Top 100 Songwriters of the Rock Era

Songwriters of the Rock Era: Top 100

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.

The Top 100 Singers of All Time

Singers: Top 100

This list has been updated several times, most recently in 2026 after the Consequence.net ranking of the top 100 vocalists of all time. More than 70 lists – some of which focus on singers and some of which focus on greatest frontmen and women – have been aggregated to create this list. Lists which purport to be “the best of all time” are usually flawed in several ways. First of all, they tend to focus on the rock era, oblivious that there was music before the 1950s. Second, they not only lean on that era, but tend to favor rock and roll artists. Third, those artists are overwhelmingly from English-speaking countries, namely the United States and the United Kingdom. While the third circumstance is still overwhelmingly obvious on this list, I have done my best to pull lists to represent different genres and eras as much as possible. It still isn’t perfect, but it does offer more diversity and representation than you’ll typically find on a best-of list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories. Queen’s Freddie Mercury, image from Britannica.com 1. Freddie Mercury 2. Frank Sinatra 3. Aretha Franklin 4. Elvis Presley 5. Robert Plant 6. Janis Joplin 7. Stevie Wonder 8. Michael Jackson 9. Whitney Houston 10. David Bowie Even though the sources behind this list heavily favor white male singers who front rock bands, the list makers still showed “Respect” to Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Image from rollingstone.com. 11. Marvin Gaye 12. Ella Fitzgerald 13. Ray Charles 14. Mariah Carey 15. John Lennon 16. Paul McCartney 17. Prince 18. Mick Jagger 19. Billie Holiday 20. Sam Cooke Many of the names on this list wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for “The King of Rock and Roll.” Image from fanpop.com. 21. Bono 22. Jim Morrison 23. Elton John 24. James Brown 25. Otis Redding 26. Axl Rose 27. Tina Turner 28. Céline Dion 29. Bob Dylan 30. Roy Orbison Divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Christina Aguilera show they deserve a place on this rock-heavy list. 31. Kurt Cobain 32. Nat “King” Cole 33. Stevie Nicks 34. Louis Armstrong 35. Johnny Cash 36. Roger Daltrey 37. Karen Carpenter 38. Bruce Springsteen 39. Smokey Robinson 40. Patsy Cline Even a rock-heavy list can’t hold back jazz singer icons like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James. Image from music-wallpapers.net. 41. Nina Simone 42. Little Richard 43. Al Green 44. Etta James 45. Steven Tyler 46. Luther Vandross 47. Christina Aguilera 48. Steve Perry 49. Dolly Parton 50. Barbra Streisand R&B legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke make the list. Image from johannasvisions.com. 51. Beyoncé 52. Joni Mitchell 53. Thom Yorke 54. Iggy Pop 55. Björk 56. Chris Cornell 57. Bing Crosby 58. Morrissey 59. Jeff Buckley 60. Neil Young Pre-rock era crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, and Nat “King” Cole couldn’t be denied. Image from queens-politics.com. 61. Bob Marley 62. Van Morrison 63. Adele 64. Tony Bennett 65. Ozzy Osbourne 66. Gladys Knight 67. Dusty Springfield 68. Amy Winehouse 69. Madonna 70. Eddie Vedder Country stars like Johnny Cash, Dolly PartonGeorge Jones, Patsy Cline, and Hank Williams made the cut even without rock and roll credentials. Image from abcnewsradioonline.com. 71. Dean Martin 72. Ann Wilson 73. Jimi Hendrix 74. Rod Stewart 75. George Michael 76. Maria Callas 77. Perry Como 78. Diana Ross 79. Hank Williams 80. Michael Stipe Despite the shortcomings of lists such as these, don’t let that take away from rock gods like Robert Plant, Jim Morrison, and Mick Jagger who absolutely belong on this list. Image from thehelplessdancer.wordpress.com. 81. Patti Smith 82. Jon Bon Jovi 83. Debbie Harry 84. Ronnie James Dio 85. Joe Strummer 86. Bon Scott 87. Luciano Pavarotti 88. Bruce Dickinson 89. Lou Reed 90. George Jones World music gets almost no love from the list makers, but at least Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley and French singer Edith Piaf make the list. Image from aarkangel.wordpress.com. 91. Tom Waits 92. Mary J. Blige 93. Judy Garland 94. Jackie Wilson 95. Tom Jones 96. Curtis Mayfield 97. Mel Tormé 98. Edith Piaf 99. Chuck Berry 100. Brian Wilson Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories First posted 7/17/2012; last updated 4/28/2026.

Elvis Costello: His Top 50 Songs

Elvis Costello Top 50 Songs

Singer/songwriter Elvis Costello was born Declan McManus in Paddington, London, England, on August 25, 1954. He changed his name to Elvis Costello in 1976. He came out of the British punk/new wave scene in 1977 and became one of the most celebrated musicians of all time with his diverse abilities for dipping his toe into multiple musical genres including R&B, country, and classical. Click here to see other best-of lists from other performers, including best albums or songs by specific acts.

Awards:

Top 50 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. DMDB Top 2%: 1. Alison (1977) DMDB Top 5%: 2. Radio Radio (1978) 3. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding (1978) 4. Pump It Up (1978) 5. Watching the Detectives (1977) 6. Oliver’s Army (1979) 7. Veronica (1989) DMDB Top 10%: 8. Everyday I Write the Book (1983) 9. Accidents Will Happen (1979) DMDB Top 20%: 10. I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea (1978) 11. A Good Year for the Roses (1981) 12. I Want You (1986) 13. The Angels Want to Wear My Red Shoes (1977) 14. I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down (1980) 15. Less Than Zero (1977) 16. Clubland (1981) 17. The Other Side of Summer (1991) 18. The Only Flame in Town (1984) 19. Man Out of Time (1982) 20. High Fidelity (1980) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 21. Shipbuilding (1983) 22. Pills and Soap (1983) 23. Party Party (1982) 24. 13 Steps Lead Down (1994) 25. Monkey to Man (2004) 26. Watch Your Step (1981) 27. This Town (1989) 28. Baby Plays Around (1989) 29. From a Whisper to a Scream (1981) 30. Unwanted Number (2018) 31. New Amsterdam (1980) 32. Let Him Dangle (1989) 33. Tramp the Dirt Down (1989) 34. Green Shirt (1979) 35. Lipstick Vogue (1978) 36. Sweet Dreams of You (1981) 37. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (1986) 38. Psycho (1979) 39. Brilliant Mistake (1986) 40. Welcome to the Working Week (1977) 41. I’m Your Toy (1981) 42. I’m Not Angry (1977) 43. I Wanna Be Loved (1984) 44. Tokyo Storm Warning (1986) 45. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror (1989) 46. Let Them All Talk (1983) 47. All This Useless Beauty (1996) 48. Six Months in Kansas City (2014) 49. From Head to Toe (1982) 50. You Little Fool (1982) Related Links: First posted 8/25/2017; last updated 4/24/2026.

Elvis Costello: His Top 20 Albums

Elvis Costello Top 20 Albums

Singer/songwriter Elvis Costello was born Declan McManus in Paddington, London, England, on August 25, 1954. He changed his name to Elvis Costello in 1976. He came out of the British punk/new wave scene in 1977 and became one of the most celebrated musicians of all time with his diverse abilities for dipping his toe into multiple musical genres including R&B, country, and classical. While these lists reflect a definite emphasis on his work from the ‘70s and ‘80s, Costello continues to make adventurous music. His fans never know just where he might go on his next album. Click here to see other best-of lists from other performers, including best albums or songs by specific acts.

Awards:

Top 20 Albums Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by album’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, critics’ ratings, and awards. This list focuses only on studio releases, not on compilations, live recordings, or archival collections. This Year’s Model (1978) My Aim Is True (1977) Armed Forces (1979) Imperial Bedroom (1982) Get Happy!! (1980) King of America (1986) Blood and Chocolate (1986) Trust (1981) Spike (1989) The Delivery Man (2004) Punch the Clock (1983) When I Was Cruel (2002) National Ransom (2010) Almost Blue (1981) Look Now (2018) Brutal Youth (1994) Painted from Memory (with Burt Bacharach, 1998) Mighty Like a Rose (1991) Secret, Profane and Sugarcane (2009) All This Useless Beauty (1996) Related Links: First posted 8/25/2012; last updated 4/24/2026.

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