1950-2000: The Top 25 Singer/Songwriters


1.Bob Dylan: I don’t expect any arguments here

2.Curtis Mayfield: Perhaps he should be #1

3. Paul Weller: Hideously underrated in the US, this whiteboy knows soul

4. Tom Waits: He makes two kinds of records: good ones & great ones

5. Van Morrison: If he ever put out a bad record, I haven’t heard it yet

6. Hank Williams: Some of his songs can even make Christianity sound cool

7. Marc Bolan: The pop genius of the 70’s

8. Toots Hibbert: The man who should have been Jamaica’s International Superstar

9. George Jones: A jug of wine, a George Jones album, another jug of wine, and then another…

10. Lou Reed: I’d put him on this list just for “Pale Blue Eyes”

11. Carole King: More for her songwriting than her singing

12. Elvis Costello: Not half as good as everybody says he is, but what a half!

13. Townes van Zandt: Have you heard him? Good, then you know what I’m talking about

14. Eldon “El Duce” Hoke: Hey, this is MY list. I can put anybody I want on

15. Beck: He’s the new Dylan. Honest

16. James Osterberg: It is frightening: The man has supernatural powers!

17. Leonard Cohen: Of course I’m going to include him

18. Bruce Springsteen: “Nebraska” is enough to earn him a place

19. Nick Drake: Volkswagen, The Estate of Nick Drake wishes to thank you

20. Neil Diamond: What if Elvis was a Jew who wrote his own songs, and never did half-assed karate kicks onstage?

21. Lucinda Williams: Great singer/songwriters cover HER songs!

22. Kurt Cobain: An ear for a great tune, and an eye for a pretty lady! Oh muse, sing!

23. Richard Thompson: Continues to delight

24. David Bowie: Demoted from #11 to #24 for failing to die immediately after "Scary Monsters"

25. Gram Parsons: Dude, love that Nudie suit!
tweakgeek
Tweak...I was testing your boundaries with "Prince"...and I seem to have induced a reaction...maybe even "allergic"...at any rate...Price has a handful of good songs in my view...we will leave it at that...and yes...the omission of the GOdfather of soul was an oversight...but you have made amends...in honour of this... you will kinged "brother for a day"...
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IMHO, Antonio Carlos Jobim was the most important singer/songwriter of the period in question. After Jobim, there are several notables: Burt Bacharach, Lennon-McCartney, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, and so on.
It is my understanding that Lennon & McCartney primarily wrote songs individualy, and put both names on the song. Silly comments notwithstanding, I reiterate.....Lennon & McCartney.
Waltersalas,
Considering that our man George gets the songwriting credit for such classics as "The Window Up Above," "Don't Stop the Music," and "Just One More", I think that he qualifies as a pretty good songwriter.

By the way, I really should have given Al Green his due.