Your retort contributed nothing and comes off as a little creepy.

I'm pretty sure Chuck Berry is a more influential lyricist than Lennon.

I agree, he might be. He's also a skilled lyricist.

I rescind my comment about Smokey being above Kurt. The top of this list is very good (except for the missing Elliott Smith).

I don't know though, I think you could easily have Smokey and Kurt trade places. Like I said, Smokey did not write the anthem of a generation.

No, but it might still be too early to put will.i.am in the top 5.

I'd say Smokey wrote many anthems for a whole style of music. But I ain't here to argue.

This is too vague so I don't know what you're referring to.

I think I would put Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath at about 100. I think he might be worthy of making the list.

I'd have to say that Ric Ocasek is at least as good of a lyricist as Steve Winwood, and I own everything that Traffic released except that 1994 album.

How about trying to apply pauldrach's criteria™ to this list? It haven't been updated in years anyway.
It would go something like this: These rock lyricists are rated according to acclaim they recieved specifically for writing lyrics and to influence they had on lyrics in rock. Also considered, to lesser degree, is greatness (popularity, acclaim, influence) of material they wrote lyrics to.
Of course, applying these criteria may lead to someone like Jerry Leiber being ahead of someone like Elvis Costello due to his lead in influence and body of work but perharps it's not that bad of a thing since we were caught so much into subjectivity while discussing this list anyway.

List of candidates compiled by Brian in this thread in alphabetical order, except I went ahead and replaced Grandmaster Flash with Melle Mel. Surely Kendrick deserves a spot at this point. The criteria are lyrical influence & acclaim, plus greatness (popularity, influence, acclaim) of songs written by lyricist.
Any other major omissions or perharps, conversly, people who are too lacking in criteria to be in running for top 100?

1. Bob Dylan
2. John Lennon
3. Neil Young
4. Rakim
5. Chuck Berry
6. Leonard Cohen
7. Joni Mitchell
8. Nas
9. Smokey Robinson
10. Paul Simon
11. Pete Townshend
12. Jerry Leiber
13. Curtis Mayfield
14. Bruce Springsteen
15. Stevie Wonder
16. The Notorious B.I.G
17. Roger Waters
18. Eminem
19. Ray Davies
20. Jay-Z
21. Elvis Costello
22. Tom Waits
23. Jackson Browne
24. Jim Morrison
25. 2Pac
26. Bob Marley
27. Big Daddy Kane
28. Kool G Rap
29. Lou Reed
30. Van Morrison
31. Chuck D
32. Joe Strummer
33. Morrissey
34. Patti Smith
35. Gil Scott-Heron
36. Ice Cube
37. John Fogerty
38. Melle Mel
39. Kendrick Lamar
40. Randy Newman
41. Warren Zevon
42. Eddie Holland
43. Laura Nyro
44. Nick Cave
45. KRS-One
46. Slick Rick
47. Bono
48. Eddie Vedder
49. André 3000
50. Sly Stone
51. Tom Petty
52. Thom Yorke
53. Kurt Cobain
54. Kate Bush
55. Mick Jagger
56. Paul McCartney
57. Michael Stipe
58. John Hiatt
59. Bernie Taupin
60. Brian Wilson
61. David Bowie
62. Frank Zappa
63. LL Cool J
64. Geezer Butler
65. Steve Earle
66. Suzanne Vega
67. Tracy Chapman
68. Robbie Robertson
69. Elliott Smith
70. Doc Pomus
71. Billy Joel
72. Zach de la Rocha
73. Robert Plant
74. John Mellencamp
75. George Harrison
76. Cat Stevens
77. Paul Weller
78. Conor Oberst
79. Donald Fagen
80. Chris Difford
81. Billy Bragg
82. Beck
83. Sting
84. Don Henley
85. Chris Cornell
86. Neil Diamond
87. Mark E. Smith
88. Maynard James Keenan
89. Trent Reznor
90. Mos Def
91. Rod Stewart
92. Ian Anderson
93. Gerry Goffin
94. James Taylor
95. Jello Biafra
96. Ian Curtis
97. Peter Gabriel
98. Nick Lowe
99. Richard Thompson
100. Stuart Murdoch
101. Nick Drake
102. Liz Phair
103. Paul Westerberg
104. Joe Jackson
105. Ben Gibbard
106. Alex Turner
107. Jimi Hendrix
108. Stephin Merritt
109. Jeff Mangum
110. Jerry Cantrell
111. Al Stewart
112. Jonathan Richman
113. Peter Sinfield
114. Win Butler
115. Jim Croce
116. Ben Harper
117. Chris Collingwood & Adam Schlesinger
118. Tori Amos
119. Rickie Lee Jones

How the fuck are Lennon and McCartney above Chuck Berry, Chuck should be top 10 at least.

Not sure if Christian rock acts count, but Steve Taylor and Mark Heard are highly regarded for their lyric-writing.

Also, for indie rock, maybe Win Butler and Ben Gibbard?

I'd venture to say Christian rock is too niche of a genre to merit serious consideration on all time lyricists list. Win Butler and Ben Gibbard can be put on possibilties list.

Old list haven't been updated since 2005 and frankly, is rather arbitrary. I agree with you on Berry in top 10. Not sure if he should end up ahead of Lennon but ahead of McCartney, yeah.