Music
The Best Musical Artists From New Jersey
List Rules
Only artists born or raised in New Jersey or bands formed in New Jersey.
Here are the best artists and bands from New Jersey. Although it doesn't have an official state song, New Jersey has been the birthplace of many influential bands and singers. Surely one of them could have written a song by now that describes everything wonderful about the Garden State. When you see all of the notable musical artists from New Jersey, you will be so impressed at how one state could produce this kind of talent.
One of New Jersey's greatest exports is Bruce Springsteen. The Boss rose to fame with such albums as Born in the U.S.A. and Born to Run. Springsteen was born in Long Branch, and even today, he takes up a permanent residence in Colts Neck. The state is also responsible for giving us the Queen of Soul, Whitney Houston, whose hits include "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "Saving All My Love for You." Other popular New Jersey artists include Halsey, My Chemical Romance, Fugees, Bon Jovi, and the Jonas Brothers.
Plenty of other artists got their start in NJ. This list of the most famous New Jersey musical artists has people who were either born or raised in the state. Let other readers know who you think the best artists from the state are by voting for your favorites. You will find top acts all throughout the list, so make sure to read thorugh it carefully.
Ranked by
- 1
Americana, Blues-rock, Country- Albums: Born to Run, Born in the U.S.A., The Rising, Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949), nicknamed "The Boss", is an American singer-songwriter who is a solo artist and is the leader of the E Street Band. Springsteen received ...more - 2Pop punk, Pop music, Rock music
- Albums: The Black Parade, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, Watchmen: Music From the Motion Picture
My Chemical Romance are an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and ...more - 3Doo-wop, Blue-eyed soul, Disco
- Albums: Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Paul Simon and Friends, Closeup, Working My Way Back To You, Closeup / Valli
Frankie Valli (born May 3, 1934) is an American singer and actor, known as the frontman of The Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful tenor/lead. Valli scored 29 Top ...more - 4Horror punk, Heavy metal, Classic Punk
- Albums: Legacy of Brutality, Famous Monsters, Walk Among Us, Misfits, American Psycho
Misfits are an American punk rock band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. Founded in 1977 ...more - 5Rock music, Folk music, Folk rock
- Albums: Graceland, Still Crazy After All These Years, So Beautiful or So What, Paul Simon, The Rhythm of the Saints
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Simon's musical career has spanned seven decades with his fame and commercial success beginning as half of the ...more - 6Doo-wop, Blue-eyed soul, Disco
- Albums: The 4 Seasons' Christmas Album, Working My Way Back To You, Greatest Hits, Volume 1, Beggin': The Ultimate Collection
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band that became internationally successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 1970, they have also been known at times as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. ...more - 7Glam metal, Blues-rock, Rock music
- Albums: Slippery When Wet, New Jersey, Cross Road, Bon Jovi, 7800° Fahrenheit
Bon Jovi are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey, consisting of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh ...more - 8Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop, Reggae
- Albums: The Complete Score, Bootleg Versions, Blunted on Reality, Ready or Not, Greatest Hits
Fugees (; sometimes The Fugees) was an American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The ...more - 9Hip hop music, Contemporary R&B, Jazz
- Albums: All Hail the Queen, Black Reign, Trav'lin' Light, The Dana Owens Album, Order in the Court
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and producer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy ...more - 10Americana, Heartland rock, Jersey Shore sound
- Albums: American Slang, The '59 Sound, Handwritten, Sink or Swim, iTunes Session
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The band consists of Brian Fallon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Alex Rosamilia (lead guitar, backing ...more - 11Rock music
- Albums: Born to Run, The Rising, Tunnel of Love, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
The E Street Band are an American rock band, popularly known as musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For ...more - 12Hip hop music, Old-school hip hop, Disco
- Albums: Rapper's Delight, Sugarhill Gang, Jump on It!, 8th Wonder, Livin' in the Fast Lane
The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop trio. Their 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight" was the first rap single to become a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. That was the trio's only U.S. hit, though ...more - 13Glam metal, Thrash metal, Rock music
- Albums: Skid Row, Slave to the Grind, Subhuman Race, Thickskin, B-Side Ourselves
Skid Row is an American hard rock band, formed in 1986 in Toms River, New Jersey. Their current lineup comprises bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave Sabo and Scotti Hill, drummer Rob Hammersmith ...more - 14Disco, Dance-pop, Contemporary R&B
- Albums: Kool and the Gang, Get Down On It, Forever, All-Time Greatest Hits, Kool Funk Essentials 1970-1977
Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, funk and disco group, originally formed in 1964 as the Jazziacs based in Jersey City, New Jersey. They went through several musical phases during the ...more - 15Hip hop music, East Coast hip hop
- Albums: Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature's Fury, Anthem Inc., Poverty's Paradise, IIcons, 19 Naughty III
Naughty by Nature is an American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey consisting of Treach (Anthony Criss, born December 2, 1970), Vin Rock (Vincent Brown, born September 17, 1970), and DJ Kay ...more - 16Jangle pop, Rock music, Pop rock
- Albums: 2011, Green Thoughts, Blown to Smithereens, A Date With The Smithereens, Especially for You
The Smithereens are an American rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio (vocals & guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar & vocals), Mike Mesaros ...more - 17Psychedelic soul, Rock music, Rhythm and blues
- Albums: Mothership Connection, Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome, Live: P-Funk Earth Tour, T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership), The Cinderella Theory
George Edward Clinton (born July 22, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer. His Parliament-Funkadelic collective (which primarily recorded under the distinct band ...more - 18Horror punk, Doom metal, Blues-rock
- Albums: Black Aria II, Black Aria, Who Killed Marilyn?
Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer from Lodi, New Jersey. He is the founder of the bands Misfits, Samhain and ...more - 19Hip hop music
- Albums: Muddy Waters, Whut? Thee Album, Doc's da Name 2000, Blackout!, Red Gone Wild: Thee Album
Reginald Noble (born April 17, 1970), better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam ...more - 20Rock music, Emo, New Prog
- Albums: War All the Time, Full Collapse, Waiting, A City by the Light Divided, Five Stories Falling
Thursday was an American post-hardcore band, formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1997. The band composed of Geoff Rickly, Tom Keeley, Steve Pedulla, Tim Payne, Andrew Everding, and Tucker ...more - 21Pop music, Dance-pop, Contemporary R&B
- Albums: The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album, Whitney Houston, My Love Is Your Love, I'm Your Baby Tonight, The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. She was cited as the most awarded female artist of all time by Guinness World Records and remains ...more - 22Adult album alternative, Blues-rock, Rock music
- Albums: Four, Travelers & Thieves, Blues Traveler, Bridge, Truth Be Told
Blues Traveler is an American rock band that formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band's music spans a variety of genres, including blues rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern ...more - 23Pop punk, Alternative rock, Punk rock
- Albums: The Bouncing Souls, Maniacal Laughter, Hopeless Romantic, The Gold Record, The Bad. The Worse. And the Out of Print.
The Bouncing Souls are an American Punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1989. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element ...more - 24Pop punk, Rock music, Emo
- Albums: Through Being Cool, Stay What You Are, In Reverie, Can't Slow Down, Sound the Alarm
Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1997. The band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, bassist Rodrigo Palma, ...more - 25Country pop, Pop music, Rock music
- Albums: Fairy Tales and Fantasies: The Best of Nancy and Lee, Shot You Down, Boots, You Go-Go Girl!, Nancy & Lee
Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy (née Barbato) Sinatra, and is widely known for her 1966 signature hit ...more
