# NYT List of the 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 28, 2026, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619 "2026-04-28T12:34:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/41 "2026-04-29T14:08:20Z")
I would’ve liked to see **Conor Oberst** on the list. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/42 "2026-04-29T14:15:01Z")
The difficulty for a list of only 30 is that it is barely enough to touch on enough eras and genres to be credibly interesting instead of just a magnifying lens of omissions. Warren Zevon, Michael Stipe, David Byrne, Madonna, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Garth Brooks, Billy Idol, Jack White, Harry Nilsson, et cetera and so on… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/43 "2026-04-29T14:16:24Z")
Was Randy Newman even on that list? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/44 "2026-04-29T14:23:43Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Was Randy Newman even on that list ? No, and it’s kind of amazing because Newman appears on NINE voters’ lists at the link in **RitterSport** ’s post #38 above. I know that’s not all the voters, but still. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/45 "2026-04-29T14:33:49Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Warren Zevon, Michael Stipe, David Byrne, Madonna, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Garth Brooks, Billy Idol, Jack White, Harry Nilsson Warren Zevon and Harry Nillson are dead. Billy Idol is English. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/46 "2026-04-29T17:25:26Z")
Doh, _head slap_, of course! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/47 "2026-04-29T21:07:27Z")
I’m listening to a NYT podcast and there are frequent ads touting the list and the associated interviews. It concludes with, “Check out our list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters and see if you agree with our experts…I’m sure you won’t.” ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/48 "2026-04-29T21:47:50Z")
It’s obviously easy for anyone to name a dozen omissions. Even given specific criteria (which we aren’t), we’ll all have different opinions. A better way to evaluate these lists might be to ask if there’s anyone on the list who clearly should not be? And I’d give a firm no on that. As for my personal omissions: Beck, and Mike Doughty (solo career and formerly Soul Coughing). They both had killer music, and lyrics like no one else. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/49 "2026-04-29T22:17:29Z")
I think Missy Elliott should not be on it, or she should share the spotlight with Timbaland. There’s not one song where she’s solo credit as writer. And, I’m a fan. I know nothing about Young Thug - did he write for anyone else? Did he write the music, too? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/50 "2026-04-30T20:45:50Z")
YouTuber Rick Beato weighs in. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Dr2nuKFM33s/maxresdefault.jpg "The NYT "Greatest Songwriters" List is an Absolute Disaster") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr2nuKFM33s) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/51 "2026-04-30T21:10:11Z")
Can’t wait to watch that! ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/52 "2026-05-01T02:37:24Z")
What is a songwriter? Is a lyricist a songwriter? Is someone who creates the sound but not the lyrics a songwriter? Is someone who does both an actual songwriter? What’s the criteria here? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2026, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619/53 "2026-05-01T10:50:27Z")
Apparently, a lyricist is sufficient, because that’s really what Missy Elliott is (and maybe Young Thug, I don’t know who does his tracks). Or, just really the track, because Nile Rodgers isn’t a great lyricist. A great songwriter should do both, in my mind, but the NY Times disagrees with me. OutKast does both well, Paul Simon, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-list-of-the-30-greatest-living-american-songwriters/1029619.md?page=2)