kidmercury

I was recently thinking of who were the the best storytelling songwriters I've come across, in my opinion. I was thinking about it because I think it is the best way for a musician to build a brand, which in turn can be monetized through merchandising and game play, which I think will increasingly be revenue centers while media is a cost center. In such a world, I think there will be greater value in in both songwriters and performers who can use music as a vehicle for storytelling. And of course, niche social networks will be there to advance the story and the brand.

After thinking about it, my three favorites are Eminem, Billy Joel, and Paul Simon. I've included my three favorite examples of their storytelling below.

"My Darling" by Eminem


"Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel


"Richard Cory" by Paul Simon (this is actually based on a poem by some other dude)