Dylan, McCartney and Lennon Top "Rolling Stone" Magazine's 100 Greatest Songwriters List

Rolling Stone has compiled a list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters and, not surprisingly, Bob Dylan lands at the top of the tally. In choosing the prolific folk-rock legend as the #1 songwriter, the magazine notes, “Dylan’s vision of American popular music was transformative. No one set the bar higher, or had greater impact.”

Coming in at #2 and #3 on the list, respectively, are former Beatles band mates Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Rolling Stone calls Sir Paul “pop’s greatest melodist,” while noting that he has “a bulging songbook that includes many of the most-performed and best-loved tunes of the past half-century.” As for Lennon, the magazine says, “No one better rendered the complexity of personal life or global politics, or better connected the two, than [he did] during his solo career in universal songs like ‘Watching the Wheels’ and ‘Imagine.'”

Rounding out the top 10 of the tally are Chuck Berry at #4, Smokey Robinson at #5, The Rolling Stones‘ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards at #6, Carole King and her ex-husband and songwriting partner Gerry Goffin at #7, Paul Simon at #8, Joni Mitchell at #9 and Stevie Wonder at #10.

Some of the renowned songwriters from the world of rock that landed a little further down on the list include Bob Marley at #11, Brian Wilson at #12, Bruce Springsteen at #14, Neil Young at #17 and Prince at #18.

Source: Classic Hits 105.5

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