Tír Na HiFi

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists ... ongwriters

any "best of/greatest" list is going to be wrong by default. That's just the way it is. We all have our preferences.
However... having the guy who wrote hits for Britney Spears and other chart fodder in there is rediculous. He writes singles.. not songs. Big difference. Do Kanye West, Eminem and R Kelly write songs? You could argue Eminem does but the others?
Where's Townes Van Zant? Joe Henry? Jim Callahan? Gill Scott Heron? I could fill the internet with obvious omissions... Yes I fully accept that it's down to personal preferences but there's a lot of lightweights in there and you have to wonder why and how.

Notable omissions alright - and strange inclusions, but it'd be hard to argue with the top 20 all the same.....

Fran wrote:.... but it'd be hard to argue with the top 20 all the same.....

I'd have a bloody good go at the order!

I realise no two people who care about such things would ever agree on such a list but you'd have to wonder what they were on....

I don't agree with the number one selection: there's more to songwriting than lyrics. Then again, my opinion here is entirely irrelevant as I don't think I "get" these things at all.

Rolling Stone has long since been irrelevant. 'Best of lists' mean nothing. Great advertising space for the majors though. At the very least lists might kickstart one to check out/reassess an artist again which is exactly the whole point......sound of tills ringing/credit cards shredding :)

Ivor wrote:http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists ... ongwriters

any "best of/greatest" list is going to be wrong by default. That's just the way it is. We all have our preferences.
However... having the guy who wrote hits for Britney Spears and other chart fodder in there is rediculous. He writes singles.. not songs. Big difference. Do Kanye West, Eminem and R Kelly write songs? You could argue Eminem does but the others?
Where's Townes Van Zant? Joe Henry? Jim Callahan? Gill Scott Heron? I could fill the internet with obvious omissions... Yes I fully accept that it's down to personal preferences but there's a lot of lightweights in there and you have to wonder why and how.

Not sure if the list would be the same if it was done on this side of the Atlantic bar the predictable top 10.
Was RS ever relevant over here?