15 Comments
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James Kerti's avatar

Joe, congratulations, and also, thank you. This piece just inspired me to spend the last hour writing and posting one of my own—something I needed to say. Appreciate you!

Kevin LaRose's avatar

Several years ago a book of short stories came out, I can't remember if they were written by Tom Hanks or if he collected them, and the connecting theme in all the stories was typewriters. I need to see if I can find it, I can't even remember the title offhand.

JT60's avatar

Did Guttenberg turn you down?

Mike's avatar

Just eyeballing the list, it's absurd. Bad Bunny? Lana Del Rey? Who the hell is Young Thug?

Anyhow -- and I'll note that I'm not even a huge fan of some of these names -- but how this can fail to include Michael Stipe, Billy Joe Armstrong, Billy Joel, James Taylor, and so many others? It's the height of ludicrousness.

NYT . . . I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the obvious pandering of this list. What can I say?

Frank Ackerman's avatar

It’s mind blowing to see how far Tom Hanks has come since Bosom Buddies!

Sheepnado's avatar

I imagine that everyone has a favorite songwriter who isn’t on that list.

Mine would be Tom Russell.

I was looking around for it and came across a comment that said something like: “I can’t believe those idiots left that country singer named Zach or Zac or Zack something off of the list!”

jokerman12's avatar

Awesome giving Dani DaOrtiz a spotlight like that. The version of that trick when he did it on Penn & Teller's show is something I can never stop watching.

Lee's avatar

I’ve said this elsewhere Joe but if you do Big Fan 2 and include Aussie Rules football, do not go to the Grand Final (too many corporate people in the stands) go to the Collingwood v Essendon ANZAC Day game, start the day by going to a Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance then go to the MCG to watch as a 100,000 rabid fans go deathly silent for a minute as the Last Post is played by a single bugler, it’s an incredible experience

Dan the Man's avatar

Someone with a subscription to the NY Times should post the list of the 30 greatest songwriters.

Geof Searles's avatar

They're not numbered in the article. This is just the order they're written about.

Nile Rodgers

Lucinda Williams

Stevie Wonder

Jay-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

Lan Del Rey

The-Dream

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

Bad Bunny

Bruce Springsteen

Smokey Robinson

Perry's avatar

Keep in mind it's LIVING AMERICAN songwriters, so it's gonna exclude Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Lennon/McCartney, etc.

Dan the Man's avatar

And Tom Petty, my fav

Matt LaWell's avatar

https://www.reddit.com/r/BruceSpringsteen/s/NUABdWBQX8

Appropriately enough for Pos, this is from the Springsteen subreddit.

Dan the Man's avatar

thx Matt, appreciate it!