Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

April 23, 1564

William Shakespeare is the greatest playwright -- some would say the greatest writer, period -- in the English language. His literary accomplishments are too numerous to cover adequately in a reference source devoted to popular music. Suffice to say that text from his plays and poems has been set to music on varying occasions through the years, and his writings have inspired everything from classical operas to popular songs in the modern day. It was Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten who once said that Shakespeare was really very good, in spite of the people who liked him. ~ Steve Huey