Brian makes top 10 songwriters list!

[roll plymouth rock]

Paste's list just reads like some indie music journalists top 50...

I agree w/CCC - no Hank Williams = no credibility to the list in my mind. Even Leonard Cohen himself said HW sits atop the Tower of Song

[Shady]

I love how nobody has objected to Prince being in the Top 10.

He's the second greatest songwriter of all time in my opinion.

[Mark H.]

IMO Lennon-McCartney should be listed as a team and as individuals.  Brian Wilson definatley in the top 3.  Dylan I can take in the top tier but frankly Joni Mitchell should be way higher than listed.  Where was Carole King?

[Sheriff John Stone]

A boring list, I know:

1. Brian Wilson
2. Paul McCartney
3. Bob Dylan
4. Chuck Berry
5. Ray Davies
6. Paul Simon
7. Ron Mael
8. Willie Nelson
9. Robby Krieger
10. Burt Bacharach

[the captain]

I like a boring list if it's an honest list. A person shouldn't worry about too popular, too unpopular, too obscure, too indie, not indie, too male-dominated, too white, too black, too classic rock, or whatever. It should look like your favorite songwriters' names. Period.

[Aegir]

My list wasn't honest at all

[MBE]

Leiber and Stoller
Brian Wilson
Dennis Wilson
Bob Dylan
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Pete Townshend
Ike Turner
James Brown
Chuck Berry

I think all of the Beach Boys were good writers but Brian and Dennis stand out.

[matt-zeus]

My top tier of favourite songwriters as opposed to who I think would/should be in a greatest list would be;

Freddie Mercury
Brian Wilson
Brian May
Paul McCartney
Nick Lowe
John Deacon
Neil Hannon
Page/Plant
Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford/Banks/Collins (early Genesis lineup)

Runners up would be Pete Townsend, John Cale, Ray Davies, Prince, Lou Reed, Becker/Fagen, Jagger/Richards, Lindsey Buckingham, Harry Nilsson, Gene Clark, Neil Young

[the captain]

^ What, no Roger Taylor? 

[matt-zeus]

Oh alright, I should stick him in there too, but not counting anything he's done in the last 20 years.

[the captain]

I actually disliked almost all of his songs from beginning to end. And his voice, for that matter. Like his drumming, though. And his hair.

[matt-zeus]

I'm not fussed on his early stuff but his stuff from 80-82 (Basically The Game, Hot Space and Fun in Space) I think is great, Coming Soon especially is a much maligned track (hated by some Queen fans) but I love it!