
Taylor Swift: regains her songwriting throne. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/David Shankbone
Assisted by Royalty Exchange, we recognise the most successful songwriters behind the biggest hits on both sides of the Atlantic
It’s no secret that Taylor Swift withdrew from streaming services prior to the release of her fifth album, 1989, accusing these services of undervaluing the art of the album. However, a new stance has since been taken by the songwriter, her entire catalog recently returned to Spotify and other such services in advance of the long-awaited reputation.
In the months since this return, Taylor’s back catalog has seen an incredible leap in the charts, streaming having also contributed to the success of her two newest singles, Look What You Made Me Do and …Ready For It? In fact, Look broke the female weekly streaming record and ended the 16-week No 1 streak of Despacito.
Also new to the chart this week is Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons. Hailed as the next go-to pop songwriter, he joins the US Songwriting Chart as a co-writer with Imagine Dragons and Justin Bieber, but it’s Halsey’s new Bad At Love which cemented his position. While an experienced writer herself, pop songwriters like Halsey have come to rely on those like Tranter to better express the vulnerability inherent in music.
US Songwriting Chart (16 September 2017)
RANK | SONGWRITER | SONG – ARTIST |
1 | JAHSEH ONFROY | Roll In Peace – Kodak Black (ft. XXXTENTACION) Everybody Dies In Their Nightmares – XXXTENTACION Jocelyn Flores – XXXTENTACION Revenge – XXXTENTACION F**k Love – XXXTENTACION (ft. Trippie Redd) |
2 ↑ | MICHAEL WILLIAMS II | Unforgettable – French Montana (ft. Swae Lee) Perplexing Pegasus – French Montana (ft. Swae Lee) DNA – Kendrick Lamar Humble – Kendrick Lamar Rake It Up – Yo Gotti (ft. Nicki Minaj) |
3 ↑ | BELCALIS ALMANZAR | Bodak Yellow (Money Moves) – Cardi B |
4 ↑ | SHAYAA ABRAHAM-JOSEPH | Bank Account – 21 Savage |
5 ↓ | SYMERE WOODS | Dark Queen – Lil Uzi Vert Sauce It Up – Lil Uzi Vert 444+222 – Lil Uzi Vert The Way Life Goes – Lil Uzi Vert Two – Lil Uzi Vert Neon Guts – Lil Uzi Vert (ft. Pharrell Williams) |
6 ↑ | KHALID ROBINSON | Location – Khalid 1-800-273-8255 – Logic (ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid) Silence – Marshmello (ft. Khalid) |
7 ↑ | TAY-K | The Race – Tay-K |
8 ↓ | KENDRICK LAMAR | Humble – Kendrick Lamar Loyalty – Kendrick Lamar (ft. Rihanna) |
9 ↓ | CHARLIE PUTH & JACOB KASHER | Attention – Charlie Puth |
10 ↑ | TAYLOR SWIFT | …Ready For It? – Taylor Swift Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift |
11 ↑ | SWAE LEE & FRENCH MONTANA | Unforgettable – French Montana (ft. Swae Lee) |
12 ↑ | QUAVIOUS MARSHALL | I’m The One – DJ Khaled (ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper & Little Wayne) I Get That Bag – Gucci Mane (ft. Migos) Strip That Down – Liam Payne (ft. Quavo) Congratulations – Post Malone (ft. Quavo) |
13 ↓ | STEVE MAC | What About Us – P!nk Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran Strip That Down – Liam Payne (ft. Quavo) |
14 ↓ | LELAND WAYNE | Mask Off – Future I Get That Bag – Gucci Mane (ft. Migos) Congratulations – Post Malone (ft. Quavo) X – Lil Uzi Vert |
15 ↓ | BRYAN SIMMONS | XO Tour Llif3 – Lil Uzi Vert |
16 ↓ | ONIKA MARAJ | Swish Swish – Katy Perry (ft. Nicki Minaj) Rake It Up – Yo Gotti (ft. Nicki Minaj) |
17 ↓ | JOHNNY MCDAID | Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran What About Us – P!nk |
18 ↑ | JUSTIN TRANTER | Bad At Love – Halsey Believer – Imagine Dragons Friends – Justin Bieber & BloodPop |
19 ↑ | JOSH OSBORNE | All The Pretty Girls – Kenny Chesney Drinkin’ Problem – Midland Body Like A Back Road – Sam Hunt |
20 ↓ | LUDWIG GÖRANSSON & DONALD GLOVER | Redbone – Childish Gambino |
Every track charting on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week is given a point value, which is then split equally among the songwriters listed for each, and then ranked in order of those totals.
UK Songwriting Chart (8 September 2017)
RANK | SONGWRITER | SONG – ARTIST |
1 ✮ | MEGAN MCKENNA | Far Cry From Love – Megan McKenna High Heeled Shoes – Megan McKenna |
2 ↓ | STEVE MAC | Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran Strip That Down – Liam Payne (ft. Quavo) What About Us – Pink Your Song – Rita Ora |
3 | YXNG BANE | Bestie – Yungen (ft. Yxng Bane) Rihanna – Yxng Bane |
4 ↓ | ED SHEERAN | Castle On The Hill – Ed Sheeran Galway Girl – Ed Sheeran Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran Strip That Down – Liam Payne (ft. Quavo) Your Song – Rita Ora |
5 ↑ | JUSTIN TRANTER | If I’m Lucky – Jason Derulo Issues – Julia Michaels Friends – Justin Bieber & Bloodpop |
6 | J HUS | Spirit – J Hus |
7 ✮ | KHALID ROBINSON | Young Dumb & Broke – Khalid 1-800-273-8255 – Logic (ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid) Silence – Marshmello (ft. Khalid) |
8 ↓ | BENJAMIN LEVIN | Lonely Together – Avicii (ft. Rita Ora) Crying In The Club – Camila Cabello Castle On The Hill – Ed Sheeran Issues – Julia Michaels Know No Better – Major Lazer (ft. Scott/Cabello) |
9 ↑ | FRENCH MONTANA | Unforgettable – French Montana (ft. Swae Lee) Hurtin’ Me – Stefflon Don & French Montana |
10 ↓ | CAMILLE PURCELL | Reggaeton Lento (Remix) – CNCO & Little Mix Power – Little Mix Rain – The Script |
11 ↓ | JUSTIN BIEBER | 2U – David Guetta (ft. Justin Bieber) Friends – Justin Bieber & Bloodpop Despacito (Remix) – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee |
12 ↓ | JOHNNY MCDAID | Galway Girl – Ed Sheeran Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran What About Us – P!nk |
13 ↑ | TAYLOR SWIFT | Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift …Ready For It? – Taylor Swift Shake It Off – Taylor Swift |
14 ↑ | EMILY WARREN | Boys – Charli XCX New Rules – Dua Lipa |
15 ✮ | JAHSEH ONFROY | Everybody Dies In Their Nightmares – XXXTENTACION Jocelyn Flores – XXXTENTACION |
16 ↑ | JULIA MICHAELS | Issues – Julia Michaels Friends – Justin Bieber & Bloodpop Either Way – Snakehips & Anne-Marie (ft. Joey Badass) |
17 ✮ | BELCALIS ALMANZAR | Bodak Yellow (Money Moves) – Cardi B |
18 ↓ | CASS LOWE | Boys – Charli XCX Sun Comes Up – Rudimental (ft. James Arthur) |
19 ↓ | YUNGEN | Bestie – Yungen (ft. Yxng Bane) |
20 ↓ | BRITTANY HAZZARD | Feels – Calvin Harris (ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean) Swish Swish – Katy Perry (ft. Nicki Minaj) Know No Better – Major Lazer (ft. Scott/Cabello) |
Every track charting on the UK’s Official Singles Chart for the week is given a point value, which is then split equally among the songwriters listed for each, and then ranked in order of those totals.
![]() | The Hot Hitmakers chart is repurposed with kind permission of Royalty Exchange, the online music royalties marketplace. |
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