Dylan, Springsteen, Joel make ‘New York Times’ readers’ choice list of the greatest living American songwriters

By Jill Lances Jun 3, 2026 | 11:15 AM

Musician Bob Dylan Performs onstage during the 37th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Michael Douglas at Sony Pictures on June 11, 2009 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)

The New York Times released a list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters back in April, based on feedback from more than 250 music insiders and six Times critics. The list drew criticism from music fans, so the paper has now decided to give them their say.

The Times has now released a readers’ choice list of the 100 greatest American songwriters, noting, “As soon as we decided to make a list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, we could guess how readers would respond to the results: with a combination of enthusiasm and outrage, quickly letting us know which of their favorites we had unconscionably forgotten.”

“We didn’t want all that passion to go undocumented. So we invited readers to assemble their own list — with a formal poll,” they added.

The new list is the result of over 25,000 ballots cast, resulting in “nearly 12,000 distinct choices,” which were narrowed down to 100 artists.

While the original list didn’t rank the songwriters, the reader’s choice list does. Bob Dylan lands at #1, followed by Paul Simon at #2, Bruce Springsteen at #3 and Carole King at #4. Billy Joel, who did not make the original list, ranks at #5.

Rounding out the top 10 are Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, James Taylor, who also didn’t make the original list, and Willie Nelson.

Other artists who didn’t make the original cut but landed on the readers’ choice list include: Jackson Browne, David Byrne, Stevie Nicks, Donald Fagen, Don Henley, John Fogerty, R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, Jack White, Pearl Jam, Stephen Stills, Patti Smith, Beck, Lana Del Rey, Noah Kahan, John Mellencamp, Chrissie Hynde, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, The National and Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl.