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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17,16011,012Jimi 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
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16,9829,625Ludwig 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... more3
16,27410,734David 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 (,... more4
15,6509,083Wolfgang 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... more5
14,92610,003Bob 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... more6
14,6639,583John 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... more7
14,2259,587Frank 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![Johnny Cash]()
814,3779,698Johnny 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... more9
13,2348,245Johann 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... more10
16,41011,364Elvis 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... more11
15,44310,756Elton 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... more12
14,6149,947Bob 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![The Rolling Stones]()
1316,31011,436The 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![Led Zeppelin]()
1419,64913,830Led 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... more15
14,0209,645Stevie 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... more16
20,24214,250Michael 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,... more17
13,5529,522The 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... more18
15,3929,685Paul 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,... more19
14,23210,039The 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... more20
13,0148,908Chuck 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... more21
14,1319,935Creedence 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![Nirvana]()
2215,12010,684Nirvana
Rock music, GrungeAlbums: Nevermind, In Utero, MTV Unplugged in New York, Bleach, Heart‐Shaped Box
Nirvana was an American grunge band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and... more23
14,91410,739Prince
Hip hop music, SynthpopAlbums: Purple Rain, Sign 'O' the Times, 1999, Love Symbol Album, Around the World in a Day
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter,... more24
12,7098,947Marvin 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,... more25
12,3158,475Ray 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
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