Originally by Ranker MusicList RulesThe best artists of any genre
When VH1 polled fellow artists to name the greatest artists of all time, it seemed like a good idea---but in reality, the list was truly flawed. According to them, Coldplay is better than Pearl Jam, Mariah Carey is only greater than six artists, etc! Not to mention other impactful artists were left off of the list. So I thought that maybe we try the countdown one more time, only this time with the perspective of true music fans...YOU..
This list will begin in no particular order, you will see some names that didn't appear in VH1's version, no artist appears on the countdown twice, and the order is not my personal opinion (I personally think Bob Marley is the greatest artist of all time). If you don't like how the list looks, you have the power to change it. This list includes some of the greatest female vocalists of the past 10 years, great current bands, and many of the best rock bands and artists of all time. Many of them are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - and some will be, eventually.
So many questions will be answered with the voting results on this list. Nirvana or Pearl Jam? 2Pac or Biggie? The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston? Is Michael Jackson still the King or is Elvis the true immortal? Is Madonna still the undisputed Queen of Pop? Does anyone rock harder than Hendrix? Are Jay-Z and Beyonce the most powerful couple in music history? It's up to you to decide!
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16,72011,162David Bowie
Rock music, Psychedelic popAlbums: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, "Heroes"
David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie (,... more on Wikipedia
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17,61911,376Jimi Hendrix
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: First Rays of the New Rising Sun, Band of Gypsys, Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection, Live at the Fillmore East, Live at Woodstock
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18,... more on Wikipedia3
17,38510,068Ludwig van Beethoven
Opera, Classical musicAlbums: Symphony Edition, Classical Anthology, Symphonies Nos. 1-9 (feat. piano: Cyprien Katsaris), Eternal Classics, The Perlman Edition (disc 15: Bach)
Ludwig van Beethoven ( (listen); German: [ˈluːtvɪç fan ˈbeːthoːfn̩] (listen); baptised 17... more on Wikipedia4
15,9689,485Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Opera, BalletAlbums: Symphony Edition, Classical Anthology, Eternal Classics, Concertos for Flute, Harp and Orchestra (Orchestra: Saint Paul's Philharmonic Orchestra; Flute: Ubaldo Rosso; Harp: Ursula Mazurek; Conductor: Silvano Frontalini)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus... more on Wikipedia![Johnny Cash]()
514,62710,025Johnny Cash
Outlaw country, Christian musicAlbums: American V: A Hundred Highways, American IV: The Man Comes Around, At Folsom Prison, American Recordings, American III: Solitary Man
John R. "Johnny" Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American... more on Wikipedia6
14,4609,902Frank Sinatra
Swing music, Traditional pop musicAlbums: Christmas With the Rat Pack, In the Wee Small Hours, Christmas Songs by Sinatra, A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra, Nothing but the Best
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor and... more on Wikipedia7
14,9109,953John Lennon
Blues-rock, Pop musicAlbums: Imagine, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Double Fantasy, Milk and Honey, Walls and Bridges
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon, 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an... more on Wikipedia8
15,28210,555Bob Dylan
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Highway 61 Revisited, Blood on the Tracks, Blonde on Blonde, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan (born May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, poet, and visual... more on Wikipedia9
16,90711,737Elvis Presley
Christian music, Pop musicAlbums: Jailhouse Rock, The Sun Sessions, From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters, Can’t Help Falling in Love / Rock-A-Hula Baby, Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition)
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known mononymously as Elvis, was... more on Wikipedia10
13,4238,559Johann Sebastian Bach
Classical musicAlbums: Die kompletten Werke von Johann Sebastian Bach, The Organ Works, Bach Edition, Volume V: Cantatas, Volume II
Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and... more on Wikipedia11
14,84210,250Bob Marley
ReggaeAlbums: Sun Is Shining, One Love, Rainbow Country, Lively Up Yourself, Forever Gold
Robert Nesta Marley, (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer and songwriter.... more on Wikipedia![The Rolling Stones]()
1216,84511,867The Rolling Stones
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: Let It Bleed, Exile on Main St., Sticky Fingers, Beggar's Banquet, Some Girls
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first settled... more on Wikipedia![Led Zeppelin]()
1320,41614,414Led Zeppelin
Blues-rock, Classic rockAlbums: Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin II, Physical Graffiti, Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of... more on Wikipedia14
14,1969,864Stevie Wonder
Motown Sound, Psychedelic soulAlbums: Songs in the Key of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book, Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I, Music of My Mind
Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950), better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is... more on Wikipedia15
20,96614,832Michael Jackson
Motown Sound, Rock musicAlbums: Thriller, Bad, Off the Wall, Dangerous, Michael
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter,... more on Wikipedia16
15,76211,230Elton John
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Disney's Sing-Along: The Lion King, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Madman Across the Water, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
Sir Elton Hercules John (born 25 March 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, pianist, and... more on Wikipedia17
15,6529,985Paul McCartney
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Flaming Pie, Ram, McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Press to Play
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter, musician,... more on Wikipedia18
13,1699,121Chuck Berry
Rock music, Rhythm and bluesAlbums: The Great Twenty-Eight, Maybellene, Two Great Guitars, Rock, Rock
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer and... more on Wikipedia19
14,40910,229Creedence Clearwater Revival
Blues-rock, Blue-eyed soulAlbums: Green River, Cosmo's Factory, Willy and the Poor Boys, Bayou Country, Pendulum
Creedence Clearwater Revival (often referred to as Creedence or CCR) was an American rock band... more on Wikipedia20
12,8049,100Marvin Gaye
Doo-wop, Motown SoundAlbums: What's Going On, Here, My Dear, Let's Get It On, I Want You
Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer,... more on Wikipedia21
13,7949,968The Beach Boys
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: Pet Sounds, Surfin' USA, Ultimate Christmas, Endless Summer, Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock and roll band. Formed in 1961, they gained popularity for... more on Wikipedia22
14,55010,517The Doors
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: The Doors, L.A. Woman, Strange Days, Morrison Hotel, Light My Fire
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim... more on Wikipedia![Queen]()
2324,01617,445Queen
Pop music, Rock musicAlbums: A Night at the Opera, Queen, Innuendo, Queen II, Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970. Their classic line-up was Freddie... more on Wikipedia24
12,4068,650Ray Charles
Soul blues, Pop musicAlbums: The Birth of Soul, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, The Spirit of Christmas, Ray Charles at Newport, Genius Loves Company
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), professionally known as simply Ray... more on Wikipedia25
13,8149,970Eric Clapton
Blues-rock, Rock musicAlbums: 461 Ocean Boulevard, Crossroads, Pilgrim, Journeyman, Tears in Heaven
Eric Patrick Clapton, (born 30 March 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer,... more on Wikipedia
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