Now, wait, I know you're thinking "but he wrote ghey songs"...
but in the late 60's and early 70's, with Pet Sounds, and similar projects, in terms of composition, arrangement, and lyrics. Brian Wilson leads the pack.
Hell, even Paul McCartney said he was the greatest songwriter of all time.
Diane Warren. You gotta hand it to her, if there's a horrible Hallmark Moment love song topping the charts, odds are it's one of hers.
Examples:
Aerosmith, "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing"
Mary J. Blige, "Give Me You"
Toni Braxton, "Unbreak My Heart"
Belinda Carlisle, "I Get Weak"
Chicago, "I Don't Want To Live Without Your Love"
Eric Clapton, "Blue Eyes Blue"
Ginuwine, "Superhuman"
Whitney Houston, "I Learned From The Best"
The Jacksons, "Private Affair"
Patti LaBelle, "If You Asked Me To"
Starship, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"
Rod Stewart, "Faith Of My Heart"
TLC, "Come On Down"
My PERSONAL favourite is Steve Harris from Iron Maiden...but you all knew that, didn't ya?
Jeezus, how could I forget Neil Peart from Rush? Man, that dude has written some of the most beautifully intricate songs in the history of progressive rock.
[quote="-=[SlipKnoT]=-":3aba8]i peronaly think eminem is just bloody amazing... and has hudge talent. his mroe serious songs are like poetry not raps.[/quote:3aba8]
Yeah, he does have a LOT of talent. Too bad he sounds like a Bitch when he raps. He might have had some real respect otherwise.
In most unknown cases, rap IS poetry (Try 90% of underground rap - Some beautifully versed raps out there).