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
- Fito Paez
- Mercedes Sosa
- Tanguito
- Diego Torres
- Tim McMillan
- Sarah Blasko
- Eric Bogle
- Cletis Carr
- Slim Dusty
- Tim Freedman
- Missy Higgins
- Paul Kelly
- Ben Lee
- Alex Lloyd
- Lisa Miller
- Pete Murray
- Peter Allen
- Josh Pyke
- Tim Rogers
- Xavier Rudd
- Saritah
- Kylie Minogue
- Mark Seymour
- James Reyne
- Jimmy Barnes
- Billy Thorpe
- Keith Urban
- Delta Goodrem
- Robert Forster
- Grant McLennan
- Johnny Diesel
- Daryl Braithwaite
- The Veronicas
- The Waifs
- Lior
- Kev Carmody
- whitley
- Holly Throsby
- Wolfgang Ambros
- Peter Cornelius (musician)
- Georg Danzer
- Rainhard Fendrich
- Michael Heltau
- Willi Resetarits
- Konstantin Wecker
- Sarah Bettens (k's Choice)
- Jacques Brel
- Kris De Bruyne (Kris De Bruyne)
- Daan
- Ozark Henry (Ozark Henry)
- Flip Kowlier (Flip Kowlier)
- Wigbert (Wigbert van Lierde)
- Greg In The Middle (Greg In The Middle Official Site))
- 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
- Viljo Tamm
- Shania Twain
- Ian Tyson
- Martha Wainwright
- Rufus Wainwright
- David Wiffen
- Hawksley Workman
- Neil Young
- Joel Zifkin
- Richard Manuel
- Rick Danko
- Katie Melua (British citizen from 2005)
- Wolf Biermann
- Franz Josef Degenhardt
- Herbert Grönemeyer
- Hanns Dieter Hüsch
- Joana
- Udo Jürgens
- Reinhard Mey
- Hannes Wader
- Andy Irvine
- Frank Harte
- Johnny Moynihan
- Henry McMahon
- Luka Bloom
- Paul Brady
- Chris de Burgh
- Paddy Casey
- Mic Christopher
- Damien Dempsey
- Mark Geary
- Gemma Hayes
- Margaret Healy
- Shane MacGowan
- Christy Moore
- Van Morrison
- Mundy
- Bono
- Sinéad O'Connor
- Declan O'Rourke
- Damien Rice
- Chris Singleton
- Emmett Tinley
- David Hopkins
- Fionn Regan
- Andy White
- Andrea Corr
- Sharon Corr
- Phil Lynott
- Christie Hennessy
- Ilan Chester
- Shalom Hanoch
- Achinoam Nini
- Shlomo Artzi
- Aviv Geffen
- Ariel Zilber
- Ehud Banai
- Arik Einstein
- Shlomo Gronich
- Chava Alberstein
- Harel Skaat
- David Broza
- Idan Raichel
- Matti Caspi
- Naomi Shemer
- Izhar Ashdot
- Meir Ariel
- 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
- Plunkett
- Pato Banton
- Jimmy Cliff
- Toots Hibbert
- Barrington Levy
- Bob Marley
- Rita Marley
- Ziggy Marley
- Peter Tosh
- Lolita de la Colina
- Juan Gabriel
- Agustin Lara
- Armando Manzanero
- Consuelo Velazquez
- José Alfredo Jiménez
- Sharon den Adel
- Gerard Cornielje
- Marike Jager
- Floor Jansen
- Anouk Teeuwe
- Robert Westerholt
- Stevie Ann
- Dave Dobbyn
- Neil Finn
- Tim Finn
- Liam Finn
- Greg Johnson
- David Kilgour
- Shona Laing
- Bic Runga
- Phil Judd
- Brooke Fraser
- Kari Bremnes
- 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
- Unni Wilhelmsen
- Morten Harket
- Tito Auger
- Puchi Balseiro
- Obie Bermudez
- Americo Boschetti
- Lou Briel
- Roy Brown
- Antonio Caban Vale
- Nano Cabrera
- Bobby Capó
- Vicente Carattini
- Santos Colón
- Elvis Crespo
- Tony Croatto
- Bobby Cruz
- Tite Curet Alonso
- Johnathan Dwayne
- Rafi Escudero
- Noel Estrada
- Jose Feliciano
- Luis Fonsi
- Pedro Flores
- Kany Garcia
- Rafael Hernandez
- Gustavo Laureano
- Glenn Monroig
- Yolandita Monge
- Eloy Monrouzeau
- Ednita Nazario
- Noelia
- José Nogueras
- Angel "Cuco" Peña
- Ignacio Peña
- Carlos Ponce
- Sylvia Rexach
- Jean Rodriguez
- Julito Rodriguez
- Dräco Rosa
- Myrta Silva
- Zoraida Santiago
- Tommy Torres
- Juan Velez
- Wilkins Velez
- Yaire
- Zeny & Zory
Romania
- Alexander Galich
- Alexander Gorodnitsky
- Andrei Makarevich
- Bulat Okudzhava
- Regina Spektor
- Vladimir Vysotsky
- Yury Chernavsky
- Yuri Vizbor
- Manuel Alejandro
- Joan Manuel Serrat
- Miguel Bosé
- Nino Bravo
- Joaquín Sabina
- Álex Ubago
- Enrique Iglesias
- Julio Iglesias
- Antonio Orozco
- Alejandro Sanz
- Camilo Sesto
- Isabelle Arnfjell
- Kristofer Åström
- Nicolai Dunger
- José González
- Nanne Grönvall Nanne
- Håkan Hellström
- Christian Kjellvander
- Laleh
- Lisa Miskovsky
- Stina Nordenstam
- Povel Ramel
- Per Gessle
- Evert Taube
- Joakim Thåström
- Cornelis Vreeswijk
- Lars Winnerbäck
- Sophie Zelmani
- Jens Lekman
- Marie Fredriksson
- Anna Ternheim
- Syd Barrett
- John Lennon
- Paul McCartney
- David Gilmour
- Roger Waters
- Freddie Mercury
- John Deacon
- Roger Meddows-Taylor
- Brian May
- Iain Archer
- Joan Armatrading
- Kevin Ayers
- Badly Drawn Boy
- Amy Winehouse
- James Blunt
- Billy Bragg
- Kate Bush
- Melanie Chisholm
- Brian Molko
- Gary Clark
- Elvis Costello
- Lily Allen
- Robbie Williams
- Beverley Craven
- Gareth Davies
- Sandy Denny
- Donovan Leitch
- Nick Drake
- Marianne Faithfull
- Tom Fox
- Noel Gallagher
- Barry Gibb
- Maurice Gibb
- Robin Gibb
- Charlotte Gordon Cumming
- David Gray
- Alistair Griffin
- Matt Hales
- Pete Ham
- Ed Harcourt
- Nick Harper
- PJ Harvey
- George Harrison
- Imogen Heap
- Boo Hewerdine
- Robyn Hitchcock
- Elton John
- Matt Johnson
- Wizz Jones
- Jim King
- Adam Leonard
- Johnny Marr
- Ewan MacColl
- Kirsty MacColl
- John Martyn
- Shelagh McDonald
- Tom McRae
- Ralph McTell
- James Morrison
- Morrissey
- Graham Nash
- Anthony Newley
- Sheila Nicholls
- Siobhan Donaghy
- Heather Nova
- Ivor Novello
- Beth Orton
- Alex Parks
- Karen Poole
- Shelly Poole
- Mal Pope
- Gerry Rafferty
- Ricky Ross
- Labi Siffre
- Lucie Silvas
- David Sneddon
- Cat Stevens
- Al Stewart
- Richard Thompson
- Steve Knightley
- Tanita Tikaram
- KT Tunstall
- Judie Tzuke
- Clifford T. Ward
- Roy Wood
- Charlie Landsborough
- Rod Stewart
- Adele
- Astronaut Jones
- A Fine Frenzy
- David Ackles
- Ryan Adams
- Peter Alsop
- Tori Amos
- Eric Andersen
- Theresa Andersson
- John Austin
- Joseph Arthur
- Patti Austin
- Hoyt Axton
- Joan Baez
- David M. Bailey
- Devendra Banhart
- Victoria Banks
- David Bazan
- Samm Bennett
- Norman Blake
- Karl Blau
- Matraca Berg
- Michael Bowers
- Ralston Bowles
- Holly Brook
- Jackson Browne
- Jeff Buckley
- Tim Buckley
- Colbie Caillat
- Vanessa Carlton
- Mary-Chapin Carpenter
- Beth Nielsen Chapman
- Tracy Chapman
- Gene Clark
- Guy Clark
- Kurt Cobain
- Marc Cohn
- Paula Cole
- Matt Costa
- Jim Croce
- Catie Curtis
- Harry Chapin
- Guy Clark
- David Crosby
- Christopher Cross
- Bobbie Cryner
- John Denver
- Lynsey De Paul
- Ani DiFranco
- Gregory Douglass
- Mike Doughty
- Plunkett
- Bob Dylan
- Kate Earl
- Steve Earle
- Danny Elfman
- Richard Fariña
- Dan Fefferman
- Roberta Flack
- Chris Flemmons
- Dan Fogelberg
- Jon Foreman
- Tim Foreman
- The John Francis
- Jackson C. Frank
- Dean Friedman
- Lefty Frizzell
- John Frusciante
- Gordon Gano
- Steve Goodman
- John Gorka
- Benjamin Gibbard
- Patty Griffin
- Arlo Guthrie
- Woody Guthrie
- Gwendolyn
- Tom T. Hall
- Tim Hardin
- Bill Harley
- Beth Hart
- John Hartford
- Ted Hawkins
- Don Henley
- Ari Hest
- John Hiatt
- Will Hoge
- Janis Ian
- David Ippolito
- Nikki Jean
- Stephan Jenkins
- Jewel
- Lucy Kaplansky
- Robert Earl Keen
- Anthony Kiedis
- Carole King
- Kris Kristofferson
- Patty Larkin
- Ray LaMontagne
- Amos Lee
- Tom Lehrer
- Adam Leonard
- Jared Leto
- David Levin
- Blake Lewis
- Bob Lind
- Laura Love
- Lyle Lovett
- Bill Madden
- Sananda Maitreya
- David Mallett
- Nanette Maxine
- Country Joe McDonald
- Bonnie McKee
- Don McLean
- Pamela McNeill
- Michael J. Merenda, Jr.
- Stephin Merritt
- Steve Millar
- Anais Mitchell
- Dawn Xiana Moon
- Rachael Yamagata
- Tristan Prettyman
- Anna Nalick
- Matt Nathanson
- Holly Near
- Fred Neil
- Willie Nelson
- Yvette Nelson
- Mickey Newbury
- Carrie Newcomer
- Randy Newman
- Joanna Newsom
- Willie Nile
- Harry Nilsson
- Keri Noble
- Laura Nyro
- Conor Oberst
- Phil Ochs
- Will Oldham
- Jim Page
- David Paich
- Mike Patton
- Ellis Paul
- Tom Paxton
- Sarah Pedinotti
- Kelly Joe Phelps
- Glen Phillips
- Shawn Phillips
- Gene Pitney
- Steve Poltz
- Doc Pomus
- Jimmy Pop
- Dory Previn
- John Prine
- Willis Alan Ramsey
- Ann Reed
- Kim Richey
- Josh Ritter
- Dräco Rosa
- Raina Rose
- Ryan Ross
- Emmy Rossum
- Josh Rouse
- David Rovics
- Peter Rowan
- Todd Rundgren
- Tom Rush
- Tom Russell
- Melanie Safka
- John Sebastian
- Pete Seeger
- Billy Joe Shaver
- Duncan Sheik
- Michelle Shocked
- Paul Siebel
- Carly Simon
- Paul Simon
- Megan Slankard
- Elliott Smith
- Robbie Smith
- Jill Sobule
- Soraya
- Stephen Stills
- Sufjan Stevens
- John Stewart
- Wynn Stewart
- Gene Summers
- Matthew Sweet
- Michael Sweet
- Courtney Taylor-Taylor
- James Taylor
- Livingston Taylor
- Jack Tempchin
- Vienna Teng
- Townes Van Zandt
- Stoll Vaughan
- Suzanne Vega
- Laura Veirs
- Diane Warren
- Rufus Wainwright
- Jerry Jeff Walker
- Karl Wallinger
- Linda Waterfall
- Crystal Waters
- Gerard Way
- Cheryl Wheeler
- Brooke White
- Dar Williams
- Don Williams
- Hayley Williams
- Keller Williams
- Bobby Womack
- Juliet Wyers
- Gary York
- Steve Young
- 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
- Nelly Furtado
- Daniel Lanois
- Avril Lavigne
- Alanis Morissette
- Alannah Myles
- Carl Newman
- Robbie Robertson
- Buffy Sainte-Marie
- Skye Sweetnam
- Shania Twain
- YUI
- Aiko
- Cocco
- Masaharu Fukuyama
- Ayumi Hamasaki
- 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
- 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
- Kate Nash
- James Blunt
- David Bowie
- 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
- Siobhan Donaghy
- Tom Fox
- Liam & Noel Gallagher
- Gary Glitter
- Roy Harper
- MJ Hibbett
- Ian Hunter
- Imogen Heap
- Mick Jagger
- Jem
- Matt Johnson
- Mick Jones
- Jim King
- John Lennon
- Gary Lightbody
- Paddy McAloon
- Bill Owen
- Elton John
- David Knopfler
- Mark Knopfler
- Steve Marriott
- Paul McCartney
- George Michael
- Jim Noir
- Keith Richards
- Ringo Starr
- Al Stewart
- Sugababes
- Sting
- Joss Stone
- 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
- Plunkett
- Tom Vek
- Gary Barlow
- Mark Owen
- Pete Doherty
- Roger Waters
- George Harrison
- David Gilmour
- Richard Wright
- Ian Anderson
- Peter Gabriel
- Phil Collins
- Fiona Apple
- Billie Joe Armstrong
- Brandy
- Brandon Boyd
- Don Henley
- Michael Andrews
- Glenn Frey
- Joe Walsh
- Bernie Leadon
- Randy Meisner
- Don Felder
- Timothy B. Schmit
- Jon Bon Jovi
- Ryan Adams
- Ken Andrews
- Tori Amos
- Babyface
- Burt Bacharach: only quite secondarily a performer, but he does perform
- Sara Bareilles
- Beck
- Chuck Berry
- Mike Bloomfield
- Michael Bolton
- Michael Bowers
- Ralston Bowles
- Michelle Branch
- Garth Brooks
- Jonathan Byrd
- Levon Helm
- Paul Butterfield
- David Byrne
- Ryan Cabrera
- J. J. Cale
- Mariah Carey
- Vanessa Carlton
- Neko Case
- Johnny Cash
- Kelly Clarkson
- Roger Clyne: from Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers
- Kurt Cobain
- Chris Cornell
- Sheryl Crow
- Rodney Crowell
- Rivers Cuomo
- Neil Diamond
- Bo Diddley
- Haylie Duff
- Hilary Duff
- Sean Duffy
- Steve Earle
- Gloria Estefan
- John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
- John Fogerty (from Creedence Clearwater Revival)
- Ben Folds
- The John Francis
- David Gates
- John Gorka
- Amy Grant
- Jessica Harp
- Ben Harper
- Emmylou Harris
- Sophie B. Hawkins
- Mark Heard
- Jimi Hendrix
- James Hetfield
- Lauryn Hill
- Tyler Hilton
- Buddy Holly
- Robert Hunter: only quite secondarily a performer, but he does perform
- Alan Jackson
- Michael Jackson
- Billy Joel
- Jack Johnson
- Robert Johnson
- Nicholas Jonas (Jonas Brothers)
- Norah Jones
- Rickie Lee Jones
- Janis Joplin
- R. Kelly
- Maynard James Keenan
- Doug Kershaw
- Alicia Keys
- Beyoncé Knowles
- Mark Lanegan: best known as lead singer of the Screaming Trees
- Lead Belly: part of the transition from folk music in the narrow sense to the singer-songwriter tradition
- Ray LaMontagne
- Avril Lavigne
- Amos Lee
- Amy Lee
- Jared Leto
- Philip Lindholm
- Lisa Loeb
- Kenny Loggins
- John Linnell (They Might Be Giants)
- Loretta Lynn
- Madonna
- Mama Cass
- Jeff Mangum (from Neutral Milk Hotel)
- Barry Manilow
- Aimee Mann
- Marce
- Chan Marshall
- Dave Matthews
- John Mayer
- Michael McDonald
- Edwin McCain
- Reba McEntire
- Travis Meeks
- John Mellencamp
- AJ Michalka
- Ingrid Michaelson
- Rhett Miller
- Roger Miller
- Anais Mitchell
- Freddy Moore
- Mandy Moore
- Jim Morrison
- Jason Mraz
- Peter Mulvey
- Elliott Murphy
- Anna Nalick
- Willie Nelson
- Michael Nesmith
- Mike Ness
- Keri Noble
- Ne-Yo
- Stevie Nicks
- Ted Nugent
- Conor Oberst
- Roy Orbison
- Joan Osborne
- Buck Owens
- David Paich
- Sarah Perrotta
- Linda Perry
- Pierce Pettis
- Tom Petty
- Liz Phair
- Prince
- Eddie Rabbitt
- Bonnie Raitt
- Rakim
- Lou Reed
- Trent Reznor
- Kenny Rogers
- Axl Rose (from Guns N' Roses)
- John Rzeznik (from the Goo Goo Dolls)
- Richard Shindell
- Bob Seger
- Helen Slater
- Michael W. Smith
- Patti Smith
- J.D. Souther
- Bruce Springsteen
- Michael Stone[2]
- Gene Summers (Rockabilly HOF Inductee, 1997) [3]
- Michael Sweet [4]
- Taylor Swift
- James Taylor
- Justin Timberlake
- Jeff Tweedy
- Steven Tyler
- Suzanne Vega
- Jason Wade (from the band Lifehouse)
- Tom Waits
- Crystal Waters
- Paul Westerberg (from The Replacements)
- Jack White
- David Wilcox
- Brooks Williams
- Hayley Williams
- Hank Williams
- Jim Williams
- Brian Wilson
- Stevie Wonder
- Cheryl Wheeler
- "Weird Al" Yankovic
- Dwight Yoakam
- Warren Zevon
- Ace Enders
- Howie Day
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.)
- 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.)