Top 10 Music Artists Who Should Be on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time but Aren't

You might be aware that the magazine Rolling Stone released a list called "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." The list was seemingly good at the top, but it quickly became a disaster toward the bottom. So this list consists of artists who should've been featured but aren't.

Please note to only add artists who have had exceptional critical reception and formed a huge legacy, not just musicians you happen to like. Please vote for the artist whom you think deserved a place on Rolling Stone's original list.

Source for the original list:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-artists-147446/

The Top Ten

Rush

Rush is a Canadian progressive rock band that was formed in 1968. The band's most iconic lineup consisted of guitarist Alex Lifeson, bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee, and drummer Neil Peart, who joined in 1974. Following Peart's death from brain cancer on January 7, 2020, Lee and Lifeson announced in October... read more
Deep Purple

Deep Purple is an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are regarded as pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has changed over the years. They originally played progressive rock but shifted to a heavier sound around 1970.... read more

I'm honestly surprised they weren't on it. They were super influential to heavy metal. Pixies should have been on the list too.
Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Their most critically acclaimed period is widely considered to be from 1983 to 1989, during which they released landmark albums such as Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere... read more

The pioneers of metal didn't get a mention on Rolling Stone's list. Also, note that Metallica was the only metal band featured on Rolling Stone's list.
Ludwig van Beethoven

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

The title says ALL TIME. Not the past century - ALL TIME. Beethoven should have been first on the list, or at the lowest, second below Mozart. Those two are the greatest, and no one on that list comes close.

The greatest classical composer of all time, the one who started it all, doesn't even get a mention on Rolling Stone's list. This shows just how disastrous their original list was.

The greatest musician of all time, bar none. All classical musicians should be high on the list.
Paul McCartney

Sir James Paul McCartney (born June 18, 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

The Beatle who had the most successful solo career in the post-Beatles era was ejected from the list. Meanwhile, John Lennon, whose solo career was fairly lackluster with a few exceptions like "Imagine," somehow made it onto Rolling Stone's list.
Genesis

Genesis was an English rock band formed at Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, in 1967. The band's most commercially successful and longest-running lineup consisted of keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford, and drummer/singer Phil Collins. In the 1970s, the group also included... read more

I'm not saying they deserve it, but come on. You cannot include some I respectfully won't name and leave Genesis out. It's a disgrace.
Robert Johnson

Robert Leroy Johnson was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a powerful combination of expressive singing, skilled guitar work, and original songwriting that has deeply influenced later generations of musicians. Johnson died in 1938 at the... read more
Judas Priest

Judas Priest are a British heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969. They are frequently ranked among the greatest metal bands of all time and are commonly called "The Metal Gods," after their song on the 1980 album British Steel. Their influence on the development of heavy metal is profound,... read more
ABBA

ABBA were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972. The group consists of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. ABBA became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, particularly during the 1970s and early 1980s.
Miles Davis

Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 to September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is regarded as one of the most influential and innovative musicians in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis was instrumental in the development of several jazz styles,... read more

I'm not surprised he's not on the original list. Arguably the greatest jazz musician, he doesn't even get a spot on Rolling Stone's list. You might also be surprised to know that Rolling Stone completely avoided the jazz genre on their list.

The Newcomers

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Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in Luton, Bedfordshire, in December 1967. Initially rooted in blues rock, the band evolved to incorporate elements of British folk music and hard rock, creating a distinctive progressive rock sound. Ian Anderson, the band's frontman, is particularly known... read more
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George Michael

Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, known professionally as George Michael, was an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and philanthropist. He rose to fame in the 1980s as one-half of the pop duo Wham!, with hits such as Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and Last Christmas.... read more

The Contenders

Green Day

Green Day are an American pop-punk and punk rock band formed in East Bay, California, in 1987. The core members are Billie Joe Armstrong on vocals and guitar, Mike Dirnt on bass, and Tré Cool on drums, with Jason White often performing live on guitar. They blend punk rock, pop-punk, and alternative rock... read more
Wolfgang Amadeus 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

Another classical composer who deserved to be included on Rolling Stone's list. It's sad to see that Rolling Stone completely ignored classical composers and the entire classical genre on their list.
Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American funk-rock and alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982. The current lineup includes Anthony Kiedis, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante.
They're considered one of the most influential funk-rock bands, achieving mainstream... read more
Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey, born March 27, 1970, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She's one of the best-selling female artists in music history, with 19 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
She's often regarded as a sex symbol through her songs and videos, and has been noted in the press... read more

I think she should have been on the list. She is a legend. I went through the entire list, and I did not see her name, but correct me if I'm wrong - I think I saw Black Sabbath's name (place 85).
Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12, 1915 - May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He's one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide... read more

Although I'm not a fan of his work, he definitely deserved a mention on the list due to the legacy he left in popular music. Considering that Rolling Stone included some unusual, never-heard-before names on that list, Sinatra definitely deserved a place.
Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados. She began her music career in 2003 by recording demo tapes with producers Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, and eventually signed with Def Jam Recordings after an audition for... read more

Rihanna is an important artist today and has been important since 2005. I really think she deserves to be in the top 100.
Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer known for her innovative music, socially conscious lyrics, and elaborate stage shows. She gained prominence with her third album, Control (1986), and has since sold over 100 million records worldwide. Jackson is also recognized as... read more

Janet is an artist with many great hits. She has legendary status today.
K.S. Chithra

Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra, often credited as K. S. Chithra or simply Chithra, is an Indian playback singer from Kerala. She also sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. Chithra has recorded over 25,000 songs in various languages and is a recipient of six National Film Awards.

Chithra has legendary status today.
Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode are an English electronic and synth-pop band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The original lineup included Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher, and Vince Clarke. They are known for helping pioneer electronic music and have sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
N.W.A.

N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California. They were among the earliest and most influential figures in the gangsta rap subgenre, widely regarded as one of the most seminal groups in hip hop history. Their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton played a pivotal role in shaping the sound... read more

Probably the greatest hip-hop group and the most influential in hip-hop history, N.W.A. was ignored by Rolling Stone.
Black Flag

Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was originally called Panic and was founded by guitarist Greg Ginn, who served as the primary songwriter and only consistent member during its various lineup changes. Black Flag is widely regarded as one... read more
Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande‑Butera (born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four‑octave vocal range has earned widespread critical praise, and her personal life continues to attract significant media attention. She has received numerous honors, including two Grammy Awards, a Brit Award... read more

The song "Rain on Me" with Lady Gaga is huge right now!
John Lee Hooker
Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. Guinness World Records recognized her as the most awarded female artist of all time, with 411 career awards as of 2006, and named her the most awarded female act in 2009.... read more

Arguably the greatest pop star of all time, only beaten by Michael Jackson.
Etta James

Etta James was an American singer who performed in a variety of music genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, and gospel. She is best known for hits such as At Last and Tell Mama. James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.