Ranker MusicList RulesOnly artists born or raised in Tennessee or bands formed in Tennessee.
Here are the best artists and bands from Tennessee. For years now, Nashville has been the unofficial capital of country music. Meanwhile, numerous country musicians recognize Bristol, Tennessee as the birthplace of country. There have also been numerous musicians who have come out of Memphis. Whether your favorite bands and singers are in rock, soul, or blues, there is a very good they were influenced by the best musical artists from Tennessee.
Artists from all over the world have flocked to Tennessee to record albums at one of the many recording studios in the state. Additionally, it is considered a rite of passage for country artists to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. While outsiders are welcome, Tennessee has still produced its own musical acts, including Billy Ray Cyrus, Big & Rich, Kesha, and Lady Antebellum. People come to Tennessee to rock, and the state certainly delivers. Other popular Tennessee artists include Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Kings of Leon, and Juicy J.
From Kenny Chesney to Paramore, these are not just the most famous Tennessee musical artists. These are some of the most popular artists in the country. You can finally learn where your favorite bands and singers come from. As you go through this list, vote for the artists you like most to see who can officially be declared Nashville royalty.
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11628Dolly Parton
Ballad, Country popAlbums: Once Upon a Christmas, The Ultimate Collection, The Grass Is Blue, Home for Christmas, The Right Combination: Burning the Midnight Oil
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter,... more on Wikipedia2
6928Tina Turner
Rock music, Dance-popAlbums: Private Dancer, What's Love Got to Do With It, Simply the Best, Foreign Affair, Wildest Dreams
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock, November 26, 1939) is an internationally recognized... more on Wikipedia3
8145Justin Timberlake
Pop, Contemporary R&BAlbums: FutureSex/LoveSounds, The 20/20 Experience, Justified, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2, Justin Timberlake: Live from London
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981), often known by his initials, JT, is an... more on Wikipedia4
5829Kings of Leon
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Aha Shake Heartbreak, Only by the Night, Youth & Young Manhood, Because of the Times, Come Around Sundown
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2000. The band... more on Wikipedia5
6638Kenny Chesney
CountryAlbums: Welcome to the Fishbowl, No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter,... more on Wikipedia6
5426Trace Adkins
Blues-rock, Country rockAlbums: Honky Tonk Badonkadonk, Love Will..., Comin' on Strong, Chrome, Dreamin' Out Loud
Tracy Darrell Adkins (born January 13, 1962) is an American country singer and actor. In 1998,... more on Wikipedia7
5935Paramore
Pop punk, Alternative rockAlbums: Riot!, All We Know Is Falling, brand new eyes, Paramore, Ignorance
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band currently... more on Wikipedia8
4832Three 6 Mafia
Hip hop music, Dirty rapAlbums: Most Known Unknown, When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1, Chapter 2: World Domination, Da Headbusaz – Dat's How It Happen To'M
Three 6 Mafia is an American hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee formed in 1991. Emerging as... more on Wikipedia9
4731Skillet
Nu metal, Rock musicAlbums: Stronger, Awake, Rise, Comatose, Alien Youth
Skillet is a Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996 and based in the United... more on Wikipedia10
5339Kesha
Pop, Hip hopAlbums: Animal, Cannibal, TiK ToK, Warrior, Animal + Cannibal
Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), known mononymously as Kesha (formerly stylized... more on Wikipedia11
4429Diamond Rio
Christian country music, CountryAlbums: One More Day, A Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still Shines, All American Country, Completely, Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville,... more on Wikipedia12
3115Chet Atkins
Folk music, JazzAlbums: East Tennessee Christmas, Chester & Lester, Simpatico, The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World, Street Dreams
Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country... more on Wikipedia13
4329Big & Rich
Rock music, Country rockAlbums: Hillbilly Jedi, Horse of a Different Color, Comin' to Your City, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace, Big & Rich's Super Galactic Fan Pak
Big or BIG may refer to: Big, of great size14
3419Gregg Allman
Rock music, Gospel musicAlbums: Laid Back, Just Before the Bullets Fly, I'm No Angel, Duane & Greg Allman, Two the Hard Way
Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and... more on Wikipedia15
4835Billy Ray Cyrus
Country pop, Country rockAlbums: Achy Breaky Heart, Some Gave All, Change My Mind, Time Flies, Storm in the Heartland
Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He has... more on Wikipedia16
3621Rhett Akins
CountryAlbums: Somebody New, Friday Night in Dixie, A Thousand Memories, Career Sampler, What Livin's All About
Thomas Rhett Akins Sr. (born October 13, 1969) is an American country music singer and... more on Wikipedia17
5038Lady A
Country, PopAlbums: Need You Now, Lady Antebellum, A Merry Little Christmas, Need You Now, Own the Night
Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in... more on Wikipedia18
3218Duane Allman
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Duane Allman: An Anthology, Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective, Ton-Ton Macoute!, Duane & Greg Allman, Duane Allman: An Anthology
Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American guitarist, session... more on Wikipedia19
5546Miley Cyrus
Pop, Country popAlbums: Can't Be Tamed, Hannah Montana 2 / Meet Miley Cyrus, Breakout, The Time of Our Lives, Party In the U.S.A.
Miley Ray Hemsworth (née Cyrus, born Destiny Hope Cyrus; November 23, 1992) is an American... more on Wikipedia20
2511Kitty Wells
Nashville sound, Honky-tonkAlbums: The Collection, God's Honky Tonk Angel: The First Queen of Country Music, 20 Greatest Hits, Kitty Wells' Country Hitparade, Lonely Street
Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells,... more on Wikipedia21
3220Dustin Lynch
CountryAlbums: Dustin Lynch, Where It's At, Cowboys and Angels
Dustin Charles Lynch (born May 14, 1985) is an American country music singer and songwriter,... more on Wikipedia22
301910 Years
Post-grunge, Alternative rockAlbums: Killing All That Holds You, The Autumn Effect, Division, Into the Half Moon, Minus the Machine
10 Years is an American alternative metal band, formed in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1999. The... more on Wikipedia23
2918Red
Dark ambient, Nu metalAlbums: Release the Panic, End of Silence, Innocence & Instinct, Until We Have Faces, Who We Are: The Red Anthology
Red (also stylized R3D or RED) is an American Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee,... more on Wikipedia24
2818The Dead Weather
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Horehound, Live at Third Man Records West, Sea of Cowards, Forever My Queen, Live at Outside Lands Festival
The Dead Weather is an American rock supergroup, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009.... more on Wikipedia25
3527Lonestar
Country pop, CountryAlbums: Amazed, I'm Already There, This Christmas Time, From There to Here: Greatest Hits, Lonely Grill
Lonestar is an American country music group consisting of Richie McDonald (lead vocals,... more on Wikipedia
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