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Top 100 greatest musicians of all time

The greatest musicians of all time, from pop and rock to hip-hop and classical, ranked by everyone, one head-to-head pick at a time. Build your own Top 10 and see it next to the world's.

350 musicians in one list, pop and rock, hip-hop and classical, from Bach and Mozart to Michael Jackson, Eminem and Taylor Swift. Every pick weighs a symphony against a hit record, and the list shows where the world lands.

  1. Michael Jackson United States · 1958–2009
  2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Austria · 1756–1791
  3. Eminem United States · 1972–
  4. Ludwig van Beethoven Germany · 1770–1827
  5. Elvis Presley United States · 1935–1977
  6. John Lennon United Kingdom · 1940–1980
  7. Freddie Mercury United Kingdom · 1946–1991
  8. Jay-Z United States · 1969–
  9. Bob Dylan United States · 1941–
  10. Johann Sebastian Bach Germany · 1685–1750
  11. The Notorious B.I.G. United States · 1972–1997
  12. Beyoncé United States · 1981–
  13. Jimi Hendrix United States · 1942–1970
  14. Lady Gaga United States · 1986–
  15. Frédéric Chopin Poland · 1810–1849
  16. Paul McCartney United Kingdom · 1942–
  17. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Russia · 1840–1893
  18. David Bowie United Kingdom · 1947–2016
  19. Dolly Parton United States · 1946–2026
  20. Tupac Shakur United States · 1971–1996
  21. Antonio Vivaldi Italy · 1678–1741
  22. Richard Wagner Germany · 1813–1883
  23. Whitney Houston United States · 1963–2012
  24. Giacomo Puccini Italy · 1858–1924
  25. George Frideric Handel United Kingdom · 1685–1759
  26. Kurt Cobain United States · 1967–1994
  27. Snoop Dogg United States · 1971–
  28. Mariah Carey United States · 1969–
  29. Elton John United Kingdom · 1947–
  30. Kendrick Lamar United States · 1987–
  31. Giuseppe Verdi Italy · 1813–1901
  32. Madonna United States · 1958–
  33. Frank Sinatra United States · 1915–1998
  34. Taylor Swift United States · 1989–
  35. Johannes Brahms Germany · 1833–1897
  36. Ariana Grande United States · 1993–
  37. Rihanna Barbados · 1988–
  38. Prince United States · 1958–2016
  39. Hans Zimmer Germany · 1957–
  40. Joseph Haydn Austria · 1732–1809
  41. Lil Wayne United States · 1982–
  42. Adele United Kingdom · 1988–
  43. Drake Canada · 1986–
  44. Johnny Cash United States · 1932–2003
  45. Nas United States · 1973–
  46. Ennio Morricone Italy · 1928–2020
  47. Louis Armstrong United States · 1901–1971
  48. Igor Stravinsky Russia · 1882–1971
  49. Antonín Dvořák Czech Republic · 1841–1904
  50. Bob Marley Jamaica · 1945–1981
  51. Gustav Mahler Czech Republic · 1860–1911
  52. John Williams United States · 1932–
  53. Franz Schubert Austria · 1797–1828
  54. George Harrison United Kingdom · 1943–2001
  55. Aretha Franklin United States · 1942–2018
  56. Kanye West United States · 1977–
  57. Nicki Minaj Trinidad and Tobago · 1982–
  58. Stevie Wonder United States · 1950–
  59. 50 Cent United States · 1975–
  60. Ice Cube United States · 1969–
  61. Céline Dion Canada · 1968–
  62. Lauryn Hill United States · 1975–
  63. Carlos Santana Mexico · 1947–
  64. Demi Lovato United States · 1992–
  65. Claude Debussy France · 1862–1918
  66. Eric Clapton United Kingdom · 1945–
  67. Bruce Springsteen United States · 1949–
  68. Miley Cyrus United States · 1992–
  69. Frank Zappa United States · 1940–1993
  70. Britney Spears United States · 1981–
  71. Danny Elfman United States · 1953–
  72. Franz Liszt Austria · 1811–1886
  73. J. Cole United States · 1985–
  74. Ozzy Osbourne United Kingdom · 1948–2025
  75. Dr. Dre United States · 1965–
  76. George Michael United Kingdom · 1963–2016
  77. Jim Morrison United States · 1943–1971
  78. Bonnie Tyler United Kingdom · 1951–2026
  79. Edvard Grieg Norway · 1843–1907
  80. Amy Winehouse United Kingdom · 1983–2011
  81. Hector Berlioz France · 1803–1869
  82. Avril Lavigne Canada · 1984–
  83. Jimmy Page United Kingdom · 1944–
  84. Leonard Bernstein United States · 1918–1990
  85. André 3000 United States · 1975–
  86. Ringo Starr United Kingdom · 1940–
  87. Shakira Colombia · 1977–
  88. DMX United States · 1970–2021
  89. Dmitri Shostakovich Russia · 1906–1975
  90. Andrea Bocelli Italy · 1958–
  91. Andrew Lloyd Webber United Kingdom · 1948–
  92. Cher United States · 1946–
  93. Marilyn Manson United States · 1969–
  94. Ghostface Killah United States · 1970–
  95. Herbie Hancock United States · 1940–
  96. The Weeknd Canada · 1990–
  97. Neil Young Canada · 1945–
  98. Katy Perry United States · 1984–
  99. Mick Jagger United Kingdom · 1943–
  100. Missy Elliott United States · 1971–

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