Story perspectives

NYT Unveils 30 Top Songwriters; Swift’s Inclusion Sparks Criticism

4/30/2026

Summary

NYT Releases List

The New York Times and six journalists released a “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters” list.
The Times said it consulted roughly 250 music experts while assembling the list.
The list features Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Lucinda Williams and includes country songwriters despite no country journalists.
Critics question the list’s validity because it includes Taylor Swift without ranking and compare her unfavorably to Bob Dylan.

Summary

Apple Music Excludes

The “American-only” rule excludes musician Paul McCartney, musician Neil Young and musician Joni Mitchell.
Analysts label grouping of songwriter Josh Osborne, songwriter Brandy Clark and songwriter Shane McAnally an LGBT-check move.
Reviewers urge expanding roster to 50 slots and cite the “Love Junkies”—songwriter Lori McKenna, songwriter Liz Rose and songwriter Hillary Lindsey as country contenders.
Songwriter James McMurtry, Country Music Songwriter of the Year, is named an exclusion, triggering debate after Apple Music’s 2024 Top 100 Albums placed singer Kacey Musgraves at #85.

History

Historical Context

Rolling Stone issued its "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" in August 2015, using the magazine’s critics and emphasizing American and British rock-era writers. Critics noted the list was over 70 % white and included only nine solo female songwriters, a point highlighted by Flavorwire and The Guardian. The dispute mirrors recurring criticism of Rolling Stone’s rock-centric rankings and fuels calls for broader, data-driven criteria.

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NYT Releases List

The New York Times and six journalists released a “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters” list.
The Times said it consulted roughly 250 music experts while assembling the list.
The list features Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Lucinda Williams and includes country songwriters despite no country journalists.
Critics question the list’s validity because it includes Taylor Swift without ranking and compare her unfavorably to Bob Dylan.

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