THE GREATEST LYRICISTS IN THE WORLD TODAY

Every generation needs its poets and here's the 23 musical scribes who define 2010.

Meanwhile, you can vote for the best lyricists ever here.

Words: Emily Mackay, Matt Wilkinson, Barry Nicolson, Mark Beaumont, Laura Snapes, Dan Martin, Sam Wolfson, Martin Robinson, Jaimie Hodgson

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Aged 43, Malkmus is the king of US indie rock. After a 10-year hiatus, he’s back as Pavement’s tongue twister

Malkmus is the kind of songwriter who deserves to have dissertations dedicated to decoding his songs – where Rush singer Geddy Lee is a reference point and homophones like “career!”/ “Korea!” make sketchy meanings slip away even further.

Many have tried – and failed – to interpret his non-sequiturs, both in his time as Pavement’s frontman and his solo career with The Jicks. Now his main band are returning, a new generation will do the same. LS

Key lyric: “Watch out for the gypsy children in electric dresses/They’re insane/
I hear they live in crematoriums and smoke your remains”
(‘You Are A Light’, from ‘Terror Twilight’, 1999)