Top 10 Most Talented Musicians of All Time
These are the most talented musicians to ever walk this great Earth.
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, 5th September 1946 - 24th November 1991) was a Zanzibari-born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter and record producer, known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the British rock band Queen. He also became known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave... 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 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 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto,... 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).
David Christian Bongartz, better known by his stage name David Garrett, is a record-breaking German pop and crossover violinist and recording artist.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era, born in Salzburg. 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.
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... 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!
Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was an English musician, the founder and the original leader of the Rolling Stones. 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 (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... 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.
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.
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter for the rock band The Who. 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.
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 with the rock band the Beatles, one of the most popular and influential groups in the history of pop and rock... 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.
The Newcomers
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... read more
Neil Ellwood Peart, (September 12, 1952 - January 7, 2020) was a Canadian musician and writer best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. Peart received numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1983, making... 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.
William Martin Joel is an American singer-songwriter, composer and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man", he has been making music since the 1960s, releasing popular albums throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s. 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.
Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, film composer, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the alternative metal band Faith No 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.
Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin. 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!
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work in the hard rock/metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. He was ranked number 16 on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and number 50 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the... read more
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 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.
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... 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).
James Patrick Page is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. 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.
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.
Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona; July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter and musician. He fronted and/or founded numerous groups including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture... read more
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. 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.
Mike Mangini is an American drummer. Since 2010, he has been a member of progressive metal band Dream Theater, following the departure of founding drummer Mike Portnoy.
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian–French singer-songwriter and actress. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more than $2 million.
Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is an American rapper, actor and music producer born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Eminem has sold over 300 million records making him the bestselling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of D12 and (with Royce... read more The most lyrically talented rapper of all time. He isn't the stereotypical "drugs, money, and girls" rapper. Eminem may have been the most controversial artist over the last decade, but he treats rap as an art. A way of venting his frustrations and feelings he's dealt with during his life. Look past the violence and anger in his older songs and realize he was just venting about all he had to go through to get where he is today, and that when Shady was in his prime, his personal life was a downfall. His wife cheated on him, his daughter got no privacy, and his best friend died. He wasn't angry for no reason. Slim Shady LP, Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, Recovery. All classics. Eminem is one of the greatest artists of all time.
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is primarily known for his operas.