For the first two I am pretty sure it was achieved as a matter of artistic judgment. Martin is critical now of his earlier phase of excessive guitar decoration, but it was highly regarded at the time and so "worked".

Dylan is a very good writer of polemic songs and the occasional good-time song - but possibly the worst performer I have ever seen.

Springsteen was trial and error - check out his early career. Mostly error unless you like bombast.

McTell - oh hell, you know I like folk songs, don't you!