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  "path": "/what-makes-a-great-american-songwriter",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-07T15:34:07.000Z",
  "site": "https://defector.com",
  "tags": [
    "Listening Habits",
    "Music",
    "greatest living songwriters",
    "music list making",
    "new york times",
    "singer songwriters",
    "songwriters",
    "30 greatest living American songwriters",
    "a supplemental list"
  ],
  "textContent": "_Welcome to**** Listening Habits_,_a column where I share the music and musical topics I’ve been fixated on recently._\n\nYou might've heard recently that the _New York Times_ came out with a list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, a hyper-specific conceit that reeks of music writers trying to make their job as easy as possible. There also was a supplemental list of 11 songwriters that just missed the cut, meant to head off some of the ire about who got left off. That is what lists are for, ultimately: red meat for the engagement maw, a thing to react to and argue about which will hopefully drive traffic. Music outlets/sections are legally required to provide these at least once a year as a result.\n\nhttps://youtu.be/opkRF3UZSJw?si=FZ8cu57_9N6ljkxm",
  "title": "What Makes A Great American Songwriter?"
}