Top 10 Most Talented Musicians of All Time

These are the most talented musicians to ever walk this great Earth.

The Top Ten

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was a Zanzibari‑born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. He achieved fame for his flamboyant stage persona and remarkable four-octave vocal range.... read more

Freddie is God. He wrote the music, played the instruments, sang, and he was probably the best frontman of any band in history. Freddie is indeed comparable to Mozart or Beethoven. Elvis had his teenybopper fans wetting their days-of-the-week panties, but Freddie was a virtuoso.

"Elvis Presley, Levi Stubbs, Frank Sinatra, and Marvin Gaye"? They were very far from Freddie's incredible singing skills. Are you crazy?

Nobody reaches you, Freddie. You will always be in my heart. I love you forever. You gave so much to the world and gone too soon...
Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. His best-known compositions include nine symphonies, five piano concertos, one violin... read more

Aren't we talking about musicians here? Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach should be 1, 2, and 3. Today's society has vastly neglected true musical geniuses throughout history.

He composed some of the greatest works in music history even though he was deaf! That's like painting the Mona Lisa while blind.

Freddie Mercury is very talented, but I don't think he is more talented than Beethoven and Mozart. (my personal opinion).
Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era, born in Salzburg. He composed more than 600 works, including symphonies, operas, chamber music, and choral pieces. His most famous compositions include... read more

Come on, he's number 1, hands down. His ability to write symphonies and concertos with hardly any mistakes or rewrites is simply amazing. Plus, his body of work speaks for itself. His talent was almost supernatural. The rest are all extremely talented. The real question is who's the next best... Easily Beethoven!

Please, everyone knows Mozart is No. 1. I don't listen to classical music much, but it's pretty much the father of all music and more complex than anything most musicians could ever hope to achieve. Sorry, all you Paul fans out there, but there is nothing amazing about him compared to the true legends.
David Garrett

David Christian Bongartz, known professionally as David Garrett, is a German crossover violinist and recording artist. He is recognized for blending classical and pop music styles in his performances. Garrett holds multiple world records for fastest violin playing and has released several chart-topping... read more
Paul McCartney

Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame as a member of the rock band The Beatles, one of the most popular and influential groups in the history of pop... read more

Paul McCartney, where do I even start? He has a 4.5-octave vocal range (A1-E6).
He is very musically talented. He can play the guitar, piano, bass, drums, trumpet, and as well as over 40 other musical instruments. He had one of the most influential impacts on music in general.
He has written Drive My Car, Helter Skelter, Day Tripper, I'm Down, I Saw Her Standing There, A Hard Day's Night, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Hey Bulldog, and so much more to name.
He is also still kicking it even today! He still has his talent. He can play a 2-3 hour concert, and he is 79 years old! He once did a whole concert without a small break for water.
He is a rock legend and should be in the #1 spot, not #9.
John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Winston Lennon, 9 October 1940-8 December 1980), was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and political activist. He rose to worldwide fame as the co-founder, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the... read more

The greatest, most beautiful soul, besides Jesus, to walk the earth. Not only inspiring but thought-provoking. He and Paul both don't even know how to read or write music. That proves both of their genius!

Endlessly talented and contributed more than any other musician I know in terms of knowledge, kindness, and forward thinking. Absolutely brilliant on every level.

He just proves even more the fact every Beatle is insanely talented!
Guitar
Six-String Bass
Piano
Harmonium
Electric Organ
Harmonica
And, as expected, he can sing like a boss!
Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, which was ruled a homicide. Jackson is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures... read more

Talents:
1. Greatest Dancer of All Time
2. Greatest Entertainer of All Time
3. One of the Greatest Vocalists of All Time
4. One of the Best Songwriters of All Time
5. Second-Greatest Child Star after Mozart
6. Lead Singer of one of the best boy bands of all time
7. Wrote the Greatest Pop Songs of All Time - Billie Jean and Thriller
8. Wrote the Best-Selling Album of All Time - Thriller
9. Wrote Other Famed Albums - Bad, Dangerous, and History
10. Did the Moonwalk

Michael Jackson was the most talented and beautiful musician/entertainer to ever step foot on Earth. He deserves to be in first place. I mean, for God's sake, he is the King of Pop! May he rest in peace.
James Hetfield

James Alan Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963. He is an American musician, singer, and songwriter known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for the American thrash metal band Metallica. He helped form the iconic thrash metal group in 1981 after answering... read more

Damn, his presence at the helm says it all. I don't think there is anyone in the Thrash game who can write what he does.

He's a MASTER. A genius musician and I wouldn't be surprised if he's in the top 5 musicians of all time.
Brian Jones

Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was an English musician best known as the founder and original leader of the Rolling Stones. He was a multi-instrumentalist who contributed to the band's early sound with his use of diverse instruments. Jones died in 1969 at the age of 27 and is considered one of the original... read more

RIP Brian Jones. You will always be my favorite Rolling Stones band member. He was the founding member and even came up with the band's name. He played...
Piano
Guitar
Vocals
Sitar
Harmonica
Xylophone

Unbelievably talented. Rest in Peace, Jones! You were one of the biggest highlights of the '60s.

Most talented musician of all time.
George Harrison

George Harrison (25 February 1943-29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle," Harrison embraced Indian culture and helped broaden the scope of popular music through his incorporation... read more

He can play just about any guitar ever created!
Guitar
Ukulele
Mandolin
Sitar
Tambura
Sarod
Swarmandal
Bass
And, like Paul, he can sing like a boss! (Here Comes the Sun = Best vocals in any song ever!)

Out of all the guys in The Beatles, he knew the most about music. Listen to Within You Without You, learn the story behind it, and you'll see what I mean.

Psst... Actually a better composer than Lennon or McCartney.

The Newcomers

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J Mascis
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Yasutaka Nakata

Yasutaka Nakata (中田ヤスタカ, born February 6, 1980) is a music producer and DJ. He is a member of CAPSULE and produces music for Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.
In the past, he was a member of the duos COLTEMONIKHA and Nagisa Cosmetic. He also produced music for MEG, Ami Suzuki (notably the single... read more

The Contenders

Pete Townshend

Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead guitarist and primary songwriter for the rock band The Who. He is considered one of the most influential rock guitarists and composers of all time. Townshend has also... read more

Excellent guitarist. Also plays keyboard, drums, bass guitar, piano, and many more instruments.
He is completely self-taught with all of those instruments. Great voice. Truly amazing songwriter.
He wrote almost all of the songs for The Who, which is considered one of the greatest rock bands in history. Pretty much invented the rock opera and wrote the 2 most successful and acclaimed rock operas in history.
For those who don't know, a rock opera is an album that tells a story centered around a single story. He is a musical genius and should be number 1.

For my money, the greatest songwriter of all time (even if it's not a popular view), one of the greatest guitarists, a great-ish keyboardist, a decent singer, and a proficient player of pretty much every other instrument. He wrote the two greatest rock operas of all time (Tommy and Quadrophenia), at least three of the greatest rock albums of all time (My Generation, A Quick One, Who's Next), and at least one of the greatest concept albums of all time (The Who Sell Out). He also wrote a range of other (non-musical) material on all kinds of things.
Neil Peart

Neil Ellwood Peart (September 12, 1952 to January 7, 2020) was a Canadian-American musician and writer best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. He received numerous awards for his musical performances, including induction into the Modern Drummer Readers Poll Hall of Fame... read more

Absolutely the most talented musician of all time! He wrote all of Rush's music, and the lyrics he wrote are some of the most thought-provoking and beautiful ever. That, and he is one of the best drummers of all time too, so that says a lot.

Best drummer ever, enough said.
Jimmy Page

James Patrick Page is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of Led Zeppelin. He's widely regarded for his innovative guitar techniques, production work, and influence across rock music genres. After Led Zeppelin disbanded... read more

He is probably the second greatest guitarist of all time behind Hendrix, but that's all anyone knows him for. Did you guys know that he founded Led Zeppelin, wrote most of their songs, and produced all of their music? People don't give him enough credit. Producing music is extremely challenging.

Page is an incredible musician, but I believe John Paul Jones is even better. You're comparing genius with genius, though, so how can you go wrong?

No one's ever had such guitar writing talent as him, not even Hendrix. He was innovative and powerful.
Billy Joel

William Martin Joel is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man," he began his music career in the 1960s and gained popularity with his breakthrough 1973 hit of the same name. He released numerous successful albums throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s... read more

If the genre exists, he's got a song he wrote and can play to this day for it. Save for maybe metal, that is.
Ritchie Blackmore

Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with the hard rock and heavy metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow.
In 2004, Guitar World ranked him number 16 on its list of the "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time," and in 2011, Rolling Stone... read more
Steve Harris

Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter best known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist, primary songwriter, and founder of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He's led the band since its formation in 1975.
Prince

Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016) was an American musician, widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential artists of the 1980s. He was known for his eclectic musical style, flamboyant stage presence, and mastery of multiple instruments. Some of his most iconic songs include... read more

I never gave Prince the admiration or respect he deserved. This has completely changed for me. I can't believe that I lived alongside such a powerful and amazing person, as I was too self-centered in my own interests to consider his brilliance. When he left us on the symbolic and powerful date of April 21st, when the sun enters Taurus, he took from us that original soul. Although his gift to us, his inspirational music, will live on with us forever, down through all of the following generations, with empowering messages like:
"We are gathered today to get through this thing called life. In this life, things are much harder than the After-world, in this life, you're on your own!"
He couldn't have been more honest and more truthful. I wasn't knowledgeable or mature enough to understand what a great, inspiring, and creative artist he was. His whole being, whole person, will inspire us for ages to come. My feeling of loss is that I will never get to see him play his songs alive, in the present moment, and that will live on in me, until the After-world.
Mike Patton

Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, film composer, producer, and actor. He's best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Patton is also noted for his experimental music projects like Mr. Bungle and Fantômas, which showcase... read more

Pop music? Got you. Heavy metal? Done. 50's Italian jazz? Yep. Screamo? Sure. Opera? You bet. Oh, you need monster noises for I Am Legend and the Darkness video game? I got you, fam.
Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is primarily known for his operas. His compositions, particularly those in the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, revolutionized opera through their complex textures and expanded use of leitmotifs. Wagner also... read more
Robert Plant

Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the lead singer and lyricist of Led Zeppelin. He's celebrated for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and charismatic stage presence. After Zeppelin's dissolution, Plant released numerous solo albums... read more

Probably one of the most legendary rock gods ever! He was a brilliant lyricist and sang the blues like no one else. Thanks for coming into this world to share your angelic ability, Robert. You're the greatest!
John Paul Jones

John Baldwin, better known by his stage name John Paul Jones, is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, and record producer. He is best known as the bassist for the English rock band Led Zeppelin. Years after Led Zeppelin disbanded, Jones joined the supergroup Them Crooked... read more

Also, JPJ did string arrangements on songs by the Rolling Stones, was a beautiful mandolin player (several Zep songs, including "That's The Way"), and an extremely versatile and intuitive session player (like Jimmy Page).
Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, author, and artist who has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. He gained fame in the 1960s with songs that became anthems for the civil rights and anti-war movements. In 2016, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in... read more

He is considered by many to be the greatest songwriter of all time. Not to mention, he played, sang, played guitar, and played harmonica simultaneously. He is one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, period.

His ability to awaken thought and stir emotion with his choice of words is completely unrivaled.
Dave Grohl

David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, and film director. He was the drummer for the influential 1990s grunge band Nirvana and is the founding vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters. He has also performed as... read more

So let's get this clear. Dave Grohl started playing drums in a band called Scream at age 17. When that fell apart, he joined Nirvana as their drummer, the most talented they had ever had, which soon became one of the biggest bands in the world. Then Kurt Cobain killed himself and Nirvana broke up. After going on Saturday Night Live with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, he completely swapped to guitar and vocals and became the lead singer of Foo Fighters, one of the largest modern rock bands.
You can't forget that he also did drums for Queens of the Stone Age's "Songs for the Deaf," their most popular album. Not to forget, he is one of the nicest guys ever. If this comment was long, it's because I explained all of his talent. That's how talented he is.
Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Though his mainstream career lasted only about four years from 1966 to 1970, he's widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in popular music.... read more

How is someone who is recognized as one of, if not the greatest, guitarists of all time at number 44? He should definitely be in the top ten, for sure.

He and Jimmy Page should be ranked in the top two. Bowie should be number 3. Zappa should not even be on this list.

Listen to his rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, and you will understand why he was the greatest.
Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 - April 5, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician, best known as the frontman of the grunge band Nirvana. Founded in 1987, Nirvana achieved global success in the early 1990s, reshaping rock music with albums like Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero. Cobain died... read more

You should know exactly who this man is and what awesome music he made. He is the voice of his generation, and still some of the younger generation still listen and appreciate good music.

This man is one of the greatest musicians that has ever lived. The fact that he isn't much higher is a travesty.

Best musician and artist of all time.