Your Top 10 Favorite Lyricists

Sox...I like your choices of Ian Anderson and Paul Simon.

1. Ray Davies
2. Keith Reid
3. Roger Waters
4. John Lennon
5. Peter Gabriel
6. Cat Stevens
7. Sting
8. Bono
9. Mick Jagger/Keith Richards
10. Jim Morrison

In no order I'll start with 5! I'm trying to only include 90% lyrics as if I didn't have the actual songs to influence me!:

Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)


The first artist who turned me onto lyrics in the first place. I remember taking the Melloncollie.... album booklet out with no music and reading it! The words brought out so much imagery in my head and I read them like I would an actual book of poetry. I've gone on enough about Corgan in here to last a lifetime but that's a start to my fanaticism with his lyrics.

Justin Furstenfeld (Blue October)


This guy may be the best lyricist on a personal level I've ever seen. Justin has bipolar disorder and you can tell music is his muse for releasing demons as he writes lyrics that get you right inside the head of every song he writes as well as the perfect delivery of it while singing. Sometimes his delivery is like an actor rather than a single because he inhibits each role perfectly.

Max Bemis (Say Anything)


Max is also another writer with Bipolar. Seems to be a trend but it makes sense as music is the perfect catharsis for mental troubles. Art is usually made best by the eccentric, the crazy and the troubled. Anyway, Max also writes brilliant lyrics but his troubles actually manage to be put out in witty, poppy but still angsty ways and it makes for a great entrance into his wild mind!

Dallas Green aka City and Colour


No artist especially in recent time has such synergy with my thoughts and gets me whimsically introspect as much as this folk artist. It's not that the lyrics are complex but I relate to them as can most any male at a certain point and that's a genius in songwriting is making songs that are universal yet have some depth!

Paco Estrada (South FM)


No artist on this list has lyrics that I will quote more or inspire me more. South FM is my favorite band outside the Pumpkins because of how much the songs connect and most of that is lyrics I can relate to in song and straight off the page. Paco writes about life's journey and emotional roller coaster wrapped up in philosophies better than any artist I know!

I'll give my next 5 later!

Jimmy Page/Robert Plant
Don Henley/Glenn Frey
John Lennon/Paul McCartney
Jim Morrison
Every member of Queen
Roger Waters/David Gilmour

All I can think of right now

Neil Peart...

Bernie Taupin. Lyricist for most or all of Elton John's hits.

In no particular order,

Bob Dylan
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
George Harrison
Gord Downie
Neil Young
Bruce Springsteen
Chuck Berry
Buddy Holly
Bob Marley
Mick Jagger
Robert Plant
Chris Robinson

My personal faves:

Lennon & McCartney
Kate Bush
Phil Lynott
Tori Amos
Bob Dylan
Morrissey
Thom Yorke
Alex Turner
Matt Bellamy
James Hetfield

Tori Amos
Dave Matthews
Jon Anderson
Wayne Coyne
Fish
Pete Seeger
Neil Peart
Robert Palmer-James
Peter Sinfield
Paul Simon

Thom Yorke (radiohead)
E (Eels)
Mark Hoppus/ Tom Delong (I'm not sure which one does the majority of blinks lyrics (yes the lyrics are tterrible but they are fun to listen to))
Billy Joe Armstrong (Greenday)
Scott Hutchison (frightenned rabbit)
Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger)
Tim Minchin
Brian Molko (placebo)
Fat Mike (NOFX)
Jay (frenzal rhomb)