NYT Critics Explain Why Beyoncé Didn't Make Their 'Greatest Songwriters' List

New York Times editors recently revealed why Beyoncé was excluded from their Top 30 Best Writers Alive List.

The editors explained that the reason Beyoncé was not included on their list is because they primarily view her as a performer, executive producer and a curator rather than a writer. NYT editor Joe Coscarelli added that he sees Beyoncé as an amalgamation of Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, and Kanye West.

Joe also brought up Kanye's use of ghostwriters and ghost producers and praised how he's able to bring things together. Coscarelli called Kanye a "magaicn, "mestro" and "modern-day composer."

Speaking of ghostwriters, let's also not forget how Bey has been accused in the past of taking credit for writing some of her biggest hits, including Irreplaceable, which was written by Ne-Yo.

Grammy-winning songwriter Tiffany Red publicly called out Beyoncé in 2024, alleging that she and other major pop stars routinely take large percentages of publishing and songwriting credits on songs they did not actually write or produce.

Diane Warren sparked backlash when she questioned how one of Beyoncé's songs could feature 24 credited writers, tweeting, "How can there be 24 writers on one song?"

In 2014, Linda Perry called out Beyoncé for changing one word on a song, and getting a songwriting credit for it.

The discussion also drew comparisons to Kanye West, sparking debate online among fans over artistry, songwriting, and creative recognition in music culture.

Joe topped it off by saying that using ghostwtiters and ghost producers can be considered "postmodern songwriting." However adding Beyoncé to the list would be "expanding the definition" of a songwriter, which is why Coscarelli chose not to add her.

WHen I look at someone like Beyoncé, she to me is a great performer and visionary. Only in the US do they make it a case of imposter syndrome if you don't write your own music. If you are someone that can curate ideas and have the best people help bring those ideas to life, to me that's a form of being an artist.

Not everyone is equipped to write their own music. People like Celine Dion and the late Whitney Houston had amazing careers without having to ever write a single lyric.

So the BeHive can throw as many temper-tantrums as they want. This is the opinions of two NYT critics. It's not the gospel. As long as you love what Beyoncé delivers as an artist, then that's all that should matter. Not a fan base seeking validation for their favorite artist from two critics.

Check out the full list below.