Songwriters transpose poetry into music. They are creative with words– storytellers who follow rhythm.

Plenty of songwriters have left lasting impressions. Lyrics are relatable. Sometimes there is nothing better than reading over words to an uplifting message placed mechanically within a song. Instruments bring emotion to songs, but songwriting brings the human experience we can connect to.

I wrote a column with my list of best guitarists last week. This time around, songwriters are the topic of discussion. In an attempt to narrow the field of the candidates, I have chosen 15 songbirds from the second half of the 20th century. Some are still performing, but it was their work in that century that solidified their greatness.

15. Bruce Springsteen 

Now, I’m not a particularly big Springsteen fan, but it would be foolish to not respect his work as a songwriter. Springsteen is your all-American guy. He often spoke of themes prevalent in our day-to-day lives. “Born in the U.S.A.” was probably his biggest commercial success with the E Street Band, and is a staple of the 1980s.

14. Kurt Cobain 

Kurt Cobain left a legacy for those who grew up in the 1990s. In a strange love for a troubled man, we all had the inner grunge and rebellious side that Cobain encompassed. Cobain’s lyrics were not complex, but he slaved over them, and it showed in his music.

13. Van Morrison 

Van Morrison hailed from Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is exactly the theme of most of his work. He often wrote songs of life in Belfast as a child. He was a poet in his own right. He has influenced many with the way he writes.

12. Johnny Cash 

Although the songs were instrumentally sound and catchy, it was Johnny Cash’s storytelling that captured our attention. He made his mark on music from the moment he entered Sun Records in the mid 1950s. His baritone vocals made him recognizable, but it was his songwriting skills that made him legendary.

11. Jim Morrison 

Jim Morrison and The Doors left quite the impression on rock and roll history before his death in 1971. Morrison’s lyrics often used detail and imagery. Sometimes his words are so complex they are difficult to understand. Nevertheless, the words were beautiful and flowed in a melodic and poetic way.

10. Elton John/Bernie Taupin 

Elton John could easily be referred to as one of the best musicians of all time, but it was his lyricist Bernie Taupin who penned most of his songs. Taupin would write the songs, send them to John, who would write the music. This formula worked out well, the two collaborated on more than 30 albums.

9. Stevie Wonder 

There is really nothing to dislike about Stevie Wonder. He is quite literally the king of rhythm and blues music. He has written or co-written some memorable musical masterpieces. “Superstition,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” “Sir Duke” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” were some compositions in a long list of successful tunes written by Stevie Wonder.

8. Joni Mitchell 

Joni Mitchell is a Canadian folk musician who took lyricism to another level. Folk singers tend to be better versed on the whole songwriting thing—being a vital part to that genre of music. She is one of the most influential female artists of all time. David Crosby of Crosby, Stills and Nash once said she was even better than Bob Dylan.

7. Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter 

For most people, when the Grateful Dead comes up in conversation, Jerry Garcia is always the first name to be mentioned. However, most of their songs were written or co-written by Robert Hunter. Hunter wrote countless numbers of classic tunes such as “Friend of the Devil,” “Ripple” and “Truckin.” When the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Hunter was included with the band.

6. Paul Simon 

Paul Simon is often referred to as one of the best songwriters of the second half of the 20th century. His songs were mature and easy to understand. He believed music was a way to introduce lyrics—the music preceded the words. His more well-known works include “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Simon focused on the personal aspects of life, love, family and social commentary.

5. George Harrison 

Everyone from The Beatles besides Ringo Starr made this list and for good reason. George Harrison was the unsung hero of The Beatles. Although Harrison had as much to do with the band’s success as John Lennon and Paul McCartney, he is seldom held in as high regard as the two. Harrison wrote several of The Beatles’ greatest hits, including “Don’t Bother Me,” “I Need You,” “Within You Without You” and “You Like Me Too Much.”

4. Neil Young 

Neil Young’s style of music and songwriting applies to just about every genre out there. His music is timeless and elegant. Not only is his voice easily distinguished in a crowd, but his lyrics have stood the test of time. His songwriting establishes him as one of the best musicians of all time. The lyrics “Old man take a look at my life, I’m a lot like you were,” are etched into our popular culture.

3. – 2. John Lennon/Paul McCartney 

For No. 3 and No. 2, I have decided for my own sanity to merge John Lennon and Paul McCartney into one entity. There is nothing to be said about these two that is not known already. Both were or have been commercially successful as songwriters on their own, but it was their work together on Beatles tunes that ultimately put them near the top. Not many bands have influenced so many like The Beatles.

1. Bob Dylan 

This probably should not come as a surprise. Bob Dylan has often been referred to as the greatest songwriter of all time; his lyrics fueled inspiration for so many. I cannot count the number of times someone has said something about a song performed by a band, only to find out it was a Dylan cover. His narrative writing style engraved itself in history long ago. In the TIME 100: The Most Important People of the Century—under the category Artists and Entertainers—Dylan was called a “master poet, caustic social critic and intrepid, guiding spirit of the counterculture generation.”

Kyle Sutton can be reached at [email protected]. on Twitter @KyleSutton_DE or 536-3311 ext. 273