Top ten American composers/songwriters

 Barber is Universal !
Nobody would think  Appalachian Spring  and  much of his work as  American without the titles . Copland  never did .


Barbers Ädagio is the unofficial National Anthem  in times of grief ..Should be playing right now .

To say Copland's music doesn't capture the American spirit...he incorporates our folk music, energy level, optimism.  And nothing against Barber. Just very hard to make choices. Some day someone will. The big question will be them referencing this thread. Lol. 

It IS "hard to make choices" when considering two great talents such as Barber and Copland. However, there is no doubt in my mind that Samuel Barber was the greater of the two; and not by a little. The level of sophistication of his compositions and mastery of orchestration were on an entirely different level; not to mention a wider scope encompassing not just orchestral music, but opera and choral music as well.

I suppose an argument can be made that he was the "more American" (and not simply "American") of the two; if that is the subjective standard to be used . However, by that standard I would say that the music of Leonard Bernstein encompasses all that Copland’s did and more; by incorporating two quintessentially American genres, Jazz and Musical Theater.

Surprised Michael Stipe had not made the list.