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Paste's 100 Best Living Songwriters: The List

Handsome DevilHandsome Devil Posts: 143
edited July 2006 in Other Music
Paste's 100 Best Living Songwriters: The List

( Morrissey got 57) I'm a fan, love the Moz.

100. T Bone Burnett
99. Andre Benjamin & Antwan Patton (Outkast)
98. Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo)
97. Josh Ritter
96. Jimmy Cliff
95. Patti Smith
94. Sam Phillips
93. Joseph Arthur
92. Alejandro Escovedo
91. Drive By Truckers (Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Jason Isbell)

Read 91-100

90. Nick Cave
89. Victoria Williams
88. Parliament (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
87. Lyle Lovett
86. Sam Beam (Iron & Wine)
85. David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones)
84. John Linnel & John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
83. Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie)
82. John Darnielle (Mountain Goats)
81. Wayne Coyne & Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips)

80. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Nick Mason)
79. Stephen Malkmus (Pavement, Silver Jews)
78. Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices)
77. Bruce Cockburn
76. Will Oldham (aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Palace Music, etc.)
75. Ron Sexsmith
74. Linford Detweiler & Karin Bergquist (Over the Rhine)
73. Julie Miller
72. Michael Jackson
71. Vic Chesnutt

70. Alex Chilton (Big Star, The Box Tops)
69. Merle Haggard
68. Allen Tousaint
67. Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes)
66. Charles Thompson (aka Frank Black, Black Francis) (Pixies)
65. Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love)
64. Andy Partridge (XTC, Dukes of Stratosphear)
63. Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention)
62. Sting (The Police)
61. John Hiatt

60. Jimmy Webb
59. Jack White (White Stripes, Raconteurs)
58. Sly Stone (Sly & the Family Stone)
57. Morrissey (The Smiths)
56. James Brown
55. Dolly Parton
54. Aimee Mann
53. James Taylor
52. Paul Westerberg (The Replacements)
51. Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham

50. Public Enemy (Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler, et al)
49. Cat Stevens
48. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
47. Sufjan Stevens
46. David Byrne (Talking Heads)
45. Jackson Browne
44. Al Green
43. Ryan Adams (Whiskeytown)
42. Loretta Lynn
41. Ray Davies (The Kinks)

40. Burt Bacharach & Hal David 39. Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham)
38. Kris Kristofferson
37. Smokey Robinson
36. Beck Hansen
35. Steve Earle
34. John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
33. Pete Townshend (The Who)
32. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
31. Carole King

30. John Prine
29. Tom Petty
28. Robbie Robertson (The Band)
27. Radiohead (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway)
26. R.E.M. (Peter Buck, Bill Berry, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe)
25. Chuck Berry
24. Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Golden Smog, Loose Fur, etc.)
23. Elton John & Bernie Taupin
22. Lucinda Williams
21. Lou Reed (Velvet Underground)

20. Van Morrison
19. Patty Griffin
18. U2 (Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton)
17. Holland-Dozier-Holland
16. David Bowie
15. Willie Nelson
14. Stevie Wonder
13. Paul Simon
12. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
11. Randy Newman

The Top 10

10. Prince
9. Joni Mitchell
8. Elvis Costello
7. Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys)
6. Leonard Cohen
5. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
4. Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
3. Bruce Springsteen
2. Neil Young (Buffalo Sprinfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
1. Bob Dylan
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • adam42381adam42381 Posts: 2,505
    So Ed/PJ didn't even crack the top 100? What is Paste anyway?
    I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me.
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  • Galaxie2X4Galaxie2X4 Posts: 151
    I wish I could burn one down with Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan
    "My Cadillac's sittin in the back, it isn't me, I'm going home in my Galaxy"
    S. Hoon

    "My body's nobody's body but mine. You run your own body, let me run mine" Chicago '95

    Franken '08
  • Gary CarterGary Carter Posts: 14,067
    what a fucking shit list,yeah lets leave out ed ved jonh lennon and james hatefield.fucking crock
    Ron: I just don't feel like going out tonight
    Sammi: Wanna just break up?

  • Goodfella1111Goodfella1111 Posts: 166
    Bruce should be number 1!

    And where's GREG DULLI mother effer!!!
    10/22/00 LV, 10/24/00 LA, 10/20/01 SF, 10/21/01 AF, 12/8/02 SEA, 12/9/02 SEA, 6/3/03 Irvine, 7/9/03 MSG, 9/1/05 Gorge, 6/3/06 NJ, 7/9/06 LA, 7/10/06 LA, 7/12/06 The Fonda, 7/13/06 SB, 7/22/06 Gorge, 7/23/06 Gorge, 10/21/06 SF, 10/22/06 SF, 12/2/06 HAW, 12/9/06 HAW, 4/10/08 SB, 4/12/08 LA, 4/15/08 SD
  • alobaralobar Posts: 310
    Ray Davies should be number 3 and Bruce at 41 instead. That's just messed up.

    Also, John Darnielle and Will Oldham should be ranked way higher. Maybe replace these two with R.E.M. and U2.
    "I wanna believe in the mercy of the world again."

    WAR + MAGIC BEANS = PEACE
  • EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    metsfan531941 wrote:
    what a fucking shit list,yeah lets leave out ed ved jonh lennon and james hatefield.fucking crock

    hetfield is a fucking awful writer and you know it

    number 82 is number 1
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    Interesting. It is not horrible but it seems to rely heavily on the alt country/ singer songwriter scene.

    I probably would have had to find a space on there for billy corgan, ed ved, and issac brock.

    thats just my opinion.

    I like number one and number two though.
    Charlotte 00
    Charlotte 03
    Asheville 04
    Atlanta 12
    Greenville 16, Columbia 16
    Seattle 18 
    Nashville 22
  • blackredyellowblackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    Not a bad list.. Townshend should be higher. And Brian Wilson at #7? I just never thought the beach boys songs were anything special.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • suffragettesuffragette Posts: 253
    I would stick Joe Jackson in there and Sheryl Crowe. Perhaps Mary Chapin Carpenter. Take out the rappers.
  • likepilateihaveadoglikepilateihaveadog Posts: 1,083
    Handsome Devil wrote:
    91. Drive By Truckers (Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Jason Isbell)
    1. Bob Dylan

    That made me pretty happy.
    Just saw Truckers in DC - good to see them on here collectively.
    Going to see Dylan in a month.

    :D
    Teamwork. Rawk. Pwnage. Infinite Possibilities. YIELD. Hells yeah.
  • likepilateihaveadoglikepilateihaveadog Posts: 1,083
    the other thing for me is that Stone writes great riffs, but not enitre songs for the most part...plus this is kind of more like one guitar and some chords and lyrics list than anything, so...
    I can see why PJ was left off.
    Ed's songs...eh...
    Teamwork. Rawk. Pwnage. Infinite Possibilities. YIELD. Hells yeah.
  • PJ_PhilPJ_Phil Posts: 84
    Horrible list. How the fuck does Sufjan Stevens make the list? And Jack White? brutal.
    Shows:

    Montreal 2003
    Boston (1&2) 2004
    Montreal 2005
    Ottawa 2005
    Halifax 2005
    Boston (1&2) 2006
    Hartford 2008
    Mansfield (1&2)2008
  • neartodeathneartodeath Posts: 167
    peter gabriel wrote some damn good songs
  • SpartanacusSpartanacus Posts: 828
    Big shocker Mr. Marblemouth Bob Dylan makes #1. Anyone else think this guy gets too much respect?

    I will move everyone back a spot and put Pearl Jam in that position.

    And where the hell is Bob Marley?

    I'm going to print that list out and wipe my ass with it tonight.
    19 Pearl Jam shows and still searching for Deep!
    1998 (2) - East Lansing & Auburn Hills; 2000 (2) - Tampa & Noblesville; 2003 (2) - Lexington & Noblesville; 2006 (1) - Cincinnati; 2007 (1) - Chicago (Lollapalooza); 2008 (Ed in Milwaukee); 2009 (1) - Chicago; 2010 (1) - Noblesville; 2013 (3) - San Diego & Los Angeles I & II; 2016 (Temple of the Dog in Los Angeles); 2017 (Ed at Ohana in Dana Point);
    2021 (3) - Dana Point I, II & III; 2022 (3) - San Diego & Los Angeles I & II; 2025 - Southern U.S. Tour Please!
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    Spartancus wrote:
    Big shocker Mr. Marblemouth Bob Dylan makes #1. Anyone else think this guy gets too much respect?

    I will move everyone back a spot and put Pearl Jam in that position.

    And where the hell is Bob Marley?

    I'm going to print that list out and wipe my ass with it tonight.

    last i checked bob marley was dead. so id jonh lennon. thus why they wouldnt make a living songwriters list.

    im somehow not surprised pearl jam wasnt included. but it's fucked up that public, ryan adams, conor oberst, etc iare all on there, and no word on the best american rock band of our time.
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    I'd switch 82 with 18. other than that, I think it is a great list.
  • WesternskyWesternsky Posts: 363
    Goodfella1111 wrote:
    And where's GREG DULLI mother effer!!!

    My point EXACTLY!!!
    How you gonna leave off EV and the Dulli?
    ;)
  • searchlightsoulsearchlightsoul Posts: 583
    Where's Cornell and the Ved. Oh sorry, Jack White has contributed more to music with the White Stripes and the rancowhatevers.
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,228
    Spartancus wrote:
    Big shocker Mr. Marblemouth Bob Dylan makes #1. Anyone else think this guy gets too much respect?

    I will move everyone back a spot and put Pearl Jam in that position.

    And where the hell is Bob Marley?

    I'm going to print that list out and wipe my ass with it tonight.

    Have to say i disagree with you about dylan. He has wrote and continues to write some great songs. Yeah his voice sucks, but what he is saying is important.

    I would probably put young number one. I just like him better, but i can't argue against dylan.
    Charlotte 00
    Charlotte 03
    Asheville 04
    Atlanta 12
    Greenville 16, Columbia 16
    Seattle 18 
    Nashville 22
  • pjfan020pjfan020 Posts: 426
    intodeep wrote:
    Have to say i disagree with you about dylan. He has wrote and continues to write some great songs. Yeah his voice sucks, but what he is saying is important.

    I would probably put young number one. I just like him better, but i can't argue against dylan.

    I'll agree. Dylan's voice has definitely dropped a few notches, but you can't deny the man's contributions to music. He's more of a philosopher who decided to sing instead of write a fucking book. Neil and Bob will always be #1 and 2 for me.
    "Tonight we're just gonna play you some good old American Rock and Roll." tom petty-7-15-05
  • brhf9brhf9 Posts: 1,475
    Handsome Devil wrote:

    Andy Partridge (XTC, Dukes of Stratosphear)

    is he still making plans for Nigel?
    'Go easy, step lightly, stay free!'

    You have been banned for the following reason:
    inappropriate post.

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  • merlin401merlin401 Posts: 230
    metsfan531941 wrote:
    what a fucking shit list,yeah lets leave out ed ved jonh lennon and james hatefield.fucking crock
    lennon probably wasn't on the list cause of the, eh, "living" requirement
    Jones Beach II (2000), Holmdel (2003), Camden I, East Rutherford II, Gorge I, Gorge II (2006), MSG I, Boston II (2008), Spectrum II, Spectrum III, Spectrum IV (2009), MSG I, MSG II (2010), Prague (2012), Philly I (2013), Philly I, Philly II, Fenway I (2016), Fenway I (2018), MSG (2022), MSG I, Fenway 1 (2024)
  • StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    no way Bruce Springsteen should be ahead of Tom Waits. thats ridiculous.

    It's nice to see Pollard get some respect. I think he should be way higher than 78, though. wow.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
  • clutching_benjaminclutching_benjamin Posts: 95
    Nick Cave should be higher and where is PJ Harvey?
  • MohabMohab Posts: 310
    Bruce cockburn is the shit, highly underrated usually
  • Pearls&StonesPearls&Stones Posts: 585
    Greg Dulli?

    We have Afghan Whigs fans here?

    "Debonair" is one of the greatest songs ever.


    Also, U2 should be MUCH higer on the list (top 5). Say what you will about them, they can write
    I love my female wife...
    we sit around and wonder exactly why our marriage should feel threatened by gay marriage
  • EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    Pearls&Stones wrote:
    Greg Dulli?

    We have Afghan Whigs fans here?

    "Debonair" is one of the greatest songs ever.


    Also, U2 should be MUCH higer on the list (top 5). Say what you will about them, they can write


    how about, they can't write?
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
  • cafeamericaincafeamericain Posts: 88
    i love looking at top whatever lists for whatever and i have to say that was the worst list i've seen in my life...hands down...fucking awful
    "I never make plans that far ahead"
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    cafeamericain wrote:
    i love looking at top whatever lists for whatever and i have to say that was the worst list i've seen in my life...hands down...fucking awful
    why? who doesn't belong there? how about the top 20. who out of that group doesn't belong? who would you replace and with whom?

    just curious.
  • PureandEasyPureandEasy Posts: 5,799
    Pete Townshend should be number one :D

    but yeah, a list with McCartney but not Lennon, please, that's a joke in itself

    edit: missed the 'LIVING' part :)

    makes sense now
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