The Paste 100 Greatest Living Songwriters

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The editors of Paste magazine wondered: who are the best living songwriters around. They gathered a team of 50 musicians and writers and put together a list of the top 100. On this edition of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen talks with Paste magazine editor Josh Jackson, the arts editor for NPR News, Bill Wyman and songwriter Mary Gauthier. They discuss great songwriters, life-changing songs and the art and craft of songwriting.

View the complete Paste 100 list.

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Bob Dylan

CD: Highway 61 Revisited
Song: "Like a Rolling Stone"
Label: Sony

Listen to "Like a Rolling Stone"

The Replacements

CD: Tim
Song: "Left of the Dial"
Label: Sire

Listen to "Left of the Dial"

Jimmy Webb

CD: Ten Easy Pieces
Song: "Wichita Lineman"
Label: Angel Records

Listen to "Wichita Lineman"

Sufjan Stevens

CD: Illinois
Song: "Casimir Pulaski Day"
Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Listen to "Casimir Pulaski Day"

The Beatles

CD: 1
Song: "We Can Work it Out"
Label: Capitol

Listen to "We Can Work it Out"

Leonard Cohen

CD: Various Positions
Song: "Hallelujah"
Label: Sony

Listen to "Hallelujah"

John Prine

CD: John Prine
Song: "Sam Stone"
Label: Atlantic

Listen to "Sam Stone"

Lou Reed

CD: Transformer
Song: "Walk on the Wild Side"
Label: RCA

Listen to "Walk on the Wild Side"

The Sex Pistols

CD: Never Mind the Bollocks
Song: "Anarchy in the U.K."
Label: Warner

Listen to "Anarchy in the U.K."

Mary Gauthier

CD: Mercy Now
Song: "Mercy Now"
Label: Lost Highway

Listen to "Mercy Now"

Chuck Berry

CD: Anthology
Song: "Roll Over Beethoven"
Label: Chess

Listen to "Roll Over Beethoven"

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