Ashley Gorley
Each week, MusicRow releases its Top Songwriter Chart, ranking the top 60 songwriters using algorithms based on song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales, and streams.
Using proprietary software, the points earned by each song are evenly split among each of the song’s co-writers, echoing how the publishing business works in Nashville with respect to publishing revenues and ownership—while reflecting the overall success of active songs for each songwriter.
Because of this, at any moment in time, the current MusicRow Songwriter Chart lists the most active and successful songwriters in Music City.
As we look back on 2021, Ashley Gorley earned the most points on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart throughout the year, placing him at the top of our list.
Jesse Frasure
Gorley saw success this year with songs such as “Single Saturday Night” (Cole Swindell), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “What’s Your Country Song” (Thomas Rhett), “Steal My Love” (Dan + Shay) “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton) and many more. He consistently stayed in the upper echelons of the Top Songwriter Chart throughout 2021.
Gorley was also a co-writer on Lee Brice’s “One Of Them Girls,” which made history by winning the Country Song Of The Year honor at the BMI, SESAC, and ASCAP Awards.
Jesse Frasure is at No. 2 on MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters of 2021 list.
His arsenal of hits from 2021 include “Almost Maybes” (Jordan Davis), “Whiskey And Rain” (Michael Ray), “What’s Your Country Song” (Thomas Rhett), “Minimum Wage” (Blake Shelton), “One Mississippi” (Kane Brown), and more.
Frasure was named Songwriter of the Year at the 69th Annual BMI Country Awards. It was his second time winning the award.
Josh Osborne comes in at No. 3 on MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters of 2021 list.
Josh Osborne
In 2021, Osborne had success with “Beers And Sunshine” (Darius Rucker), “Next Girl” (Carly Pearce), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “I Was On A Boat That Day” (Old Dominion), and more. He was also this year’s ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year for the first time.
In the No. 4 spot on the year-end list is Corey Crowder.
The songwriter-producer made waves this year with “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” (Chase Rice feat. Florida Georgia Line), “Famous Friends” (Chris Young and Kane Brown), “Minimum Wage” (Blake Shelton), and more.
Michael Hardy rounds out the top five on the MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters of 2021 list. In addition to his successful artist career, Hardy cranked out multiple hits for other artists this year.
In 2021, Hardy saw success with “Single Saturday Night” (Cole Swindell), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), and “Come Back As A Country Boy” (Blake Shelton), as well as his own “Give Heaven Some Hell,” and collaboration with Dierks Bentley and Breland, “Beers On Me.”
Though the annual list continues to be male dominated, there are 20 female songwriters in the top 100 this year—which is made up of 123 songwriters because of tied scores. This is a continued increase from last year’s 19 female songwriters within the top 100, and 2019’s 13.
Taylor Swift is the highest ranking female songwriter on this year’s list at No. 9.
MusicRow‘s Top Songwriters of 2021:
1. Ashley Gorley
2. Jesse Frasure
3. Josh Osborne
4. Corey Crowder
5. Michael Hardy
6. Luke Combs
7. Hunter Phelps
8. Jonathan Singleton
9. Taylor Swift
10. Rhett Akins
11. Randy Montana
12. Zach Crowell
13. Shane McAnally
14. Nicolle Galyon
15. Ernest Keith Smith
16. Chris Stapleton
17. Josh Thompson
18. Eric Church
19. Brinley Addington
20. Jerry Flowers
21. Martin Johnson
22. Tyler Hubbard
23. Ross Copperman
24. Drew Parker
25. Robert Williford
26. Jordan Davis
27. Thomas Rhett
28. Chris Young
29. Ben Johnson
30. Cary Barlowe
31. Elle King
32. Josh Jenkins
33. Morgan Wallen
34. Niko Moon
35. Miranda Lambert
36. Tully Kennedy, Kurt Allison
37. Luke Dick
38. Matt Rogers
39. Paul DiGiovanni
40. Hillary Lindsey
41. Mike Henderson
42. Natalie Hemby
43. Chase McGill
44. Mark Holman
45. Brett James, Adam James, Kat Higgins
46. Ryan Hurd
47. Lainey Wilson, Jason Nix
48. Ryan Vojtesak
49. Carly Pearce
50. Dan Smyers
51. Gabby Barrett, Zachary Kale
52. Brian Davis
53. Lee Brice, Billy Montana
54. Jeremy Stover
55. Parker McCollum
56. Chris Loocke
57. Chris DuBois
58. Priscilla Block, Sarah Jones, Emily Kroll
59. Kane Brown
60. Jordan Reynolds
61. Jon Nite
62. Matt Alderman
63. Luke Laird
64. Monty Criswell
65. Jimmie Allen, Ash Bowers
66. Aaron Eshuis
67. Scotty McCreery, Frank Rogers
68. Jon Pardi
69. Zac Brown, Ben Simonetti
70. Casey Beathard
71. Andy Albert
72. Joey Hyde
73. Neil Medley, Benjy Davis
74. Walker Hayes
75. Brett Tyler
76. Dylan Scott, Dallas Wilson
77. Elvie Shane, Nick Columbia, Lee Starr, Russell Sutton
78. Jameson Rodgers
79. Shay Mooney
80. Russell Dickerson, Casey Brown
81. Sam Hunt, Chris LaCorte
82. Dan Isbell
83. Cameron Bartolini, Shane Stevens
84. Jim McCormick, Emily Landis
85. Alysa Vanderheym
86. John Morgan, Lydia Vaughan
87. Brett Young
88. Chase Rice, Cale Dodds
89. Matt Jenkins
90. Parker Welling
91. Justin Ebach
92. Will Weatherly
93. Jordan M. Schmidt
94. Ryan Lewis, Tayla Parx
95. Tenille Arts
96. Kelsea Ballerini
97. Matt Thomas
98. Charles Kelley
99. Dustin Lynch
100. Dallas Davidson
The post Top Songwriter Chart: MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters Of 2021 appeared first on MusicRow.com.