nytimes.com/interactive/2026/magazine/greatest-american-songwriters-alive.html

Voted on by 250 music insiders and 6 New York Times critics, presented unranked. Thoughts?

• Nile Rodgers
• Lucinda Williams
• Stevie Wonder
• Jaÿ-Z
• Paul Simon
• Taylor Swift
• Brian & Eddie Holland
• Missy Elliott
• Lionel Richie
• Dolly Parton
• Young Thug
• Diane Warren
• Josh Osborne, Brandy Clark, & Shane McAnally
• Fiona Apple
• Babyface
• Stephin Merritt
• Romeo Santos
• Carole King
• OutKast
• Mariah Carey
• Willie Nelson
• Kendrick Lamar
• Valerie Simpson
• Bob Dylan
• Lana Del Rey
• The-Dream
• Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
• Bad Bunny
• Bruce Springsteen
• Smokey Robinson

Take off taylor put on allen toussaint

but overall could be worse. also where's Paul McCartney

drake

Don't bite..

Father John Misty 🤷‍♂️

I don’t think he was eligible for this list since he’s technically not American

Surprised they didn't put Phoebe Bridgers on there

drake is canadian

i dont see Dave Blunts

Thug is now a top 5 rapper ever

Seeing Jay-Z but not

Canadian

I just f***ed a cup of water (I did)

Jay Z is the greatest songwriter of my lifetime his pen is untouchable

I remember the days in like 2012-14 when thug was getting clowned and now it’s funny to see the NYT pontificating about him being one of the greatest living songwriters

Aye Swift

Also Romeo & Babonibebe

Where’s Aubrey

Oh American

Gotta up my reading comprehension

GOAT starting to look a bit like Nipsey now

Putting young thug and not future here is performative

taylor swift is so forced but thug is a crazy surprising inclusion from them

Saw this earlier and scanned the tweet to make sure Lana Del Rey was there. We're all set.

Shoutout to The-Dream too, Love/Hate II on the way!

outkast is cheating .

Shout out Lana