Top 100 Living Songwriters
Back in March I posted my top twenty Best Living Songwriters. I put mine in alphabetical order because I couldn't bare to try to put say Kris Kristofferson before or after John Hiatt or whatever. Ranking seemed difficult. In that post, I noted that Paste Magazine was conducting a poll in order to put out a list of the top 100 living songwriters. The new issue of Paste is out and they have published their top 100. This is their list as decided by their writers and critics. Keep in mind that these are LIVING songwriters.
I like this massive list. I am so pleased to see Bruce Springsteen at number three. I just can't tell you how cool I think that is. I decided to bold the 15 songwriters from my list that made it to the Paste list (I had five that didn't make it). Why would I do that? It's all about me and my correct opinion of course! That said, I would love to hear what you think. I put links for each block of ten. If you want to read the commentaries then just click on those. The write-ups are pretty good. Again, this is NOT the reader's poll. Here is their list:
1-10
1. Bob Dylan
2. Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield & Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young)
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
5. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
6. Leonard Cohen
7. Brian Wilson
8. Elvis Costello
9. Joni Mitchell
10. Prince
11-20
11. Randy Newman
12. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
13. Paul Simon
14. Stevie Wonder
15. Willie Nelson
16. David Bowie
17. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland, Jr.
18. U2 (Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullins, Jr., Adam Clayton)
19. Patty Griffin
20. Van Morrison
21-30
21. Lou Reed (The Velvet Underground)
22. Lucinda Williams
23. Elton John & Bernie Taupin
24. Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo)
25. Chuck Berry
26. R.E.M. (Peter Buck, Billy Berry, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe)
27. Radiohead (Thom Yorke, Jonny & Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway)
28. Robbie Robertson (The Band)
29. Tom Petty
30. John Prine
31-40
31. Carole King
32. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
33. Pete Townshend (The Who)
34. John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
35. Steve Earle
36. Beck
37. Smokey Robinson
38. Kris Kristofferson
39. Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham)
40. Burt Bacharach & Hal David
41-50
41. Ray Davies (The Kinks)
42. Loretta Lynn
43. Ryan Adams (Whiskeytown)
44. Al Green
45. Jackson Browne
46. David Byrne (Talking Heads)
47. Sufjan Stevens
48. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
49. Cat Stevens
50. Public Enemy (Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler)
51-60
51. Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham
52. Paul Westerberg (The Replacements)
53. James Taylor
54. Aimee Mann
55. Dolly Parton
56. James Brown
57. Morrissey (The Smiths)
58. Sly Stone
59. Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs)
60. Jimmy Webb
61-70
61. John Hiatt
62. Sting (The Police)
63. Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention)
64. Andy Partridge (XTC, The Dukes of Stratosphear)
65. Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love)
66. Charles Thompson aka Frank Black (Pixies)
67. Conor Oberst aka Bright Eyes
68. Allen Toussaint
69. Merle Haggard
70. Alex Chilton (Big Star, The Box Tops)
71-80
71. Vic Chesnutt
72. Michael Jackson
73. Julie Miller
74. Over the Rhine (Linford Detweiler, Karin Bergquist)
75. Rox Sexsmith
76. Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Palace Music)
77. Bruce Cockburn
78. Robert Pollard (Guided by Voices)
79. Stephen Malkmus (Pavement, Silver Jews)
80. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Nick Mason)
81-90
81. The Flaming Lips
82. John Darnielle (Mountain Goats)
83. Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie)
84. John Linnell & John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
85. David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones)
86. Sam Beam (Iron & Wine)
87. Lyle Lovett
88. Parliament (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
89. Victoria Williams
90. Nick Cave (The Birthday Party)
91-100
91. Drive-By Truckers (Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Jason Isbell)
92. Alejandro Escovedo
93. Joseph Arthur
94. Sam Phillips
95. Patti Smith
96. Jimmy Cliff
97. Josh Ritter
98. Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo)
99. Outkast (Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton)
100. T Bone Burnett
I like this massive list. I am so pleased to see Bruce Springsteen at number three. I just can't tell you how cool I think that is. I decided to bold the 15 songwriters from my list that made it to the Paste list (I had five that didn't make it). Why would I do that? It's all about me and my correct opinion of course! That said, I would love to hear what you think. I put links for each block of ten. If you want to read the commentaries then just click on those. The write-ups are pretty good. Again, this is NOT the reader's poll. Here is their list:
1-10
1. Bob Dylan
2. Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield & Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young)
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
5. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
6. Leonard Cohen
7. Brian Wilson
8. Elvis Costello
9. Joni Mitchell
10. Prince
11-20
11. Randy Newman
12. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
13. Paul Simon
14. Stevie Wonder
15. Willie Nelson
16. David Bowie
17. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland, Jr.
18. U2 (Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullins, Jr., Adam Clayton)
19. Patty Griffin
20. Van Morrison
21-30
21. Lou Reed (The Velvet Underground)
22. Lucinda Williams
23. Elton John & Bernie Taupin
24. Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo)
25. Chuck Berry
26. R.E.M. (Peter Buck, Billy Berry, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe)
27. Radiohead (Thom Yorke, Jonny & Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway)
28. Robbie Robertson (The Band)
29. Tom Petty
30. John Prine
31-40
31. Carole King
32. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
33. Pete Townshend (The Who)
34. John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
35. Steve Earle
36. Beck
37. Smokey Robinson
38. Kris Kristofferson
39. Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham)
40. Burt Bacharach & Hal David
41-50
41. Ray Davies (The Kinks)
42. Loretta Lynn
43. Ryan Adams (Whiskeytown)
44. Al Green
45. Jackson Browne
46. David Byrne (Talking Heads)
47. Sufjan Stevens
48. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
49. Cat Stevens
50. Public Enemy (Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler)
51-60
51. Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham
52. Paul Westerberg (The Replacements)
53. James Taylor
54. Aimee Mann
55. Dolly Parton
56. James Brown
57. Morrissey (The Smiths)
58. Sly Stone
59. Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs)
60. Jimmy Webb
61-70
61. John Hiatt
62. Sting (The Police)
63. Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention)
64. Andy Partridge (XTC, The Dukes of Stratosphear)
65. Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love)
66. Charles Thompson aka Frank Black (Pixies)
67. Conor Oberst aka Bright Eyes
68. Allen Toussaint
69. Merle Haggard
70. Alex Chilton (Big Star, The Box Tops)
71-80
71. Vic Chesnutt
72. Michael Jackson
73. Julie Miller
74. Over the Rhine (Linford Detweiler, Karin Bergquist)
75. Rox Sexsmith
76. Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Palace Music)
77. Bruce Cockburn
78. Robert Pollard (Guided by Voices)
79. Stephen Malkmus (Pavement, Silver Jews)
80. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Nick Mason)
81-90
81. The Flaming Lips
82. John Darnielle (Mountain Goats)
83. Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie)
84. John Linnell & John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
85. David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones)
86. Sam Beam (Iron & Wine)
87. Lyle Lovett
88. Parliament (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
89. Victoria Williams
90. Nick Cave (The Birthday Party)
91-100
91. Drive-By Truckers (Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Jason Isbell)
92. Alejandro Escovedo
93. Joseph Arthur
94. Sam Phillips
95. Patti Smith
96. Jimmy Cliff
97. Josh Ritter
98. Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo)
99. Outkast (Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton)
100. T Bone Burnett
Labels: lists, music, Springsteen
posted by Doah at 7:40 AM
5 Comments:
Leonard Cohen.
Glad he made the list. His singing isn't for everyone but I dig his lyrics. Take the song Wating for the mircale from the film Natural Born killers (it is the song playing during the opening):
Leonard Cohen
ยป Waiting For The Miracle
(Leonard Cohen/Sharon Robinson)
Baby, I've been waiting
I've been waiting night and day
I didn't see the time
I waited half my life away
There were many invitations
And I know you sent me some
But I was waiting
For the miracle to come
I know you really loved me
But, you see, my hands were tied
I know it must have hurt you
It must have hurt your pride
To stand beneath my window
With your bugle and your drum
While I was waiting
For the miracle to come
You wouldn't like it baby
You wouldn't like it here
There's not much entertainment
And the critics are severe
The Maestro says it's Mozart
But it sounds like bubble gum
When you're waiting
For the miracle to come
CHORUS
Waiting for the miracle
There's nothing left to do
I haven't been this happy
Since the end of World War II
Nothing left to do
When you know that you've been taken
Nothing left to do
When you're begging for a crumb
Nothing left to do
When you've got to go on waiting
For the miracle to come
I dreamed about you, baby
It was just the other night
Most of you was naked
But some of you was light
The sands of time were falling
>From your fingers and your thumb
And you were waiting
For the miracle to come
Baby, let's get married
We've been alone too long
Let's be alone together
Let's see if we're that strong
Let's do something crazy
Something absolutely wrong
While we're waiting
For the miracle to come
CHORUS
When you've fallen on the highway
And you're lying in the rain
And they ask you how you're feeling
Of course you say you can't complain
If you're squeezed for information
That's when you've got to play it dumb
You just say you're out there waiting
For the miracle to come
Yay Prince! #10!!
Why didn't you put John Denver on there, he's one of my favorites!
--Lorie
Lorie, it's because it's a list of LIVING songwriters!
He LIVES in my heart!!!
Lorie
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