Dolly Parton, Paul Simon, Taylor Swift, and More Just Made a Top 30 List of Best Living American Songwriters

While the thought of great American songwriters may bring names like Cole Porter or Louis Armstrong to mind, a new list out on Tuesday just put a current twist on who is deemed "the greatest" at their craft. 

Compiled by The New York Times, the list, that was published in no particular order, was constructed by the outlet's critics along with 250 music industry insiders. Consisting of only living songwriters, each artist has made their impact on entertainment, whether their songs were released in the 1960s like Bob Dylan or their music was a soundtrack to a recent Super Bowl half time show like Bad Bunny or Kendrick Lamar.

Some of the celebrated songwriters, including Nile Rogers, were featured in a video interview, where they explained their approach to coming up with a hit. 

"I can have a terrific idea, in my mind, to start with, by the time I finish with it, I've rewritten it three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 times," he said. "So that's how I think of myself, that I'm an arranger, and because of my arrangements they become the foundation of the song."

Taylor Swift, for her part, said in her interview that her songwriting process is essentially a new venture every time.



"It's still such a mystery to me," she said of her music coming together. "I've been writing songs for so long and they never quite happen the same way and I still don't understand how it works." 

Related: 1976 Classic Was a No. 1 Hit 50 Years Ago Today

The list spanned genres from folk to hip hop and classic rock and was complete with mentions notable songs from each artist that made the cut. 

See below for the full list. 

1. Nile Rogers
2. Lucinda Williams
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Jay-Z
5. Paul Simon
6. Taylor Swift
7. Brian and Eddie Holland
8. Missy Elliott
9. Lionel Richie
10. Dolly Parton
11. Young Thug
12. Diane Warren
13. Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne
14. Fiona Apple
15. Babyface
16. Stephin Merritt
17. Romeo Santos
18. Carole King
19. Outkast
20. Mariah Carey
21. Willie Nelson
22. Kendrick Lamar
23. Valerie Simpson
24. Bob Dylan
25. Lana Del Ray
26. The-Dream
27. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
28. Bad Bunny
29. Bruce Springsteen
30. Smokey Robinson

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved