The songwriters highlighted below each have that innate ability to convey a feeling through their music that resonates with listeners. As a result, each enjoyed a bountiful year consisting of top-performing tunes and, in some cases, prestigious awards. They are also among the most prolific at what they do, consistently penning quality material for themselves and others. In a year that produced some truly memorable music, American Songwriter‘s panel of writers chose the following nine songwriters as their standouts of 2023.
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Zach Bryan
There’s something in the way Zach Bryan writes a song. He wrote the majority (with the exception of “You Are My Sunshine”) of the 36 tracks on his No. 1 breakthrough album American Heartbreak in 2022, along with the hit “Something in the Orange,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since his song “Heading South” went viral 2017, Bryan also wrote the entirety of his 2019 debut DeAnn—dedicated to his late mother—and follow-up to Elisabeth, along with his most recent self-titled album in 2023, featuring his No. 1 song, “I Remember Everything,” with Kacey Musgraves. — Tina Benitez-Eves
Bad Bunny
As a songwriter, Bad Bunny has accomplished something no one else has on this list. Since releasing his viral hit “Krippy Kush” in 2017, he has become one of the most-streamed, chart-topping artists—and all of his songs are in Spanish. Credited under his real name, Benito Martínez Ocasio, Bad Bunny’s fourth album Un Verano Sin Ti, released in 2022, remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks and made history as the first non-English album to top the 200 chart and the first Spanish-language album to pick up a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. — Tina Benitez-Eves
Lainey Wilson
It wasn’t too long ago that Lainey Wilson stood on the Country Music Awards stage and, with a literal ring of fire behind her, became a bona fide star (if she wasn’t already), singing “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” from her LP Bell Bottom Country. But while Wilson is a top-shelf performer, she is also a skilled songwriter, as evidenced by her compelling lyrics and deft touch. Part of being a standout songwriter is knowing what will work in front of a crowd. There is perhaps no one better at this in music (country or otherwise) than Wilson. — Jake Uitti
Jelly Roll
While the Nashville-born Jelly Roll has been making music for decades now, the artist, who just turned 39, is garnering global fame thanks to his transition from rap to country. His voice is perfect for the genre. His subject matter—that of the sullen, downtrodden artist—is the stuff that makes legend, especially when he delivers it with such passion. Jelly has long been writing songs, but he hit his stride this year. The sky is the limit for the artist, who knows how to fill a room with presence, power and precise language. — Jake Uitti
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift showcased her journey as a songwriter in 2023 with her Eras Tour. From her teenage trials running rampant on Fearless and Speak Now to the edgy berates of Red and Reputation, Swift has been many different kinds of songwriters over the years. The connection between all of them? Stunning lyrics, potent emotion, and radio-fodder musicality. She could earn a spot on this list pretty much any year, but her talent has been especially on the front of our minds this year. — Alex Hopper
Ashley Gorley
Ashley Gorley strikes again. He was lauded for his hitmaking prowess several times in 2023, all of which have were well-deserved honors. This year alone, Gorley has written “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen (which stayed at No. 1 for 16 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart), taken home the Songwriter of the Year award at ASCAP’s Country Music Awards (for the 10th time no less!), named Songwriter of the Year at the ACM Awards, and more. Gorley defended his title as one of the biggest country songwriters in the world with his stellar run in 2023. — Alex Hopper
Jessie Jo Dillon
Jessie Jo Dillon has cemented her status as an in-demand songwriter in country music. The 2024 Grammy Songwriter of the Year nominee further proved her staying power this year by penning Old Dominion’s No. 1 single “Memory Lane.” She also has had cuts on multiple albums released by other artists during the year, including Jelly Roll (“Halfway to Hell”), HARDY (“Screen”), Brandy Clark (“Buried,” “Ain’t Enough Rocks”), and Megan Moroney (“Girl in the Mirror”). “Discovering my own point of view has been such a treacherous yet beautiful journey and I think it’ll continue to be until I lay down my pen for the last time,” Dillon told American Songwriter in her Writer’s Room column in the November/December issue. — Annie Reuter
Nicolle Galyon
Nicolle Galyon has been a mainstay in the songwriting community in Nashville for more than 20 years. While she’s written hits for Miranda Lambert (“Automatic”), Keith Urban (“We Were Us”), Kenny Chesney (“All the Pretty Girls”), Dan + Shay (“Tequila”), and Lee Brice (“Boy”), Galyon has come into her own as a solo artist as well. In 2023, her Morgan Wallen cut, “Thought You Should Know,” spent three weeks at No. 1. This year also saw the release of her EP second wife. The six-track project follows Galyon’s deeply personal 2022 debut album firstborn. In every song she writes, whether for herself or other artists, Galyon leaves a piece of herself with the listener. — Annie Reuter
Amy Allen
Amy Allen is a buzzworthy name in the songwriting community, and for good reason. She’s the writer behind some of the biggest names in music such as Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, and Selena Gomez. Styles’ “Adore You,” Gomez’s “My Mind & Me,” and Halsey’s “Graveyard” are some of the many hits she’s had a hand in penning. In 2023 alone, she’s written songs that have appeared on albums by Rodrigo, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan, Jonas Brothers, and skyrocketing newcomers Renee Rapp and Tate McRae. With her career in the midst of a firestorm, Allen scored a well-deserved nomination in the newly instituted category of Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical at the 2024 Grammy Awards. — Cillea Houghton
