What about the Finn brothers?

Strummer/Jones are by far the best of all.

Gilmour/Waters are not on the list because more of Pink Floyd’s songs were written by either Gilmour, Waters Wright individually or Gilmour/Waters/Wright together.

John/Taupin should be at the top

John/Taupin should be at the top

John/Taupin should be at the top

I think you forgot one of the greatest writing teams ever with a buttload of Grammys to back it up.

–Ashford and Simpson–

This has to be a joke, where is Deborah Harry and Chris Stein. Not only did they write 2 dozen mega international hits, but some of rock music most influential material. Even their album tracks could have been hits, they are all that good.

Creative, witty, catchy, tongue in cheek…

Heart of Glass, Rapture, Dreaming, One way or another, Rip her to shreds, In the Flesh…etc

Hall and Oates should be in the top 10, at worst top 20 all time, they are amazing songwriters.

This has to be a joke, where is Deborah Harry and Chris Stein. Not only did they write 2 dozen mega international hits, but some of rock music most influential material. Even their albm tracks could have been hits, they are that good.

Creative, witty, catchy, tongue in cheek…

Heart of Glass, Rapture, Dreaming, One way or another, Rip her to shreds, In the Flesh…etc

Hall and Oates should be in the top 10, at worst top 20 all time, they are amazing songwriters.

This has to be a joke, where is Deborah Harry and Chris Stein. No only did they write 2 dozen mega international hits, but some of rock music most influential material. Even their albm tracks could have been hits, they are that good.

Creative, witty, catchy, tongue in cheek…

Heart of Glass, Rapture, Dreaming, One way or another, Rip her to shreds, In the Flesh…etc

Hall and Oates should be in the top 10, at worst top 20 all time, they are amazing songwriters.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin should be #2 on the list with out a doubt.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin should be #2 on the list with out a doubt.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin should be #2 on the list with out a doubt.

What the hell….
strummer/Jones are the gods on writing music.

Pet shop boys???!!! mentioning them in the same page as Lennon/McCartney is ridiculous to say the least

Stone roses (Ian Brown/John squire) made some really good songs

BENJAMIN/PATTON - TWO TALENTED SONG WRITERS THAT ARE OUTKAST. BEST DOU EVER - AQUEMINI!

BENJAMIN/PATTON - TWO TALENTED SONG WRITERS THAT ARE OUTKAST. BEST DOU EVER - AQUEMINI!

BENJAMIN/PATTON - TWO TALENTED SONG WRITERS THAT ARE OUTKAST. BEST DOU EVER - AQUEMINI!

I would have to agree with Rock Turtleneck - “Glenn Tillbrook & Chris Difford of Squeeze were a great songwriting duo - drawing legitimate comparisons to Lennon/McCartney in the 80s - listen and you will see that these claims are far from unfounded.”
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE themselves said, and I quote - “Difford & Tilbrook are the Lennon & McCartney and the Lieber & Stoller of the 80’s.” If you were into music back then, you would have heard this comparison many times over, especially from the writers of ROLLING STONE MAG and now (2007) they are off the list. As GOMPS wrote as well… “Wasn’t it 20 years ago that every issue of Rolling Stone had Difford/Tilbrook (Squeeze) as the next Lennon /McCartney.” AGREE - RS Mag claimed it many, many times.

Everyone has a different view point and we all have our own favorite music and bands with different tastes. (Mine being SQUEEZE, of course.) However, I would have to agree that Morrisey/Marr could easily be higher on the list - maybe not # 1 or # 2 - but certainly that high since the 80’s. You can’t argue what Lennon/McCartney and Jagger/Richards have done for music and deserve the top honors because of their influence over a wide span of years (50+), but since the early eighties, no one has been more influential than Morrisey/Marr and The Smiths. They aren’t my favorite, but they deserve what they are due. As far as Ozzy or GnR, and some others - come on, how much can you really write & sing about getting drunk, doing drugs, and racist remarks in songs and then think that they were cool songs. Who gives a rats ass about Axel and Izzy and their lyrics (they did write 1 good song - Sweet Child ‘O Mine.) Also agree with lots of you that Paige/Plant from LED ZEPP surely deserves to be in the top 10 for their influence on music as well as Stanley/Simmons from KISS - again, not big fans of these bands - but give credit where its deserved. But, GNR and OZZY - come on?

God bless Difford and Tilbrook!

What about Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze)? Somebody missed the boat.

Can’t believe Tennant/Lowe (Pet Shop Boys) didn’t make the list!

Nostalga seems to play too significant a part in these polls. Indeed lennon and mccartney are the best songwriting partnership ever - that is without question. But the rolling stones , the clash - a nostlagic vote for me. The elton john / bernie taupin is another extremely worthy inclusion - but should have clearly been 2nd in the poll. The morrissey / marr collaboration wrote some of the finest albeit controversial at times songs of all time - and surely would have been a wrothy 3rd place , still at lkeast they have been mentioned. I do agree with other ‘posters’ here that other worthy inclusions have been omitted. The rolling stones haven’t done anytyhing worthy of note for over 20 years - and the clash only showed very brief glimpses of any sort of writing talent. There are more singer/songwriting partnerships that have contributed just as much (if not more) than many on the list - I mean how could you not include ABBA - one of the most successful bands ever with a songwriting partnership worthy of being close to lennon and mccartney. Sadly these polls will always been controversial and should be taken with a pinch of salt. These things are open to opinion and I think it’s wrong to suggest who is better than who - lenno and mccartney are and always will be the best - and the rest to be honest is wide open. So they should stop doing these ‘polls’ and concentrate on who is best , nothing else.

Definitely Morrissey & Marr!!!

morrissey/marr should be#1 on this list

Daryll Hall, John Oates.

get a job.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgley have been robbed!

George Michael and Andrew Ridgley have been robbed!

George Michael and Andrew Ridgley have been robbed!

whoever said Morrissey/Marr didn’t have an impact needs to be pulled out of his bunker a la Sadaam Hussein and made to listen to the vast landscape of indie music inspired by The Smiths.

This list is sooo wrong. The two best songwriting duos ever are…

1. Ulvaeus/Andersson (ABBA)
2. Tennant/Lowe (Pet Shop Boys)

Lennon/Macca come third, and after that it’s up do debate.

I Love you girls

Buy

Yes, yes. Boyce/Hart, Coffin/King, Mann/Weil. What’re you doing ‘America’s Greatest Rock Mag’!?

and to most of you left comments, check their excuse for Page/Plant, that’d obviously exclude Waters/Gilmour or Axl/Izzy…

i completely sympathize with Brian Wilson things, but you know we need another category for him that says Nothing But Genius In Pop Music. we just shouldn’t categorize him as duo or solo or wateva.

and if i may, i’d like to whisper brown/squire at the end…

Don’t forget, according to Sir Paul on his last live disc, it’s McCartney/Lennon.

Wasn’t it 20 years ago that every issue of Rolling Stone had Difford/Tilbrook (Squeeze) as the next Lennon/McCartney.

Definitely agree with adding Boyce/Hart,Coffin/King, but no Hall & Oates because their stuff is as schlocky as it comes. I agree with some of the comments that apply to groups (another good list would be acts that wrote all or most of their own great music) . . . Doors, CSNY, Neil Young, Paul Simon, McCartney, Harrison, Dylan . . .

But, as for duos, you left out one obvious choice: Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil who wrote (and continue to write) among others: Don’t Know Much (Linda Rondstadt & Aaron Neville; Running with the Night (Lionel Richie), Wrong Again (Martina McBride) — these just to show this great husband & wife team are still at in the modern era. But, it’s true - they wrote numerous rock & roll classics, like these:

Here You Come Again (Dolly Parton)

On Broadway (The Drifters); redone
by many & taken to new heights by
Neil Young on “Are You Passionate?”

Uptown (The Crystals)

Only in America (Jay & the Americans)

Walking in the Rain (The Ronettes; Jay & the Americans)

You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling & (You’re my) Soul & Inspiration, (both by the Righteous Brothers)

Make Your Onw Kind of Music (Mama Cass Elliott) many more . . .

Even if you don’t agree, these two deserve a mention.

Glenn Tillbrook & Chris Difford of Squeeze were a great songwriting duo - they were drawing legitimate comparisons to Lennon/McCartney back in the 80s - give a listen to the album East Side Story, especially the suite like 2nd half and you will see that these claims are far from unfounded.

Of course Lennon/McCartney are at the top- they were very much a duo and McCartney needed him even on the ones Lennon had little imput- McCartney’s crappy solo career proves that. And what is this about Harrison? He was a dreadful songwriter up until the White Album with almost everything basically unlistenable. And if he did not have the pressure of competing with John/Paul, he would have stayed horrible. I think John/Taupin should be second, their songs will long outlast those of Jagger/Richards, whose work is fading fast even as we speak.

i would suggest pete dohery and carl barat; i think because of their short lived engagment people over look them. and also, george and ira gershwin.

What about Tyler/Perry??

I really believe that Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood should be mentioned. Those two continually stun me with their innovative songwriting

King and Goffin, fr’ heavens sakes.

King and Goffin, fr’ heavens sakes.

THEY
MIGHT
BE
GIANTS

True Pistol, but they were still’ a duo.

True Pistol, but they were still’ a due.

Someone mentioned Simon & Garfunkel. They were indeed’ overlooked. This should really’ be at least a top 20 list! It isn’t fair to those overlooked and there were some good ones through the years.

Proponents of Simon and Garfunkel… Not a duo guys… Paul Simon was a one-man songwriting machine ! Check your LP or CD credits…

Strummer/Jones - who are they? Imagine Strummer is still alive and nobody even think of mentioning him. The obvious missings are: Berry/Johnson, Mann/Weil, Lieber/Stoller and Simon/Garfunkel.

Strummer/Jones - who are they? Imagine Strummer is still alive and nobody even think of mentioning him. The obvious missings are: Berry/Johnson, Mann/Weil, Lieber/Stoller and Simon/Garfunkel.

GENE SIMMONS/PAUL STANLEY - BEST COMBO EVER. ‘NUFF SAID.

Yeah, some people in this blog have it right - how can you forget Roger Waters/David Gilmour - insane. Good call, also Plant/Page, duh. You can keep going. I really am embarassed to throw this one out there, but as far as songwriting machines go, like them or not, Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi have it down (I know my friends are going to make fun of me for that one), but hey - they tell great stories!

For pure pop enjoyment, I would add Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

Chuck Berry & Johnny Johnson really belong on this list. Even though Johnson didn’t always get credit for the co-writing he did.

Don Henley and Glenn Frey

Johnson/Baughman??????????????
Hello???????????
The Jackmouths, anyone?

Tremonti/Stapp

I’m embarrassed…

If only for “Save the Last Dance For Me”, a masterpiece which any one of the duos you’ve listed would love to have authored and several tried to rewrite, the omission of Doc Pomus & Mortie Shuman is glaring.

Simon&Garfunkel.

Simon&Garfunkel.

Simon&Garfunkel.

What about the two brothers from the Proclaimers?

What about the two brothers from the Proclaimers?

Glaring omissions off the top of my head:

Plant/Page
Waters/Gi lmour
Petty/Campbell
Bucking ham/Nicks

Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Elton John and Bernie Taupin

I would like to say that in the end The Beach Boys or The Beatles it doesn’t matter because EMI Capitol raked in the money.
I think AHA is right, if not long winded. I am surprized he didn’t add. That the songs meantioned were written by.
In my room w/ G Asher
God only knows w/ T Asher
California Girls w/ M Love
Surf Up w/ Van Dyke Parks
Surfin USA w/ C Berry
Fun Fun Fun w/ M Love
Doesn’t sound like a duo to me. Oh and you forgot to add Chuck Berry on your list of Wilson co-writers.

I would like to say that in the end The Beach Boys or The Beatles it doesn’t matter because EMI Capitol raked in the money.
I think AHA is right, if not long winded. I am surprized he didn’t add. That the songs meantioned were written by.
In my room w/ G Asher
God only knows w/ T Asher
California Girls w/ M Love
Surf Up w/ Van Dyke Parks
Surfin USA w/ C Berry
Fun Fun Fun w/ M Love
Doesn’t sound like a duo to me. Oh and you forgot to add Chuck Berry on your list of Wilson co-writers.

Even if very few Beatles’ songs were written “eyeball-to-eyeball” as I believe Lennon put it,those two informally filled in parts the other couldn’t. Witness “Eleanor Rigby” or “I Saw Her Standing There” for lyrical ideas by Lennon or “Come Together” for (one of many) great musical bass lines by McCartney. Even in a case like “A Day in the Life”,wherein the song was actually a cut-and-paste of two different songs,or the second side of “Abbey Road”,these guys could come up with better songs than anybody else at the time.
But,Rolling Stone,I would like to know how you could omit Coffin/King?

er..Ozzy Osborne/who-ever-the-hell-is-h is-guitarist-at-the-time?

how about ozzy ans randy rhoads

STEELY DAN GARGLES MY BALLS

picciotto/mackeye. and robbie/robertson. haha.

axl and izzy

Where is Brian Wilson & Mike Love on that list? They are unquestionably in the top three of all time. Just listen to film soundtracks, radio, adverts or any other medium for that matter. Those two wrote some of the greatest songs of all time.

Axl and Izzy were great songwriters and slash supplyed some fantastic solos
Yes,I agree!!!

Axl and Izzy were great songwriters and slash supplyed some fantastic solos
Yes,I agree!!!

Axl and Izzy were great songwriters and slash supplyed some fantastic solos
Yes,I agree!!!

This is my last post on this subject. It has been suggested i do my homework before I post anuthing here, so. That is it I give up you guys are right
Brian Wilson and
- Mike Love
-Gary Usher
-Joe Knott
-Bob Nortberg
-Roger Christian
-Rob Altbach
-Reggie Dunvar
-Gary Usher
-Stephen Kalinich
-Van Dyke Parks
-Tony Asher
-Carl Wilson
-Dennis Wilson
-Al Jardine
-Jack Rieley
-Bruce Johnston
-Al Vescovo
-Lyle Ritz
-Jim Ackley
-Roger McGuinn
-Diane Rovell
-Terry Sachen
-Eugene Landy
-Alexandria Morgan
-Bob Norman
-Tandyn Almer
-Ray Kennedy
-Rick Henn
-Ron Wilson
-Jon Parks
-Steve Korthof
are the greatest song writing duo of all time. Are you happy now? My deepest apologies to any song writer i left out of this legendary duo.

This is my last post on this subject. It has been suggested i do my homework before I post anuthing here, so. That is it I give up you guys are right
Brian Wilson and
- Mike Love
-Gary Usher
-Joe Knott
-Bob Nortberg
-Roger Christian
-Rob Altbach
-Reggie Dunvar
-Gary Usher
-Stephen Kalinich
-Van Dyke Parks
-Tony Asher
-Carl Wilson
-Dennis Wilson
-Al Jardine
-Jack Rieley
-Bruce Johnston
-Al Vescovo
-Lyle Ritz
-Jim Ackley
-Roger McGuinn
-Diane Rovell
-Terry Sachen
-Eugene Landy
-Alexandria Morgan
-Bob Norman
-Tandyn Almer
-Ray Kennedy
-Rick Henn
-Ron Wilson
-Jon Parks
-Steve Korthof
are the greatest song writing duo of all time. Are you happy now? My deepest apologies to any song writer i left out of this legendary duo.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin are the best and there is no denying that

AHA is an idiot, someone should ban that guy from making posts. Brian Wilson Mike Love forever!

Doherty/Barat deserve to be on the list.

How about Hall and Oates?

hall and oates

hall and oates

Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman deserve a mention

Johnny B
You have to be kidding me. Pure song writing ability? What makes a good song to you? Wilson wrote some good songs but mcCartney has written as many if not more. That is not including all of the Lennon songs he got co-credit for.
Topia_thrif
Lennon and McCartney wrote together or apart and always shared the credit. With the exception of a song by Harrison and Lennon before they made it and one song credited to the group. They didn’t write with other people. They were a song writting team. Check your facts, before you get into the conversation. Now I’m not going to call you an idiot, because that would be getting personal over an opinion. Only an idiot would do that.

aha says: Brian Wilson was the guy in that band,and wrote with a few different people which is why he doesn’t belong on this list. Oh, and I suppose Lennon or McCartney didn’t?

AHA is an idiot, he keeps comparing numbers and figures and sales charts, while the rest of us are talking about pure songwriting ability! I’ll also have to agree with Snake Sabo, he is exactly right!

this is for Pthornhill, I can’t even believe that you don’t think Elton John and Bernie Taupin should be on this list. Are you insane, you obviously don’t know anything. They are still going strong after all these years, Elton has 46 albums, he has sold over 250 million records worldwide and he’s still touring around the world. Quite frankly it does not matter what you say, do some homework and then give me 1 reason why you think they shouldn’t be on this list.

LPrecord
I didn’t say anything about Mike Love writing or not writing. I was saying Brian Wilson was the guy in that band,and wrote with a few different people which is why he doesn’t belong on this list. Homework is for people that make staements like the one you made. California Girls is a great song with a nice hook. That is just one of Brian Wilsons talents as a songwriter. It didn’t even reach #1 on the charts. That year the Beatles had 5 #1 records The Beach Boys had 1. Look it up on Billboard. This is a pointless discussion as osmeone meantioned here, but i love to refute this crap. The Stones were bigger in 65 than the Beach Boys.

for someone to even CONSIDER brian wilson on a list of top songwriters … that’s just LAME.

AHA is an idiot! Man you need to go to your homework before you rant and rave! Mike Love co-wrote a lot of those songs, and this article isnt about numbers and abilities, its about song writing ability and street cred. You want a song that is as popular as any beatles, how about California Girls, even Diamond David did a cover of that song. Now go do your homework SON!

the beatles are overrated.

for years I didn’t care much about “yesterday”.until one day,it got me.right to the bone.then I bowed down.one day,you may too,snake sabo.peace and love to you all

I tend to agree with AHA though…

oh wow,this post is turning into yet another pointless,wrongly argumented and totally biased debate about the merits of the beatles and the beach boys.Poor Sir Paul,having to take shit from people who couldn’t even write “frères jacques”,let alone “hey jude”or “you tell me” (on his latest album).Same comment for Brian Wilson.Please don’t use the names of such geniuses to talk nonsense.

People forget Page & Plant were busted for attaching there names to songs writen by blues artists. half the songs mentioned aren’t even thiers. Not to mention obvious songs where they lifted riffs from The Beatles, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, CSN&Y, Joni Mitchell, and the Jeff Beck Group’s first album which is a blue print for Zep 1. Good Call for keeping them off the list.

This is great, I love to debate this crap. Smile didn’t come out because Brian was lost in a paranoid drug haze. “Surf music” is a style of music made popular by the Beach Boys. They coined the phrase. The songs don’t have to be about surfing. They are generally about the culture, cars, girls, surfing and school. All of which by the way with the exception of surfing, the ground work came from Chuck Berry as the essence of Rock and Roll. They were not innovators in this regard they were reflecting the culture they were living in. They had a crap load of “girly song in with those “car songs” so that is not really an issue to bring up. The Beatles moved on beyond the Beach Boys. Up until 66 the Beach Boys were in the same class a musicians and arrangers maybe even more so, but agter that sorry but they lost it when Brian lost it. The band was not actually a band they were 1 very talented guy and a bunch of back up players. with out the guy the band was nothing. That is why Brian is not on this list. he was a very talented songwriter, with who ever he wrote with. he is not a duo in any stretch of the word. You can think what you want about Hey Jude and Yesterday but they are still more popular than any Beach Boy songs. Not my favorite Beatles songs but they were very big hits then and still are. Check the charts and data before you even strat to reply to that. The Beatles are the best selling artists of all time the Beach Boys are not even in the top 5.

linnell/flansburgh of ‘they might be giants’ need to be considered.

AHA
For your information, Beach Boys material is not “surf music”, its musical genius. Back when those songs came out, Lennon and McCartney were talking about Girly song’s, where Wilson and Love touched base on american culture, topics that included the famous 409 motor, or a song about Honda before Honda was even considered a major manufacture of automobiles, as well as In My Room, probably the first song to take the subject of depression straight on. If Smile had of been released when it was intended, The Beach Boys would have had the Beatles as opening acts for their concerts! Also, Hey Jude and Yesterdays are two of the worst Beatles songs known to man!

AHA
For your information, Beach Boys material is not “surf music”, its musical genius. Back when those songs came out, Lennon and McCartney were talking about Girly song’s, where Wilson and Love touched base on american culture, topics that included the famous 409 motor, or a song about Honda before Honda was even considered a major manufacture of automobiles, as well as In My Room, probably the first song to take the subject of depression straight on. If Smile had of been released when it was intended, The Beach Boys would have had the Beatles as opening acts for their concerts! Also, Hey Jude and Yesterdays are two of the worst Beatles songs known to man!

Snake Sabo
McCartney is without a doubt one of the greatest songwriters of the last 50 years. Wilson had couple of good years in there but dropped back in the home stretch. He did have some great tunes but you have to give credit where it is due. Compare The Beach Boys records to any Beatle record and you will hear where the songwriters are song for song. McCartney likes the Beach Boys and found inspiration there that is great. I guess he took what he like and improved on it.
Personally I think surf music sucks. The songs are catchy but no substance. The songs you listed
- God Only Knows
- In My room
- California Girls
- Surf’s up
- Surfin USA
- Fun Fun Fun
Come on these are not any where near as good as A Day in the life, Hey Jude, Please Please me, Yesterday, etc…
I am aware of the history of pop music. Pet sounds did inspire McCartney no doubt. What about after that? Smile was so bad he had to wait 40 years to release it. Why? He didn’t think it measured up. Brian Wilson has said this. So Perhaps it is you that needs to do his home work and “BOW” righ the f*&K down!

Where the hell is Gener/Deaner aka Freeman/Melchiondo. Nough said.

bono/edge. all the way

AHA,
Do your homework before you write a 2-bit response to my post. Pet Sounds came out before Sgt. Pepper was even conceived and McCartney has even gone on record to say nothing he has ever writin can compare to Pet Sounds. You want me to name a Beach Boys song that compares to Tbe Beatles catalog? Why don’t you listen to:
- God Only Knows
- In My room
- California Girls
- Surf’s up
- Surfin USA
- Fun Fun Fun
And while your at it, why don’t you “BOW” right the f*&K down!

AHA,
Do your homework before you write a 2-bit response to my post. Pet Sounds came out before Sgt. Pepper was even conceived and McCartney has even gone on record to say nothing he has ever writin can compare to Pet Sounds. You want me to name a Beach Boys song that compares to Tbe Beatles catalog? Why don’t you listen to:
- God Only Knows
- In My room
- California Girls
- Surf’s up
- Surfin USA
- Fun Fun Fun
And while your at it, why don’t you “BOW” righ the f*&K down!

Snake sabo
I guess stellar is a point of view. McCartney wrote or cowrote most of the Beatles greatest hits. While they are not my favorite songs by them, you have to give him that. Brian Wilson couldn’t dream of penning songs half as good on his best day. Talented yes but not anywhere near the level of McCartney. If he were he would have made a record to top Sgt. Pepper at the time. Instead he went and sucked his thumb and played in his sand box. don’t get me wrong I like alot of Beach Boy songs but there isn’t one that even compares to the Beatle cataloge. If you can name one i would love to hear it.

what about pollard/sprout and/or pollard/gillard?

Amy Ray & Emily Saliers…the most underrated duo on the planet. period.

About Tilbrock/Difford, Davies/Hodgson Averre,Fieger

Wow props just set the music world back 100 years with his beatles comments

The Best beatles songs were George Harrison’s anyway!! remove them!

what about armstrong/cool??

Mayer/ Satan?? (has to be some reason he’s famous)

McCartney’s songwriting abilities are a joke. He never accomplished anything from post beatles til even today, he is a JOKE. Any beatles songs he helped co-create are the less steller of Beatles tunes. McCartney needs to bow down to Lennon/Harrison, or more specifically Brian Wilson/Mike Love.

Confidential to Your Mom:
Gerry Goffin was/is a man. I wanted to tell you on the QT because I admire your point and I didn’t want to embarrass you by letting everyone see how uninformed you are. (I’ve had to do the same for my own sweet mom many times.)

I know I’m a malcontent, but I have to admit this is a great list. And i understand why Page and Plant were omitted. I believe JPJ came up with the main riff to Black Dog.

I know I’m a malcontent, but I have to admit this is a great list. And i understand why Page and Plant were omitted. I believe JPJ came up with the main riff to Black Dog.

Porter/Hayes

Without them there would be no Stax or Memphis soul. But they are not white, so I guess it doesn’t really matter.

I meant “intricacy”

not much debate here;lennon/mccartney were so supernaturally inspired,prolific and successfull (and macca still is) that,were they not number 1,this list would be ridiculous.and for “noone knows my name”,the intracy of the chord sructure doesn’t make a song better than a 3-chord tune (or a 1-chord song for that matter,see “tomorrow never knows”).where would bob dylan be otherwise!

I am not sure which songs Harrison wrote that you guys are talking about. Jone wrote and arranged alot of Led Zeps songs. Harrison didn’t get credit because he didn’t write the songs. Do you really believe Harrison wouldn’t have insisted on getting credit for his work? Not to meantion the money.

Why don’t you guys at RS ever show love for George Harrison? You leave off Plant/Paige because of Jones, but McCartny/Lennon get the #1 spot despite the writing accomplishments of Harrison?

I’d agree with most of the list, especially the top few. Add to that Goffin/King, though… and some of the idiotic comments that followed are not worth replying to, though there were a few good suggestions.

kind of reminds me of shakesphere

heard hes going electric, kids probably on dope, cant trust these kids anymore, too much talent too much dope

heard hes going electric, kids probably on dope, cant trust these kids anymore, too much talent too much drugs

what a duo would coleridge, and black be, but no musical talent, just trash,

the one guy who could play the guitar really well, with the rest of his band, but mainly he wrote songs with his friend, his doctor, and played the music of the top of their heads but by than they were in a jam, and so the lyrics didnt matter much,

the one guy who could play the guitar really well, with the rest of his band, but mainly he wrote songs with his friend, his doctor, and played the music of the top of their heads but by than they were in a jam, and so the lyrics didnt matter much,

I’ll have to agree! RS won’t recognize any duo of the last 15-20 years because they assume its not long enough for a duo to garnish recognition or respect!

Take a listen to Staley/J Cantrell on Nutshell or Got Me Wrong, and then BOW DOWN TO THE HEAVEN BESIDE US.

I’ll have to agree with RockGod’s comments below, well put. Izzy and Axl defined a generation with thier poetry and lyrical rampage. Songs like Sweet Child O’Mine and Civil War truly stand the test of time, as well as Staley and Cantrell, truly fine work that RollingStone neglects. If the final list was composed based on songwriting ability and not on who is the most influential as artists, these groups would be the people’s champs. 3 things I’ve realized about RS is:
They focus too much on New Wave.
They focus too much on Bob Dylan and early folk music.
They don’t appreciate 80’s metal or 90’s grunge.

Tyler/Perry not in the list??

I can’t believe it.

11. Stanley/Simmons. Ignore them all you want…they don’t go away.

I would add up:

Lennox/Stewart. The Eurythmics.

Gane/Sadier. Stereolab.

These guys have made many many brilliant records.

You guys keep deleting my posts. Oh well. I guess it does not matter much, but Bacharach and David didn’t really write songs that are “Rock and ROLL”. Goffin and King on the other hand did. I guess they should be on the list as well. Unless this is not about Rock and Roll then I would have to nominate The Gershwin brothers and Rogers and Hamerstien.

bryan adams / jim vallance

S.Tyler/J.Perry…

Black people read?
I thought SOURCE was just pictures?
JK

It’s obvious you don’t have a black readership: Not one African American songwriter in either your list, or those on the message board. Let’s start with Whitfield-Strong, Holland-Dozier-Holland, and let’s not forget Hayes-Porter

Take off Morrissey and Marr!
Are you out of your mind, The Smiths are the most inspiring British band EVER. The Queen is dead is a classic album, if you dont own it get it, and then go and get Meat is murder and Strangeways here we come. You will be glad you did so.

Whatever RS! Staley & Cantrell, Page & Plant, Gilmour & Waters are the real deal….BAAAAAAAAAAAA Bacharach!! You left off so many great ones but shame on you for leaving out Staley and Cantrell!

“Meandering Vomit Scribblers” list.”

you obviously don’t know what good songwriting is then.

ferrar/tweedy

and everyone forgot

linnell/flansburgh

Joanie Cunningham/Chachi Arcola

Izzy Stradlin and Axl W. Rose. I know they credit the group but these two wrote the bulk of the songs together.

Wilson/Phillips

Doherty/Barat, why not. come on

Most glaring omission is Difford/Tilbrook.

how about:
Q-tip/ Phife dog (tribe called quest)

Yauch/Horowitz (Beasties)

Byrne/Eno

Spot on with Morrissey/Marr. Elton John/Bernie Taupin no way

Spot on with Morrissey/Marr. Elton John/Bernie Taupin no way

Simon and Garfunkel

Another old list by RS. But I like their defense of Page/Plant. At least this time they looked at the readers picks. Why Californication and All the You can Leave Behind were off the Comeback albums, I cannot understand.

Cregeur wishes he was as great as cobain. To bad you’re pathetic

Brett and Rennie Sparks/The Hansome Family
Tweedy and Farrar/Uncle Tupelo
Gene and Dean/Ween

Where the hell is Page/Plant? This is rediculous!!!

BUTLER/CHASSAGNE!!!!! ARCADE FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alice in Chains is the greatest thing ever. Nobody but me and a friend of mine really recognize the brilliance of their art. We are their number one fans and those of the general populace that don’t understand this, are really losing out. Alice in Chains are my life. Bow to me!

why does everbody constantly put old artists on this? is that how deep everyone goes?

cantrell/staley
goss ard/vedder

bono/the edge
gilmour/waters

Are you kidding me? No Staley/Cantrell.

Oh wait, I forgot, RS worships the simplicity and all out boring music of Kurt Cobain but continually neglects the brillance that was Alice in Chains.

Shame, really.

Mercury/May
Page/Plant
Tyler /Perry
De La Rocha/Morello
Bono/Edge
Anas tasio/Marshall
Coyne/Drozt

Eddie Van Halen and Dave Lee Roth

Eddie Van Halen / Dave Lee Roth — Runnin With The Devil , Ain’t Talk About Love , Dance The Nigth Away , Beatiful Girls , Cradle Will Rock , Unchaind , Means Street , Little Guitars , Panama , Jump , Me wise Magic ????????? Do you want more ??

To “know one knows my name”: just because it’s more complicated doesn’t mean it’s better. No one has written a song like Imagine before or since… and by the way that was a Lennon solo song, not written as a duo. Just listen to “A Day in the Life”

The two most remarkable musicians are missing. Brian May and Freddie Mercury are more talented than McCartney and Lennon. Come on, everbody can write songs like Immagine. Those three chords are easy to play. Bohemian Rhapsody is ten levels above it. Try to write such a song!!

I can’t believe they left off May/Mercury. Listen to “A Night At The Opera” and tell me they don’t deserve to be on that list.

I can’t believe they left off May/Mercury. Listen to “A Night At The Opera” and tell me they don’t deserve to be on that list.

I can’t believe they left off May/Mercury. Listen to “A Night At The Opera” and tell me they don’t deserve to be on that list.

Page and Plant
The Davies Brothers (the kinks)
Ashford and Simpson
hall and oates

yeah, because george harrison had nothing to do with the beatles.

Rodgers and Hammerstein, duh?

If you are going to put Lieber/Stoller and Bacharach/David, then you need to put Goffin/King. Either that or make a list of writers who are not performers. And for the love of GOD put take off Marr/Morrisey and put Difford/Tilbrook.

if doherty/barat got on d list it would be quite sad

Wow… Brian Wilson didn’t make the list… he certainly should have made it with Tony Asher (Pet Sounds) and/or Van Dyke Parks (Smile)… you could even make a case for his collaborations with Roger Christian and Mike Love, both of whom co-wrote many of the early Beach Boys classics.

I usually try not to be negative on these things, but REALLY:

Which catalog is HONESTLY better?
A)Grateful Dead
B)Steely Dan
C)Pink Floyd

Granted, these things are completely subjective but I think we ALL know the correct answer is “C”. (For the record, I respect the f**k out of all three.)

Flea/Frusciante? No? Someday, I guarantee it, 2030 - Number 3 on the all time list.

Where is Barat and Doherty, Libertines will never die.

I’m no big fan of Zep myself, but even by the Stone’s own criteria, they’re certainly not eliminated. Lennon/McCartney wrote “together” (debatable)

“as part of a larger group” as did Jagger/Richards. And so what if JP Jones “had a hand in so many great songs”. So did George Harrison also “have a hand in”.

And Garcia/Hunter? The Grateful Dead? Was this a Top 10 “Songwriter” list or Top 10 “Meandering Vomit Scribblers” list. I’m confused, but I know I hate the Grateful Dead.

DURST/BORLAND

YAHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHH!!!!

RockGod, Leiber-Stoller David-Bacharach not significant? If you think laying the foundation for pretty much all pop rock is insignificant I feel sorry for you. You have no sense of rock history and probably listen to Appetite all day waiting for Axl, your one true love, to come back and serenade you with Chinese Democracy.

RockGod is 100% comedy. I can’t imagine thinking I know anything about rock and roll music if I were going on and on about GnR while claiming Lieber-Stoller weren’t significant. Uh, buddy, they are some of the first and most influential rock songwriters ever. Take a look at the liner notes of almost any early rock record and you’ll find them credited. Lennon and McCartney started out trying to BE Lieber and Stoller and, this goes without saying but, your precious GnR simply would NOT exist without them.

Classic songs credited just to Page & Plant (no other band members or others)

What Is And What Should Never Be
Thank You
Living Loving Maid
Ramble On
Immigrant Song
That’s The Way
The Battle Of Evermore
Stairway To Heaven
Going To California
The Song Remains The Same
The Rain Song
Over The Hills And Far Away
Custard Pie
Houses Of The Holy
Ten Years Gone
Sick Again
Achilles Last Stand
Nobody’s Fault But Mine

That’s 18 songs, and that doesn’t include favorites like Tea For One, The Wanton Song and others.

For those up in arms at he omissions of Page/Plant and Bono/Edge and Waters/Gilmour need to realize that those “duos” were not songwriting duos. If memory serves, songwriting credits for those groups often go the whole group: “Lyrics: Water; music: Pink Floyd.”

Lennon and McCartney wrote most of their songs without the other, and that is widely accepted as fact, yet they still make the list when Page and Plant don’t… Seems like somebody still hasn’t gotten over their Zeppelin grudge.

I agree, for the most part, but one very often overlooked group is SWANS, whose songwriting duo of Michael Gira & Jarboe wrote some of the greatest and darkest music ever.

urine/righ

i gotta say…where’s the Tyler/Perry duo?

i mean…that’s one damn good duo

morrissey/marr

What about Buckingham/Nicks?

What about Buckingham/Nicks?

Can we all take a minute to laugh hysterically at RockGod?

Oh yeah, you’re exactly right, nobody ever took any notice of (not to, idiot) Lieber-Stoller. ‘Cause nobody has ever heard of “Hound Dog” or “Stand by Me” you f***ing tool.

And to say that The Smiths weren’t infulential is just a lie. They influenced all the gothic new wavers, who in turn influenced all the goth-rockers today. Tons of bands wouldn’t be around today if not for the Smiths. God, I don’t even like them, but you can’t say that they “didn’t have a substantial impact on society.”

Honestly, it’s ignorant people like you that get GNR a bad rap. They were great for awhile, but they only wrote one classic album and a handful of classic songs after that. Deal with it, they didn’t do it long enough.

And RS is biased? Good Lord…

Hetfield/Ulrich

I would have loved to see Gilmour/Waters, they penned some of the greatest songs of all time, Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, all of Dark Side and the Wall.. they have to be up there.

f*ck john paul jones. all he ever contributed was the intro to No Quarter. PAGE/PLANT WERE A SONGWRITING DUO!!!

Also, Guy Piccioto and Ian MacKaye are notable absences!!!! Mutha Fukkas!

This magazine is a joke…. it seriously is…. you would think they would take everyone’s vote’s into consideration to make up the finalists, based on votes and input. Page and Plant, Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin, Staley and Cantrell, all garnished enough votes to make the list, but RS has to be biast and political and put a list together of artists that didnt have a substantial impact on society such as Marr and Morrissey, as well as David and Bacharach or Lieber and Stoller. These are people that nobody really takes notice to and did not make enough impact on society to be note worthy. Rose And Stradlin deserve to be on this list more then anyone but because RS constantly dismisses GnR as a glorified hair band, we the people, the voters are left like a typical american citizen aka, “Our votes don’t count…”

TYLER/PERRY
Bowie/Eno
Bono/Edg e

Difford / Tilbrook

The reason Simon and Garfunkel aren’t on it is because Paul Simon wrote all the songs. Dur. And p.s. Metallixa sucks, that’s why there’s no Hetfield/Ulrich.

Antwan Patton/Andre Benjamin

glad to see Waits/Brennan on there…

There is no way in Hell! that Hetfield/Ulrich should be allowed to have their names grace the same list as those artists who made the list. No matter what list it is.

anastasio/marshall–how has this not been mentioned

Doe/Cervenka.

Where the hell is Simon and Garfunkel?

Bono/edge?

how bout Hall/Oates?

how bout Hall/Oates?

Graffin/Gurewitz

Graffin/Gurewitz

come on! do you reali believe that mick jagger does anything except turn up for the shows?

the stones are a one man band and u know it!

Thank you for the Becker/Fagen. It’s a no-brainer to include this pair. It’s criminal that most people have no idea who these guys are or what they’ve written. Oh well, Steely Dan has always been somewhat in the shadows.

axl rose and izzy stradlin
roger waters and david gilmore

How is Marr/Morrissey on but Waters/Gilmour, Page/Plant not?

What about:
Henley / Frey
Gilmour / Waters

number 1 is the only one i agree with. What about Pete Doherty and Carl Barat?

Brooks/Gaines?

You also forgot:

11. Reznor/Reznor

(The normal day-to-day Trent and his dark-half)

however, I am not ashamed of my terrible spelling

A duo consists of two people Leonardo……idiot.

im embarresed for all of RS for diclusing waters/gilmour….. you should be ashamed of yourselves

AXL ROSE IS GOD

I don’t see any women here, which makes me think of Carole King and Gerry Coffin. And the Indigo Girls (though they don’t really write together)

Waters/Gilmour

This was a frustrating top ten. Top tens for things so big like songwriting pairs is really risky and reckless to be truthful. #1 was a giveaway.

Tweedy/Farrar

allman/Betts

hetfield and ulrich are the worst in the history of music………talking about crap underneath people’s beds and stuff…..did they rob a children’s book library for those lyric ideas?……..they are awful!…nice power chord sound….every song sounds the same.

axl N izzy
steven N perry

Thank you for recognizing John Paul Jones contributions to Led Zep. In fact, he is an outstanding arranger with incredible taste. Page/Plant have floundered without him.

Also, great call on Becker/Fagen. They have been superb for years and are a TRUE duo.

Can’t quite buy the Waits/Brennan addition to the new list, but I like your willingness to drop Bono/Edge from your original list.

Where’s Love/Wilson?

Goffin/King

Leiber/Sto ller

Boyce/Hart

Goffin/King

Leiber/Stoller

Boyce/Hart

Tom Morello/Zach De la Rocha?
Dean and Gene Ween?
Waters/Gilmour?
Hetfield /Ulrich?
Simon and Garfunkel?

c’mon rollingstone this top ten was dissapointing

Dear Rolling Stone,

We would just like to remind you of our glaring ommission from your duo list. We forgive the mistake.

Signed,
Milli Vannili

Jesus, Morrison/Manzarek..but they always said “music by the Doors”.

Anyway, the new Jimbo song “woman in the window” is awesome…

http://www.youtu be.com/watch?v=9ATikeWf8Ss

paige/plant?

tyler/perry?

Paul Simon wrote almost every Simon & Garfunkel son on his own, so they do not belong on this list.

how about moore/ranaldo?

Simon and Garfunkel were not a songWRITING duo.

Simon and Garfunkel were not a songWRITING duo.

whew, for a sec i didn’t think garcia/grisman would make the list. you saved youselves, rs.

axl and izzy were great songwriters and slash supplyed some fantastic solos

Dean and Gene Ween

Yes, Jones also contributed greatly so it’s difficult to say. He didn’t contribute to every track though.

PAGE AND PLANT ARE NOT A DAMN DUO.
iT’S PAGE/PLANT/JPJ

Page/Plant

rose/stradlin

Simon and Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel

Durst/Borland

I kid, folks.

Brown/Squire. I’m a little embarrassed by all of you.

waters/gilmour

Parker+Stone

What, No Kermit and Fozzie? No Bert and Ernie? Rubberduckie, I’m awfully fond of…

Young/Young/Scott need to be on there some where!

idk, i say fuck the rules Chilton/Bell should’ve made it for #1 Record alone.

Forget Page and Plant for reasons i already explained

Hetfield/Ulrich….common now…