My 30 Favorite Male Singer-Songwriters

Chris Cornell

The late Chris Cornell was a solo artist and the lead singer for Soundgarden, Audioslave, and (short-lived) Temple of the Dog. He was a gifted musician who struggled with depression and took his own life. Here are two of my favorite songs of his, one he released solo and the other with Soundgarden.

Every time I stare into the sun
Trying to find a reason to go on
All I ever get is burned and blind
Until the sky bleeds the pouring rain

When you came along the time was right
Pulled me like an apple red and ripe
Wasn’t very long you took a bite
And did me wrong, and it serves me right

Corey Taylor

Lead singer of bands Stone Sour (rock) and Slipknot (metal), Corey Taylor also has a solo career. He’s a talented songwriter with lyrics that are smart and meaningful. Check out his song “Bother,” which he later released with Stone Sour.

With Stone Sour, Corey wrote (along with other band members, Shawn Economaki, Josh Rand, and Jim Root), recorded, and released “Through Glass.”

I’m looking at you through the glass
Don’t know how much time has passed
Oh God, it feels like forever
But no one ever tells you that forever feels like home
Sitting all alone inside your head

And despite Slipknot being primarily a metal band, they released a slow song “Snuff” penned by Taylor (some websites also list songwriting credits for band members Craig Jones, Joey Jordison, Paul Gray, James Root, Mickael Thomson, Michael Shawn Crahan, Sidney Wilson, and Christopher Fehn). He’s been known to sing it on his own with an acoustic guitar, which is what I link to above. Honestly, I never thought it fit with other Slipknot songs (“Psychosocial” “Dead Memories,” and “Duality” to name a few) and felt like it should have been released as a solo song or with Stone Sour.

Bury all your secrets in my skin
Come away with innocence, and leave me with my sins
The air around me still feels like a cage
And love is just a camouflage for what resembles rage again

So, if you love me, let me go
And run away before I know
My heart is just too dark to care
I can’t destroy what isn’t there

Daniel Johns

As a young teen in the mid-1990s, I adored the Australian rock band Silverchair, fronted by Daniel Johns. He has a distinctive voice and piercing blue eyes. I’ll admit, I had a major crush on him. I would listen to their albums on repeat, and most people will recognize the song “Tomorrow” from their first album. Here are a couple of other notable songs I liked, written by Johns.

“Abuse Me” from their second album.

Well I don’t think you like me
Well I hate you as well
No one seems to like you
Wish I couldn’t tell

C’mon abuse me more I like it
C’mon keep talking ’cause it’s true

“Miss You Love” from their third album.

I love the way you love
But I hate the way
I’m supposed to love you back
It’s just a fad
Part of the, teen, teenage angst brigade and

I’m not, not sure
Not too sure how it feels
To handle everyday

Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl is a rockstar, a badass, and an overall nice guy from what I’ve heard about him. He was the drummer for Nirvana and later formed Foo Fighters. He originally wrote, recorded, and played all the instruments himself to release the first self-titled album. They played in Northwest Arkansas during the summer of 2023, but I wasn’t able to get tickets since they sold out so quickly.

“I’ll Stick Around” from the first album.

I thought I knew all it took to bother you
Every word I said was true, that you’ll see
How could it be I’m the only one who sees
Your rehearsed insanity? Yeah

I still refused all the methods you abuse
It’s alright if you’re confused, let me be
I’ve been around all the pawns you’ve gagged and bound
They’ll come back and knock you down and I’ll be free

One last thing before I quit
I never wanted any more
Than I could fit into my head
I still remember every single word you said
And all the shit that somehow came along with it
Still, there’s one thing that comforts me
Since I was always caged and now I’m free

Don’t wanna be your monkey wrench

David Draiman

I had the privilege of meeting David Draiman along with, guitarist Dan Donegan, and bassist John Moyer at the Disturbed concert in Kansas City on January 23, 2019. Drummer Mike Wengren was recovering from the flu, so he didn’t meet fans but still played a great show. They have awesome songs and have done a couple of covers I like better than the original releases of the songs.

My favorite Disturbed song is “Prayer” written by Draiman with Donegan, Wengren, and former band member Steve Kmak.

Another truth you can never believe
Has crippled you completely
All the cries you’re beginning to hear
Trapped in your mind, and the sound is deafening

Let me enlighten you
This is the way I pray

Living just isn’t hard enough
Burn me alive inside

A close second is “A Reason to Fight,” written by Draiman, with Donegan, Wegren, and Kevin Churko.

I won’t give up so don’t give in
You’ve fallen down but you can rise again
So don’t give up

When the demon that’s inside you is ready to begin
And it feels like it’s a battle that you will never win
When you’re aching for the fire and begging for your sin
When there’s nothing left inside, there’s still a reason to fight

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is a quirky redhead who knows how to write a pop song. Like Taylor Swift on my female singer-songwriter list, Sheeran has been sued for copyright infringement and won the case or had it dismissed.

I love “Afterglow” the most, written by Sheeran with David Hodges and Fred Gibson.

Stop the clocks, it’s amazing
You should see the way the light dances off your head
A million colours of hazel, golden and red
Saturday morning is fading
The sun’s reflected by the coffee in your hand
My eyes are caught in your gaze all over again

And “Thinking Out Loud,” is great too, written by Sheeran with Amy Wadge.

So honey now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I’m thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are

Be sure to check out his songs “Castle on the Hill” and “Photograph” as well.

Eddie Vedder

Eddie Vedder is among the last of the grunge greats coming out of Washington State and the Seattle area. The lead singer of Pearl Jam wrote a lot of songs for their albums, including “Alive” and the powerful and controversial “Jeremy,” but these two are my favorites.

“Better Man”

Waitin’, watchin’ the clock it’s four o’clock, it’s got to stop
Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech
As he opens the door, she rolls over
Pretends to sleep as he looks her over

She lies and says she’s in love with him
Can’t find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can’t find a better man

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCain is known for his performance of  “I Could Not Ask For More,” written by Diane Warren, but he also penned one of my favorite songs, “I’ll Be,” which is also my character Layne’s favorite song in my novel Jordan’s Sister. In fact, Layne performs the song for Taylor in a karaoke bar on 90s night.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky
Never revealing their depth

And tell me that we belong together
And dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated, I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

Another great love song of he wrote with Larry Cheney is “Couldn’t Love You More.”

And they said I couldn’t love you and that it would never last
He’s just a crazy boy just look at his past
And they said I couldn’t love you but that was just a lie
I couldn’t love you more if I tried

I was the lucky one, the one having all the fun
Running into the sun, the party never ends
You waited there for me so loving and patiently
Shutting out sad words from your friends

Elton John

Elton John is in a class all his own. From his music to his flamboyant costumes, he draws a lot of attention to himself. He’s known for many hit songs, including “Bennie and the Jets” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

I particularly enjoy “Candle in the Wind,” originally written by John with Bernie Taupin about the death of Marilyn Monroe and later reworked after the death of Princess Diana.

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in

And I would’ve liked to known you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did

And “Tiny Dancer” is a fun song too.

But oh, how it feels so real
Lying here, with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly

Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

Gavin Rossdale

As the lead singer of Bush, Gavin Rossdale wrote their hit song “Glycerine.” He also had a solo album that included one of my favorites of his, “Love Remains the Same,” co-written with Martin Frederiksen.

I never thought that I
Had any more to give
Pushing me so far
Here I am without you

Drink to all that we have lost
Mistakes we have made
Everything will change
But love remains the same

I really enjoy “Comedown” which Rossdale wrote and performed with Bush. I got to see Bush in concert in 2019.

No one knows, never will
Mostly me, but mostly you
What do you say, do you do
When it all comes down?

‘Cause I don’t want to come back down from this cloud
It’s taken me all this time to find out what I need again
I don’t want to come back down from this cloud
It’s taken me all this, all this time

James Taylor

James Taylor is an iconic folk singer who came into the music scene in the late 1960s. He sang some covers, including “You’ve Got a Friend” and also wrote his own own material. His song “Fire and Rain” is probably the most recognizable, and it’s also my favorite and another song mentioned in Jordan’s Sister. He wrote it after a childhood friend, Suzanne, died by suicide.

Just yesterday mornin’, they let me know you were gone
Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can’t remember who to send it to

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I’d see you again

Jared Leto

Jared Leto is an actor I first watched on the television show My So-Called Life when I was a teenager. He sang a bit on the show and later had several higher-profile acting roles before forming a band Thirty Seconds to Mars with his brother Shannon Leto. I got to see the band in concert in 2018 and recorded them performing one of their most popular releases, “The Kill.” And damn, is that man pretty (even if he dresses a bit weird). The band’s music started off hard rock and has evolved a bit with their latest album, which includes the song “Seasons.” I love the song, but if I hadn’t seen the live performance, I wouldn’t have believed it was Jared singing since it sounds so different from the first album. Jared wrote the song with Shannon plus Connor McDonough, Johnny Goldstein and Riley McDonough. The lyrics have a reference to another great song of theirs, “A Beautiful Lie.”

People, they come, and people, they go
When the leaves change and the colors they show
Can you hold on through the seasons?
Through the seasons, oh

Through every high and through every low
A beautiful lie, it never gets old
Can you hold on through the seasons?
Through the seasons, oh

Jason Wade

Jason Wade is the lead singer and songwriter for the band Lifehouse, and he has also released solo material. With the exception of some experimental techno-type music he’s released, I’ve loved all his songs. I got to see Lifehouse in concert in 2017 (in front row seats) and recorded performances of “Hanging by a Moment,” “Sick-Cycle Carousel,” and “You and Me,” which are among the band’s most recognizable songs. “You and Me” was on my wedding playlist.

Unfortunately, my favorite song from their first album, “Breathing,” written by Wade with Ron Aniello wasn’t on the setlist.

I’m finding my way back to sanity again
Though I don’t really know what I’m gonna do when I get there
I take a breath and hold on tight
Spin around one more time
And gracefully fall back to the arms of grace

‘Cause I am hanging on every word you’re saying
Even if you don’t wanna speak tonight
That’s alright, alright with me

I also really love Jason’s solo release, “Stretch.”

I’m so lost inside that smile
That I saw on your face today
I’m laying in bed and your face is all I can see
That smile’s gonna be the end of me

Let’s take turns falling asleep and watch each other dream
Or try our very best to stay awake
If tomorrow’s gonna try and take you from me
Let’s stretch the hours until daybreak

Jonathan Davis

The lead singer of the heavy metal band Korn also has solo material he’s written. He’s an interesting character who is hardcore, yet plays the bagpipes. So he’s a metal badass nerd, and I love that.

I’ve always liked “Shoots and Ladders,” but the lyrics in “Blind” really speak to me. It was written by Davis with Brian Welch, David Silveria, Dennis Shinn, James Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, and Ryan Shuck.

John Lennon

After writing and performing songs like “In My Life,” with Paul McCartney in The Beatles, Lennon went on to have a successful solo career and died tragically in 1980 at only 40 years old when he was shot by a deranged fan. Below are my two favorites of his solo releases.

“Imagine”

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky

Imagine all the people
Livin’ for today

“Jealous Guy”

I was feeling insecure
You might not love me anymore
I was shivering inside
I was shivering inside

Oh I didn’t mean to hurt you
I’m sorry that I made you cry
Oh my I didn’t want to hurt you
I’m just a jealous guy

Jon Bon Jovi

Among the 1980s hair bands, Bon Jovi always stood out to me because I remember my older cousins watching the band on MTV at our grandmother’s house. Of course, because of that early exposure, I love the band’s signature song, “Livin’ On a Prayer” written by Jon with bandmate Richie Sambora and songwriter-producer Desmond Child.

She says, “We’ve gotta hold on to what we’ve got
It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not
We’ve got each other and that’s a lot for love
We’ll give it a shot”

Whoa, we’re halfway there
Whoa oh, livin’ on a prayer
Take my hand, we’ll make it, I swear
Whoa oh, livin’ on a prayer

I adore their slower song, “Always,” written by Jon for a film soundtrack, but held back because the movie was “terrible” according to Jon.

Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye
What I’d give to run my fingers through your hair
To touch your lips, to hold you near
When you say your prayers, try to understand
I’ve made mistakes, I’m just a man

Kurt Cobain

No one wrote lyrics quite like the late Kurt Cobain, who was the lead singer of grunge band Nirvana. Some of his lyrics were strange, but they always worked. One of my favorite songs penned by Cobain is “Pennyroyal Tea,” and his solo performance of it for MTV Unplugged was amazing.

I’m so tired I can’t sleep
I’m a liar and a thief
Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
I’m anemic royalty

I’m on warm milk and laxatives
Cherry-flavored antacids

Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that’s inside of me

And “Lithium,” of course.

I’m so happy ’cause today I found my friends
They’re in my head
I’m so ugly, that’s okay, ’cause so are you
Broke our mirrors
Sunday morning is every day, for all I care
And I’m not scared
Light my candles in a daze
‘Cause I’ve found God

Layne Staley & Jerry Cantrell (tie)

The late lead co-lead singer of Alice and Chains, Layne Staley, was a gifted singer and lyricist. His name was the inspiration for the character of Layne in my novel Jordan’s Sister. The band’s MTV Unplugged performance of “Nutshell” was incredible, and raw with Staley’s vocals capturing the pain of the song. Staley wrote the lyrics, and the music was composed by bandmates Mike Inez, Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney.

We chase misprinted lies
We face the path of time
And yet I fight, and yet I fight
This battle all alone
No one to cry to
No place to call home

Lead guitarist and co-lead singer Jerry Cantrell wrote lyrics and music for “Heaven Beside You” with Inez. Cantrell sang lead vocals with Staley harmonizing. The two guys singing together and sharing songwriting duties made the band what it was, which was great. The band still exists, but it just isn’t the same without Layne.

Like the coldest winter will
Heaven beside you, hell within
And you think you have it still
Heaven inside you

So there’s problems in your life
That’s fucked up, and I’m not blind
I’m just see through faded, super jaded
And out of my mind

Michael Stipe

Michael Stipe is the lead singer of the alternative rock band R.E.M. that went on an indefinite hiatus in 2011. He’s a slight and soft-spoken man with an expressive voice. They came onto my radar in the early 1990s, and I’ll never forget hearing their song, “Losing My Religion” in the background of an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. The song was powerful and hit me hard, even as a child, and I still love the song. It’s on my honorable mentions list for favorite songs. Stipe wrote the song with bandmates Peter Buck, Mike E. Mills, and Bill Berry.

That’s me in the corner
That’s me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don’t know if I can do it
Oh no I’ve said too much
I haven’t said enough

And of course, there’s “Everybody Hurts” from their eighth studio album, written by the band.

When your day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
Of this life, well hang on

Don’t let yourself go
‘Cause everybody cries
Everybody hurts sometimes

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney wrote many of The Beatles’ hit songs along with John Lennon before also going on to a successful solo career. I especially love “Blackbird,” which McCartney wrote with some contributions from Lennon.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Another great one written mostly by McCarney with help from Lennon was “Yesterday.”

Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Suddenly
I’m not half the man I used to be
There’s a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly

Prince

Prince is another artist who is in a class by himself. When he died prematurely at age 57, he left behind a vast back catalog of songs. Some of his songs became famous after being covered by other artists, like “Manic Monday” and “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Fortunately, he wrote and recorded several iconic ones, including “Purple Rain,” from a (terrible) movie of the same name.

I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted one time to see you laughing

I only wanted to see you
Laughing in the purple rain

Purple rain, purple rain
I only want to see you
Laughing in the purple rain

I really love “When Doves Cry” as well from the lyrics to the music.

Maybe I’m just too demanding
Maybe I’m just like my father, too bold
Maybe you’re just like my mother
She’s never satisfied (she’s never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry

Robb McCormick

Robb McCormick plays original folk-rock music all over, but he’s based in the Russellville, Arkansas, area near where I live. I first heard him at the now-defunct downtown Russellville coffeehouse called Higher Grounds. As a college freshman in fall 1999, I went through a lot of shit, and Robb’s music was there for me then and still resonates with me now. His song, “Hard to be a Saint (1999),” is one of my top 10 favorites. Note: Any mistakes in the lyrics are unintentional, as I transcribed them myself.

You don’t have to hide yourself from me
You don’t have to find someone to be
You don’t have to show me who you are
Where you’re going
Or even where you came from

Another room
Another dance
Another backward circumstance

Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas has done some solo work, but he’s most known for being the lead singer and songwriter for Matchbox 20. I loved their song, “Push” when it came out, but a couple of other songs are really great too, like “Unwell.”

Scott Stapp

The lead singer of Creed is probably hated just a bit more than Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, since he’s got a reputation for being a total asshole. But I love Creed’s songs, written by Stapp with music by bandmate Mark Tremonti. My favorite song of theirs is “Higher,” which is #9 on my top 10 favorite songs list.

When dreaming I’m guided to another world
Time and time again
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep
‘Cause I don’t wanna leave the comfort of this place
‘Cause there’s a hunger, a longing to escape
From the life I live when I’m awake
So let’s go there
Let’s make our escape

Another standout is “My Own Prison,” written by Stapp and Tremonti.

Court is in session, a verdict is in
No appeal on the docket today just my own sin
The walls cold and pale, the cage made of steel
Screams fill the room, alone I drop and kneel
Silence now the sound, my breath the only motion around
Demons cluttering around, my face showing no emotion
Shackled by my sentence, expecting no return
Here there is no penance, my skin begins to burn

Shaun Morgan

Shaun Morgan is the lead singer of South African rock band Seether. I love their songs like “Gasoline,” “Fine Again,” and “Fake It.” Their song “Broken,” is one of my favorites, especially the duet version released with Amy Lee of Evanescence. That version of the song played at my wedding while Jonathan and I lit our unity candle. It was written by Morgan with bandmate Dale Stewart.

I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I want to hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph, and I know it serves me well
I want to hold you high and steal your pain

‘Cause I’m broken when I’m lonesome
And I don’t feel right when you’ve gone away
You’ve gone away
You don’t feel me here anymore

“Sympathetic” is another great song, written by the duo.

And my words will be here when I’m gone
As I’m fading away against the wind
And the words you left me linger on
As I’m failing again now, never to change this

And I’m sympathetic
Never letting on I feel the way I do
And I’m falling apart again at the seam

Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor is the lead singer and composer for Nine Inch Inch Nails, a hard rock band that likes to use a lot of industrial or electronic elements to play with their sound. They also don’t shy away from controversy, like with the song “Closer.” Reznor wrote and recorded the song “Hurt,” which was later recorded by Johnny Cash. While I like Cash’s version just a bit more, that’s not to discount how amazing the song is the way Trent sang it first—broken and raw. The lyrics are incredible.

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel, I
Focus on the pain
The only thing that’s real

The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

My second favorite of Reznor’s songs with NIN is one he’s said he doesn’t care for as much as his other work, “The Perfect Drug.” It was composed for a movie soundtrack,  The Lost Highway, which I didn’t care for.

I’ve got my head, but my head is unraveling
Can’t keep control; can’t keep track of where it’s traveling
I’ve got my heart, but my heart is no good
And you’re the only one that’s understood

I come along, but I don’t know where you’re taking me
I shouldn’t go, but you’re wrenching, dragging, shaking me
Turn off the sun; pull the stars from the sky
The more I give to you, the more I die

Honorable Mentions

Here are the male singer-songwriters who didn’t quite make my top 30 favorites. These are also in alphabetical order by first name (or by band name if all members sing).

Adam Duritz, Adam Levine, Anthony Kiedis, Art Alexakis, Austin John Winkler, Axl Rose, Beck, Ben Folds, Ben Rector, Benjamin Burley, Billie Joe Armstrong, Billy Corgan, Billy Idol, Billy Joel
, Bono, Brad Arnold, Brandon Boyd, Brent Smith, Brett Emmons, Brian Fennell
, Brian Vander Ark, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Buddy Holly, Cat Stevens, Chester Bennington, Chino Moreno, Chris Isaak
, Chris Martin, Darius Rucker, Dave Matthews, Dave Pirner, David Bowie, Dexter Holland, Don Henley, Don McLean, Ed Kowalczyk, Ed Roland, Eric Clapton, Eminem, Fred Durst, Glenn Frey, Gotye, Hanson brothers (Isaac, Taylor, Zac), Harry Styles, Howie Day, Isaac Slade, Ivan Moody, Jackson Browne, Jakob Dylan, James Arthur, James Bay, James Hetfield, Jamie Walters, Jason Isbell, Jason Mraz
, Jesse McCartney, Jim Morrison, John Denver, John Legend, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, John Rzeznik, Johnny Cash, Jon Foreman, Jonny Lang, Joseph Arthur, Josey Scott, Justin Timberlake, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Kevin Martin, Kid Rock, Leonard Cohen, Mark Arm, Mark Foster, Mark Tremonti, Matt Nathanson, Matt Walst, Matthew Scannell, Maynard James Keenan, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Mike Shinoda, Myles Kennedy, Neil Diamond, Niall Horan, Nick Jonas, Ozzy Osbourne, Pat Monahan, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Raine Maida, Rick Springfield, Ritchie Valens, Ryan Adams, Ryan Cabrera, Ryan Taylor, Scott Weiland, Sean Danielsen, Shannon Hoon, Shawn Mendez, Shawn Mullins, Stephan Jenkins, Steven Tyler, Sting, Sully Erna, Tom Morello, Tom Petty, Tyler Connolly, Weird Al Yankovic, Wes Scantlin, Will Smith, and Willie Nelson.

Is there someone I missed?

Is there a male singer-songwriter you love who’s not included in my post? Let me know in the comments so I can check out some more music.

Thanks for reading,
Brandi Easterling Collins

All song lyrics belong to their respective copyright holders. 

Image by storyset on Freepik