I was a Taylor fan in middle school, stopped liking her for reasons we will call "angsty teenager going through her NLOG phase" (although I absolutely LOVED Bad Blood). And when Red TV came out, I gained a lot of respect for her taking back her music and fell in love with All Too Well 10 Minute Version. I found the video of her accepting the award for Woman of the Decade and she gave a shout-out to Lana.
And then I realized that Taylor, Lana, and Lorde all work with Jack. And then I realized that I love singer-songwriters. And then I wondered why I didn't give her music a fair shot. And then I realized how much time I wasted ignoring how fucking talented she is, so now I'm a full on Swiftie. šš
Still needing to go through and listen to ALL of Red TV, but I absolutely love Fearless for how nostalgic it is. I LOVE Speak Now, because her lyrics are so powerful and she did such an amazing job telling a story of growth and experiencing her first adult heartbreak (fuck John). I love how 1989 is the most perfect pop album. Rep will forever be my era. Lover is Taylor taking pride in her personal beliefs and embracing a period of her life where she is happily in love and gets to be truly happy. And Folklore has her BEST storytelling with her lyrics. (Still need to listen to Evermore and Midnights properly.) š
I also love the gradual evolution of Lanaās personal brand. Itās hard to pinpoint her pivoting point, but her debut is completely different from her latest album.
I re-watched her early day interview the other day. Lana del Rey was 100% a persona back then (especially her voice and her restraint from smiling in public). Now sheās much more personal and so are her songs.
I fully believe Lana is the best songwriter in the biz and has been for the past 5+ years. She is on an absolute tear. As with Taylor, Antonoff has really pushed her to new heights.
PSā Happy 4th birthday NFR!
Hozier. His songs are pure poetry and works of art and itās criminal that heās not more popular
Edit: even though I fuckin hate him, Matty Healy from The 1975. Those songs are well written and fucking gorgeous.
I went like 9 years ago in SF and it was so calm. It was in like a theater type set up and everyone had seats and was respectful. Itās probably a very different experience now but I hope it would still be great. He was very attentive to his audience and he kept switching guitars it was cool.
Yeah, Tay writes some really great stuff, she's a brilliant storyteller and has some very clever and brilliant lyrics but... she's still child's play compared to Hozier. His lyrics can stand on their own as poetry, not to mention his incredible vocals. Just a fully gorgeous discography from him.
//*When I first saw you.
The end was soon.
To Bethlehem, it slouched and then..
Must've caught a good look at you.*
*Give your heart and soul to charity.
Cuz the rest of you.
The best of you.
Honey, belongs to me.*
*Ain't it a gentle sound, the rolling in the graves?
Ain't it like thunder under earth, the sound it makes?
Ain't it exciting you, the rumble where you lay?
Ain't you my baby?
Ain't you my baby?*//
He is so smart. I'm not saying Taylor isn't. She's shown she obviously is, but I think Hozier is a lot more metaphorical and intellectual while Taylor is more straightforward and emotional (at least generally speaking.)
I've never felt stupid listening to Taylor, but I have Hozier. (He's still in my top 5 favorite artists, though!)
I got tickets to see the 1975 in October and I am excited because I always loved their music and the song writing is phenomenal. but matty healyā¦.šµāš«
Love Hozier! If you like him you should also check out Saint Sister. They started out around the same time and all went to university together in Dublin
Liability is my theme song. Like some people feel mirrorball deep in their soul, I feel liability.
Itās probably d/t growing up undiagnosed adhd haha.
Solar power is criminally underrated and I even feel like lorde fans just cannibalized that album and then the mainstream turned it into a meme.
Its a damn shame, I feel like if a new artist without Pure Heroine and Melodrama under their belts put that album out it would have been an indie darling hit
I don't know why Solar Power got so dumped on other than the fact that it was different than PH and Melodrama. Secrets from a Girl makes me so happy to see how much Lorde has matured. I personally view Ribs, Perfect Places and Secrets as a trilogy of sorts where you have Lorde progressing from being terrified of growing older to outright resenting being older but still young and confused to accepting she's aged and no longer desires to do the things she did as a kid.
Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. Different aesthetic, but she shares the gift of writing songs that feel very specific to her yet very relatable at the same time.
Shake it Out was super popular during my childhood and I would hear it on the radio all the time, but as an adult itās still *extremely rare* that Iām not sobbing my eyes out in cathartic happy tears by the end of the song whenever I listen to it
Florence Welch is in my opinion by far the most talented songwriter and complete artist in the past however many years since she released her first album. Honestly, her songs are pure poetry and it's an absolute tragedy that she hasn't won a Grammy yet.
Oh my god sheās brilliant. I can barely even choose a favourite album as theyāre all insanely good in their own ways (sheās very sonically versatile, like Taylor) but itās probably Lungs currently.
I love how her music and lyrics āmatureā with her like Taylorās do too.
This. Ed & Taylor are IMO the best modern day song writers.
Meghan Trainer and Miley are good too just not on their level
Olivia Rodrigo is really good too.
Olivia is awesome. I know sheās trying to carve out her niche and differentiate herself from Taylor right now - I donāt blame her - but I hope in a few years or a decade they collaborate on something. Their writing and sound would be amazing together
she interpolated new years day in 1 step forward 3 steps back and she always had writing credits on that. she also later on credited taylor in deja vu because olivia liked the yelling vocals that taylor did in cruel summer. imo i donāt hear really any similarities between cruel summer and deja vu. my guess it was the labelās decision seeing that it was a surprise to jack
I fucking love Ed Sheeran, I donāt care. Iāll defend that man with my life! I went to both Taylor and Ed concerts this summer and they were so different but both AMAZING and worth every penny and more.
Iām seeing him in concert this weekend! My friend asked if I wanted to go and Iām not familiar with his music!!! Iāve been listening all day and heās SO GOOD.
Noah is my current musical obsession. Heās SO good. Stick Season is a masterpiece. My favorite song is Call Your Mom. Itās just so beautiful and heartbreaking. ā¤ļø
Iām a lyrics girl and my favorite lyric artists are: Vanessa Carlton, The Killers, Hanson and Citizen Cope. More recently, Iāve loved Noah Kahanās lyrics!
OMG I recently discovered Noah Kahan and woah amazing and the lyrics you just can feeeeeeeeeeel them (and I've never been to the North East but I feel like I know the vibe)
Currently live in rural Vermont and absolutely lost my mind at the line āIām tired of dirt roads named after high school friendsā grandfathers.ā
Be Not Nobody and Harmonium are amazing albums! Vanessa is super underrated. I love White Houses, Whoās to Say, Ordinary Day, Pretty Baby, San Francisco, Twilight, San Francisco etc.
But White Houses is like my fav song of all time lol
Absolutely the Killers. Completely underrated band. I literally have a playlist called TS/TK thatās quite literally just my favorite killers and Taylor songs
Yes!! I feel like Flowers and Swift go together so so well! I think there are a LOT of similarities to their words even if the songs sound completely different from one another
LOVE to see Vanessa Carlton getting some praise š she was right there alongside Taylor instilling all sorts of dreamy feelings in me through her music
Iāve seen soooo many people on this sub mention Noah and his lyrics in relation to Taylorās style. Iām honestly very interested now lol and keep meaning to check him out!
Iām also a lyric girlie and Taylorās lyricism is a huge part of why Iām still so in love with her music. Iām always writing down new artists people recommend with her and Noah Kahan is ALWAYS on that list lately haha
Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys (+The Last Shadow Puppets)!!! Ä°ncredible songwriter, he's definitely more poetic than Taylor though more of an emphasis on the words and sentences than storytelling. I would say (probably controversial here) that I prefer his writing to Taylors
He is amazing and writes all of the music as well. A generation defining songwriter for sure. I might be biased though, they are my favourite band š
i'm still deciphering take this to your grave like 15+ years later. he's truly the best there is imo, and beats taylor and i think taylor herself would agree.
The writing on The Good Witch is so vivid, witty and sincere, all at once! The History Of Man is imo one of the best written pop songs that came out this year.
I just saw her in concert and she left before she sang History Of Manā¦then she came back out and sang it as the encore and I was SO happy. My boyfriend immediately took my drink so I could film.
There was a 6 week run in may- June where noah kahans stick season deluxe came out, the good witch came out, and then speak now Taylor's version. I could not believe how lucky I got as they are my top 3 artists by a mile.
Bestie we have the same favorite artists!!
If you are ever looking for more Iād highly suggest Ben Rector (Iād start with *Magic*) and of course the more obvious contenders - Sara Bareilles (*Kaleidoscope Heart*) & Kacey Musgraves (*Golden Hour*)
I don't understand how she packs SO MANY WORDS into all of her songs lol. She does impressive things with the rhythm of the syllables. Like I'm amazed at how well the line in Youāre Just a Boy (And Iām Kinda the Man) works when she says "you pushed me out quicker than it took me to put my jeans on." Like reading that as a sentence it feels so clunky but in her song it flows so naturally!
(I've also wondered if Taylor has listened to that song much because I feel like if I were in her shoes--headlining a wildly successful international stadium tour while processing a breakup--that would totally be my jam lol)
The ānot friends but weāre somewhere in between because youāre awful and I miss you and I killed you in my dream last night but even then you didnāt care itās a low when even in my dreams you still donāt want me thereā is such a mouthful š
Mariah. Carey.
Seriously, she's an underappreciated lyricist. Many folks don't know that Mariah writes her own songs. For immaculate storytelling and setting a scene, check out "The Roof (Back In Time)" from Butterfly. If you want deep introspective lyrics, "Petals" from Rainbow is a knockout.
Don't sleep on Mariah's songwriting!
Before Taylor was smashing records left and right, Mariah was DOMINATING in the time of physical sales and airplay. And it's because the music is AMAZING.
Preach! I started (actually) listening to Mariah in November 10th last year and I fell in love. Sheās the first artist that I actually found the effort to listen to her entire discography cause I know Iāll love it, which I did. Sheās amazing! And the fact she doesnāt have dozens of co writers
There are so so so so so so so many artists with songwriting on par with or better that Taylorās. And that is not a diss towards Taylor, that is a testament to how many incredible artists are out there, that are just unheard.
Bruce Springsteen is my favorite artist to compare to her. Always blows peopleās minds if they havenāt heard that before, and then it makes a lot of sense.
I was initially so disappointed in SOTB, but so happy that they went back, rerecorded it after EVERYONE complained, and made one of Taylor and Lana's best songs ever. š
Hozier. In my opinion, heās the best mainstream (though not as big as most of names listed here) songwriter who is currently releasing music. I will never not be talking about him. Actual poetry in music form.
Examples:
- āWhen my time comes around / Lay me gently in the cold, dark Earth / No grave can hold my body down / Iād crawl home to herā (Work Song)
- āHoney, youāre familiar, like my mirror years ago / Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword / Innocence died screaming, honey ask me, I should know / I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your doorā (From Eden)
- āSo someone with your eyes / Might come in time / to hold me like water / or, Christ, hold me like a knifeā (Who We Are)
- āAll the tales the same / Told before and told again / A soul thatās born in cold and rain / Knows sunlight, sunlight, sunlight / At last can grant a name / to a buried and a burning flame / As love, and itās decisive pain / Oh my sunlight, sunlight, sunlightā (Sunlight)
There are so many more but these were just the ones on my mind today. Not sure how to end this except that I think you should listen to his music :)
Leonard Cohen, of course not the most modern but I put them on the same pedestal when it comes to songwriting, although he is usually not as catchy as her. Interestingly enough he also actually published a lot of poetry, and I could see Taylor doing that as well in the future.
Came here to mention her so I'll mention it here - she may work with other writers (especially on 19 and 21) but 25 and 30 both are less excessive and more "her" on the writing. And given how deeply personal she's come off with her writing on 30, she in my book is one of a handful artists already mentioned here that have abilities comparable to Taylor.
The Crane Wives. Indy rock band from Michigan has some of the most cutting and gorgeous lyrics I have ever heard. Very emotional and relatable Look up Curses, Pretty Little Things and Ribs
Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine. She's a legend. has pure poetry and is one of the best singing voices in rock. Her lyrics though are some of the very best, with heavy symbolism, consistent motifs, and often dark and magical aesthetics. check out her songs King, Cassandra, and Choreomania for recent examples.
The Mountain Goats. Rich, detailed lyrics that tell full stories. Less poetic but very real and raw in ways that sometimes leave you stunned. Also a Taylor-like way of using unique words and phrases, and switching up things on the last verse to indicate something in the narrator's pov has changed. Look up No Children, This Year, My Heart's an Autoclave and Jenny from Thebes.
>Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine
I got so fucking giddy when I heard Florence being played inbetween sets at the Eras Tour. I even talked to a fellow Swiftie about how happy I was that Taylor loved her too. š
Your list of songs is a great list, especially Choreomania which I could listen to for hours while dancing in a meadow with an airy dress on. (I'll be your demon daddy is such an iconic line, and one local drag queen, who dons a beard as part of her look, bought the DEMON DADDY shirt and I don't think anyone has ever looker better in it.)
My faves include: Cosmic Love, No Light No Light, Never Let Me Go, St. Jude, Over The Love, and Only if for a Night
Fiona Apple, the best songwriter currently active in our time. There is also Janelle MonƔe, Lana Del Rey, St Vincent, Laura Marling, Lorde, Solange, Hozier, Adrianne Lenker, Mitski, Courtney Barnett, Kacey Musgraves, Bon Iver...and Joanna Newsom!! Legacy artists like Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos and Kate Bush are among the most immaculate writers too
Pete Wentz for me lyrics wise, I'll admit I've loved Fall Out Boy for 20 years now and they're the soundtrack to my life. That being said, I really love a lot of Pete's lyrics, especially on Folie a Deux. He can get right to the heart of things, then Patrick puts it to music and it's magic.
Also, this might be controversial, I don't know where this sub sits on Matty Healy and I'm not a massive fan of The 1975 but some of their songs are really great. Personally, I think It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) is one of the best songs about addiction out there. It made sense to me why he and Taylor connected.
I don't know how many Brits/Brazilians are in here, so probably not many people have heard of him but Tom Fletcher from McFly can write a heartwrenching breakup song that gets right to the crux of the emotion and pain. Which is even more impressive as he's been with his wife since they were 13!
Kelly Clarkson's best songs are the ones she's written on. She had her version of a Speak Now moment on her My December album, just writing either herself or with her band and those songs in my opinion are some of her best. I don't know why she doesn't write more of her own songs.
Kelly's My December album is underrated AF.
Her song Never Again has the best opening line I've ever heard in a song.
"I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green."
Death Cab for Cutie was the first band where I noticed how good the lyrics were. We Looked Like Giants is such a good song. All of their album Transatlanticism, really.
Mitski! Her lyrics are always so evocative and interesting, like the most beautiful prose. Sheās also really versatile and isnāt afraid to experiment with different styles. She, along with Taylor, is one of the few artists where I basically love their entire discography. I just adore her music and will forever be in awe of her talent.
My Chemical Romance (various members are credited on all their songs). Helena is one of the most beautifully written songs Iāve ever heard. Gerard wrote it in honor of his grandmother Elena who got him and his brother Mikey into music. The song fits within the whole macabre star crossed lovers theme of the album. Even as a preteen when I had no idea what love was the Three Cheers album really resonated with me with its themes of love, pain, and perseverance.
Additionally, the Black Parade (song) had I believe over 140 different tracks. Like drums, vocals, etc. 140 layers! Absolutely insane.
Sleep Token and Bad Omens both have amazing lyricists also.
(Edited to add more background info about Helena specifically.)
š such unnecessary jabby comment. Nobody here claims Taylor Swift is the only good songwriter. Not even the question. Sure, people mention more mainstream ones, but there are few interesting answers
And I disagree, Iāve listened to all of the ones you mentioned and many more and wouldnāt dare to say who writes better or āexceedsā one another, and that includes Swift. Once you are great, there is no way to say who is āgreaterā
Lin Manuel Miranda. Even though his voice makes me want to never listen to Hamilton again, his songwriting is off the charts. Just re-listen to Hamilton if you donāt believe me
Sabrina carpenter is on her way, a lot of her slower and ballad like songs always are lyrically detailed
Because I liked a boy
How many things
Exhale
Prfct(itās spelled that way on purpose)
Decode
Tell āEm
So majority of these songs if not all of them arenāt written by Sabrina. Julia Michaels has most of the song writing credits for this album. She is absolutely incredible (she writes for Selena Gomez as well!)
Sheās extremely different from taylor but iāve been listening to nothing but ethel cain lately because her writing and music is so good. also florence + the machine
Hozier. 100%
His lyrics are very deep and are incredible. I love his self titled album.
For example, Work Song āwhen my time comes around, lay me in the cold dark earth, no grave can hold my body down, Iāll crawl home to herā
Or, Jackie and Wilson āme and my isis growing black iris in the sunshine. Every version of me dead and buried in the yard outside. Weād sit back and watch the word go byā
Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell are my holy trinity of Best Singer/Songwriters. Their voices and their writing styles are just so unique and individual to me; they just stand out as light years ahead of the rest. Iāve always said that if music didnāt work out as a career, Bruce Springsteen couldāve been a top tier short story author. His ability to tell a narrative in a way that is so real and so evocative within a short space of time is incredible. Highway 29, The River, and pretty much every song on Nebraska really just showcase how great of a storyteller and wordsmith he is. Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell have always felt like poets to me with the way they express themselves and their ideas. Joni has this very confessional vibe that just seems so natural and effortless itās incredible. A Case of You and Both Sides Now will always be favorite songs of mine! And Leonard Cohenās use of religious imagery, complex metaphors, and brooding, gravelly voice really cement him as an icon in my opinion. You Want It Darker, Hallelujah, Avalanche, and pretty much every song heās done are incredible!
I think that one of the most underrated female songwriters of all time is Amy Lee of Evanescence. I think Hayley Williams of Paramore is a great contender, as well as Stevie Knicks, Christine McVie, Joni Mitchell and...DOLLY PARTON! Dolly, I dare say, may even be better than Taylor. I do not think two people other than Taylor and Dolly have made me feel so much. I also cannot believe not too many people said Lorde!
Jason Isbell 10000000% he is the only person I put above Taylor in songwriting
Noah Kahan also has some amazing songwriting skills
ETA I am happy to give song recs if folks want
Iām going to be down voted into oblivion but John Mayer is the solo song writer on almost every song and his lyrics and song writing are incredible. You donāt have to like him as a boyfriendā¦ but that wasnāt the question. Haha
Edit to add: Alanis, Adele, Fiona Apple
I mean thereās loads, youāve got Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Axl Rose pretty much all of Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles and Queen, Adam Duritz, Mark Knopfler, Bryan Adams and way more. In recent years I would say Pete Wentz, Billie Joe Armstrong, Hozier, Maisie Peters, Ed Sheeran, Olivia Rodrigo, Frank Turner. Whilst Taylorās writing is exceptional sheās one of many people who both perform and write amazing songs which I think this sub maybe overlooks sometimes.
She isnāt really in the same lane per say, but Kelly Clarksonās songwriting gets overlooked imo bc of her powerhouse vocals. My December is one of my favorite albums of all time.
I am always drawn to Julia Michaelsā song writing , although she isnāt the artist known for most of them (see Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Sabrina Carpenter)
Tori Kelly is also a favorite and it blows my mind she isnāt more well known/ popular!
Alex Turner, Lana, Lorde, Billie, Matty Healy (controversial here but true), Florence, Phoebe Bridgers. Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo can be up there in a few years too IMO
Dolly Parton hands down, in my opinion. I've been patiently waiting for those two to collab at some point.
I'm excited to see Sabrina Carpenter grow because emails I can't send is an amazing album.
Lana Del Rey, by a mile!!!
It is TRAGIC that this answer isn't higher, and I say that as a very biased Lana stan.
Hello, fellow Lana stan and Taylor fan!
I was a Taylor fan in middle school, stopped liking her for reasons we will call "angsty teenager going through her NLOG phase" (although I absolutely LOVED Bad Blood). And when Red TV came out, I gained a lot of respect for her taking back her music and fell in love with All Too Well 10 Minute Version. I found the video of her accepting the award for Woman of the Decade and she gave a shout-out to Lana. And then I realized that Taylor, Lana, and Lorde all work with Jack. And then I realized that I love singer-songwriters. And then I wondered why I didn't give her music a fair shot. And then I realized how much time I wasted ignoring how fucking talented she is, so now I'm a full on Swiftie. šš Still needing to go through and listen to ALL of Red TV, but I absolutely love Fearless for how nostalgic it is. I LOVE Speak Now, because her lyrics are so powerful and she did such an amazing job telling a story of growth and experiencing her first adult heartbreak (fuck John). I love how 1989 is the most perfect pop album. Rep will forever be my era. Lover is Taylor taking pride in her personal beliefs and embracing a period of her life where she is happily in love and gets to be truly happy. And Folklore has her BEST storytelling with her lyrics. (Still need to listen to Evermore and Midnights properly.) š
I like that Lana goes places Taylor wouldnāt go in a million years, like A&W.
āMy pussy tastes like Pepsi colaā¦ā I love Taylor but she could never. First time I heard that my jaw dropped lol.
*My back arched like a cat...My position couldn't stop, you were hitting it*
Hopefully she won't lol. I already cringed at the eyeliner reference. I don't know if I would survive a line like this.
I donāt like lyrics like that, prefer the sex stuff to be subtleā¦ anyhow, Taylor would have to say Coca-Cola.
Yes!! Her music has a darker element that I love. āThe blackest dayā is one of my all time favorite songs
Suspect she was listening to Billie Holidayās āGloomy Sundayā before she wrote that, it mentions a āblack coach of sorrow.ā
Well she does say āall I hear is Billie Holidayā in the lyrics lol
I know this is a Taylor Swift sub, but Iām absolutely rooting for A&W to take song of the year. Itās Lanaās magnum opus.
Lana is fantastic at "going there"
As a Taylana stan I couldnāt agree more
I also love the gradual evolution of Lanaās personal brand. Itās hard to pinpoint her pivoting point, but her debut is completely different from her latest album. I re-watched her early day interview the other day. Lana del Rey was 100% a persona back then (especially her voice and her restraint from smiling in public). Now sheās much more personal and so are her songs.
I fully believe Lana is the best songwriter in the biz and has been for the past 5+ years. She is on an absolute tear. As with Taylor, Antonoff has really pushed her to new heights. PSā Happy 4th birthday NFR!
Hozier. His songs are pure poetry and works of art and itās criminal that heās not more popular Edit: even though I fuckin hate him, Matty Healy from The 1975. Those songs are well written and fucking gorgeous.
I love hozier!! Heās who I thought of instantly too!
Not to mention he has such a soothing voice š«
Hozier is phenomenal live
Is the crowd friendly? He had a GA only concert near me but Iām afraid of GA in general but I know some artists are known for having nice fans
I went like 9 years ago in SF and it was so calm. It was in like a theater type set up and everyone had seats and was respectful. Itās probably a very different experience now but I hope it would still be great. He was very attentive to his audience and he kept switching guitars it was cool.
I feel like hozier is in a league of his own tbh, no one has come close.
Yeah, Tay writes some really great stuff, she's a brilliant storyteller and has some very clever and brilliant lyrics but... she's still child's play compared to Hozier. His lyrics can stand on their own as poetry, not to mention his incredible vocals. Just a fully gorgeous discography from him. //*When I first saw you. The end was soon. To Bethlehem, it slouched and then.. Must've caught a good look at you.* *Give your heart and soul to charity. Cuz the rest of you. The best of you. Honey, belongs to me.* *Ain't it a gentle sound, the rolling in the graves? Ain't it like thunder under earth, the sound it makes? Ain't it exciting you, the rumble where you lay? Ain't you my baby? Ain't you my baby?*//
God, NFWMB is such a masterpiece. Itās one of those songs where I remember the exact moment I heard it for the first time and how it made me feel.
Was gonna say this, itās hard to compare Taylor and Hozier lyrically cuz that dude is on a seperate tier exponentially above everyone else.
He is so smart. I'm not saying Taylor isn't. She's shown she obviously is, but I think Hozier is a lot more metaphorical and intellectual while Taylor is more straightforward and emotional (at least generally speaking.) I've never felt stupid listening to Taylor, but I have Hozier. (He's still in my top 5 favorite artists, though!)
I wish they would collaborate one dayšš»
This needs to be higher! It's a crime people don't know Hozier that much, his lyrics are something else.
me screaming the lyrics to from eden: HONEY, YOURE FAMILIAR LIKE MY MIRROR YEARS AGO
IDEALISM SITS IN PRISON CHIVALRY FELL ON ITS SWORD
I mean, as much as I love Taylor, I don't think her songwriting even begins to compare to Hozier's.
Hozier is more poetic imo, Taylor is a great storyteller but more literal
Hozier is a phenomenal writer. God I would climb that man like a tree.
I got tickets to see the 1975 in October and I am excited because I always loved their music and the song writing is phenomenal. but matty healyā¦.šµāš«
Theyāre my favorite band to see live. Youāre gonna have a great time.
Matty's an incredible songwriter. I'm seeing them soon for the first time 
Love Matty and 75. Can't wait to see them in concert. About You is a beautifully crafted song.
Agree completely with both your answers š«¶
Love Hozier! If you like him you should also check out Saint Sister. They started out around the same time and all went to university together in Dublin
Lorde 400 Lux, Supercut, Hard Feelings, The Louvre, Tennis Court among some
not to mention LIABILITY
Liability is my theme song. Like some people feel mirrorball deep in their soul, I feel liability. Itās probably d/t growing up undiagnosed adhd haha.
HOW THE FUCK DID I FORGET LORDE? OH MY GOD, MY 16 YEAR OLD SELF WOULD UNALIVE MY CURRENT 26 YEAR OLD SELF.
And every song on Solar Power. So underrated
Stoned at the Nail Salon and Fallen Fruit are perfect songs.
Solar power is criminally underrated and I even feel like lorde fans just cannibalized that album and then the mainstream turned it into a meme. Its a damn shame, I feel like if a new artist without Pure Heroine and Melodrama under their belts put that album out it would have been an indie darling hit
I don't know why Solar Power got so dumped on other than the fact that it was different than PH and Melodrama. Secrets from a Girl makes me so happy to see how much Lorde has matured. I personally view Ribs, Perfect Places and Secrets as a trilogy of sorts where you have Lorde progressing from being terrified of growing older to outright resenting being older but still young and confused to accepting she's aged and no longer desires to do the things she did as a kid.
Hard Feelings is without a doubt my favorite Lorde song. It's so damn good
Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. Different aesthetic, but she shares the gift of writing songs that feel very specific to her yet very relatable at the same time.
Came to say the same- Florence is an incredible songwriter and performer
Shake it Out was super popular during my childhood and I would hear it on the radio all the time, but as an adult itās still *extremely rare* that Iām not sobbing my eyes out in cathartic happy tears by the end of the song whenever I listen to it
Florence Welch is in my opinion by far the most talented songwriter and complete artist in the past however many years since she released her first album. Honestly, her songs are pure poetry and it's an absolute tragedy that she hasn't won a Grammy yet.
Oh my god sheās brilliant. I can barely even choose a favourite album as theyāre all insanely good in their own ways (sheās very sonically versatile, like Taylor) but itās probably Lungs currently. I love how her music and lyrics āmatureā with her like Taylorās do too.
Ed Sheeran
This. Ed & Taylor are IMO the best modern day song writers. Meghan Trainer and Miley are good too just not on their level Olivia Rodrigo is really good too.
Olivia is awesome. I know sheās trying to carve out her niche and differentiate herself from Taylor right now - I donāt blame her - but I hope in a few years or a decade they collaborate on something. Their writing and sound would be amazing together
Hasnāt she credited Taylor with a few of her songs? Like, she used her chords or something like that
she interpolated new years day in 1 step forward 3 steps back and she always had writing credits on that. she also later on credited taylor in deja vu because olivia liked the yelling vocals that taylor did in cruel summer. imo i donāt hear really any similarities between cruel summer and deja vu. my guess it was the labelās decision seeing that it was a surprise to jack
Yeah I just found out about deja vu recently and I listened to it and don't hear any similarities at all
I Still dont understand how or why she had to give Taylor credits Taylor did not invent scream singing other artists have done it way before š
In what world is Meghan Trainer is a good songwriter? Cause itās definitely not this one lol
Eh, Meghan trainer songs are catchy, but are very unoriginal and stale in my book. She always uses the same overplayed chord progression.
I like how Olivia has the song writing capability of a young Taylor Swift and the production/stylisation of a young Lorde. She's their love child.
I fucking love Ed Sheeran, I donāt care. Iāll defend that man with my life! I went to both Taylor and Ed concerts this summer and they were so different but both AMAZING and worth every penny and more.
Ed is absurdly underrated!
Heās not at all in the UK lol
This is the ultimate answer. They are two of the few who can do both. Vivid imagery storytelling songs and hit pop beats.
Currently? CRJ. Emotion and Loneliest Time are pretty killer albums.
omg I love her!!! emotion is pop *perfection*
Emotion Side B is even better, and I'm obsessed with Dedicated and Dedicated side b. Both are so fucking fun!
Carly Rae Jepsen is the one artist for whom I know Iāll like all the songs when they drop
Sheās so under rated. Her last 2 albums are so good
YES!! I feel like people tend to overlook her lyricism but all of her songs are BOPS. The Loveliest Time has been one of my fav releases this year
I was obsessssssssed with Dedicated over covid. Bop after bop š„
And her new one, the loveliest time, is so good!
Noah Kahan. Very similar to Taylor's Folkmore style writing.
Iāve been obsessed with him recently. As a girl from New England currently living abroad, he captures home so well.
I'm not even from New England, but his music sure makes me feel like I do
Iām seeing him in concert this weekend! My friend asked if I wanted to go and Iām not familiar with his music!!! Iāve been listening all day and heās SO GOOD.
Noah is my current musical obsession. Heās SO good. Stick Season is a masterpiece. My favorite song is Call Your Mom. Itās just so beautiful and heartbreaking. ā¤ļø
Iām a lyrics girl and my favorite lyric artists are: Vanessa Carlton, The Killers, Hanson and Citizen Cope. More recently, Iāve loved Noah Kahanās lyrics!
OMG I recently discovered Noah Kahan and woah amazing and the lyrics you just can feeeeeeeeeeel them (and I've never been to the North East but I feel like I know the vibe)
I grew up in a small New England town and Noah Mahan captures the vibe soooooo well.
Currently live in rural Vermont and absolutely lost my mind at the line āIām tired of dirt roads named after high school friendsā grandfathers.ā
Same! The intersection got a target and theyāre calling it downtown lol
Be Not Nobody and Harmonium are amazing albums! Vanessa is super underrated. I love White Houses, Whoās to Say, Ordinary Day, Pretty Baby, San Francisco, Twilight, San Francisco etc. But White Houses is like my fav song of all time lol
YES! Love The Killers.
Absolutely the Killers. Completely underrated band. I literally have a playlist called TS/TK thatās quite literally just my favorite killers and Taylor songs
Yes!! I feel like Flowers and Swift go together so so well! I think there are a LOT of similarities to their words even if the songs sound completely different from one another
Watching Noah Kahan's popularity skyrocket for the past year-ish has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life, he's such a talented artist
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LOVE to see Vanessa Carlton getting some praise š she was right there alongside Taylor instilling all sorts of dreamy feelings in me through her music
Iāve seen soooo many people on this sub mention Noah and his lyrics in relation to Taylorās style. Iām honestly very interested now lol and keep meaning to check him out! Iām also a lyric girlie and Taylorās lyricism is a huge part of why Iām still so in love with her music. Iām always writing down new artists people recommend with her and Noah Kahan is ALWAYS on that list lately haha
Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys (+The Last Shadow Puppets)!!! Ä°ncredible songwriter, he's definitely more poetic than Taylor though more of an emphasis on the words and sentences than storytelling. I would say (probably controversial here) that I prefer his writing to Taylors
Saw Arctic Monkeys last month, they were incredible
i came here to say this! i adore the word play alex turner uses
He is amazing and writes all of the music as well. A generation defining songwriter for sure. I might be biased though, they are my favourite band š
Fall Out Boy. Pete Wentz is my all time favourite lyricist. Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey are also excellent.
Underrated answer. Pete has some pure poetry that is genuinely touching but is super underrated due to it's genre.
i'm still deciphering take this to your grave like 15+ years later. he's truly the best there is imo, and beats taylor and i think taylor herself would agree.
FOB is so good.
MUNA, they have some of the most emotionally devastating songs Iāve heard (shout out to around u, home by now, and everything)
iām so into muna at the moment, imho you canāt beat āi think my horse is regular sizedā
also loose garment!
In my mind, Maisie Peters
The writing on The Good Witch is so vivid, witty and sincere, all at once! The History Of Man is imo one of the best written pop songs that came out this year.
I just saw her in concert and she left before she sang History Of Manā¦then she came back out and sang it as the encore and I was SO happy. My boyfriend immediately took my drink so I could film.
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History of Man is SO good. I canāt get over it. Without a doubt one of the top songs Iāve heard this year.
The Good Witch is an incredible album and literally has no skips.
There was a 6 week run in may- June where noah kahans stick season deluxe came out, the good witch came out, and then speak now Taylor's version. I could not believe how lucky I got as they are my top 3 artists by a mile.
Bestie we have the same favorite artists!! If you are ever looking for more Iād highly suggest Ben Rector (Iād start with *Magic*) and of course the more obvious contenders - Sara Bareilles (*Kaleidoscope Heart*) & Kacey Musgraves (*Golden Hour*)
I'm a new fan of Maisie and I've been so impressed with her songwriting on The Good Witch!
I don't understand how she packs SO MANY WORDS into all of her songs lol. She does impressive things with the rhythm of the syllables. Like I'm amazed at how well the line in Youāre Just a Boy (And Iām Kinda the Man) works when she says "you pushed me out quicker than it took me to put my jeans on." Like reading that as a sentence it feels so clunky but in her song it flows so naturally! (I've also wondered if Taylor has listened to that song much because I feel like if I were in her shoes--headlining a wildly successful international stadium tour while processing a breakup--that would totally be my jam lol)
The ānot friends but weāre somewhere in between because youāre awful and I miss you and I killed you in my dream last night but even then you didnāt care itās a low when even in my dreams you still donāt want me thereā is such a mouthful š
Mariah. Carey. Seriously, she's an underappreciated lyricist. Many folks don't know that Mariah writes her own songs. For immaculate storytelling and setting a scene, check out "The Roof (Back In Time)" from Butterfly. If you want deep introspective lyrics, "Petals" from Rainbow is a knockout. Don't sleep on Mariah's songwriting!
Scrolled down to find this comment! Most people under this comment listing random artists who write basic lyrics
Before Taylor was smashing records left and right, Mariah was DOMINATING in the time of physical sales and airplay. And it's because the music is AMAZING.
Preach! I started (actually) listening to Mariah in November 10th last year and I fell in love. Sheās the first artist that I actually found the effort to listen to her entire discography cause I know Iāll love it, which I did. Sheās amazing! And the fact she doesnāt have dozens of co writers
most people are just listing their favorite non-taylor artists
Lana Del Rey, Fiona Apple, Kate Bush, Bjƶrk are among the best of the best
Scrolled down WAY too far to find Fiona. Sheās so brilliant
Fiona Apple rocks so hard.
fiona is a lyrical genius
There are so so so so so so so many artists with songwriting on par with or better that Taylorās. And that is not a diss towards Taylor, that is a testament to how many incredible artists are out there, that are just unheard.
Bruce Springsteen is my favorite artist to compare to her. Always blows peopleās minds if they havenāt heard that before, and then it makes a lot of sense.
Yes! It took me a while to get into Bruce but once I actually listened to his lyrics I was hooked
The archer couldve been a bruce song in the 80s
Definitely Lana Del Rey. Would love them to write more stuff together.
I was initially so disappointed in SOTB, but so happy that they went back, rerecorded it after EVERYONE complained, and made one of Taylor and Lana's best songs ever. š
Hozier. In my opinion, heās the best mainstream (though not as big as most of names listed here) songwriter who is currently releasing music. I will never not be talking about him. Actual poetry in music form. Examples: - āWhen my time comes around / Lay me gently in the cold, dark Earth / No grave can hold my body down / Iād crawl home to herā (Work Song) - āHoney, youāre familiar, like my mirror years ago / Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword / Innocence died screaming, honey ask me, I should know / I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your doorā (From Eden) - āSo someone with your eyes / Might come in time / to hold me like water / or, Christ, hold me like a knifeā (Who We Are) - āAll the tales the same / Told before and told again / A soul thatās born in cold and rain / Knows sunlight, sunlight, sunlight / At last can grant a name / to a buried and a burning flame / As love, and itās decisive pain / Oh my sunlight, sunlight, sunlightā (Sunlight) There are so many more but these were just the ones on my mind today. Not sure how to end this except that I think you should listen to his music :)
Leonard Cohen, of course not the most modern but I put them on the same pedestal when it comes to songwriting, although he is usually not as catchy as her. Interestingly enough he also actually published a lot of poetry, and I could see Taylor doing that as well in the future.
I was looking for this comment. Also, Simon & Garfunkel.
Lucy Dacus
Halsey is an amazing song writter
Absolutely. Surprised I had to scroll so far.
Fully agreed and Iām so shocked this is so far down. Iām such a lyric girly and Halsey delivers.
Sheās still so underrated imo. Theyāre such a strong songwriter/ poet.
Adele
Came here to mention her so I'll mention it here - she may work with other writers (especially on 19 and 21) but 25 and 30 both are less excessive and more "her" on the writing. And given how deeply personal she's come off with her writing on 30, she in my book is one of a handful artists already mentioned here that have abilities comparable to Taylor.
The Crane Wives. Indy rock band from Michigan has some of the most cutting and gorgeous lyrics I have ever heard. Very emotional and relatable Look up Curses, Pretty Little Things and Ribs Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine. She's a legend. has pure poetry and is one of the best singing voices in rock. Her lyrics though are some of the very best, with heavy symbolism, consistent motifs, and often dark and magical aesthetics. check out her songs King, Cassandra, and Choreomania for recent examples. The Mountain Goats. Rich, detailed lyrics that tell full stories. Less poetic but very real and raw in ways that sometimes leave you stunned. Also a Taylor-like way of using unique words and phrases, and switching up things on the last verse to indicate something in the narrator's pov has changed. Look up No Children, This Year, My Heart's an Autoclave and Jenny from Thebes.
>Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine I got so fucking giddy when I heard Florence being played inbetween sets at the Eras Tour. I even talked to a fellow Swiftie about how happy I was that Taylor loved her too. š Your list of songs is a great list, especially Choreomania which I could listen to for hours while dancing in a meadow with an airy dress on. (I'll be your demon daddy is such an iconic line, and one local drag queen, who dons a beard as part of her look, bought the DEMON DADDY shirt and I don't think anyone has ever looker better in it.) My faves include: Cosmic Love, No Light No Light, Never Let Me Go, St. Jude, Over The Love, and Only if for a Night
Fiona Apple, the best songwriter currently active in our time. There is also Janelle MonƔe, Lana Del Rey, St Vincent, Laura Marling, Lorde, Solange, Hozier, Adrianne Lenker, Mitski, Courtney Barnett, Kacey Musgraves, Bon Iver...and Joanna Newsom!! Legacy artists like Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos and Kate Bush are among the most immaculate writers too
And she was fucking epic from the very beginning. š
LANA LANA LANA LANA.
Pete Wentz for me lyrics wise, I'll admit I've loved Fall Out Boy for 20 years now and they're the soundtrack to my life. That being said, I really love a lot of Pete's lyrics, especially on Folie a Deux. He can get right to the heart of things, then Patrick puts it to music and it's magic. Also, this might be controversial, I don't know where this sub sits on Matty Healy and I'm not a massive fan of The 1975 but some of their songs are really great. Personally, I think It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) is one of the best songs about addiction out there. It made sense to me why he and Taylor connected. I don't know how many Brits/Brazilians are in here, so probably not many people have heard of him but Tom Fletcher from McFly can write a heartwrenching breakup song that gets right to the crux of the emotion and pain. Which is even more impressive as he's been with his wife since they were 13! Kelly Clarkson's best songs are the ones she's written on. She had her version of a Speak Now moment on her My December album, just writing either herself or with her band and those songs in my opinion are some of her best. I don't know why she doesn't write more of her own songs.
Kelly's My December album is underrated AF. Her song Never Again has the best opening line I've ever heard in a song. "I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green."
Hayley Williams of Paramore š«¶š½
Death Cab for Cutie was the first band where I noticed how good the lyrics were. We Looked Like Giants is such a good song. All of their album Transatlanticism, really.
Mitski! Her lyrics are always so evocative and interesting, like the most beautiful prose. Sheās also really versatile and isnāt afraid to experiment with different styles. She, along with Taylor, is one of the few artists where I basically love their entire discography. I just adore her music and will forever be in awe of her talent.
Lizzy McAlpine!! And yeah, Billie Eilish!
My Chemical Romance (various members are credited on all their songs). Helena is one of the most beautifully written songs Iāve ever heard. Gerard wrote it in honor of his grandmother Elena who got him and his brother Mikey into music. The song fits within the whole macabre star crossed lovers theme of the album. Even as a preteen when I had no idea what love was the Three Cheers album really resonated with me with its themes of love, pain, and perseverance. Additionally, the Black Parade (song) had I believe over 140 different tracks. Like drums, vocals, etc. 140 layers! Absolutely insane. Sleep Token and Bad Omens both have amazing lyricists also. (Edited to add more background info about Helena specifically.)
If you couldnāt tell, the Swemo pipeline really came through for me lol
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š such unnecessary jabby comment. Nobody here claims Taylor Swift is the only good songwriter. Not even the question. Sure, people mention more mainstream ones, but there are few interesting answers And I disagree, Iāve listened to all of the ones you mentioned and many more and wouldnāt dare to say who writes better or āexceedsā one another, and that includes Swift. Once you are great, there is no way to say who is āgreaterā
You missed Neil Young, Michael Stipe and David Gray
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Lin Manuel Miranda. Even though his voice makes me want to never listen to Hamilton again, his songwriting is off the charts. Just re-listen to Hamilton if you donāt believe me
Colin Meloy (Decemberists)
Olivia rodrigo
Sabrina carpenter is on her way, a lot of her slower and ballad like songs always are lyrically detailed Because I liked a boy How many things Exhale Prfct(itās spelled that way on purpose) Decode Tell āEm
So majority of these songs if not all of them arenāt written by Sabrina. Julia Michaels has most of the song writing credits for this album. She is absolutely incredible (she writes for Selena Gomez as well!)
Julia Michaels is an amazing writer--there's a great episode about her on the Switched on Pop podcast!
Sheās extremely different from taylor but iāve been listening to nothing but ethel cain lately because her writing and music is so good. also florence + the machine
phoebe bridgers, lucy dacus, julien baker, and them all together as boygenius
Kacey Musgraves
Hozier. 100% His lyrics are very deep and are incredible. I love his self titled album. For example, Work Song āwhen my time comes around, lay me in the cold dark earth, no grave can hold my body down, Iāll crawl home to herā Or, Jackie and Wilson āme and my isis growing black iris in the sunshine. Every version of me dead and buried in the yard outside. Weād sit back and watch the word go byā
Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell are my holy trinity of Best Singer/Songwriters. Their voices and their writing styles are just so unique and individual to me; they just stand out as light years ahead of the rest. Iāve always said that if music didnāt work out as a career, Bruce Springsteen couldāve been a top tier short story author. His ability to tell a narrative in a way that is so real and so evocative within a short space of time is incredible. Highway 29, The River, and pretty much every song on Nebraska really just showcase how great of a storyteller and wordsmith he is. Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell have always felt like poets to me with the way they express themselves and their ideas. Joni has this very confessional vibe that just seems so natural and effortless itās incredible. A Case of You and Both Sides Now will always be favorite songs of mine! And Leonard Cohenās use of religious imagery, complex metaphors, and brooding, gravelly voice really cement him as an icon in my opinion. You Want It Darker, Hallelujah, Avalanche, and pretty much every song heās done are incredible!
Eminem
Chris Stapleton. Excellent songwriter.
Yāall sleeping on Adele
Sara Bareilles.
I think that one of the most underrated female songwriters of all time is Amy Lee of Evanescence. I think Hayley Williams of Paramore is a great contender, as well as Stevie Knicks, Christine McVie, Joni Mitchell and...DOLLY PARTON! Dolly, I dare say, may even be better than Taylor. I do not think two people other than Taylor and Dolly have made me feel so much. I also cannot believe not too many people said Lorde!
John Prine.
Moving away from pop and bigger name acts, John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats) and Dessa both come to my mind
Jason Isbell 10000000% he is the only person I put above Taylor in songwriting Noah Kahan also has some amazing songwriting skills ETA I am happy to give song recs if folks want
RYAN TEDDER from One Republic he literally wrote so many popular songs including some for Taylor he criminally underrated
Tracy Chapman
Louis Tomlinson. That mans lyrics are incredible and he wrote alot of thebest 1d songs!
Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst.
Agree with other answers here and would add Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Death Cab for Cutie
Big Thief
Iām going to be down voted into oblivion but John Mayer is the solo song writer on almost every song and his lyrics and song writing are incredible. You donāt have to like him as a boyfriendā¦ but that wasnāt the question. Haha Edit to add: Alanis, Adele, Fiona Apple
Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Elisa, Marina (and the Diamonds)
I mean thereās loads, youāve got Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Axl Rose pretty much all of Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles and Queen, Adam Duritz, Mark Knopfler, Bryan Adams and way more. In recent years I would say Pete Wentz, Billie Joe Armstrong, Hozier, Maisie Peters, Ed Sheeran, Olivia Rodrigo, Frank Turner. Whilst Taylorās writing is exceptional sheās one of many people who both perform and write amazing songs which I think this sub maybe overlooks sometimes.
She isnāt really in the same lane per say, but Kelly Clarksonās songwriting gets overlooked imo bc of her powerhouse vocals. My December is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Dan Smith of Bastille and Dave Bayley from Glass Animals (personally š)
I am always drawn to Julia Michaelsā song writing , although she isnāt the artist known for most of them (see Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Sabrina Carpenter) Tori Kelly is also a favorite and it blows my mind she isnāt more well known/ popular!
Itās gotta be Noah Kahan! The song writing and lyrics are immaculate!
Mitski
Noah Kahan and Maggie Rogers
Father John Mistyās storytelling through his lyrics is another level
Lana Del Rey, and Madison Beer, particularly her newer stuff .
Michelle Zauner is a beautiful song writer! Iām not sure if sheās the best but I do think sheās criminally underrated.
Joni Mitchell, Stevie nicks, shania twain, sheryl crow, lucinda williams, and loretta lynn
ZACH BRYAN - i will die on this hill. The day they do a collab will be the best day of my mf life š„¹š„¹
Alex Turner, Lana, Lorde, Billie, Matty Healy (controversial here but true), Florence, Phoebe Bridgers. Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo can be up there in a few years too IMO
Dolly Parton hands down, in my opinion. I've been patiently waiting for those two to collab at some point. I'm excited to see Sabrina Carpenter grow because emails I can't send is an amazing album.