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List of most popular musicians (as artists) (all time)

A list of musicians who can be rated in multiple musical areas; singers, songwriters, performers, musical instrument players, rappers, etc. This list is about them as artists, in whole. The rating of a musician as an artist may be based on their passion, singing skills, songwriting skills, performing skills, achievements, etc. To see the list of all musicians (including composers, etc.), see the higher list (Ranking scheme, right menu).

Person:
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Age:
Bill Berry
51

Bill Berry

William Thomas "Bill" Berry (born July 31, 1958) is a retired American musician and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Adam Jones
52

Adam Jones

Adam Thomas Jones (born January 15, 1965) is a three-time Grammy Award-winning American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Tool. Jones is also the director of the majority of Tool's music...
8.5
8.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Joe Cocker
53

Joe Cocker

John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer and musician. Cocker's cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at...
7
7
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Glenn Frey
54

Glenn Frey

Glenn Lewis Frey (November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, producer and actor, best known as a founding member of rock band the Eagles. During the 1970s, Frey played guitar with the band, as well as...
7
7
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Norah Jones
55

Norah Jones

Norah Jones (born Geetali Norah Jones Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Throughout her career, Jones has won numerous awards and has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. Billboard named...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
The Edge
56

The Edge

David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known by his stage name The Edge (or just Edge), is a British-born Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of the rock band U...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Robin Finck
57

Robin Finck

Robert John "Robin" Finck (born November 7, 1971) is an American guitarist. He is one of only a few artists who has played in two different bands listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock": Nine Inch Nails (ranked no. 43)...
8.5
8.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Sammy Hagar
58

Sammy Hagar

Samuel Roy "Sammy" Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and musician. Hagar came to prominence in the 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose. He afterward...
8
8
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Grimes
59

Grimes

Claire Elise Boucher (born March 17, 1988), better known by her stage name Grimes, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, music video director, and record producer. Born and raised in Vancouver, she first became involved with the under...
8.5
8.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Ariana Grande
60

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande-Butera (born June 26, 1993), known professionally as Ariana Grande, is an American singer and actress. She began her career in the Broadway musical 13, before landing the role of Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon tele...
5.5
5.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Whitney Houston
61

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 million records s...
8
8
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Nicki Minaj
62

Nicki Minaj

Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), professionally known by her stage name Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-born American rapper and songwriter. Born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago and raised in South Jamaica, Queens, New...
5.5
5.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Marilyn Manson
63

Marilyn Manson

Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American musician, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor, painter, multimedia artist, and former music journalist. He is known for his cont...
8
8
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
M.I.A.
64

M.I.A.

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam (born 18 July 1975), better known by her stage name M.I.A., is an English recording artist of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage. She is also a songwriter, painter and director...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Alicia Keys
65

Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known by the pseudonym Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Gwen Stefani
66

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Renée Stefani ( born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer, and actress. She is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band No Doubt. During the band's hiatus, Stefani embarked on her solo...
5.5
5.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Britney Spears
67

Britney Spears

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer and actress. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows as a child before...
5.5
5.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Vic Vogel
68

Vic Vogel

Victor "Vic" Stefan Vogel, (born August 3, 1935) is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, trombonist and conductor in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
8
8
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Alex Lifeson
69

Alex Lifeson

Aleksandar Živojinović, (born August 27, 1953), better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In 1968, Lifeson co-founded the band that would becom...
9
9
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Tom Petty
70

Tom Petty

Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty (born October 20, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but is also known as a...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Eminem
71

Eminem

Marshall Bruce "Eminem" Mathers III (born October 17, 1972) is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and songwriter. Eminem is from Detroit, Michigan. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of D12 and (with Royce da...
9.5
9.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
The Notorious B.I.G.
72

The Notorious B.I.G.

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names The Notorious B.I.G, Biggie, or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper...
8
8
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Neil Peart
73

Neil Peart

Neil Ellwood Peart (born September 12, 1952) is a Canadian-American musician and author, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist for the rock band Rush. Peart has received numerous awards for his musical performances, inclu...
9
9
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Johnny Cash
74

Johnny Cash

Johnny "J.R." Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author. Although primarily remembered as a country music icon, his genre-spanning songs and sound embraced rock...
9
9
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Ritchie Blackmore
75

Ritchie Blackmore

Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English guitarist and songwriter, who began his professional career as a session musician as a member of the instrumental band The Outlaws and as a backing musician of po...
8.5
8.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Mark Knopfler
76

Mark Knopfler

Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, lead singer and songwriter for the rock band Dire Straits, wh...
9.5
9.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
James Brown
77

James Brown

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer and dancer. The founding father of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century popular music and dance, he is often referred to as "The Godfather of Sou...
9
9
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Chuck Berry
78

Chuck Berry

Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born October 18, 1926) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter.
8.5
8.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Bob Dylan
79

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, artist and writer.
8
8
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Yngwie Malmsteen
80

Yngwie Malmsteen

Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck; 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader.
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Stevie Ray Vaughan
81

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
9.5
9.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Dave Grohl
82

Dave Grohl

David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer who is best known as the former drummer for the grunge band Nirvana and the founder and frontman of the rock band Foo Fig...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Tyler, the Creator
83

Tyler, the Creator

Tyler Gregory Okonma, better known by his stage name Tyler, The Creator, is an American rapper and record producer from California. Born in Ladera Heights, he rose to prominence as the leader and co-founder of the alternative hip...
7.5
7.5
from 2 votes
Discuss [-]
Tiësto
84

Tiësto

Tijs Michiel Verwest (born 17 January 1969), better known by his stage name Tiësto, is a Dutch DJ and record producer. In 1997 he founded the label Black Hole Recordings with Arny Bink, where he released the Magik and In Search of...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Ice Cube
85

Ice Cube

O'Shea Jackson, Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and filmmaker. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the seminal gan...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Dr. Dre
86

Dr. Dre

Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. Dre was p...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Eazy-E
87

Eazy-E

Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright is affectionately called "The Godfather of Gangsta Rap"...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Sia Furler
88

Sia Furler

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (born 18 December 1975), sometimes referred to mononymously as Sia, is an Australian singer-songwriter. She started her career as a singer in the local Adelaide acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s. In 19...
7
7
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
John Paul Jones
89

John Paul Jones

John Baldwin (born 3 January 1946), better known by his stage name John Paul Jones, is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, keyboardist, and co-songwriter...
7
7
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
John Bonham
90

John Bonham

John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin.
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Robert Plant
91

Robert Plant

Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin. He has had a successful solo career spanning over 40 years...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Mike Mills
92

Mike Mills

Michael Edward "Mike" Mills (born December 17, 1958) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Peter Buck
93

Peter Buck

Peter Lawrence Buck (born December 6, 1956) is an American rock musician and songwriter who is best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Throughout his career with R.E.M. (1980–2011), as well...
7
7
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Michael Stipe
94

Michael Stipe

John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, film producer, music video director, and visual artist. He was the lead singer of the alternative rock band R.E.M. from their formation in 1980...
9
9
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Kesha
95

Kesha

Kesha Rose Sebert (born March 1, 1987) (formerly stylized as Ke$ha) is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to producer Dr. Luke's label Kemosabe Records. Her breakthrough came in early 2...
6
6
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Iggy Azalea
96

Iggy Azalea

Amethyst Amelia Kelly (born 7 June 1990), better known by her stage name Iggy Azalea, is an Australian rapper, songwriter, and model. Born in Sydney and raised in Mullumbimby, Azalea moved to the United States at the age of 16 to...
7
7
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Paul D'Amour
97

Paul D'Amour

Paul D'Amour (born May 12, 1967) is an American musician, and the first bass guitarist for Tool. His bass sound was recognized by the aggressive picked tone he developed with his Chris Squire Signature Rickenbacker 4001CS, which c...
7
7
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Justin Chancellor
98

Justin Chancellor

Justin Gunnar Walter Chancellor (born 19 November 1971) is an English musician formerly in the band Peach but best known as the bass player for rock band Tool. Chancellor is of English and Norwegian descent. Since settling in the...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Danny Carey
99

Danny Carey

Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey (born May 10, 1961) is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning progressive rock band Tool. He has also contributed to albums by artists such as Zaum, Green Jellÿ, Pig...
9
9
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
Shania Twain
100

Shania Twain

Shania Twain (born Eilleen Regina Edwards; August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Twain has sold over 85 million records, making her one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. She is also the best selling...
8
8
from 1 vote
Discuss [-]
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