living Songwriters.” By Robin Hilton
This ranked list, by the producer of NPR’s All Songs Considered, includes commentary.
- Paste Magazine (June/July 2006). “100 Best Living Songwriters: The List”
Ranked list with no commentary.
- Ranker.com (year?). “Greatest Living Rock Songwriters”
- RateYourMusic.com (year?). “Top 100 Songwriters. By elayblooze
User-generated, ranked list with no commentary. No year identified.
- Redefradio.gather.com (9/5/2007). “Hip Hop’s Top Lyricists of All Time (One Man’s Theory).” By Kevin Beacham.
No longer online.
- RetroJunk.com (2009). “Top 20 Greatest Songwriters.” By dalmatianlover
Blogger-created, ranked list with commentary.
- P. Campbell Robbins (5/10/2006). “Top 25 Greatest Songwriters of All-Time.”
Blogger-created, ranked list with commentary on top 10.
- Piero Scaruffi (1996). “Greatest singer songwriters of all times”
Ranked list of 16 songwriters (no commentary) and then an unranked list of another 55 songwriters.
- Piero Scaruffi (1999). “Greatest rock composers of all times”
Four separate ranked lists (no commentary) focus on world, Britain, Oceania, and Germany.
- SongHall.org
Official site for the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- Songpull.com (11/13/2007). “Top 10 Living Songwriters.” By mbauer
Blogger-created, ranked list with no commentary. Links to songwriters’ official sites.
- Songwriters Hall of Fame (1/21/2026). “Inductees 1969-2026” by DavesMusicDatabase.com
A list at DavesMusicDatabase.com of all inductees into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame from its beginning in 1969 to its class of 2026 inductees.
- Songwriting.net (5/26/2010). “Top 10 Songwriting Teams.” By Jessica Brandon
This ranked list offers brief commentary.
- Telegraph.co.uk (5/19/2008). “50 best British songwriters.” By Chris Harvey
Ranked list includes commentary.
- TopTenz.net (5/22/2009). “Top 10 Singer Songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s.” By Anne Iredale
Ranked list with commentary.
- Turkku.com (year?). “Top 20: Male Songwriters and Top 20: Female Songwriters”
Two separate ranked lists with no commentary on a page with other lists.
- UltimateSongwriting.com (year?). “Best Songwriters Ever” and “Great Songwriters – Greatest Songwriters”
Two separate unranked lists with lots of overlap and no commentary. No author or date identified.
- Ben Witherington (8/14/2008). “The Best Songwriters in Rock n’ Roll Heaven”
Blogger-created unranked lists, no commentary, for rock/pop, folk/country, and modern. Despite the misleading title, this focuses on songwriters both alive and dead.
- Yahoo.com (1/15/2009). “The 25 Best Rock Lyricists” by Rob O’Connor
No longer online.
First posted 7/1/2010; last updated 4/30/2026. |
