List of singer-songwriters
Traditional singer-songwriters
This list enumerates people who record and perform in the traditional singer-songwriter approach. These performers write their own material, accompany themselves on guitar or keyboards, usually perform solo or with limited and understated accompaniment, and are known as much for their songwriting skills as for their performance abilities.
- Sandro de America
- Facundo Cabral
- Gustavo Cerati
- Alberto Cortez
- Charly Garcia
- Carlos Gardel
- León Gieco
- Ricardo Montaner
- Litto Nebbia
- Fito Paez
- Mercedes Sosa
- Tanguito
- Diego Torres
- Sarah Blasko
- Eric Bogle
- Cletis Carr
- Slim Dusty
- Tim Freedman
- Missy Higgins
- Paul Kelly
- Ben Lee
- Alex Lloyd
- Lisa Miller
- Pete Murray
- Josh Pyke
- Tim Rogers
- Xavier Rudd
- Saritah
- Keith Urban
- Delta Goodrem
- Robert Forster
- Grant McLennan
- Peggy van Zalm
- Sarah Bettens (k's Choice)
- Jacques Brel
- Kris De Bruyne (Kris De Bruyne)
- Daan
- Ozark Henry (Ozark Henry)
- Flip Kowlier (Flip Kowlier)
- Guy Swinnen (Guy Swinnen Official Home Page)
- Wigbert (Wigbert van Lierde)
- Greg In The Middle (Greg In The Middle Official Site))
- Roman
- Paul Anka
- Jann Arden
- Susan Aglukark
- Daniel Bélanger
- Moe Berg
- Art Bergmann
- Bif Naked
- Meryn Cadell
- Andrew Cash
- Tom Cochrane
- Bruce Cockburn
- Leonard Cohen
- Holly Cole
- Stompin' Tom Connors
- Allison Crowe
- Lori Cullen
- Melanie Doane
- Fefe Dobson
- Julie Doiron
- Alan Doyle
- Damhnait Doyle
- Fred J. Eaglesmith
- Kathleen Edwards
- Stephen Fearing
- Leslie Feist
- Jeremy Fisher
- Nelly Furtado
- Joel Gibb
- Matthew Good
- Dallas Green (performs as City and Colour)
- Jack Grunsky
- Emm Gryner
- Sarah Harmer
- Paul Hayden Desser
- Dan Hill
- Veda Hille
- Terry Jacks
- Keith Jolie
- Sass Jordan
- Chantal Kreviazuk
- Avril Lavigne
- Richard Laviolette
- Félix Leclerc
- Jean Leloup
- Gordon Lightfoot
- Amanda Marshall
- Melissa McClelland
- Kate and Anna McGarrigle
- Sarah McLachlan
- Tara MacLean
- Holly McNarland
- Steve Millar
- Joni Mitchell
- Alanis Morissette
- Mary Margaret O'Hara
- Maren Ord
- Jessica Owen
- Chris Patrick
- Neil Peart
- Carole Pope
- Jimmy Rankin
- Michel Rivard
- Sam Roberts
- Stan Rogers
- John K. Samson
- Lorraine Segato
- Jay Semko
- Ron Sexsmith
- Jane Siberry
- Sarah Slean
- Hank Snow
- Martina Sorbara
- Andy Stochansky
- Kim Stockwood
- Tegan and Sara
- Shania Twain
- Ian Tyson
- Martha Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- Hawksley Workman
- Neil Young
- Joel Zifkin
- Aude
- Charles Aznavour
- Barbara
- Michel Berger
- Benjamin Biolay
- Bourvil
- Georges Brassens
- Jacques Dutronc
- Léo Ferré
- Claude François
- Jann Halexander
- Françoise Hardy
- Keren Ann
- Bernard Lavilliers
- Anna Marly
- Georges Moustaki
- Édith Piaf
- Alain Souchon
- Charles Trenet
- Laurent Voulzy
- Jean-Jacques Goldman
- Roman
- Katie Melua (British citizen from 2005)
- Michael Cretu
- Franz Josef Degenhardt
- Tomasz Gaworek-Schodrok
- Gerhard Gundermann
- Reinhard Mey
- De Plattfööt
- Hannes Wader
- Konstantin Wecker
- Götz Widmann
- Andy Irvine
- Frank Harte
- Johnny Moynihan
- Henry McMahon
- Luka Bloom
- Paul Brady
- Chris de Burgh
- Paddy Casey
- Mic Christopher
- Damien Dempsey
- Mark Dignam
- Mark Geary
- Gemma Hayes
- Margaret Healy
- Shane MacGowan
- Christy Moore
- Van Morrison
- Howard Moss
- Mundy
- Bono
- Sinéad O'Connor
- Declan O'Rourke
- Damien Rice
- Fionn Regan
- Andy White
- Andrea Corr
- Sharon Corr
- Meir Ariel
- Shalom Hanoch
- Achinoam Nini
- Zohar Argov
- Shlomo Artzi
- Aviv Geffen
- Ariel Zilber
- Shalom Hanoch
- Ehud Banai
- Arik Einstein
- Pino Daniele
- Fabrizio De André
- Francesco De Gregori
- Francesco Guccini
- Luciano Ligabue
- Luigi Tenco
- Vasco Rossi
- Lucio Battisti
- Adriano Celentano
- Claudio Baglioni
- Lucio Dalla
- Zucchero
- Gino Paoli
- Sergio Endrigo
- Giorgio Gaber
- Ivano Fossati
- Edoardo Bennato
- Roberto Vecchioni
- Antonello Venditti
- Franco Battiato
- Jovanotti
- Samuele Bersani
- Carmen Consoli
- Biagio Antonacci
- Angelo Branduardi
- Riccardo Cocciante
- Dolcenera
- Elisa
- Nada
- Gianna Nannini
- Pato Banton
- Jimmy Cliff
- Toots Hibbert
- Barrington Levy
- Bob Marley
- Rita Marley
- Ziggy Marley
- Peter Tosh
- Sharon den Adel
- Gerard Cornielje
- Marike Jager
- Floor Jansen
- Anouk Teeuwe
- Edwin van der Hoeven / Leave
- Robert Westerholt
- Ane Brun
- Thomas Dybdahl
- Torgunn Flaten
- Thom Hell
- William Hut
- Liv Kristine
- Sissel Kyrkjebø
- Sondre Lerche
- Espen Lind
- Magnet (Even Johansen)
- Lene Marlin
- Maria Mena
- Silje Nergaard
- Robert Post
- Bertine Zetlitz
- Tito Auger
- Puchi Balseiro
- Obie Bermudez
- Lou Briel
- Bobby Capó
- Tite Curet Alonso
- Robi Draco Rosa
- Johnathan Dwayne
- Rafi Escudero
- Luis Fonsi
- Gustavo Laureano
- Glenn Monroig
- Ignacio Peña
- Julito Rodriguez
- Myrta Silva
- Wilkins Velez
Romania
- Alexander Galich
- Alexander Gorodnitsky
- Andrei Makarevich
- Bulat Okudzhava
- Regina Spektor
- Vladimir Vysotsky
- Yury Chernavsky
- Yuri Vizbor
- Isabelle Arnfjell
- Kristofer Åström
- Nicolai Dunger
- José González
- Nanne Grönvall Nanne
- Håkan Hellström
- Christian Kjellvander
- Laleh
- Lisa Miskovsky
- Stina Nordenstam
- Povel Ramel
- Evert Taube
- Joakim Thåström
- Cornelis Vreeswijk
- Lars Winnerbäck
- Sophie Zelmani
- Jens Lekman
- Cat Stevens
- Iain Archer
- Joan Armatrading
- Badly Drawn Boy
- James Blunt
- Syd Barrett
- Billy Bragg
- Melanie Chisholm
- Gary Clark
- Beverley Craven
- Gareth Davies
- Donovan Leitch
- Nick Drake
- Marianne Faithfull
- Tom Fox
- Noel Gallagher
- Charlotte Gordon Cumming
- David Gray
- Alistair Griffin
- Matt Hales
- Pete Ham
- Ed Harcourt
- Nick Harper
- PJ Harvey
- George Harrison
- Imogen Heap
- Boo Hewerdine
- Matt Johnson
- Jim King
- Adam Leonard
- Johnny Marr
- Ewan MacColl
- Kirsty MacColl
- Shelagh McDonald
- Tom McRae
- Ralph McTell
- John Martyn
- Katie Melua (from 2005)
- James Morrison
- Morrissey
- Graham Nash
- Anthony Newley
- Heather Nova
- Ivor Novello
- Beth Orton
- Alex Parks
- Karen Poole
- Shelly Poole
- Mal Pope
- Gerry Rafferty
- Ricky Ross
- Labi Siffre
- Lucie Silvas
- David Sneddon
- Al Stewart
- Tanita Tikaram
- KT Tunstall
- Judie Tzuke
- Clifford T. Ward
- Roy Wood
- Richard Hodgekins
- David Ackles
- Ryan Adams
- Ashton Allen
- Peter Alsop
- Tori Amos
- Eric Anderson
- Fiona Apple
- John Austin
- Joseph Arthur
- Patti Austin
- Joan Baez
- David M. Bailey
- Victoria Banks
- David Bazan
- Samm Bennett
- Norman Blake
- Karl Blau
- Matraca Berg
- Michael Bowers
- Ralston Bowles
- Holly Brook
- Jackson Browne
- Jeff Buckley
- Tim Buckley
- JJ Cale
- Jeremy Castle
- Tracy Chapman
- Marc Cohn
- Paula Cole
- Matt Costa
- Jim Croce
- Sheryl Crow
- Rodney Crowell
- Catie Curtis
- Harry Chapin
- Guy Clark
- Robert S. Dean
- David Crosby
- John Denver
- Lynsey De Paul
- Neil Diamond
- Ani DiFranco
- Mike Doughty
- Bob Dylan
- Kate Earl
- Richard Fariña
- Dan Fefferman
- Roberta Flack
- Chris Flemmons
- Ben Folds
- Jon Foreman
- Tim Foreman
- The John Francis
- Dean Friedman
- Lefty Frizzell
- John Frusciante
- Gordon Gano
- Steve Goodman
- John Gorka
- Patty Griffin
- Arlo Guthrie
- Woody Guthrie
- Gwendolyn
- Tim Hardin
- Bill Harley
- Ben Harper
- Emmylou Harris
- John Hartford
- Sophie B. Hawkins
- Ted Hawkins
- Don Henley
- Ari Hest
- John Hiatt
- Will Hoge
- Buddy Holly
- Janis Ian
- David Ippolito
- Michael Jackson
- Stephan Jenkins
- Jewel
- Billy Joel
- Jack Johnson
- Norah Jones
- Lucy Kaplansky
- R. Kelly
- Robert Earl Keen
- Anthony Kiedis
- Carole King
- Kris Kristofferson
- Patty Larkin
- Ray LaMontagne
- Adam Leonard
- David Levin
- Bob Lind
- Amos Lee
- Tom Lehrer
- Lisa Loeb
- Bill Madden
- Sananda Maitreya
- David Mallett
- Barry Manilow
- Dave Matthews
- Chan Marshall
- John Mayer
- Edwin McCain
- Fergus McCormick
- Country Joe McDonald
- Bonnie McKee
- Reba McEntire
- Don McLean
- Laddie Ray Melvin
- Michael J. Merenda, Jr.
- Stephin Merritt
- Steve Millar
- Anais Mitchell
- Mandy Moore
- Dawn Xiana Moon
- Jim Morrison
- Jason Mraz
- Elliott Murphy
- Rachael Yamagata
- Tristan Prettyman
- Anna Nalick
- Matt Nathanson
- Holly Near
- Fred Neil
- Willie Nelson
- Yvette Nelson
- Mickey Newbury
- Carrie Newcomer
- Randy Newman
- Joanna Newsom
- Harry Nilsson
- Laura Nyro
- Conor Oberst
- Phil Ochs
- Roy Orbison
- Joan Osborne
- David Paich
- Ellis Paul
- Tom Paxton
- Sarah Pedinotti
- Liz Phair
- Kelly Joe Phelps
- Glen Phillips
- Shawn Phillips
- Gene Pitney
- Steve Poltz
- Doc Pomus
- Jimmy Pop
- Dory Previn
- John Prine
- Eddie Rabbitt
- Ann Reed
- Lou Reed
- Kim Richey
- Ryan Ross
- David Rovics
- Todd Rundgren
- Tom Rush
- Melanie Safka
- Richie Sambora
- John Sebastian
- Pete Seeger
- Duncan Sheik
- Michelle Shocked
- Carly Simon
- Paul Simon
- Megan Slankard
- Elliott Smith
- Robbie Smith
- Jill Sobule
- Soraya
- J.D. Souther
- Stephen Stills
- Sufjan Stevens
- John Stewart
- Wynn Stewart
- Matthew Sweet
- Michael Sweet
- Courtney Taylor-Taylor
- James Taylor
- Livingston Taylor
- Townes Van Zandt
- Stoll Vaughan
- Suzanne Vega
- Laura Veirs
- Diane Warren
- Rufus Wainwright
- Tom Waits
- Jerry Jeff Walker
- Karl Wallinger
- Crystal Waters
- Cheryl Wheeler
- Dar Williams
- Don Williams
- Keller Williams
- Brian Wilson
- Stevie Wonder
- Juliet Wyers
- Dwight Yoakam
- Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn
Others who both write songs and sing
This list includes performers who are not singer-songwriters in the traditional sense, but who both write and perform songs in other genres. Other performers may have done some work as traditional singer-songwriters, but are best known for work in other genres.
- Bryan Adams
- Melissa Auf der Maur
- k.d. lang
- Daniel Lanois
- Avril Lavigne
- Alanis Morissette
- Alannah Myles
- Carl Newman
- Robbie Robertson
- Buffy Sainte-Marie
- Skye Sweetnam
- Shania Twain
France
- Aiko
- Cocco
- Masaharu Fukuyama
- Ken Hirai
- Mayumi Horikawa
- Shigeru Izumiya
- Keisuke Kuwata
- Noriyuki Makihara
- Yumi Matsutoya
- Miyuki Nakajima
- Tamio Okuda
- Ai Otsuka
- Jun Shibata
- Mariya Takeuchi
- Yuki Saitō
- Ringo Shiina
- Shikao Suga
- Utada Hikaru
- Hamasaki Ayumi
- Hitomi Yaida
- Tatsuro Yamashita
- Takuro Yoshida
- Barış Manço
- Mazhar Alanson
- Sezen Aksu
- Sertab Erener
- Goksel
- Nil Karaibrahimgil
- Bulent Ortacgil
- Mustafa Sandal
- Tarkan
- Damon Albarn
- Badly Drawn Boy
- James Blunt
- Kate Bush
- Eric Clapton
- Alison Clarkson
- Elvis Costello: some of Costello's work is in the traditional singer-songwriter mode, but he is mainly a rock musician
- Noel Coward: overwhelmingly known as a playwright and songwriter, but also did a cabaret act
- Ray Davies
- Sandy Denny
- Tom Fox
- Liam & Noel Gallagher
- Gary Glitter
- Roy Harper
- MJ Hibbett
- Ian Hunter
- Mick Jagger
- Jem
- Matt Johnson
- Mick Jones
- Jim King
- John Lennon
- Paddy McAloon
- Bill Owen
- Elton John
- David Knopfler
- Mark Knopfler
- Paul McCartney
- George Michael
- Jim Noir
- Keith Richards
- Ringo Starr
- Al Stewart
- Sugababes
- Sting
- Joe Strummer: known for the craftsmanship of his songs, but performed almost entirely in a rock context
- Jeremy Taylor
- Paul Weller
- Kim Wilde
- Tim Rice
- Thom Yorke
- Tom Vek
- Gary Barlow
- Mark Owen
- Brandon Boyd
- Don Henley
- Michael Andrews
- Glenn Frey
- Joe Walsh
- Bernie Leadon
- Randy Meisner
- Don Felder
- Timothy B. Schmit
- Ryan Adams
- Ken Andrews
- Tori Amos
- Babyface
- Burt Bacharach: only quite secondarily a performer, but he does perform
- Beck
- Chuck Berry
- Michael Bolton
- Michael Bowers
- Ralston Bowles
- Michelle Branch
- Garth Brooks
- Jonathan Byrd
- David Byrne
- Mariah Carey
- Neko Case
- Johnny Cash:
- Jeremy Castle
- Kelly Clarkson
- Roger Clyne: from Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers
- Kurt Cobain
- Chris Cornell
- Rivers Cuomo
- Sean Duffy
- Steve Earle
- Gloria Estefan
- John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
- John Fogerty (from Creedence Clearwater Revival)
- The John Francis
- David Gates
- John Gorka
- Amy Grant
- Jessica Harp
- Mark Heard
- Jimi Hendrix
- James Hetfield
- Lauryn Hill
- Tyler Hilton
- Robert Hunter: only quite secondarily a performer, but he does perform
- Alan Jackson
- Jack Johnson
- Michael Jackson
- Robert Johnson
- Nicholas Jonas (Jonas Brothers)
- Norah Jones
- Rickie Lee Jones
- Janis Joplin
- R. Kelly
- Maynard James Keenan
- Doug Kershaw
- Alicia Keys
- Mark Lanegan: best known as lead singer of the Screaming Trees, he has continued to perform mainly with electric instruments as a solo artist, but writes many expressive, individual, personal songs that show an affinity for the singer-songwriter tradition
- Lead Belly: part of the transition from folk music in the narrow sense to the singer-songwriter tradition
- Ray LaMontagne
- Amos Lee
- John Linnell (They Might Be Giants)
- Max Loh
- Loretta Lynn
- Madonna
- Divine Maggees (Danielle Tibedo, Cregan Montague)
- Mama Cass
- Jeff Mangum (from Neutral Milk Hotel)
- Marce
- Travis Meeks
- John Mellencamp
- Rhett Miller
- Roger Miller
- Robert S. Dean, Singer Songwriter (Ghosts Of Vesey Street, The Storm Has Passed, etc.)
- Anais Mitchell
- Freddy Moore
- Jason Mraz
- Peter Mulvey
- Anna Nalick
- Willie Nelson
- Michael Nesmith
- Mike Ness
- Ne-Yo
- Stevie Nicks
- Ted Nugent
- Conor Oberst
- Ocean Ocean (Singer)
- Roy Orbison
- Buck Owens
- David Paich (session musician)Toto
- Linda Perry
- Pierce Pettis
- Tom Petty
- Prince
- Bonnie Raitt
- Rakim
- Trent Reznor
- Kenny Rogers
- Axl Rose (from Guns N' Roses)
- Denise Rosier
- John Rzeznik (from the Goo Goo Dolls)
- Richard Shindell
- Bob Seger
- Helen Slater
- Michael W. Smith
- Patti Smith
- Bruce Springsteen
- Michael Stone[2]
- Michael Sweet [3]
- Jeff Tweedy
- James Taylor
- Jason Wade (from the band Lifehouse)
- Crystal Waters
- Paul Westerberg (from The Replacements)
- Jack White
- David Wilcox
- Brooks Williams
- Hank Williams
- Jim Williams
- Brian Wilson
- Stevie Wonder
- Cheryl Wheeler
- "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Warren Zevon
Singer-Songwriters by act, occupation and co-write
This section features a number of artists who are known for their work as solo artists or band members, and for their contributions to popular hit records (with example in italics)
- Gary Barlow (solo artist, band member - Take That and co-writer - Donny Osmond etc.)
- Alison Clarkson (solo artist - Betty Boo, band member - Wigwam and co-writer - Hear’Say etc.)
- Charlotte Gordon Cumming (solo artist, writer Sugababes, Joy Tobing)
- Cathy Dennis (solo artist and co-writer - Kylie, Britney Spears etc.
- Stephen Duffy (solo artist, band member - The Lilac Time and co-writer - Robbie Williams etc.)
- Nik Kershaw (solo artist and writer - Chesney Hawkes etc.)
- Paddy McAloon (solo artist, band member - Prefab Sprout and co-writer - Jimmy Nail etc.)
- Ricky Ross (solo artist, band member - Deacon Blue and co-writer - James Blunt etc.)