Who do you think is the best lyricist of this generation?

The House Of Wolves

We all know that people such as Robert Plant, John Lennon and Freddie Mercury are considered some of the best lyricists. But who do you think, from this generation, are good?

Personally I think Pete Wentz (laugh if you may) is actually very good. At first I was kind of like 'what is he even on about?' but looking at song meaning sites I figured out what it meant, and actually some of them were very clever.
Sticking with the slightly mortifying theme, Ryan Ross. I hate the guy, but the words flow so nicely. Just listen to A Fever You Can't Sweat out, properly.
Yeah, I listen to a lot of pop-punk. :pac:

karaokeman

Who is the best lyricist? Well that is easy, Jimmy MacCarthy.

He has written a massive body of modern Irish hits over the past 30 years. Any time you go to a pub down the country its impossible to get away from tunes like Christy Moore's Ride On, Missing You, Mary Black's No Frontiers and so fort.

If you want my favourite non-trad lyricist I would say Chris Martin.

iGenius

Jimmy MacCarthy is a great writer, not sure about him being the best lyricist going. Also don't think he'd classed as this generation....?

I've never heard of the guys the OP mentioned. At 25, I think I'm out of touch with the kids.

Colin Meloy is pretty impressive.

HalloweenJack

I hate Fall Out Boy so I can't agree with Pete Wentz.

Though I'm no fan, my friend has played a lot John Mayer when I've been around and he has a good style, tbf. He could be up there.

For me, it'd be Win Butler from Arcade Fire. It may not be cool to be a middle-class suburbian but he catches the feelings of it pretty well and he can get across through his pen.

Batesy

Of THIS generation? Alex Turner.

lordgoat

Elliott Smith
John Darnielle
Stephin Merritt
E
Daniel Johnston
Nick Drake

Hell even Jeff Tweedy is better than anyone mentioned here, (cept maybe Meloy).

Hannibal

Would have been Pete Doherty had he not imploded into a mess a few years ago so I'll go for Sergio Pizzorno

nyarlothothep

Albert Witchfinder

Hermy

Don't know about best but Joanna Newsom is my favourtie of recent times.

Choochtown

Best lyricist? Has to be John Darnielle. Not a dud lyric in the last 16 years.

I would seldom use the word but ... GENIUS

Stargazer7

Is Nick Cave included in this generation? If so, he'd be well up there for me.

I love a lot of Paul Noonan's (of BellX1 fame) lyrics, very Irish but very apt. BellX1 always reminded me of the poet TS Eliot and in o Pne of their songs from the new album they quote my favourite poem of his so I was delighted!

Again, maybe pushing it for this generation but I would put up Morrissey/the smiths up there Perhaps it's the introvert in me but I can empathise a lot with the lyrics...I find them very clever.

Rocket_Man

karaokeman wrote: »

Who is the best lyricist? Well that is easy, Jimmy MacCarthy.

He has written a massive body of modern Irish hits over the past 30 years. Any time you go to a pub down the country its impossible to get away from tunes like Christy Moore's Ride On, Missing You, Mary Black's No Frontiers and so fort.

If you want my favourite non-trad lyricist I would say Chris Martin.

Yeah there has to be something to be said for any lyricist who could get the following into a song.
"and I am the geek with the alchemists stone"

Just magnificent!!

wayhey

Alex Turner immediately springs to mind for me, especially some of their earlier stuff. His songs are great by themselves, but they drip with double meaning.

Jim

John Darnelle.

That man is the king.

Creamy Goodness

pete wentz, lol.

Have to say Elliott Smith.

karaokeman

Rocket_Man wrote: »

Yeah there has to be something to be said for any lyricist who could get the following into a song.
"and I am the geek with the alchemists stone"

Just magnificent!!

The "alchemists stone" is a precious metal, which is very rare and worth a fortune.

The reason Jimmy refers to a "geek" in this same verse is because a geek would define the lowest form of life, so this person of low social standing is the one person holding something of great value.

And as the song continues;

"For having left the path of other's,
You'll find a very special hand"

When you leave your loved ones and become "the geek" you will find luck in ways you never imagined. This luck you will find is a gift from God and for this reason whatever happens to you, you will be given a "very special hand".

Sometimes the more complex lyrics like the one you just pointed out are the best of all.

Android 666

Some of what Robert Plant wrote with Led Zep was just pure drivel - Stairway to Heaven is a case in point - so I wouldn't really put him up there with the likes of Dylan or Paul Simon.

Current good lyricists? Off the top of my head?
Bright Eyes
Ben Folds
E
Stuart Murdoch
Ben Gibbard
Brendan Benson
John Darnielle
Bon Iver (something about the oblique nature of his lyrics creates a powerful emotional impact)

Chris Martin is ****ing terrible.

larss

MORRISSEY!

Amazotheamazing

Craig Finn,
Will Sheff
John Darnielle

flyswatter

lordgoat wrote: »

Elliott Smith
John Darnielle
Stephin Merritt
E
Daniel Johnston
Nick Drake

Hell even Jeff Tweedy is better than anyone mentioned here, (cept maybe Meloy).

Not quite this generation no? He died nearly 40 years ago.

lordgoat

flyswatter wrote: »

Not quite this generation no? He died nearly 40 years ago.

Christ it is that long ago. When you've been listening to someone for 15 years or so, you just think everyone knows him. Go listen to Nick Drake kids. And John Darnielle.

Bon Iver - Justin Vernon, what i really like about him is he splices word together in such a way that he's the only one who really knows what he's talking about. Regardless he still manages to get across great feeling in his songs. Most of the new album wouldn't really work lyrically on it's own but in combination with the music i think it's amazing in places.

The Scientician

John Darnielle and Stephin Merritt are definitely up there.

For bands with genuine mass appeal might go with Thom Yorke or Alex Turner.

Da Shins Kelly

I'd have to agree with Alex Turner being a great lyricist, especially the early stuff. Pete Doherty could have been great, but he's been the architect of his own downfall. In a similar vein to that, Amy Winehouse has great song-writing potential. Her Back To Black album is certainly an excellently crafted album and has some brilliant lyrics. She had a pretty good knack for story-telling.

Hip hop has it's fair share of great lyricists. Lupe Fiasco, Nas and Immortal Technique were the first to spring to mind. All very intelligent writers with something to say.

Android 666

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Amy Winehouse has great song-writing potential.

I don't know how to break this to you…

kkdela6

Morrissey, Alex Turner, Ian Brown (never mind his lack of singing ability)

and i actually think billie joe out of green day has a great way with words, even though i wouldnt be a huge fan of his music, especially with his older stuff

Da Shins Kelly

Android 666 wrote: »

I don't know how to break this to you…

Obviously a typo.

Malari

I'd agree with Alex Turner for his clever turns if phrase, and Paul Noonan for that uniquely Irish angle.

But I think the lyricist who time after time comes out with some astoundingly poetic and heart-rending lines is without a doubt Guy Garvey from Elbow.

KnifeWRENCH

Fiona Apple is one of my favourite lyricists of recent years. Granted, most of her songs have a similar theme (love and why it sucks) but some of her songwriting is really impressive, especially considering how young she was when Tidal was released. Nearly all of her stuff packs an emotional punch, and there's a hell of a lot more to it than just "waah men are pigs".
Love Ridden is one of the saddest and most beautiful breakup songs I've ever heard; it's the kind of song that would make me cry if I wasn't made of stone. :pac: Paper Bag and O Sailor are also wonderfully written songs.

As mentioned before, Nick Cave is remarkable. He's almost more like a poet, whose poems just happen to be accompanied by music, than a songwriter. He's probably a bit too old to be considered this generation though.

And while I might be in a state of post-Electric Picnic bias, I think Win Butler and Régine Chassagne make a formidable songwriting pair. Haiti is not only my favourite Arcade Fire song but it is lyrically one of my favourite songs of all time.

SilverScreen

I have to go with Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian. His lyrics tell stories, paint pictures in your mind, deal with complex emotions such as sadness, joy and bitterness and create a whole world for you to escape into. His lyrics contain a lot of detail and expression and he has a really strong poetic approach to his writing.

From 'The Rollercoaster Ride':

Take Judy, with her bow and arrow, she's a mastermind
Too frumpy for the teenage population of her time
Car coat, she has a quilted jacket with a hood if it rains
Big pockets for the pharmaceuticals she takes to fix her brain

boggerbarbie

I'm thinking Eminem..

Android 666

Malari wrote: »

Paul Noonan for that uniquely Irish angle

He is responsible for some of the worst lines I have ever heard. ****ing awful...

laguacamaya

Agree with bizarre nominations of Robert Plant and Chris Martin. How bout Gillian Welch and Richard Thompson for starters?
Jimmy McCarthy?...Meh...Give me Shane McGowan any day or night...

frag420

Chino Moreno
Alex Turner
Mike Patton
Scroobius Pip
Jon McClure

Malari

Android 666 wrote: »

He is responsible for some of the worst lines I have ever heard. ****ing awful...

He sure has, but this is about good lyrics? I just think he has some good 'uns here and there.

Anyway, I don't think he's the best, as per my post

Oasis_Dublin

I'm not a huge man for lyrics but you would do well to look beyond Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not and Favourite Worst Nightmare for examples of the best lyrics of the last twenty years.

Mister Jingles

Surprised not to see Gary Barlow being mentioned.

The Scientician

Regina Spektor is up there too.

Stompbox

karaokeman wrote: »

If you want my favourite non-trad lyricist I would say Chris Martin.

Different strokes and all that, but you're having a laugh, right?

Rocket_Man

Mister Jingles wrote: »

Surprised not to see Gary Barlow being mentioned.

+1
Barlow is actually an excellent lyricist but has suffered from the whole 'boy band' thing.
Anyone in doubt should listen to his Open Road album. Excellent!!

karaokeman

Rocket_Man wrote: »

+1
Barlow is actually an excellent lyricist but has suffered from the whole 'boy band' thing.
Anyone in doubt should listen to his Open Road album. Excellent!!

True that. Some people never listen.

Take That are by no means a "boy band". They started off as one but as they grew older, realised their talent.

They also completely changed the face of British pop music when they reformed in 2005. In the 90s they did covers like How Deep Is Your Love, which is a common trait with boybands to not write their own material.

Take That do however write their own songs, they also play instruments, sing really well and if thats not enough Barlow is also a record producer.

Mister Jingles

Rocket_Man wrote: »

+1
Barlow is actually an excellent lyricist but has suffered from the whole 'boy band' thing.
Anyone in doubt should listen to his Open Road album. Excellent!!

Seemingly he wrote a lot of stuff for Donny Osmond and people who were at their highest fame while he would of still being in school.

I agree Take That were a boy band back in the 90's but in the 00s and today they aren't and this is why they are respected so much within the music community.......if that makes sense.

DOC09UNAM

Scroobius pip, alex turner or jay z in my opinion.

nitromaster

Gerard Way/Pete Wentz.

Alex Turner isn't bad either :pac:

CiaranK

Damien Dempesy
Glen Hansard
Mark Oliver Everett (E from Eels)

Aldebaran

Colin Meloy is by far my favourite lyricist of this generation, he is superb.

Alex Turner has written some fantastic lyrics too but, while I loved the last two AM albums, his lyrics have definitely lost the magic that was present in the first two.

Frank Turner knows how to write a good lyric too but he can be a bit hit and miss with them.

ItsAWindUp

Morrissey is the most lyrical man to ever write music.

veee

Kanye West He's the voice of a generation, a lyrical wordsmith...

bullpost

Paul Weller has been a consistently good writer for over 30 years now and is still making excellent albums.

WinstonOno

cant believe no ones meantioned ryan adams. no one this generation has built up a such body of work as consistantly strong as his. just listen to cold roses or 29, amazing stuff.
ron sexsmith deserves a meantion, and i think josh ritter has improved with every album.

alex turner started out strong, but i think he's slipped on every album since. there new album sounds like hes struggling for ideas. case in point 'dont sit down coz i've moved your chair'
as for who ever meantioned damien dampsey, you must be havin a laugh, some of his stuff is cringeworthy.

"Hey little baby I want to take you from here
Hey little baby I don't want to see you on the gear
It's so hard to find your way back
Hey little baby it's every parent's worst fear
For their child to end up on smack

There was pills, there was tabs
There was pain and needle jabs
And the ghosts overdoses
Replace the ghosts of tuberculois!

that been said, i still like him, great voice!!

The last poster beat me to it, was flabbergasted that no one mentioned Ryan Adams. The dude catches alot of **** over his image and unfortunate name, but effing hell the man can write lyrics, be it introspective, observational or old-fashioned storytelling. A masterclass in song composition can be heard on his albums Heartbreaker, Cold Roses and 29. The songs 'Oh My Sweet Carolina', 'Let It Ride' and 'Carolina Rain' respectively from the aforementioned albums should be youtubed now if you got the time:D

Ben Gibbard of 'Death Cab For Cutie' comes up with really quirky but apt lyrics in some beautiful song settings, the album Plans is a good example of this. 'Summer Skin', 'What Sarah Said' and 'Brothers on a Hotel Bed' should illustrate what i'm driving at.

I'm not fond of the Arctic Monkeys but Alex Turner is a serious composer, both musically and lyrically.

lalee17

I'm not one to listen intensely to lyrics in songs but I can't help but notice Beck's. His lyrics are always interesting and have a message to convey,
the man is a genius.