Ranker MusicList RulesOnly artists born or raised in Ohio or bands formed in Ohio.
Here are the best artists and bands from Ohio. Cleveland, Ohio is pretty much the rock capital of the United States as it is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. Plenty of musicians who got their start in Ohio have been inducted into these prestigious organizations, including The Isley Brothers, The Moonglows, and Bobby Womack. However, these acts only scratch the surface of what Ohio has produced over the last century. Numerous famous musical artists from Ohio have gone on to dominate the music scene around the world.
Any country fans will already know that Dwight Yoakam is originally from Columbus. Rock fans also have a claim to fame in the state. Some huge acts in the genre, such as Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, and Twenty One Pilots were born and raised around Ohio. This isn't even getting into all the blues, pop, hip hop, and electronic acts that grew up around the Buckeye State. Other popular Ohio artists and groups include John Legend, Dave Grohl, Kid Cudi, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
Vote up the best Ohio artists, and feel free to add any other musicians, rappers, singers, and bands with Ohio roots.
1
2,359266Art Tatum
Stride, JazzAlbums: The Tatum Group Masterpieces, The Discovery of Jazz, The Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Volume 3, Body and Soul
Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist. Tatum grew up in Toledo, Ohio, where he began playing professionally and had his own radio program, rebroadcast... more2
558478Anita Baker
Adult contemporary music, Quiet stormAlbums: Rapture, Christmas Fantasy, Giving You the Best That I Got, Compositions, A Night of Rapture: Live
Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress,... more- 3946940
Dean Martin
Swing music, Traditional pop musicAlbums: Christmas With the Rat Pack, Dino / You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, A Winter Romance, Christmas With Dean Martin, Christmas With Dino
Dino Paul Crocetti (June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995), known famously as Dean Martin, was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the... more - 4961955
Doris Day
Traditional pop music, Big bandAlbums: The Doris Day Christmas Album, Young Man With a Horn, Cuttin' Capers / Bright & Shiny, Sentimental Journey / Latin for Lovers, The Complete Standard Transcriptions
Doris Day (born April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and animal welfare activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945... more - 5212231
Nancy Wilson
Pop music, CabaretAlbums: In Person, The Swingin's Mutual!, A Nancy Wilson Christmas, Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley, Today
Nancy Sue Wilson (February 20, 1937 – December 13, 2018) was an American singer whose career spanned over five decades, from the mid–1950s until her retirement in the early–2010s. She was notable for... more - 68691,019
Michael Feinstein
Traditional pop musicAlbums: The Power of Two, Hopeless Romantics, Pure Gershwin, Michael & George - Feinstein Sings Gershwin, Change of Heart: The Songs of Andre Previn
Michael Jay Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, pianist, and music revivalist. He is an interpreter of, and an anthropologist and archivist for, the repertoire known as the... more - 78251,097
Jim Brickman
Adult contemporary music, New Age musicAlbums: Valentine, Simple Things, Picture This, Home, Destiny
Jim Brickman (born November 20, 1961) is an American songwriter and pianist of pop music, as well as a radio show host. Brickman has earned six Gold and Platinum albums. He is known for his solo... more - 83040
The O'Jays
R&BAlbums: Back Stabbers, Family Reunion, Message in the Music
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Zapp
Hip hop music, ElectroAlbums: The Many Facets of Roger, Unlimited!, Bridging the Gap, The Saga Continues..., The New Zapp IV U
Zapp is an American funk band that emerged from Hamilton, Ohio, in 1977. Particularly influential in the electro subgenre of funk, Zapp served as partial inspiration toward the creation of the G-funk... more - 101627
Lakeside
Rhythm and blues, FunkAlbums: Shot of Love, Fantastic Voyage, Galactic Grooves, Greatest Hits, Rough Riders
Lakeside is a funk band, best known for their 1980 number one R&B hit, "Fantastic Voyage".... more - 111830
Heatwave
Disco, Rhythm and bluesAlbums: Central Heating, Too Hot to Handle, Candles, Current, Hot Property
Heatwave is an international funk/disco band featuring Americans Johnnie Wilder, Jr. and Keith Wilder of Dayton, Ohio, Englishman Rod Temperton, Swiss Mario Mantese, Czechoslovak Ernest "Bilbo"... more 
121424Eric Jerardi
Blues RockAlbums: Occupied
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The Breeders
Alternative rock, Indie rockAlbums: Last Splash, Pod, Title TK, Mountain Battles, Climbing the Sun
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1990 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of lineup changes; Kim Deal has been... more - 142340
Wild Cherry
Disco, Pop musicAlbums: Wild Cherry, Super Hits, I Love My Music, Electrified Funk, Only the Wild Survive
Wild Cherry was an American funk rock band best known for their song "Play That Funky Music". ... more - 151425
Sun
Disco, Rock musicAlbums: Wanna Make Love / Sun-Power, Sun Power, Destination Sun, Eclipse, Wanna Make Love
Sun is an R&B, soul, disco, and funk band that was formed in the mid-1970s and recorded prolifically for Capitol Records from 1976 to 1984. The band was founded by Byron Byrd in Dayton, Ohio, in... more - 161224
Brainiac
Synthpunk, Noise rockAlbums: Bonsai Superstar, Smack Bunny Baby, Electro-Shock for President, internationale, Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
Brainiac was an American Indie rock band formed in 1992, and disbanded after the sudden death of lead singer Tim Taylor in 1997.... more - 171528
Roger Troutman
Hip hop music, ElectroAlbums: California Love, The Many Facets of Roger, Unlimited!, Bridging the Gap, The Saga Continues...
Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known mononymously as Roger, was an American singer, composer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp... more - 181122
Calloway
Pop music, Rhythm and bluesAlbums: All The Way, Let's Get Smooth
Calloway is an R&B duo of Cincinnati, Ohio brothers Reginald (born on January 23, 1955) and Vincent (born on January 5, 1957) Calloway. They had a major hit in 1990 with "I Wanna Be Rich".... more - 191122
Faze-O
Rhythm and blues, FunkAlbums: Riding High, Good Thang, Breakin' the Funk
Faze-O was a late 1970s funk group based in Dayton, Ohio and produced by Clarence Satchell of the Ohio Players, and was the group's front band during many live performances. Their 1977 song, "Riding... more - 201225
Eddie Levert
Rock music, Rhythm and bluesAlbums: I Still Have It, Already Missing You
Edward Willis "Eddie" Levert (born June 16, 1942) is an American singer–songwriter and actor. Levert is best known as the lead vocalist of the group, The O'Jays.... more - 211225
Steve Arrington
Pop music, Contemporary R&BAlbums: Higher, Dancin' in the Key of Life, Feel so real, Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame, Vol.1
Stephen Ralph "Steve" Arrington (born March 5, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, drummer, record producer, engineer and minister, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio.... more - 221124
Platypus
Jazz fusion, Progressive rockAlbums: Ice Cycles, When Pus Comes to Shove, Heise: iX PRESSed '95
Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.... more - 231531
Eric Jerardi
Blues, SoulAlbums: Occupied
- 241227
Aurra
Electronic dance music, Contemporary R&BAlbums: Anthology, Send Your Love, A Little Love, Like I Like It, You and Me Tonight
Aurra was an American 1980s soul group, which, at the time of its biggest success, was composed of Curt Jones and Starleana Young.... more - 251227
Ce Ce Peniston
Urban contemporary, Dance-popAlbums: Finally, I'm Movin' On, Thought 'Ya Knew, Music Is Our Way of Life, Colour of My Soul
Cecilia Veronica "CeCe" Peniston (; born September 6, 1969) is an American recording artist and former beauty queen. In the early 1990s, she scored five number one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot... more
