MusicRow’s Top 100 Songwriters Of 2025

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Charlie Handsome

Since 2018, MusicRow has published its weekly Top Songwriter Chart that ranks the week’s top 60 songwriters based on song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams.

Through the use of proprietary software, the points awarded to each song are evenly distributed among a song’s co-writers, mirroring the revenue and ownership structures common in Music City’s publishing industry. This system highlights the overall success of active songs for each songwriter. As a result, the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart provides a weekly snapshot of the most active and successful songwriters in Nashville.

Charlie Handsome accumulated the highest number of points on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart in 2025, securing the top spot on the year-end rankings.

Handsome’s year included 23 cuts on Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem album, such as hits “I Got Better,” “What I Want,” “Just In Case,” “TN,” “Love Somebody” and “Smile.” Alongside Wallen, he also worked on Marshmello and Jelly Roll’s “Holy Water,” and BigXthaPlug and Ella Langley’s “Hell At Night.” Charting cuts from Post Malone, Moneybagg Yo, Ernest and more also contributed to his top placement. Throughout 2025, Handsome also received numerous accolades, including BMI Country Songwriter of the Year, BMI Country Song of the Year and a CMA Triple Play Award.

Riley Green. Photo: David Higgs

Riley Green ranks No. 2 on MusicRow‘s Top 100 Songwriters of 2025 list. Green’s year showcased the power of a solo-write, with “Worst Way” and “Don’t Mind If I Do” leading the way for him. Additional songs that charted for Green in 2025 include “Damn Good Day To Leave,” “You Look Like You Love Me” and “Change My Mind.”

2025 also added numerous awards to Green’s trophy case, including the CMA Award for Single of the Year, Music Video of the Year and Song of the Year. At the ACM Awards, Green took home Single of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year.

Landing at No. 3 on MusicRow‘s Top 100 Songwriters of 2025 list is Morgan Wallen. With his I’m The Problem release, Wallen’s points came from “Love Somebody,” “Smile,” “I’m The Problem,” “Just In Case,” “I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” “Superman,” “Come Back As A Redneck,” “Don’t We,” “Eyes Are Closed,” “Falling Apart,” “Genesis,” “I Got Better,” “Interlude,” “Kick Myself,” “Leavin’s The Least I Could Do,” “Miami,” “Missing,” “TN,” “What I Want,” “Where’d That Girl Go,” “Whiskey In Reverse” and “Working Man’s Song.”

Wallen closed out 2025 by becoming the highest RIAA-certified country artist of all time, third overall all-genre. He was also Billboard‘s No. 1 Top Artist of 2025, and garnered his fifth consecutive Top Country Artist award. He was also the recipient of the CMA International Artist Achievement Award, Apple Music’s Top Artist of the Year and MusicRow‘s Entertainer of the Year.

Morgan Wallen. Photo: Spidey Smith

Ashley Gorley placed at No. 4 this year. Gorley earned points with Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis’ “Ain’t A Bad Life,” Koe Wetzel’s “Surrounded,” Wallen’s “TN,” “Kiss Her In Front Of You” and “Don’t We,” Chris Janson’s “Me & A Beer,” HARDY’s “Favorite Country Song,” Dasha’s “Not At This Party,” Dierks Bentley’s “She Hates Me” and plenty more. In 2025, Gorley was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was also named ASCAP Country Music Songwriter of the Year for the 12th time, NSAI Songwriter of the Year, Top Male Songwriter of the Year at the NMPA Gold & Platinum Gala and MusicRow‘s Male Songwriter of the Year. Gorley also nabbed two CMA Triple Play Awards.

Blake Pendergrass rounds out the top five songwriters of 2025. His cuts throughout the year included Rhett and Davis’ “Ain’t A Bad Life,” Vincent Mason’s “Wish You Well,” Tucker Wetmore’s “Brunette,” and Wallen’s “Working Man’s Song,” “Where’d That Girl Go,” “The Dealer,” “Number 3 and Number 7,” “Missing,” “Miami,” “Interlude,” “I Got Better,” “Genesis,” “Falling Apart,” “Eyes Are Closed,” “Don’t We,” “20 Cigarettes” and “Superman,” among others. Pendergrass also received his first BMI Award in 2025.

This year’s data remains predominantly male, with only 12 female songwriters appearing in the top 100, which includes 119 names due to tied scores. This marks a decrease from last year’s total of 17 female songwriters.

MusicRow’s Top Songwriters of 2025:
1. Ryan Vojtesak
2. Riley Green
3. Morgan Wallen
4. Ashley Gorley
5. Blake Pendergrass
6. Ernest Keith Smith
7. Chase McGill
8. John Byron
9. Jessie Jo Dillon
10. Ty Myers
11. Jason DeFord
12. Ben Johnson
13. Josh Miller
14. Taylor Phillips
15. Michael Hardy
16. Neil Medley
17. Dan Alley
18. Jacob Kasher
19. Megan Moroney
20. Jordan Walker
21. Chris LaCorte
22. Carson Chamberlain, Zach Top
23. Johnny Clawson
24. Joybeth Taylor
25. Rocky Block
26. Shaboozey
27. Luke Combs
28. Hudson Westbrook
29. Ella Langley
30. Sean Cook
31. Nevin Sastry
32. Joe Fox
33. Lydia Vaughan
34. Zach Bryan
35. Hunter Phelps
36. John Morgan
37. Jacob Davis
38. Luke Laird
39. Eric Church, Scooter Carusoe
40. Andy Albert
41. Zach Abend
42. Grady Block, Jamie McLaughlin
43. Jeremy Spillman, Natalie Hemby, Parker McCollum
44. Beau Bailey
45. Joe Reeves
46. Jaxson Free
47. Jordan Reynolds
48. Trannie Anderson
49. Tucker Beathard
50. Tim Nichols
51. Thomas Rhett
52. Russell Dickerson
53. Jonathan Singleton
54. Jimi Bell, Jonathan Sherwood
55. Michael Tyler
56. Michael Pollack
57. Jake Torrey, Sam Romans
58. Robert Hazard
59. Summer Overstreet
60. Lainey Wilson
61. Lindsay Rimes
62. Chris Stapleton
63. Austin Post
64. Ben Williams
65. Benjy Davis, Driver Williams, Jackson Dean
66. Louis Bell
67. Jeremy Stover
68. Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy
69. Dan Isbell
70. Julian Bunetta
71. Andy Sheridan
72. Josh Thompson
73. Chris Tompkins
74. Jesse Frasure
75. Will Bundy
76. Miranda Lambert
77. Brent Anderson
78. Nate Smith
79. Brad Rempel, Josh Ross
80. Zach Crowell
81. Shy Carter
82. Sam Barber
83. David Mescon, Rob Hatch
84. Avery Anna, Wyatt McCubbin
85. Max McNown
86. Alex Maxwell, Chase Matthew, Ciaran Wilkie, Hunter Huff
87. Ross Copperman
88. Ava Suppelsa, Trent Dabbs, Jamie Kenney
89. Dean Dillon
90. Justin Ebach
91. Tyler Hubbard
92. Greylan James
93. Ryan Beaver
94. Dallas Wilson
95. Chris Lucas, Preston Brust
96. Cole Swindell
97. Lalo Guzman
98. Thomas Archer
99. Alex Bak
100. Xavier Landum

Madison Hahnen
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