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Top Ten Songwriters since 1980


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... and I think a case could be made for Emmylou Harris!

As much as I love Emmylou, she's not really known as a songwriter. She's made a career in covering other people's songs. I believe out of 20-some albums she's done, she's written but a handful of her own tunes.

 

Speaking of which, I'd toss in Rodney Crowell to the best songwriters since '80 list. And add Randy Newman, as well.

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No order...

 

Tweedy

Farrar

Stipe

Springsteen

Beck

Elliott Smith

Morrissey

Thom Yorke

Tori Amos

Bono

 

Runners up:

Glen Phillips

Ben Folds

John Linnell/Flansberg

Damon Albarn

Noel Gallagher

Gary Louris

Aimee Mann

David Lowry

Dave Ghrol

 

 

:rock

Edited by remphish1
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James Hetfield

Nikki Sixx

W. Axl Rose

Ronie James Dio

Ozzy Osbourne

Steve Harris

Rob Halford

Dave Mustaine

Charlie Benante

Allison Krause

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As much as I love Emmylou, she's not really known as a songwriter. She's made a career in covering other people's songs. I believe out of 20-some albums she's done, she's written but a handful of her own tunes.

Check out the songwriting credits on Red Dirt Girl and Stumble Into Grace:

 

"The Pearl" (Emmylou Harris)

"Michelangelo" (Emmylou Harris)

"I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now" (Emmylou Harris)

"Tragedy" [with Patti Scialfa] (Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell)

"Red Dirt Girl" (Emmylou Harris)

"My Baby Needs a Shepherd" (Emmylou Harris)

"Bang the Drum Slowly" (Emmylou Harris/Guy Clark)

"J'ai Fait Tout" (Emmylou Harris/Jill Cunniff/Daryl Johnson)

"One Big Love" (Patty Griffin/Angelo)

"Hour of Gold" (Emmylou Harris)

"My Antonia" [with Dave Matthews] (Emmylou Harris)

"Boy from Tupelo" (Emmylou Harris)

"Here I Am" (Emmylou Harris)

"I Will Dream" (Emmylou Harris/Kate McGarrigle/Anna McGarrigle)

"Little Bird" (Emmylou Harris/Kate McGarrigle/Anna McGarrigle)

"Time in Babylon" (Emmylou Harris/Jill Cunniff)

"Can You Hear Me Now?" (Emmylou Harris/Malcolm Burn)

"Strong Hand (Just One Miracle)" (Emmylou Harris)

"Jupiter Rising" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"O Evangeline" (Emmylou Harris)

"Plaisir d'Amour" (Traditional)

"Lost Unto This World" (Emmylou Harris/Daniel Lanois)

"Cup of Kindness" (Emmylou Harris)

 

Also not to be forgotten is her 1985 album The Ballad of Sally Rose, all of which she co-wrote:

 

"The Ballad of Sally Rose" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"Rhythm Guitar " (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"I Think I Love Him/Instrumental: You Are My Flower" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley/A.P. Carter)

"Heart to Heart" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"Woman Walk the Line" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"Bad News" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"Timberline" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"Long Tall Sally Rose" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"White Line" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"Diamond in My Crown" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"The Sweetheart of the Rodeo" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

"K-S-O-S/Instrumental Medley: Ring of Fire/Wildwood Flower/Six Days on the Road" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley/June Carter/Merle Kilgore/A.P. Carter/Earl Greene/Carl Montgomery)

"Sweet Chariot" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley)

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Rethought mine:

 

01. Prince

02. R.E.M. (they wrote as a unit)

03. Sonic Youth (pretty much ditto)

04. Thom Yorke

05. Kurt Cobain

06. Tom Waits

07. David Byrne

08. Jeff Mangum

09. Elliott Smith

10. Jeff Tweedy

11. Black Francis

12. P J Harvey

13. Bono

14. Morrissey/ Marr

15. Stephen Malmkus

16. Stephen Merritt

17. Wayne Coyne

18. Jack White

19. Nick Cave

20. Bob Pollard

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Check out the songwriting credits on Red Dirt Girl and Stumble Into Grace:

I'm aware that she has written songs, and some very good ones, too. I'd still consider 2-3 albums worth of original material compared to the20-25 albums she's put out only a handful, though. She's better known as a vocalist than a songwriter, IMO. But whatever, it's just an opinion.

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Yeah but you don't count. You have literally listened to every single album released since 1980 and thus have a lengthier list to work from. :)

 

I'm terrible at these list things, so I'm not even going to bother. But I'd at least put Jason Isbell on it, if not all three Truckers.

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