NFT: Name who you think are the best songwriters of the R& R era?

who wrote the lyrics. But that's a good call.

Lennon/McCartney
Ian Anderson
Kerry Livgren
Waters/Gilmour
Lee/Lifeson/Peart

of songwriters who comes close to the early genius these guys displayed. I can't think of any who have been so outstanding by age 30 or so (arbitrary cutoff, but think of what The Beatles, Paul Simon, Joni and many of the others we've listed had produced by that age. Incredible!

In comment 13533674 yatqb said:

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of songwriters who comes close to the early genius these guys displayed. I can't think of any who have been so outstanding by age 30 or so (arbitrary cutoff, but think of what The Beatles, Paul Simon, Joni and many of the others we've listed had produced by that age. Incredible!

I am sure this is unpopular and part of it is because my mother was a huge Beatles fan, so I swore them off for a long time. Beatles, Elvis, John Denver, James Taylor, Billy Joel, that whole era.

But, were any of the Beatles great songwriters as Beatles? I mean epicly great? Like all-time great? I think they're horribly overrated (as a band) as songwriters.

If you want catchy lyrics and melodies sure, but poignant, thoughtful lyrics Dylan runs laps around the Beatles.

I think Lennon's later solo stuff far outweighs anything he did as a Beatle lyrically and while McCartney and Harrison also had solo success their solo catalogs aren't even remotely Dylan-esque.

Or even the guys I named; solo Harrison vs. Tweedy or Strummer or even Neal Peart. I'd put Spirit of Radio or The Trees up against anything George Harrison wrote and Peart/Rush have a healthy catalog.

I think Jagger/Richards is also far more compelling than any of the Beatles - solo or as Beatles.

so anyway, the Beatles success and beatle-mania I don't consider due to songwriting. Unless you want a pop song.

In comment 13533674 yatqb said:

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of songwriters who comes close to the early genius these guys displayed. I can't think of any who have been so outstanding by age 30 or so (arbitrary cutoff, but think of what The Beatles, Paul Simon, Joni and many of the others we've listed had produced by that age. Incredible!

No one is going to have clout. But I like Benjamin Booker. Two albums of quality music so far. John Legend is up there with all time soul singer songwriters.

not mentioned. He wrote for many others...Clapton, etc. Tom Petty quite good too.

In comment 13533674 yatqb said:

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of songwriters who comes close to the early genius these guys displayed. I can't think of any who have been so outstanding by age 30 or so (arbitrary cutoff, but think of what The Beatles, Paul Simon, Joni and many of the others we've listed had produced by that age. Incredible!

For me, the only modern songwriter that I really like is Steven Wilson. His solo albums the last several years have been just what I love about music. He's got a new one dropping in just a few weeks. I can't wait. :)

include:

Billy Joe Shaver
Jason Isbell
Tom Petty (not as deep as some of the greats, but consistently solid, catchy, sometimes quite poignant songs)

In comment 13533406 pjcas18 said:

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and maybe expand from R&R to other forms: Jeff Tweedy Beck Morrissey Mick Jones/Joe Strummer (not exactly modern) Win Butler (Arcade fire) Neal Pert (not exactly modern) Rivers Cuomo (peaked early, but some good stuff)

Good call w/Morrissey. Was listening to Viva Hate last week and geeking out on how he pics topics that are unique for rock songs and makes them work well.

In comment 13533666 SimpleMan said:

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is one of my favorites. I find The Clash to always be underrated.

+1000

Very influential band that is widely underrated. And an awesome live show.

In comment 13533811 Moondawg said:

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In comment 13533406 pjcas18 said: Quote: and maybe expand from R&R to other forms: Jeff Tweedy Beck Morrissey Mick Jones/Joe Strummer (not exactly modern) Win Butler (Arcade fire) Neal Pert (not exactly modern) Rivers Cuomo (peaked early, but some good stuff) Good call w/Morrissey. Was listening to Viva Hate last week and geeking out on how he pics topics that are unique for rock songs and makes them work well.

I loved that line of his from How soon is Now (Smiths) "I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar"

never a fan of the goth/cure/smiths scene, but hard to not acknowledge Morrisey's songwriting chops (Johnny Marr contributed some, but mostly Morrissey).

In comment 13533406 pjcas18 said:

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and maybe expand from R&R to other forms: Jeff Tweedy Beck Morrissey Mick Jones/Joe Strummer (not exactly modern) Win Butler (Arcade fire) Neal Pert (not exactly modern) Rivers Cuomo (peaked early, but some good stuff)

I was going to mention Mick Jones who not only wrote/co-wrote all of Foreigner's songs, but also wrote songs for Billy Joel and Van Halen amongst others.

Jagger/ Richards is your Mt. Rushmore. Everyone else is far behind after those three, IMO. Some other greats of course, but those three are clearly at the top for me.

In comment 13533836 Eli Wilson said:

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In comment 13533406 pjcas18 said: Quote: and maybe expand from R&R to other forms: Jeff Tweedy Beck Morrissey Mick Jones/Joe Strummer (not exactly modern) Win Butler (Arcade fire) Neal Pert (not exactly modern) Rivers Cuomo (peaked early, but some good stuff) I was going to mention Mick Jones who not only wrote/co-wrote all of Foreigner's songs, but also wrote songs for Billy Joel and Van Halen amongst others.

Different Mick Jones. I meant the Mick Jones in the Clash who co-wrote or wrote many Clash songs and then formed Big Audio Dynamite.

In comment 13533844 pjcas18 said:

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In comment 13533836 Eli Wilson said: Quote: In comment 13533406 pjcas18 said: Quote: and maybe expand from R&R to other forms: Jeff Tweedy Beck Morrissey Mick Jones/Joe Strummer (not exactly modern) Win Butler (Arcade fire) Neal Pert (not exactly modern) Rivers Cuomo (peaked early, but some good stuff) I was going to mention Mick Jones who not only wrote/co-wrote all of Foreigner's songs, but also wrote songs for Billy Joel and Van Halen amongst others. Different Mick Jones. I meant the Mick Jones in the Clash who co-wrote or wrote many Clash songs and then formed Big Audio Dynamite.

Yeah - I realized that afterwards.

No love for Sammy Hagar?

has been around a long time, and is in her mid-50s, but I think she is one of the greatest songwriters still in her prime.

She is really super creative and no one adds so much authenticity and feeling into both the material and delivery.

I can't recommend her enough for those who are into the indy singer-songwriter genre. And the production and accompaniment on her albums are spectacular.

In comment 13534054 Mike in Marin said:

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has been around a long time, and is in her mid-50s, but I think she is one of the greatest songwriters still in her prime. She is really super creative and no one adds so much authenticity and feeling into both the material and delivery. I can't recommend her enough for those who are into the indy singer-songwriter genre. And the production and accompaniment on her albums are spectacular.

funny, I was listening to a couple of Til Tuesday albums on Monday. Always liked that band.

In comment 13534055 feelflows said:

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In comment 13534054 Mike in Marin said: Quote: has been around a long time, and is in her mid-50s, but I think she is one of the greatest songwriters still in her prime. She is really super creative and no one adds so much authenticity and feeling into both the material and delivery. I can't recommend her enough for those who are into the indy singer-songwriter genre. And the production and accompaniment on her albums are spectacular. funny, I was listening to a couple of Til Tuesday albums on Monday. Always liked that band.

a couple? didn't realize they had more than one.

Aimee Mann is the female voice on Rush's Time Stand Still, one of my favorite songs of theirs, always makes me kind of melancholy feeling about my kids growing up so fast and life moving so fast you don't stop and enjoy it enough.

In comment 13534055 feelflows said:

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In comment 13534054 Mike in Marin said: Quote: has been around a long time, and is in her mid-50s, but I think she is one of the greatest songwriters still in her prime. She is really super creative and no one adds so much authenticity and feeling into both the material and delivery. I can't recommend her enough for those who are into the indy singer-songwriter genre. And the production and accompaniment on her albums are spectacular. funny, I was listening to a couple of Til Tuesday albums on Monday. Always liked that band.

I never listen to them. I saw them play in a small gym at my college and remember Aimee, but I never think to go back and listen to them.

Her album "The Forgotten Arm" is probably my favorite album that I have listened to more than anything else the last year or two.

But I have almost all of them now and they are all great. The Magnolia soundtrack is also really fantastic. Save Me is on that one, along with a over of "One (Is the loneliest number) and a handful of other gems.

In comment 13533844 pjcas18 said:

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In comment 13533836 Eli Wilson said: Quote: In comment 13533406 pjcas18 said: Quote: and maybe expand from R&R to other forms: Jeff Tweedy Beck Morrissey Mick Jones/Joe Strummer (not exactly modern) Win Butler (Arcade fire) Neal Pert (not exactly modern) Rivers Cuomo (peaked early, but some good stuff) I was going to mention Mick Jones who not only wrote/co-wrote all of Foreigner's songs, but also wrote songs for Billy Joel and Van Halen amongst others. Different Mick Jones. I meant the Mick Jones in the Clash who co-wrote or wrote many Clash songs and then formed Big Audio Dynamite.

I do disagree with one thing you suggested above, that depth or some kind of importance (like Dylan) is required for great songwriting. Sure it is important as part of the picture. But music tracks our overall life, which is sometimes reflective, sometimes fun, sometimes melancholy, etc.