The greatest rock songwriters of all time have a lot in common. Firstly, they are some of the biggest names in rock music history. These household names have written some of the most popular songs. Secondly, even if you aren't too familiar with these songwriters, you've definitely heard their songs at least once or twice. You may not be familiar with their names or faces, but you should know their music. For some bizarre reason, you may not have heard of John Lennon or Paul McCartney, but you definitely have heard of The Beatles and their music. The same goes for Freddie Mercury and Queen, who like The Beatles' songwriting duo, wrote some of the most popular songs in music history.
Bob Dylan is widely considered one of the first songwriters to incorporate poetry, imagery and a social consciousness to rock music. His influence ranges far and wide. Many of the songwriters on this list count Dylan as one of the most important songwriters in rock history. He may not have had the same impact as Dylan, but Kurt Cobain has proven to be one of the most important songwriters in recent history. His career may have been short, but his impact on music history cannot be understated.
It's not easy to determine which of these songwriters is the greatest of all time. It's up to you to determine who is the greatest rock songwriter of all time by voting for who you think deserves that title.1
4,4554,508Paul McCartney
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Flaming Pie, Ram, McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Press to Play
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter, musician,... more2
4,3294,465John Lennon
Blues-rock, Pop musicAlbums: Imagine, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Double Fantasy, Milk and Honey, Walls and Bridges
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon, 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an... more3
4,3734,860Bob Dylan
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Highway 61 Revisited, Blood on the Tracks, Blonde on Blonde, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan (born May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, poet, and visual... more4
3,3113,536Elton John
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Disney's Sing-Along: The Lion King, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Madman Across the Water, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
Sir Elton Hercules John (born 25 March 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, pianist, and... more5
3,5744,049David Bowie
Rock music, Psychedelic popAlbums: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, "Heroes"
David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie (,... more6
5,7803,750Freddie Mercury
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: The Solo Collection, Barcelona, Mr. Bad Guy, Time, Guide Me Home
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British... more7
3,5514,042Paul Simon
Rock music, Folk musicAlbums: Graceland, Still Crazy After All These Years, So Beautiful or So What, Paul Simon, The Rhythm of the Saints
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and actor.... more8
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2,4333,131Brian Wilson
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: SMiLE, What I Really Want for Christmas, Orange Crate Art, That Lucky Old Sun, Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and... more10
2,3102,636Prince
Hip hop music, SynthpopAlbums: Purple Rain, Sign 'O' the Times, 1999, Love Symbol Album, Around the World in a Day
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter,... more11
2,0942,084Robert Plant
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Raising Sand, No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded, Walking Into Clarksdale, Mighty Rearranger, Manic Nirvana
Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician,... more12
3,1303,701George Harrison
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: All Things Must Pass, Cloud Nine, Living in the Material World, Thirty Three & 1/3, George Harrison
George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician,... more13
2,7462,301Johnny Cash
Outlaw country, Christian musicAlbums: American V: A Hundred Highways, American IV: The Man Comes Around, At Folsom Prison, American Recordings, American III: Solitary Man
John R. "Johnny" Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American... more
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2,3632,397Eric Clapton
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: 461 Ocean Boulevard, Crossroads, Pilgrim, Journeyman, Tears in Heaven
Eric Patrick Clapton, (born 30 March 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer,... more15
1,8672,369Stevie Nicks
Classic rock, Pop musicAlbums: Bella Donna, Buckingham Nicks, Trouble in Shangri-La, Enchanted, Rock a Little
Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer and songwriter. Nicks is best... more16
1,3341,901Bernie Taupin
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Tribe, Taupin, He Who Rides the Tiger
Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English-American lyricist, poet, and singer. He... more17
1,7432,062Stevie Wonder
Motown Sound, Psychedelic soulAlbums: Songs in the Key of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book, Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I, Music of My Mind
Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950), better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is... more18
9941,433Jim Croce
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Simply the Best: Time in a Bottle: His Greatest Hits, Jim Croce Smash Hits, Singer Songwriter, Bombs Over Puerto Rico, Life and Times
James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock... more19
2,8652,047Tom Petty
Blues-rock, Heartland rockAlbums: Full Moon Fever, Wildflowers, Highway Companion, Mary Jane's Last Dance, Free Fallin'
Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter,... more20
2,2582,145Billy Joel
Blue-eyed soul, Pop musicAlbums: The Stranger, Piano Man, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, An Innocent Man
William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and... more21
2,5012,855Roger Waters
Folk rock, Progressive rockAlbums: The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Amused to Death, When the Wind Blows, Music From the Body, Ça Ira
George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English songwriter, singer, bassist, and... more22
1,2971,534Roy Orbison
Country pop, Pop musicAlbums: The Essential Roy Orbison, King of Hearts, Mystery Girl, Crying, The Orbison Way
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and... more23
1,7461,835David Gilmour
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: On an Island, David Gilmour, Remember That Night, About Face, Live in Gdańsk
David Jon Gilmour ( GHIL-mor; born 6 March 1946) is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer... more24
7701,181John Denver
Western music, Pop musicAlbums: Rocky Mountain Christmas, Christmas Like a Lullaby, A Christmas Together, Take Me Home, Country Roads
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as... more25
1,9232,227John Fogerty
Americana, Blues-rockAlbums: Deja Vu All Over Again, Hoodoo, Centerfield, The Blue Ridge Rangers, Revival
John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter.... more
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