Ranker MusicList RulesOnly artists born or raised in Louisiana or bands formed in Louisiana.
Here are the best artists and bands from Louisiana. The Pelican State is one of the most important states as far as music in the United States. Everyone associates the state with jazz, and in fact, the genre had a major development in New Orleans. However, the state can actually be divided into three distinct musical regions. The northern part of the state has more in common with the rest of the rural south than with New Orleans. The southern part of Louisiana is home to Old French music, otherwise known as Cajun music. It has a rich history and has launched the careers of plenty of acts. Some of the most famous musical artists from Louisiana came out nearly 100 years ago while some are fairly new. Either way, they have all drawn influence from the diverse region they were born or grew up in.
Some popular Louisiana artists include Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, Harry Connick, Jr., and Jared Leto.
Once you learn the history of the state, it is easy to see why famous musical artists from Louisiana there are. In the 19th century, there was a great mixture of cultures coalescing in one area. A combination of Afro-Caribbean, African, Spanish, and French musical tastes grew into the music we know today as jazz. New Orleans also has a great love of opera. Read through this list, and vote for the Louisiana musicians and singers you think are the best of all time.
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9934Louis Armstrong
Swing music, Traditional pop musicAlbums: Hot Fives and Hot Sevens, American Freedom, C'est si bon, Louis Armstrong and King Oliver, Porgy & Bess
Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed Satchmo, Satch, and Pops,... more2
7130Fats Domino
New Orleans rhythm and blues, Rock musicAlbums: Here Comes... Fats Domino, This Is Fats, Essential Hits and Early Recordings, This Is Fats / Rock and Rollin’ With Fats Domino, Blueberry Hill
Antoine "Fats" Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017) was an American pianist and... more3
9958Lil Wayne
Hip hop, TrapAlbums: Tha Carter III, Tha Carter II, Tha Carter, Tha Carter IV, I Am Not a Human Being
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an... more4
379Mahalia Jackson
Gospel musicAlbums: The Christmas Songs, Amazing Grace, Silent Night: Songs for Christmas, Christmas With Mahalia, Live at Newport 1958
Mahalia Jackson ( mə-HAY-lee-ə; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel... more5
6943Britney Spears
Pop, Contemporary R&BAlbums: ...Baby One More Time, Blackout, Oops!...I Did It Again, Femme Fatale, In the Zone
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and... more6
3913Aaron Neville
Rhythm and blues, Soul musicAlbums: Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas, Warm Your Heart, Believe, To Make Me Who I Am, The Tattooed Heart
Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is an American R&B and soul vocalist and... more7
348Tim McGraw
Country, Southern rockAlbums: Live Like You Were Dying, Two Lanes of Freedom, Please Remember Me, Not a Moment Too Soon, Everywhere
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer and actor. McGraw has... more8
4219Harry Connick, Jr.
Jazz-funk, Swing musicAlbums: What a Night! A Christmas Album, When My Heart Finds Christmas, Blue Light, Red Light, When Harry Met Sally...
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is a Grammy and Emmy-award winning... more9
3815Jerry Lee Lewis
Rock music, RockabillyAlbums: Rockin' My Life Away, Great Balls of Fire, Mean Old Man, Last Man Standing Live, Last Man Standing
Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and... more10
308Phil Anselmo
Glam metal, Doom metalPhilip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American heavy metal musician who is best... more11
3110Allen Toussaint
Rhythm and blues, JazzAlbums: From a Whisper to a Scream, Connected, Life, Love and Faith, A New Orleans Christmas
Allen Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter,... more12
3213Dr. John
New Orleans rhythm and blues, Rock musicAlbums: Gris-Gris, Locked Down, Dr. John's Gumbo, Tribal, Television
Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name... more13
248Buddy Guy
Chicago blues, Electric bluesAlbums: Damn Right, I've Got the Blues, A Man & the Blues, Sweet Tea, Bring 'Em In
George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an... more14
259Jelly Roll Morton
Ragtime, Swing musicAlbums: The Complete Library of Congress Recordings, The King & Mister Jelly Lord, Quadromania Jazz Edition: Jelly Roll Morton: Sidewalk Blues, Library of Congress Recordings, Kansas City Stomp: The Library of Congress Recordings
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (October 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly... more15
249Professor Longhair
New Orleans blues, New Orleans rhythm and bluesAlbums: Roy Brown and New Orleans R&B, New Orleans Piano, Longhair Boogie, Crawfish Fiesta, Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo
Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd (December 19, 1918 – January 30, 1980), better known as Professor... more16
3218Master P
Hip hop music, Gangsta rapAlbums: Ghetto D (bonus disc), MP Da Last Don, Make Em Say Uhh!, Only God Can Judge Me, Ghetto Postage
Percy Robert Miller (born April 29, 1970), also known by his stage name Master P, is an... more17
3117Gnarls Barkley
Hip hop music, Alternative hip hopAlbums: St. Elsewhere, The Odd Couple, Crazy, Smiley Faces, Run
Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo, composed of singer-songwriter CeeLo Green and producer... more18
3523Big Freedia
Freddie Ross is an American musician best known by the stage name Big Freedia and for work in... more19
239Louis Prima
Jump blues, Swing musicAlbums: Louis Prima: Capitol Collector's Series, The Wildest!, Buona Sera, Just a Gigolo, Angelina
Louis Leo Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American singer, actor,... more20
239Pete Fountain
DixielandAlbums: Dixieland Classics, Smooth and Mellow, The Best of Pete Fountain, A Touch of Class, Pete Fountain Presents the Best of Dixieland: Pete Fountain
Pierre Dewey LaFontaine Jr. (July 3, 1930 – August 6, 2016), known professionally as Pete... more21
206Buckwheat Zydeco
Rhythm and blues, CountryAlbums: Lay Your Burden Down, Choo Choo Boogaloo, 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Buckwheat Zydeco, On a Night Like This, Where There's Smoke There's Fire
Stanley Joseph Dural, Jr. (November 14, 1947 – September 24, 2016), better known by his stage... more22
2412Wynton Marsalis
Classical music, Post-bopAlbums: The Majesty of the Blues, Crescent City Christmas Card, Christmas Jazz Jam, Citi Movement (Griot New York), The Marciac Suite
Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American virtuoso trumpeter, composer,... more23
2412Irma Thomas
Rhythm and blues, Soul musicAlbums: Time Is on My Side: The Best of Irma Thomas, Volume 1, Sing It!, Time Is on My Side, Sings
Irma Thomas (born February 18, 1941) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as... more24
198Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Jazz, DixielandAlbums: Because of You, The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection, American Legacies, An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program, St. Peter & 57th St.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band is a New Orleans jazz band founded in New Orleans by tuba player... more25
209Slim Harpo
Harmonica blues, Juke joint bluesAlbums: The Excello Singles Anthology, Slim Harpo Knew the Blues, I'm a King Bee, The Best of Slim Harpo, Rainin' in My Heart
James Isaac Moore (January 11, 1924 – January 31, 1970), better known by his stage name Slim... more
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