Rock and roll is one of the most popular music genres of all time. Its iconic songs echoed the thoughts and feelings of individuals who lived through turbulent periods in history such as the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. While many are familiar with the music and lyrics of rock and roll, the songwriters behind the famous tunes are often an afterthought. Songwriters give life and meaning to their work and its impact is felt by the listeners. The following songwriting teams best exemplify the individuals behind this great music.

1. John Lennon and Paul McCartney (The Beatles)

The duo of Lennon-McCartney wrote almost all of the Beatles' songs including "A Hard Day's Night," "Help," "Ticket to Ride," "All You Need Is Love," and "Let It Be." Formed during 1960 in Liverpool, England, the Beatles became the driving force for the British Invasion that included other artists such as the Who, the Animals, and the Rolling Stones. The songwriting partnership also wrote hit songs for other artists such as "A World Without Love" for Peter and Gordon. Both Lennon and McCartney had success writing their own songs during their solo careers, yet it was the Beatles compositions that had the most impact on rock music. The Beatles had a total of 17 number one hit records and it was largely due to the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney.

2. Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland (Motown)

The songwriting trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland is regarded as the top songwriting team in the history of Motown. They have written for many of the label's groups such as Martha and the Vandellas, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and the Four Tops. Hit songs from these groups include "Heat Wave," "Stop in the Name of Love," "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)," "You Can't Hurry Love," and "Reach Out I'll Be There." The catchy melodies and memorable lyrics of those 1960s classics defined Motown's success not only in the R&B circuit, but rock and roll as well. Motown also broke racial barriers due to its music appealing to both white and African American individuals.

3. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

If you can name a popular 1950s rock classic, it was most likely penned by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They wrote songs for artists such as Big Mama Thornton, Elvis Presley, the Drifters, the Coasters, and Ben E. King. Their songbook includes "Hound Dog," "Jailhouse Rock," "Treat Me Nice," "Yakety Yak," and the immortal "Stand by Me" with Ben E. King. Considered the pioneer writers in rock and roll, Leiber and Stoller provided a strong foundation that led to the genre's evolution in 1960s and 1970s. Without the duo's contributions, rock and roll may not have existed for long.

4. Elton John and Bernie Taupin

The legendary songwriting partnership of Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin began in 1967 by writing songs for other artists who mostly passed over their work. The songwriting process for the two has been unique in that they would rarely be in the same room writing together. Taupin would pen the lyrics and then send to John in order for the music to come together. The pair have been writing songs for almost 50 years and have written iconic hits such as "Your Song," "Tiny Dancer," "Crocodile Rock," "Candle in the Wind," "Philadelphia Freedom," and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues." John has worked with other lyricists such as Sir Tim Rice for the Walt Disney film The Lion King and the musical Aida, but his contributions with Taupin are what he will be best remembered by.

5. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)

The extravagant lifestyles of both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones certainly have shown in the rock classics they have written with the group. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," and "Get Off of My Cloud" displayed the raw and edgy styles of their songwriting while other songs such as "Wild Horses," "She's a Rainbow," and "Ruby Tuesday" had a more restrained sound. The diversity within the music of the Rolling Stones can be attributed to Jagger's simple lyrics and Richards's raucous musical compositions and memorable guitar riffs. Despite a feud between Jagger and Richards in the early 1980s about the direction of the group, the Rolling Stones have been recording and touring consistently since 1962 largely due to Jagger and Richards's musical leadership. Both men are well into their early 70s, yet still plan on continuing to rock.

6. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the guitarist and lead vocalist, respectively, for the rock group Led Zeppelin, have written some of the most iconic rock gems of the 1970s including "Immigrant Song" and the band's signature song, "Stairway to Heaven." Plant provided the lyrics and Page composed the music for their musical contributions to the group. In more recent news, Plant and Page successfully defended their songwriting credits to "Stairway to Heaven" in a Los Angeles courtroom. The lawsuit alleged that Page's guitar introduction in the song plagiarized the guitar riff in another song entitled "Taurus" written by Randy California of the rock group Spirit in 1968 (three years before "Stairway to Heaven" was released). The group's victory maintained the creative realm within songwriting.

7. Burt Bacharach and Hal David

Composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David are considered one of the top songwriting teams in pop rock history. Over four decades, the duo has written songs for artists such as Jackie DeShannon, Dusty Springfield, Andy Williams, Tom Jones, the Carpenters, and, most notably, Dionne Warwick. Bacharach and David's illustrious songbook includes "Alfie," "A House Is Not a Home," "I Say a Little Prayer," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," "The Look of Love," "What the World Needs Now Is Love," and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." Bacharach himself has contributed to 73 U.S. Top 40 hits, many of them with David. The songs of Bacharach and David were among one of the first spin-offs of rock and roll.

8. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan)

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are the core members of the jazz rock band Steely Dan and are Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. The duo's repertoire includes "Reelin' in the Years," "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," "Peg," "Deacon Blues," and "Hey Nineteen." The group has used a multitude of studio musicians in order to achieve the perfectionist quality required in their music (their 1980 Gaucho album took three years to complete and it only had seven songs). The group has been touring consistently since 1993 after becoming a studio-only band in 1974. While Steely Dan may not be the first group that comes to mind when naming popular rock groups, the musical stylings of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen have put a unique twist on the rock genre.

9. Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb (The Bee Gees)

The Bee Gees dominated the Billboard singles charts during the 1970s not only due to their memorable vocals, but also their songwriting abilities. Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb formed the group in 1958 and had moderate success during the 1960s with songs such as "To Love Somebody" and "I Started a Joke," but it was their work on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977 that made them superstars. Hits such as "Stayin' Alive," "How Deep Is Your Love," "Night Fever," and "You Should Be Dancing" from that film defined the disco era and were all number-one singles. The trio also wrote for other artists such as Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, and Dolly Parton with songs that included "Guilty" and "Islands in the Stream." Barry Gibb is the only surviving member of the group after the premature deaths of Maurice Gibb in 2003 and Robin Gibb in 2012.

10. Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (ABBA)

The Swedish group ABBA might not exactly be rock and roll, but the songs of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus demonstrated the influence rock had on its counterparts. At the height of ABBA's popularity during the 1970s, the group's biggest hits included "Dancing Queen," "Take a Chance on Me," "S.O.S.," "Waterloo," and "Mamma Mia." The songs became so popular that Andersson and Ulvaeus collaborated with playwright Catherine Johnson to create the musical Mamma Mia!, which premiered in London's West End in 1999. Outside of ABBA, the duo collaborated with lyricist Sir Tim Rice to write the songs for the musical Chess, which included the songs "One Night in Bangkok" and "I Know Him So Well." The pop rock of ABBA was a perfect example of how rock and roll could expand to other avenues.