[djgustashaw]

I'm into mostly modern stuff and a bit of classic rock, and Richard Ashcroft can stand with any of em. He's definitely my favorite songwriter, his music always has a deeper meaning and yet it's still easy to understand. Lots of possible interpretations, too... that's a good thing to me. Lastly, it's just plain easy to apply to my everyday life.

Second place would be the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club member that writes their songs... they never specify in the packaging of their albums, but I think it's Peter Hayes. Their second album didn't do much for me, but the first is a classic. I'm really into that down-and-out kinda stuff.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Peavy Wagner of Rage is definitely my favorite songwriter. He has been defying the cliches of metal for two decades now, turning out gems of intelligent yet catchy lyrics and compositions. I love that his songs can be both very exiciting and moving. Some of his songs, like Turn the Page, Death is on Its' Way, In a Nameless Time, and Set This World on Fire touch me in ways the work of nobody else ever has.

 

[jefemeister]

To pick just one: Roger Waters. Both his solo and Pink Floyd stuff is incredible musically and lyrically. Honorable mention to Kurt Cobain and Janis Ian.

 

[daycart1]

For me, its between Brahms and Schubert.

Or did you mean guys who aren't dead?

 

[djgustashaw]

Dead, alive, doesn't matter. Just your personal favorite(s).

 

[sleepkyng]

Bob Dylan's up there
I like Ira and Georgia from Yo La Tengo
John Cale
Tom Waits
Chan Marshall shows promise
Steve Earle


just the ones off the top of my head.

 

[spaceman]

Mark Knopfler

John Hiatt

Lucinda Williams

Roger Waters

David Byrne

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

.

 

[Comrade Potato]

Morrissey is, for me, the most humourous(sp?), wittiest, saddest lyricist I've had the pleasure to hear.

 

[Riordan]

mike scott (waterboys)
steve wynn (dream syndicate)
justin sullivan (new model army)
bob mould (hüsker dü)

 

[JPH]

Bruce Springsteen
Steve Earle
Townes van Zandt
Kurt Cobain
Cat Stevens
John Hiatt
Sheryl Crow
and others...

 

[Trawlerman]

Most of my faves have already been mentioned.

Lucinda, Steve Earle, Dylan....


So i'm not going to mention those

instead i'm going to nominate the late TOWNES VAN ZANDT.


Steve Earle said of him "Townes is a better songwriter than Bob Dylan and i'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boot and say that". However he then said in a later interview "After having seen the size of Bob Dylan's bodyguards I think i'll retract my previous statement"

 

[JMedeiros]

Bruce Springsteen
Nils Lofgren

 

[sbulack]

Leona Naess - especially works on her "Comatised" album
Patricia Barber - especially works on her "Verse" album

 

[blessingx]

Paul Simon, Stephen Malkmus, Burt Bacharach/Hal David, Cole Porter, George/Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein, Brian Wilson, Wayne Coyle, John Prine, John Lennon/Paul McCartney, all come to mind. And oh yeah that hack Johann Sebastian Bach.