Best AOR Songwriters

[Guest bigdctherock]

I was thinking the other day about how we always discuss the best of the best in AOR with bands, singers, albums, sons, etc., but I've never seen people discuss the songwriters before and it got me wondering who the best are. The ones who are among my favorites are:

 

Mark Spiro

Bob Marlette

Jim Peterik/Frankie Sullivan

Holly Knight

Jonathan Cain/Steve Perry/Neal Schon

Mick Jones/Lou Gramm

David Paich

Bruce Gaitsch

Richard Marx

Van Stephenson

Bryan Adams/Jim Vallance

Robert Sall

 

Any others that you guys think are as good or better?

[martinsane]

Butch Walker comes to mind, even though his musical path is questionable at times the boy can write an anthem like no other...

[Glen]

Martin Bros.

[The Rocker]

Desmond Childs

Diane Warren

[Nightrain]

Blades/Keagy

Dann Huff

Harry Hess/Pete Lesperance

James Christian

John Wetton/Geoff Downes

Jon Bon Jovi

Kevin Cronin

Michael Voss

Robby Valentine

Robert Mutt Lange

Steve Newman

 

and this one maybe out of place, but Tobias Sammett did write lots of great ballads that could fit into an AOR album

[melodicrockoz]

Jean Beauvoir,

Erik Martensen,

Anders Wikstrom

[Nick C]

John Waite

[Swazi]

Jim Jidhed

[melodicrockoz]

Let's not get Steve Harris (R.I.P) of SHY.

 

Also Stephen Kaemmerer & Robert Boebel.

[Ytseman]

Clif Magness

Bob Halliagn Jnr.

John Elefante

[JamesEagle]

Hmm ... I wonder if this thread is going to end up as a list of pretty much all AOR songwriters...

[Captain Howdy]

At the end of the day its quite simple, the reason nobody talks about who are the best writers is that everytime someone says they love a song or an album, its a statement that the writing is great.

Everyone knows that the likes of Child, Vallance and Knight etc are great writers, thats why its their chosen job.

 

If you dont like the writing, then theres very little chance that you will like a song or album.

 

Every great song writer has off days, just as every mediocre song writer has their odd moment of greatness.

 

As James says, this list will probably end up listing everyone, because everyone has their favourites.

[The Rocker]

At the end of the day its quite simple, the reason nobody talks about who are the best writers is that everytime someone says they love a song or an album, its a statement that the writing is great.

Everyone knows that the likes of Child, Vallance and Knight etc are great writers, thats why its their chosen job.

 

If you dont like the writing, then theres very little chance that you will like a song or album.

 

Every great song writer has off days, just as every mediocre song writer has their odd moment of greatness.

 

As James says, this list will probably end up listing everyone, because everyone has their favourites.

So true!

[Swazi]

At the end of the day its quite simple, the reason nobody talks about who are the best writers is that everytime someone says they love a song or an album, its a statement that the writing is great.

Everyone knows that the likes of Child, Vallance and Knight etc are great writers, thats why its their chosen job.

 

If you dont like the writing, then theres very little chance that you will like a song or album.

 

Every great song writer has off days, just as every mediocre song writer has their odd moment of greatness.

 

As James says, this list will probably end up listing everyone, because everyone has their favourites.

So true!

 

Yep, that's quite true. Therefore I am adding Tim Feehan ......

[crazynights]

I add name not yet mentioned:

Taylor Rhodes,Dave Meniketti,Robert White Johnson,Joey Tempest,Jani Lane,Todd Cerney,Mark Baker,Mike Slamer,James Cristian,Greg Giuffria.Jack Ponti,Stan Bush,Jeff Paris,Kip Winger,Paul Taylor,Philip Kennemore,Danny Vaughn.Anders Wikstrom,Mats Leven.

[JamesEagle]

I add name not yet mentioned:

Taylor Rhodes,Dave Meniketti,Robert White Johnson,Joey Tempest,Jani Lane,Todd Cerney,Mark Baker,Mike Slamer,James Cristian,Greg Giuffria.Jack Ponti,Stan Bush,Jeff Paris,Kip Winger,Paul Taylor,Philip Kennemore,Danny Vaughn.Anders Wikstrom,Mats Leven.

 

...as if to prove my theory!

[Glen]

I add name not yet mentioned:

Taylor Rhodes,Dave Meniketti,Robert White Johnson,Joey Tempest,Jani Lane,Todd Cerney,Mark Baker,Mike Slamer,James Cristian,Greg Giuffria.Jack Ponti,Stan Bush,Jeff Paris,Kip Winger,Paul Taylor,Philip Kennemore,Danny Vaughn.Anders Wikstrom,Mats Leven.

 

...as if to prove my theory!

 

Well I only named 2 & they are better than all that lot IMO as we will find out with the release of the sophomore Vega album this year

[Swazi]

as we will find out with the release of the sophomore Vega album this year

 

REALLY looking forward to that one !!

[martinsane]

Butch Walker comes to mind, even though his musical path is questionable at times the boy can write an anthem like no other...

 

To add to Butch, Me thinks that Chip Z Nuff & Donnie Vie are/or should be considered icons when it comes to writing some the best music in the history of music!

[Leykis101]

Fee Waybill\Bill Spooner

[Captain Howdy]

I add name not yet mentioned:

Taylor Rhodes,Dave Meniketti,Robert White Johnson,Joey Tempest,Jani Lane,Todd Cerney,Mark Baker,Mike Slamer,James Cristian,Greg Giuffria.Jack Ponti,Stan Bush,Jeff Paris,Kip Winger,Paul Taylor,Philip Kennemore,Danny Vaughn.Anders Wikstrom,Mats Leven.

 

...as if to prove my theory!

and on and on it goes

[Guest bigdctherock]

I'll admit, when I started this thread, I was kinda hoping for some debating and whatnot. Didn't think we'd all agree with each other lol

[TIM (2)]

Of late it's: Martin Bros, Robert Sall, Erik Martenson. No American's in the list because, despite the fact they still have the best vocalists in the genre, there isn't much U.S AOR doing the rounds anymore...

[Geoff]

Erik Martenson

I do agree, but I had a little giggle to myself as I realised that the weakest song on the new Issa album ('Too late') came from his pen. Man that surprised me. It's an unusually weak song from him, and gladly probably just a once off. I agree with some of your thoughts on the Kimball/Jamison disc in that Martenson's tracks are some of the strongest, though. They actually almost sound like Hitchcock leftovers on that disc.

[TIM (2)]

Erik Martenson

I do agree, but I had a little giggle to myself as I realised that the weakest song on the new Issa album ('Too late') came from his pen. Man that surprised me. It's an unusually weak song from him, and gladly probably just a once off. I agree with some of your thoughts on the Kimball/Jamison disc in that Martenson's tracks are some of the strongest, though. They actually almost sound like Hitchcock leftovers on that disc.

 

Yeah he doesn't always write melodic songs (as can be seen by ECLIPSE) and "Too Late" is a heavier-style song I think. Either way, Issa doesn't help the quality of the song with her vocals and the overall sound/production of it...