10 Greatest Classic Rock Songwriters
1. John Lennon/Paul McCartney
The songwriting partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney is practically unmatched in the rock sphere. Through their work with the Beatles, the duo became the perfect example of how a band evolves from humble beginnings to cultural icons.
When the Beatles started out, Lennon and McCartney composed most of the band's material, which included fantastic love songs that defined the sound of the British Invasion like "I Saw Her Standing There" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Once the moptops faded, however, the duo went on to compose the greatest songs and lyrics in rock. With albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver, Lennon and McCartney made tracks that pushed the boundaries of pop song structure from the sincerity of Lennon's "In My Life" to the gravitas of McCartney's "Eleanor Rigby." Their ultimate collaboration on the track "A Day in The Life" is seen as not just a monumental rock song, but one of the greatest artistic achievements of the 20th century.
After the Beatles dissipated, both Lennon and McCartney went on to even more classic material in their solo careers. But in their Beatles prime, this songwriting duo shaped the rock industry with each song, leaving an astounding artistic legacy in their wake.