Top ten American composers/songwriters


Foster
Sousa
Joplin
Gershwin 
Copland
Jimmie Rodgers
Ellington
Richard Rodgers
Dylan
Porter

I constantly revisit this topic listening and reading. Thoughts?

jpwarren58
My lord, what a bunch of old fogies.  Anyone who has an ear on modern pop music, and certainly everyone in the music business, knows that Taylor Swift is the best songwriter of the last decade+.  Should be on any list of the best American songwriters. 
So all those ears on Straus during his popularity were bad taste? Many thought Mozart was just a juvenile sensation.  I do agree most pop music will end in the cut out bin, but there are many classical examples of esteemed composers who are forgotten. I am doing a deep dive into Barber this week. Listened to Bernstein's "Age of Anxiety" yesterday. My list was meant to incorporate all genres, so many worthies were excluded. I appreciate the passion. And yes I am an old fogey, sort of inevitable. 
IF humans exist on Planet Earth two hundred years from now Mozart
will still be played and not one person alive will have heard of Taylor Swift.
For every one who saw Mozart a flash in the pan many more thought him a juvenile genius .

They are esteemed composers who are out of favor at present but some
have not forgotten them .Every day my FM station ,"Classical Minnesota", plays composers from four or five hundreds of years ago who are seldom heard but not forgotten .
I am old but not a fogey .

He is Risen !

In 1967, Leonard Bernstein taped a one hour special for CBS, entitled "The Rock Revolution." He talked about some current Pop music he found to have musical worth and be of interest. At the center of the show was a segment on Brian Wilson and his "Smile" album project. Brian is shown playing and singing "Surf's Up" on the grand piano in his living room.

Also discussed are The Left Banke and their baroque-influenced (songwriter/keyboardist Michael Brown was Classically trained) "Pretty Ballerina". His "Walk Away Renee" is also a real good song.

Not all Pop is equal, anymore than is all anything.