Good list. But Frank Zappa is certainly a contender. So is Leonard Bernstein. Laura Nyro. Eric Whitacre. Miles Davis. Charles Ives. So is Jimmy Webb. Don't put down Jimmy!
Keep ’em coming. A lot of quality names. Leonard Cohen, however, is a Canadian. Ahem... But Joni can be counted in because she abandoned Canada for New York and then L.A.
A lot of the greats already listed. I’ll add Brian Wilson, Chuck Berry, Dave Bartholomew, Pomus/Shuman, Leiber/Stoller, Willie Dixon, Buddy Holly, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Randy Newman, Jackson Browne, Iris Dement, John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell, Felice & Boudleaux Bryant, Goffin/King, Greenwich/Barry, Mann/Weil, and Holland/Dozier/Holland (writers of the sublime "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted").
Samuel Barber Walter Piston Howard Hanson John Adams Elliot Carter Phillip Glass (reluctantly and depending on how one defines “top” 🤔)
In Jazz and popular music:
Billy Strayhorn Wayne Shorter Benny Golson Thelonious Monk Cole Porter Ervin Berlin Hoagy Carmichael Jerome Kern Stephen Sondheim Oscar Hammerstein Stevie Wonder
Hank Williams Chuck Berry Bob Dylan John Fogerty Paul Simon Stevie Wonder Carole King Randy Newman Bruce Springsteen Tom Petty
That's my list for popular music. For me, Randy Newman comes in just before James Taylor. Joni Mitchell and Neil Young are ineligible, since they were both born in Canada. I would have to make another list for jazz (Monk, Ellington, Shorter, etc.), and Broadway (Gershwin, Rogers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, etc.).
Yes Berlin and Monk deserve to be in there, but who would you toss out? This list is meant as what music historians would include in a future textbook or article. Hard to narrow down. One of my criteria is the enjoyable hour. Does the candidate have an hour of music you can listen to non stop? Sousa excepted. He is special; forr as long as there are parades.....he will outlast the whole list. Joe
Oops, left out Lucinda Williams, Marshall Crenshaw, Dwight Twilley, Jordan/Wilson (The Flamin' Groovies), Difford & Tillbrook (Squeeze), Nick Lowe. And Johnny Cash, fer cryin' out loud!
Yea for Zappa! I'm also a big fan of John Hiatt's work. Johnny Cash, for sure. Though I don't listen to him much, Kris Kristoferson is widely respected. Love Nick Lowe, but he has not really stretched beyond his era of popularity. I just don't get Leonard Cohen. Maybe the songs, but I can't listen to the guy. And then the Lord decided we needed Miles Davis to compare all other jazz musicians to. And finally, let's not forget the incredible Willie Dixon and Big Bill Broonzy. The number of tunes those two wrote that defined American music and are a foundation to everything out there today are unparalleled.
@pgaulke60, Willie Dixon wasn't forgotten (see 04/04 at 5:50 AM), Good call on Big Bill Broonzy, and let's add Leadbelly and Mississippi John Hurt (a huge influence of Lucinda Williams and Peter Case).
Einstein died in NJ but I don’t think we can call him an American scientist.
Einstein died as an American citizen, but prior to that he held citizenship of several countries including Prussia, Austria, Switzerland and Germany and several kingdoms that no longer exist.
If we must be more nuanced, calling him German-American will be appropriate and respectful of his heritage as well as his chosen country at the time of his death.
I can’t believe nobody mentioned Burt Bacharach. His contribution to the Greatest Hits far exceeded most of the names listed by others here! And Paul Williams went well beyond a bunch of the artists listed above and isn’t head of ASCAP for nothing!
Oops, right you are, @vinylandtubes (love the handle!). Squeeze sounds so American (as did The Beatles, imo) I had forgotten. I got to seem them live in London while there in late '82.
@davepratt: Good one, Bacharach definitely deserves inclusion.
Mildred J. Hill wrote the most popular song of all time. She should make every list yet no one knows who the is. I had to look her up!
Perhaps a split between composers/songwriters would be better? Also different genres of music too? I could toss off many Jazz greats but not a single hip hopper, gospel, metal, or trance composers/songwriter.
History of popular songs yes. History of composers and songwriters, a footnote. Carol King has been suggested. Not sure why so few women composers/songwriters. Plenty of feminine involvement in classical performance. I don't think we feel threatened any longer. Would be a great thread to explore.
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