Ranker MusicList RulesOnly artists born or raised in Washington or bands formed in Washington.
Here are the best artists and bands from Washington. Seattle, the largest city in the state, is known as the birthplace of grunge, which dominated the music industry in the 1990s. Numerous artists in a variety of genres, including hip-hop, folk, punk, and indie music have also come out of the Evergreen State. Although Seattle gets most of the love, plenty of noteworthy acts have also come out of Tacoma and Olympia. You will find the best musical artists from Washington on this list, ranging across decades.
All your favorite grunge artists come from this state. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and more got their start performing in local clubs before dominating radio stations around the globe. However, the state has much more to offer than grunge. Before Sir Mix-a-Lot sang about how much he loved big butts, he was just your average kid in Auburn who loved hip-hop. These artists barely scratch the surface of all the great Washington musical artists.
Do you like wearing flannel, or do you prefer listening to sick beats over the biggest boombox possible? This list has all of the most popular musical artists who have come out of Washington. Vote up the best Washington artists, and feel free to add any other famous musicians, rappers, singers, and bands with Pacific Northwest roots.
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3521Bikini Kill
Riot grrrl, Alternative rockAlbums: Pussy Whipped, Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Bikini Kill, Reject All American, Revolution Girl Style Now!
Bikini Kill is an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990. The... more on Wikipedia27
3725The Head and the Heart
Indie pop, Folk rockAlbums: The Head and the Heart, Let's Be Still, iTunes Session
The Head and The Heart is an indie folk band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in the summer of... more on Wikipedia28
4635Sir Mix-a-Lot
Hip hop music, Old-school hip hopAlbums: Swass, Baby Got Back, Mack Daddy, Chief Boot Knocka, Daddy's Home
Anthony L. Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an... more on Wikipedia29
4636The Wailers
Pop music, SkaAlbums: Catch a Fire, Burnin', Reggae Greats, African Herbsman, Rasta Revolution
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4333Brandi Carlile
Pop music, Folk musicAlbums: The Story, Brandi Carlile, Give Up the Ghost, Bear Creek, We're Growing Up
Brandi M. Carlile (born June 1, 1981) is an American three-time Grammy Award-winning... more on Wikipedia31
2314The Sonics
Rock music, Garage rockAlbums: Here Are The Sonics, Boom, Psycho-Sonic, Psycho-Sonic: The Best of 1964-65, Here Are the Ultimate Sonics
The Sonics are an American garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington, originating in the early... more on Wikipedia32
2920Sleater-Kinney
Riot grrrl, Rock musicAlbums: The Woods, One Beat, Call the Doctor, Dig Me Out, All Hands on the Bad One
Sleater-Kinney is an American rock band that formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1994. The... more on Wikipedia33
3430The Postal Service
Indie pop, SynthpopAlbums: Give Up, Against All Odds, We Will Become Silhouettes, The District Sleeps Alone Tonight, Such Great Heights
The Postal Service was an American indie band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2001.... more on Wikipedia34
2316Tad
Noise rock, Rock musicAlbums: Inhaler, 8-Way Santa, Infrared Riding Hood, God's Balls, Salem
Tad (often styled as TAD) was an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1988... more on Wikipedia35
2824Judy Collins
Pop music, Folk musicAlbums: So Early in the Spring, the First 15 Years, Judith, Times of Our Lives, Hard Times for Lovers
Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter known for her... more on Wikipedia36
2114Sunny Day Real Estate
Rock music, EmoAlbums: Diary, The Rising Tide, Sunny Day Real Estate, How It Feels to Be Something On, Live
Sunny Day Real Estate was an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. They... more on Wikipedia37
3534Kenny G
Adult contemporary music, Smooth jazzAlbums: Miracles: The Holiday Album, Faith: A Holiday Album, Breathless, Classics in the Key of G, Duotones
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an... more on Wikipedia38
2522MxPx
Pop punk, Christian punkAlbums: At the Show, Life in General, Punk Rawk Christmas, Ten Years and Running, The Ever Passing Moment
MxPx is an American punk rock band from Bremerton, Washington founded in 1992 as Magnified... more on Wikipedia39
2116Neko Case
Americana, Folk rockAlbums: Middle Cyclone, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Blacklisted, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight
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2320The Posies
Grunge, Power popAlbums: Frosting on the Beater, Dear 23, Success, Amazing Disgrace, Failure
The Posies are an American power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham,... more on Wikipedia41
1918Mount Eerie
Indie pop, Black metalAlbums: No Flashlight: Songs of the Fulfilled Night, Black Wooden Ceiling Opening, Clear Moon, Wind's Poem, Dawn
Mount Eerie is the musical project of Anacortes, Washington-based songwriter and producer Phil... more on Wikipedia42
1716Murder City Devils
Horror punk, Rock musicAlbums: R.I.P., Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts, ATDI / The Murder City Devils, In Name and Blood
The Murder City Devils are an American garage rock band formed in 1996.43
1716Minus the Bear
Experimental rock, Alternative rockAlbums: Planet of Ice, Menos el oso, This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic, Highly Refined Pirates, Infinity Overhead
Minus the Bear was an American indie rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 2001, and... more on Wikipedia44
1615The Lonely Forest
Rock music, Alternative rockAlbums: Adding Up the Wasted Hours, Nuclear Winter, Regicide, We Sing the Body Electric!, The Lonely Forest E.P.
The Lonely Forest was an American indie rock band formed in Anacortes, Washington in 2005. The... more on Wikipedia45
1616The Fall of Troy
Pop punk, MathcoreAlbums: Manipulator, In the Unlikely Event, Doppelgänger, The Fall of Troy, Ghostship EP
The Fall of Troy is an American post-hardcore band from Mukilteo, Washington. The band is a... more on Wikipedia46
1211Hammerbox
Rock music, GrungeAlbums: Numb, Hammerbox, Live EMP Skychurch, Seattle, WA
Hammerbox was an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington. The band formed around 1990... more on Wikipedia47
1515Botch
Mathcore, MetalcoreAlbums: The Unifying Themes of Sex, Death, and Religion, We Are the Romans, American Nervoso
Botch was an American metalcore band formed in 1993 in Tacoma, Washington. The band, featuring... more on Wikipedia48
1413Sunn O)))
Doom metal, Dark ambientAlbums: Altar, Monoliths & Dimensions, Angel Coma, The Grimmrobe Demos, White2
Sunn O))) (pronounced "sun") is an American experimental metal band from Seattle, Washington,... more on Wikipedia49
1617Myles Kennedy
Thrash metal, Blues-rockAlbums: Live in Manchester, Made in Stoke 24/7/11
Myles Richard Bass (born November 27, 1969), known professionally as Myles Kennedy, is an... more on Wikipedia50
1516The Fartz
Hardcore punkAlbums: Because This Fuckin' World Still Stinks..., What's in a Name, Injustice
The Fartz were originally formed in 1981 and were one of the first well-known hardcore bands... more on Wikipedia
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