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Modern Singer-Songwriter. Whether backed by an orchestra, some modern production or little more than their own acoustic guitar, these wonderful artists are the poets of today.
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter Artist Highlights. Tracy Chapman. Norah Jones. Sinéad O'Connor. Lyle Lovett. David Gray. Sheryl Crow. Rickie Lee Jones. John Mayer.
- Madison Troyer
- Adele. British-born singer-songwriter Adele has managed to become one of the world’s bestselling artists. Her jazzy voice elevates her pop songs from basic to timeless, earning her fans from all generations, and lending weight to her authentic persona.
- Adrianne Lenker. Best known as the vocalist and lead guitarist for the band Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker has found success as both a part of this folk band and as a solo artist.
- Alabama Shakes. Southern rock band Alabama Shakes, led by vocalist Brittany Howard, met in high school in the late ‘00s. Unique both in their sound and in the fact they are a true rock ‘n’ roll band helmed by a woman (a rarity), the group was wildly successful in their early days, earning nine Grammy nominations over the course of five years.
- Alicia Keys. In 2009, Billboard named Alicia Keys as one of the top artists of the ‘00s decade. It was a well-earned honor for one of the most decorated female musicians of all time.
- Kareem Gantt
- Ariana Grande. 12,511 votes. With powerful vocals that allow her to hold her own alongside legends like Aretha Franklin, this pop sensation has achieved great success in a short time span with hits topping charts worldwide.
- Dua Lipa. 8,604 votes. This London-born artist with Kosovar-Albanian roots brings a fresh take on pop, blurring genre lines by infusing elements of electronic, retro, and dance music into her sound.
- Taylor Swift. 9,201 votes. Sensational singer-songwriter known for her catchy melodies and relatable lyrics, she transitioned from country darling to pop superstar seemingly effortlessly.
- Billie Eilish. 11,327 votes. At just 19 years old, this Los Angeles native has redefined pop by defying conventions with her moody, haunting sound and unapologetic image.
- Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance” (dir. Francis Lawrence, 2009) By the time she crawled out of your mom’s Volvo roof box to deliver her first rah-rah-rahs, Lady Gaga had already hosted a poolside orgy, transformed the subway into her debaucherous lair, and sought poisonous revenge on Alexander Skarsgård for throwing her off the edge of a castle.
- Missy Elliott, “Work It” (dir. Dave Meyers, 2002) While most of her contemporaries settled for music videos that made them look tough or sexy, Missy Elliott got strange with hers, and “Work It” is a perfect distillation of her idiosyncratic vision of warped world.
- D’Angelo, “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)” (dir. Paul Hunter, 2000) Naked as the day he was born, save for a gold chain and bracelet, D’Angelo is the entirety of the simple, single-take video for “Untitled.”
- Beyoncé, “Formation” (dir. Melina Matsoukas, 2016) Beyoncé stopped the world for the umpteenth time when she dropped the explosive song and video for “Formation,” just a day before performing the anthem at Super Bowl 50.
Ultimate Singer-Songwriter Playlist. 150+ of the best Singer-Songwriter songs with artists like, City and Colour, Bob Dylan, Hozier, Beck, Bruce Cockburn, John Mayer, George Ezra, Willie Nelson and MANY MORE! Subscribe for more great playlists.
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The confessional intimacy of '70s singer/songwriters has evolved into something more cryptic, artful, and quietly expressive. Guitars have given way to computers, keyboards, and other instruments in the music of Bon Iver, who dresses deeply emotive songs in glitchy electronics, and harpist Joanna Newsom, who sounds Appalachian and avant-garde at the same time.
