The New York Times Magazine assembled music experts across all genres to create a definitive list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters through balloting, debate, and direct interviews. Discover how Billy Joel was cut, why Taylor Swift made the list, and what defines great songwriting across hip-hop, country, pop, and disco traditions. Taylor Swift uses clever songwriting tricks like perspective shifts, juxtaposition, and intricate bridge structures that she learned from early emo influences and has refined across her entire career.