Who are your favorite song writers

[BobM]

This list is very subjective. I've listed mine but I totally left out classical, prog and jazz. These are mostly well known people that I tend to enjoy. You list will probably be very different. No particular order within a tier.

Tier 1
Lennon/McCartney - they were never as good apart as they were together so I'm counting them as one
Paul Simon
Elton John
Billy Joel
James Taylor

Tier 2
Steven Stills
Don Henley
Bruce Springsteen
Cat Stevens
Joni Mitchell

Tier 3
Sting
John Fogerty
Kenny Loggins
Pete Townsend
Kevin Gilbert

Tier 4
Roger Waters
Billy Gibbons
Donald Fagen
Stevie Wonder
Van Morrison

[S Clark]

Wow.  Your list, with a few changes in positions, matches mine really closely.  Obviously, you have excellent taste in music! 

I might sneak Carole King onto the list, just so there'd be another female.  On my list, she'd take Springsteen's place.

[BobM]

I thought of Carol King, but the volume of her songwriting and the length of time she wrote new songs just doesn't measure up to her one great album.

There are lots of great bands with great songs but no one person in that group that stands out. Zeppelin has great songs but much of what they did were old blues songs reinterpreted. Allman Brothers the same. Aerosmith, Yes, Genesis, Moody Blues, Americ, Stones and many others were performance bands and collaborative writers but not necessarily one song writer. Current country and pop artists don't write their own stuff much either.

Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull could be on the list somewhere.

[malloy]

Can't really do tiers for my list, but I'd move up Fagen, Sting, and Wonder and add to the list:

Not even a fan of every genre they did, but very impressive nonetheless:

Diane Warren for the sheer diversity of songs (rock, pop, country etc.)
Babyface - for the same reasons
Maybe Nile Rodgers? - Can't tell if he just produced or wrote most of the hits he's known for.

[tmazz]

This list is very subjective. I've listed mine but I totally left out classical, prog and jazz. These are mostly well known people that I tend to enjoy. You list will probably be very different. No particular order within a tier.

Tier 1
Lennon/McCartney - they were never as good apart as they were together so I'm counting them as one
Paul Simon
Elton John
Billy Joel
James Taylor

Tier 2
Steven Stills
Don Henley
Bruce Springsteen
Cat Stevens
Joni Mitchell

Tier 3
Sting
John Fogerty
Kenny Loggins
Pete Townsend
Kevin Gilbert

Tier 4
Roger Waters
Billy Gibbons
Donald Fagen
Stevie Wonder
Van Morrison

Roger Waters in Tier 4?????  You're out of the will.   

[BobM]

He's still in good company Tom, wouldn't you say? Post your favorites, it might make an interesting list.

[malloy]

+1 for Andy Partidge and Morrissey.

I was a fan of The Smiths and mid 80s Morrissey.

I'd probably add Robert Smith of The Cure in my list as well.

[malloy]

"...if it's not love, then it's the bomb that will bring us together..." - "ask", morrissey; 1986
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoo9Vu1a9bU

Ask!! I remember this!

(jeez, there's so many freaking incredible lines from morrissey lyrics, i could go on quoting a lot.  too bad he's totally gone nutz lately...  )

Haven't been following him lately. What's he been up to? Is he on another anti-monarchy rant? Well, not that he's ever stopped...

My favourite is from Panic:

"Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
It says nothing to me about my life "

I had to doublecheck if that was indeed what he was singing!! 

[malloy]

Yikes! I just did. Big mouth strikes again, indeed!

[dflee]

Agree with everything posted and would add Warren Zevon to the mix.
My wife would like Jeff Lynne added.
Forgot John Hiatt, George Harrison, Tom Petty, John Fogerty ect, ect.

Don

[jimbones]

Beth Hart

[P.I.]

David Wilcox - Eye of the Hurricane



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePsD5t1vg_Y

[S Clark]

Oooohh, David Wilcox.  Good choice.  The guy can certain write a song and deliver a performance.  His "Big Horizon" is one of my favorites. 

"Strong Chemistry"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szRv55H7DPs
"I got a weakness for strong chemistry
One touch - all my resolutions change
I can say this is no good for me
But I'm back for more of the same
High on the ecstasy - medication against the pain
Our bodies fit desperately together
Like a needle against a vein"

[CongaMike]

Bruce Cockburn has been at it for a long time.
"Breakfast in New Orleans".

[P.I.]

Oooohh, David Wilcox.  Good choice.  The guy can certain write a song and deliver a performance.  His "Big Horizon" is one of my favorites. 

"Strong Chemistry"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szRv55H7DPs
"I got a weakness for strong chemistry
One touch - all my resolutions change
I can say this is no good for me
But I'm back for more of the same
High on the ecstasy - medication against the pain
Our bodies fit desperately together
Like a needle against a vein"

Yeah.  He writes about everyday things and experiences.  There are so many...  Bernie Marsden is another of my guys, + he is a great guy.  When Gayle and I went on our second Joe Bonamassa cruise he came over and asked if he could sit with us at dinner.  I had gone up to the stage after his first (poorly attended... oh, my) performance and told him I loved his guitar tone.  We sat and talked about life, mostly.  He is just a "guy" that loves music like me. OTOH, Robben Ford is a distant, arrogant asshole.  Great player, nasty person... sigh..................