Top 10 Musicians You Would Bring Back from the Dead
Imagine you had the power to bring back some of the greatest musicians from the past. Who would you choose? Would it be a legend who shaped the sound of an entire generation, or someone whose untimely passing left you wondering what could have been?Vote for the musicians you think should top the list of those we'd all love to see make a comeback. Maybe it's the incredible vocalist whose live performances still give you chills, or the guitar virtuoso who changed the way the instrument was played forever. Whoever it is, their talent meant something special to millions of fans, and this is your chance to weigh in on who made the biggest impact.
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 John Lennon's death was the number one tragic event. People were shocked and grieved beyond anything imaginable. He was just coming back to us after a five-year hiatus during which he continued his soul-searching and raised his younger son.
He was an amazing, beautiful, peace-loving, flawed, and brutally honest and loving musician, and a giant among humans. He will be forever missed and is irreplaceable on every level.
When he died, many people from every corner of the world wept endlessly. This was a given choice to begin with, not just because of the impact his departure from the world left, but because it seemed like he was trying to become a better person for real this time.
When he was shot, not only had he just finished most of Double Fantasy, he had also become a much better father with Sean and was reconciling with both Paul and Julian after the turmoil he had with both.
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 This is in response to the comment I just read about the Queen fan who doesn't listen to much else other than Queen anymore. We must've been separated at birth! You sound just like me. Once I discovered Queen, finally, I really didn't care to listen to anyone else either. After Freddie's amazingly magnificent voice, everyone else is a let-down. Plus, it took me so long to finally find the perfect band that it just doesn't interest me to hear anyone else now. And I'm going to make up for lost time. Plus, there's so much to explore.
I still cannot get over what a fabulous voice Freddie had. It simply blows me away. Songs I've heard tons of times will suddenly just stun me because of their incredible brilliance. So, it's hard to move on from my favorites because they still captivate me so much.
So, yes, if I had the chance to bring a musician back, it would definitely be Freddie, the greatest/best singer ever to grace the Earth!
Happy Birthday, dear sweet Freddie!
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 When I was little, about 6 or 7, only a couple of days after his tragic death, my parents, my sisters, and I were watching a collection of his music videos. I loved his voice, so I asked my mom, "Who is that guy, Mommy?" She answered, "That's Michael Jackson, sweetie. He's claimed to be one of the best singers ever born."
I smiled and said, "He's a wonderful singer." Then it came to me, and I asked, "Will I get to meet him?" My parents stopped and looked at me. My mom smiled and my dad took a sip of his drink and said, "Sorry, sweetie. He's dead." I paused and looked at the screen, then started to sob, not even knowing who he was. My parents asked, "What's the matter?" and I just flat-out screamed, "I MISS Michael JACKSON!"
To this day, that was a little embarrassing, but now I know I meant it. He was an outrageous man. He was great, spectacular, fantabulous. I could go on. I miss this guy a lot.
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 Nevermind. Cobain died by suicide in April... read more Kurt was an amazing person who made genuinely beautiful and poetic music that really speaks to mine and everyone's heart and soul. However, we don't need to bring him back. There is a reason that he killed himself, and one reason is that there was simply too much sadness in the world. Another reason is that people saw him as the spokesperson of that generation, and he did not want that. He just wanted to make music, not to be looked at as a god because of what he played.
I promise you all, I love Kurt. He was the one man who spoke to me through a cloudy time in my life, and his music inspired me to teach myself to play guitar. He inspired all of us to live our lives to the fullest and accept that sadness will be there sometimes. So why don't we let our hero rest? We all know this poor, weary soul needs it.
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 A talented white blues guitarist in Tacoma, Washington State, once described Jimi Hendrix like this: "He was a COMPOSER...he could take a song and play it, and that thing would come out different every time."
It's not about technique, good looks, gimmicks, etc. It's about EMOTION and CONNECTING with the listener. Jimi Hendrix could do that and blur categorization.
Jimi would sleep with his guitar, go to the restroom with it, and even cried when someone threw it off the bus, thinking Jimi had stolen from them!
Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known as 2Pac, was an American rapper and actor born on June 16, 1971, in East Harlem, New York. Tupac sold over 75 million records worldwide and has been referred to in multiple major publications such as Rolling Stone as one of the greatest music artists of all time. 2Pac... read more 2Pac was a rap legend! He never gets old! Unfortunately, he is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on.
To be honest, I would have 2Pac, Biggie, Aaliyah, and tons of other legends, rap or not, back on Earth. If that were to happen, mumble rap and modern pop music, including Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj, would be no more. Music, including rap, would be restored to its former glory.
2Pac should be the president of music as he would make music great again.
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor, widely dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll" and regarded as a pivotal cultural icon of the 20th century. His energetic musical interpretation and provocative performance style, bridging racial music traditions in a shifting era, both fueled his fame... read more It would be wonderful to have such an amazing artist with us again, a dream come true. God bless you, Elvis, the greatest entertainer who ever walked the planet. I am so glad that I lived in his lifetime, the darling man.
Most of you must be too young to realize what he brought to the table for all of rock and roll.
Truly talented and a great showman.
The man invented rocking out a cover song, not to mention he had quite a few amazing originals.
Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton (February 10, 1962 - September 27, 1986) was an American musician best known as the second bass guitarist for the American thrash metal band Metallica. He performed on the band's first three studio albums: Kill 'Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984), and Master of Puppets... read more For Cliff, The Bell Tolls. Gave us hellaciously good music and was flung out of a bus window for doing so. That fateful night in September changed Metallica forever.
Maybe he'd keep Metallica in the metal arena.
In Metallica's darkest hour, he would keep them from becoming a rock band.
How can't you bring back Cliff?! He was the greatest bass guitarist of all time!
Leaving him out would be like leaving out Neil Peart.
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 A great musician, a great friend to those who knew him, founder of the Traveling Wilburys, and a man we lost far too soon.
I knew him personally, and he was too kind and gentle a soul to leave us so soon.
He deserves more recognition. He wrote some of the best songs for the band.
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. She holds the Guinness World Record as the most awarded female artist of all time, with over 400 career awards as of 2006, and was named the most awarded female act in 2009... read more Whitney deserves to be at least number 3!
The Newcomers
Oliver Taylor Hawkins (born February 17, 1972, died March 25, 2022) was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Foo Fighters. He joined Foo Fighters in 1997 and recorded eight studio albums with the band. Hawkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 as a... read more Maybe the best drummer of all time. Definitely one of the most liked, just so down-to-earth.
Daniel Dumile (July 13, 1971 - October 31, 2020), also known as MF DOOM, was a British-born hip hop recording artist who spent most of his life in the United States. He died on October 31, 2020, however, his death wasn't revealed until December 31.
Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist and songwriter. He co-founded the bands Pantera and Damageplan with his brother Vinnie Paul. Abbott was tragically shot and killed during a performance in 2004 by a mentally unstable fan. I literally came to this list just to see if Dime was on it. He's here but lower than I thought, sadly. I hope Dime, Cliff, and Bonzo are jamming away as we speak. Rest in Peace, boys.
If he were alive, there would have been a time when Pantera was finally reunited and would be providing us with a good load of awesome albums.
It's a shame that's never happening. Rest in Peace, Dime.
More to offer than anyone on this list.
Chester Charles Bennington (March 20, 1976 - July 20, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the lead vocalist of Linkin Park... read more If I got a choice to bring anyone back from the dead, not just a musician but anyone, I'd choose Chester. He touched so many lives with his music and gave people hope again. He had a family and kids who miss him and would love it if he came back. He was one of the kindest people ever. I would have done almost anything to see him in person while he was still alive.
I would bring back Chester. I don't even care if I never got to meet him. It would be worth it. He didn't deserve the crap that happened in his life that made him end his life. He deserved to have a happy and good life. I would do almost anything to bring him back. I wish I could trade my life for his and die so he could come back to life. Yes, I'm completely serious. RIP my idol, we miss you, Chester.
Karen Anne Carpenter was an American singer and drummer. She and her brother, Richard Carpenter, formed the 1970s duo Carpenters. Known for her contralto vocals, Karen Carpenter is regarded as one of the greatest female vocalists of all time. All around beautiful. Her voice. Her personality. Her appearance. If I could bring her back from the dead, she'd remain one of the best-selling singers to this day because she was that talented and beautiful.
I could only imagine what else she would have sung or created.
There is no other alto that can match her style and clarity!
Beautiful woman. Beautiful voice. I wish someone could have found a way to help her.
David Robert Jones, known professionally as David Bowie (January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016), was an English singer born in London, the son of a sales promotion officer and a housewife... read more It still kills me that he was taken away from us on January 10, 2016. He was a very unique and iconic musician and loved by many. He even made a great actor. I loved him as Jareth the Goblin King in Jim Henson's Labyrinth.
His wardrobe in his day was odd but at the same time, unique. David Bowie really was amazing. R.I.P. David Bowie. You really were an amazing musician.
David was more than music. He was creativity at its finest. Never one to shy away from originality for originality's sake, he was visual, visceral, graphic, and "out there" when the world was stuck in the state of "The Formula" of success. His music shaped the stars of the world from Debbie Harry and Madonna to The Clash, The Trews, and Nine Inch Nails.
The creativity never stopped. Each album was entirely different. He was always one to point out what he liked and hated in his own work. For instance, he didn't like "Tonight" very much. He claimed he was under so much pressure that he put it out. He said in an interview that he didn't feel it was allowed to flow or develop in his usual process. This was a great experience because he really went back to being himself, not what the sales or labels wanted.
These days there are so many acts that rely on a label's idea of what they are and not what they really are. His sound was unique and his voice was both haunting and warm all at once. He basically made tours what we see today because before him, the theatrical aspect was rare. The many looks and "cha cha changes" were always inviting both visually and musically.
There are few who can do both, and he had an eye for the future. He once forecasted the rise of streaming music and fully believed that copyright would become pointless and irrelevant. Once told he was too "Avant Garde to be successful" in the late 60s, he went on to show that being on the cutting edge can be an inspiration to an entire generation.
He also became a role model to so many because he was "Different" and never seemed to blend into the blur of what we call "Pop" music. As a musician, he was vulnerable and invincible all in the same song. He discovered and nurtured bands that were relatively unknown and was often classed as "Alternative" before the great movement of alternative music really gained in the early to mid-90s.
After 26 number one hits in the UK, he... more
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 wish I had discovered your music when you were alive. You're amazing, and thank you for giving my parents lots of great music to dance to. Rest in Peace.
Prince was loved by everyone. He was a great artist in the 80s, which in my 45 years was the best time in music.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16, 1979, and tragically died on August 25, 2001. She was a dancer, actress, model, and R&B singer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she was raised in Detroit, Michigan, and died in a plane crash near Marsh Harbour, Bahamas... read more I wish she were still alive. She was an angel and a beauty to all of R&B's womankind.
Try Again, yes. Rock the Boat, yes. Romeo Must Die, yes. Talent, yes. Meaning, yes. Please, if I could trade modern pop artists for Aaliyah, I would. Aaliyah could have kept R&B as it should be.
Diana Ross, Tina Turner, or Aretha Franklin (I don't know) brought R&B love songs to life. Aaliyah preserved it. But Nicki Minaj ruined it and set a bad role model for women. Had Aaliyah stayed alive, I would not have written the last sentence I just did.
RIP Aaliyah 16/01/1979 - 25/08/2001. Gone, but your legacy will live on for many generations to come. Hopefully.
Christopher George Latore Wallace, born May 21, 1972, better known by his stage name The Notorious B.I.G. (sometimes Biggie Smalls or simply Biggie), was an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California, at the age of only... read more He's still really good. Though I don't care, he rivals with Pac.
R.I.P. to the god of the East Coast rap game.
He put East Coast rappers on the map!
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist who achieved international fame and acclaim. He was a pioneering figure in reggae music and is considered one of the genre's most influential artists. His work with The Wailers helped popularize Jamaican music... read more He was a great singer who made some of the best music ever, and he needs to be at least top 10 on this list. His quotes were amazing and deep. He was the best musician of his time.
Bob Marley was the only real artist on this list. He deserves to be at the top.
Brought reggae to the rest of the world. Great, great musician.
James Owen The Rev Sullivan (February 9, 1981 - December 28, 2009) was an American musician, composer, and songwriter. He was best known as drummer, co-lead vocalist, composer, and founding member of the alternative metal/metalcore band Avenged Sevenfold. Sullivan also contributed significantly... read more He needs to be higher. Michael Jackson is seriously overrated. Freddie Mercury rightfully deserves his spot, but The Rev does too.
The Rev is amazing and he should not be dead.
The Rev, Cliff Burton, and Michael Jackson are who I want back.
He is my favorite drummer ever. I wish we could bring him back.
They haven't been the same since he died.
Jeffrey John "Jeff" Hanneman was an American musician, best known as a founding member and guitarist of the American thrash metal band Slayer. He co-wrote many of the band's most iconic songs, including "Raining Blood" and "Angel of Death." Hanneman was with the band from its inception in 1981 until... read more Nobody played like Jeff.
Slayer is in my top 5, that is saying Pink Floyd, Prince, Slayer, Mozart, and Beethoven!
Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.. April 2, 1939 - April 1, 1984) was an American singer and songwriter. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, initially as an in-house session musician and later as a solo artist with a series of hits, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and... read more Seriously? Marvin Gaye should be number one on this list. The above artists don't even compare to his genius. No one before or after Marvin can even come close to his talent. Never will.
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison (December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet best remembered as the lead vocalist and lyricist of The Doors. He became a counterculture icon of the 1960s, known for his flamboyant stage presence and poetic lyrics. Morrison died in Paris... read more Really! Why isn't Jim in the top 10? He only lasted 5 years, and look how much great music and poetry has been written by him! I'm surprised The Doors didn't have more number-one hits.
Come back, Jim, we need you! We'll trade in Justin Bieber or something.
One of the first "rock stars" and he lived it like no one since. Not only a great frontman but also a great poet, very intelligent. The Doors are one of the most underrated bands ever. Long live the Lizard King.
Janis Joplin (1943-1970) was an American singer who rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the psychedelic rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She was known for her powerful voice, emotive performances, and distinctive hippie style. Joplin remains an iconic figure of 1960s counterculture and... read more Loved her. Soulful and brilliant.
Keith John Moon (1946-1978) was the English drummer for the rock band The Who. He was known for his energetic, unconventional style and eccentric, often self-destructive behavior. Moon's drumming continues to be praised for its influence on rock music and his showmanship is remembered as legendary.
Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona. July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter, and musician. He led and performed with several bands including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell... read more My dad and I will listen to his music in the car a lot. He brought me closer to my dad, and he helped to bring me (13-year-old girl) into the world of hard rock and heavy metal.
It's pretty impressive to get a thirteen-year-old on the rock side.
He had an amazing voice and was one of the best singers that ever lived. I was sad when he died. I would love to bring him back if I could.
What a masterpiece. Definitely deserves the number one spot.
So legendary in the world of metal, and more generally, music.