Paul McCartney Reveals His 10 Greatest Songwriters of All Time – From Lennon to Brian Wilson

Sir Paul McCartney, one of the most celebrated musicians in history, has spent over six decades crafting some of the world’s most beloved songs. While he is best known as one-half of The Beatles’ legendary Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, his musical influences stretch far beyond his own band. Recently, McCartney opened up about the ten songwriters he considers the very best — a list that reveals as much about his own artistry as it does about the icons who inspired him.

“One of my biggest thrills for me still is sitting down with a guitar or a piano and just out of nowhere trying to make a song happen,” McCartney once reflected. “There’s no map, and that’s the beauty of it.”

From bandmates who stood by his side during The Beatles’ rise to superstardom, to rock ’n’ roll pioneers and modern hitmakers, McCartney’s picks tell a story of collaboration, admiration, and a lifelong love for the craft of songwriting.

1. John Lennon – His Partner in Musical Revolution

No surprise here — John Lennon tops McCartney’s list. Before The Beatles, Lennon and McCartney were already a duo, playing together in Lennon’s teenage skiffle group, The Quarrymen. Their early friendship turned into one of the most influential songwriting partnerships in history.

They often wrote side-by-side in the band’s early days, with one bringing a half-finished idea and the other polishing it to perfection. “Little things he did were brilliant,” McCartney once said of Lennon’s lyrical instincts.

Even as they began writing more independently during The Beatles’ later years, McCartney continued to admire Lennon’s fearlessness, wit, and raw emotional honesty.

2. George Harrison – The Quiet Beatle Who Found His Voice

George Harrison may have been dubbed “The Quiet Beatle,” but his songwriting spoke volumes. Initially overshadowed by Lennon and McCartney, Harrison blossomed into a master craftsman by the mid-1960s, penning classics like Something, Here Comes the Sun, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

McCartney once admitted to Lennon, “Until this year, our songs have been better than George’s. Now his songs are at least as good as ours.” Despite occasional creative tensions, McCartney always respected Harrison’s melodic sense and spiritual depth.

3. Ringo Starr – The Poet of “Ringoisms”

Though not The Beatles’ primary songwriter, Ringo Starr brought a lyrical charm to the band through his famous “Ringoisms” — quirky, accidental turns of phrase like “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Tomorrow Never Knows,” which became song titles.

McCartney credits Starr with helping complete Lennon–McCartney works such as Eleanor Rigby. His solo hits like It Don’t Come Easy proved he had a knack for crafting timeless tunes in his own right.

4. Bob Dylan – The Poet Laureate of Rock

A cornerstone of 20th-century songwriting, Bob Dylan’s influence on The Beatles — and McCartney in particular — was profound. McCartney recalls owning one of Dylan’s first albums before The Beatles were famous and playing it endlessly.

Songs like Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane were, in part, inspired by Dylan’s reflective, autobiographical style. “Sometimes I wish I was a bit more like Bob. He’s legendary,” McCartney said.

5. Buddy Holly – The Rock ’n’ Roll Pioneer

To McCartney, Buddy Holly was more than a musician — he was a blueprint for what a songwriter could be. Holly’s melodic pop-rock sensibilities deeply influenced The Beatles’ early sound.

The Quarrymen’s first-ever recording was a cover of Holly’s That’ll Be the Day. McCartney even bought the rights to Holly’s catalog in the late 1970s to preserve his legacy.

6. Stevie Wonder – The Musical Monster

McCartney calls Stevie Wonder a “genius,” and the admiration is mutual. The two collaborated on Ebony and Ivory (1982) and again on Only Our Hearts (2012).

“When Stevie listens to a track, he just knows what to do,” McCartney explained. “Within 20 minutes he had nailed this dynamite solo.”

7. Billy Joel – The Piano Man with Timeless Hits

Billy Joel’s heartfelt ballads and storytelling impressed McCartney so much that he once said he wished he had written Joel’s Just the Way You Are. The pair have even performed together, most memorably at Shea Stadium in 2008.

8. Chuck Berry – The Poet of Rock ’n’ Roll

McCartney hailed Chuck Berry as “one of rock ’n’ roll’s great poets.” From Maybellene to Johnny B. Goode, Berry’s witty, narrative-driven lyrics were like short stories set to irresistible riffs.

Berry’s guitar-driven energy was a template for The Beatles’ early work, making him one of McCartney’s most formative influences.

9. Sting – The Elegant Craftsman

Sting’s Fields of Gold struck McCartney so deeply that he joked, “How dare he? That’s my song!” He admired the track’s lyrical warmth and melodic precision, considering it one of the finest of its era.

10. Brian Wilson – The Genius Behind “God Only Knows”

McCartney has long called The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson “one of the great American geniuses.” His admiration for Pet Sounds is legendary, with McCartney naming God Only Knows as his favorite song of all time — a track that once moved him to tears during a rehearsal with Wilson.

A Songwriter’s Songwriters

McCartney’s list blends personal history, artistic respect, and an acknowledgment of those who changed music forever. Whether it’s the lyrical poetry of Dylan, the spiritual depth of Harrison, or the melodic perfection of Wilson, these ten songwriters helped shape McCartney’s musical DNA.

In honoring them, McCartney offers a rare glimpse into the creative mind of one of music’s greatest legends — a man whose own songs will likely inspire the next generation’s “favourite songwriters” lists for decades to come.