Top 10 Musicians Who Love the Lord of the Rings
Many musicians have been inspired by Tolkien's epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings. But whom you may ask? Let's count down.
Hansi Kürsch, born Hans Jürgen Kürsch, is the lead singer, lyricist, co-composer and bassist for German power metal band Blind Guardian . Heavily influenced by Freddie Mercury, he creates a huge choir effect by overdubbing his own voice multiple times in complex, overlapping vocal harmonies. He records each vocal track individually because harmonizers and "perfect pitch" programs don't work with his voice due to distortion and the natural double layer effects his vocal cords have .His early technique made use of a more aggressive and harsher, "screaming" technique . ...read more.
He's probably the biggest Tolkien fan among the musicians. Besides the song Lord of the Rings (1990), also Majesty by Blind Guardian (1988), and Seize The Day by Demons & Wizards (2005).
Majesty was track #1 on their debut album, so he started his career with a song inspired by the Lord of the Rings. Music to Majesty also happened to be great and the song is my favorite speed metal song. I can't be happier.
He wrote and composed many songs about Middle Earth with his band Blind Guardian. He even wrote a song titled Lord of the Rings that was released 12 years before the first film in the Peter Jackson trilogy.
I knew Aragorn98 made this
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin, known professionally as Enya, is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. She contributed to a song for the first film in the Jackson trilogy. Plus, she even has a song about Lothlórien (Lothlórien being the fairest realm of the elves remaining in Middle Earth during the Third Age).
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. Led Zeppelin has numerous songs inspired by Tolkien's works (it's also debatable whether or not Stairway to Heaven is Tolkien inspired).
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. He (along with Jimmy Page) also wrote Zeppelin's Tolkien inspired songs.
Leader of psychedelic folk group Pearls Before Swine, he set most of the verse of the One Ring (Three Rings for the Elven kings under the sky...) to music as "Ring Thing" in their second album Balaklava.
Louis Cachet, (born Kristian Vikernes) more popularly known as Varg Vikernes, is a Norwegian musician, writer, and a convicted murderer and arsonist. He is known as the frontman of the one-man band Burzum (named after a word in the Black Speech, which is a fictional language in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings), which is considered one of the most influential bands in black metal history. He's also known for murdering Mayhem guitarist Euronymous and was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 1994. Infamous black metal murderer. His band called Burzum is named after a word in the Black Speech meaning "darkness". His early music shows heavy Tolkien influence.
Swedish instrumentalist. He wrote an entire concept album based on Lord of the Rings.
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. Mustaine is best known as a pioneer in Thrash Metal, being the former lead guitarist of Metallica before his dismissal in 1983, leading to finding and becoming the front man of his own band Megadeth shortly after. He wrote a song about the Lord of the Rings Mythos (This Day We Fight! ) so I'm guessing he's a fan.
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 him the youngest person ever so honoured. His drumming was renowned for its technical proficiency, and his live performances for their exacting nature and stamina. He wrote the lyrics to Rush's Rivendell which is where the elves live.
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.
Frontman of Dimmu Borgir. He named himself after an orc in Lord of the Rings (he states he only got it from the books and not the film trilogy where the character of Shagrath doesn't even appear).
Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. He was a bassist and a singer known for his raspy voice. He died in 2015 from cancer and other health problems. He didn't write any Tolkien related songs, but he was in the documentary Ringers: Lord of the Fans.
Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen (born 25 December 1976) is a Finnish songwriter, multi-instrumentalist musician (but mainly keyboardist) and record producer, best known as the founder, leader, keyboardist and songwriter of symphonic metal band Nightwish. He also studied jazz and classical styles.