rhythm and blues artists

At a glance

597 published rhythm and blues artists; 4,512 studio albums have verified cover art.

When they started

Debut decade from each artist's earliest dated release. Most debuts fell in the 1960s (103 artists).

Where they come from

Countries with the most rhythm and blues artists. United States leads with 362.

• United States 362
• United Kingdom 60
• Japan 37
• Nigeria 35
• South Korea 18
• Canada 13
• Indonesia 7
• Norway 5

Often paired with

Genres that share artists with rhythm and blues. The most shared is soul, with 186 artists in both.

• soul 186
• pop music 158
• blues 69
• funk 65
• jazz 61
• rock music 58
• hip-hop 56
• contemporary R&B 50

Covers from rhythm and blues

4,512 studio albums have verified cover art. The 12 shown come from the most famous artists.

Leaders

The Rolling Stones has the most release groups (399); The Ink Spots the longest career (91 years); Aretha Franklin the most awards (88).

More rhythm and blues artists

Showing 1–108 of 108 artists

Rod Stewart

United Kingdom · Person · born 1945

rock music, pop music, blues rock, rhythm and blues, new wave

16.6M listeners · 77 wikis · Tier 1

Diana Ross

United States · Person · born 1944

pop music, soul, disco, rhythm and blues, dance music, jazz

9.9M listeners · 87 wikis · Tier 2

Amy Winehouse

United Kingdom · Person · born 1983

contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, reggae, blue-eyed soul, neo soul

23.3M listeners · 130 wikis · Tier 2

Selena

United States · Person · born 1971

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, Latin pop, tejano music, mariachi, cumbia

11.2M listeners · 124 wikis · Tier 2

Earth, Wind & Fire

United States · Group · 1970–present

funk, rhythm and blues

27.5M listeners · 48 wikis · Tier 1

Lionel Richie

United States · Person · born 1949

pop music, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, pop rock, new wave

12.3M listeners · 72 wikis · Tier 1

Enrique Iglesias

Spain · Person · born 1975

pop music, rhythm and blues, pop rock, Latin pop

35.8M listeners · 95 wikis · Tier 1

Ray Charles

United States · Person · born 1930

soul, country music, gospel music, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz

8.5M listeners · 106 wikis · Tier 2

Nelly Furtado

Canada · Person · born 1978

pop music, traditional folk music, contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues, folk music, hip-hop, Latin music

36.6M listeners · 90 wikis · Tier 1

Marvin Gaye

United States · Person · born 1939

pop music, soul, funk, rhythm and blues

24M listeners · 80 wikis · Tier 2

Sam Smith

United Kingdom · Person · born 1992

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues

54M listeners · 67 wikis · Tier 1

The Who

United Kingdom · Group · 1964–present

rock music, hard rock, classic rock, rhythm and blues, progressive rock, art rock

8M listeners · 92 wikis · Tier 2

Jason Derulo

United States · Person · born 1989

pop music, contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues, hip-hop

41.9M listeners · 53 wikis · Tier 1

Etta James

United States · Person · born 1938

rock and roll, soul, gospel music, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz

8.3M listeners · 65 wikis · Tier 2

Hozier

Ireland · Person · born 1990

blues rock, traditional folk music, soul, rhythm and blues, blues, indie rock

40.7M listeners · 46 wikis · Tier 1

Burna Boy

Nigeria · Person · born 1991

rhythm and blues, dancehall, hip-hop, reggae, Afrobeat

44.8M listeners · 44 wikis · Tier 1

Destiny's Child

United States · Group · 1990–2006

rhythm and blues, hip-hop

18.2M listeners · 59 wikis · Tier 2

Ben E. King

United States · Person · born 1938

soul, rhythm and blues, blues

15.5M listeners · 52 wikis · Tier 2

Bill Withers

United States · Person · born 1938

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues

19.5M listeners · 46 wikis · Tier 2

The Animals

United Kingdom · Group · 1962–1969

hard rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, British blues

13M listeners · 53 wikis · Tier 2

Chaka Khan

United States · Person · born 1953

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, jazz

8.9M listeners · 51 wikis · Tier 2

Sam Cooke

United States · Person · born 1931

soul, gospel music, rhythm and blues

6.3M listeners · 58 wikis · Tier 2

Melanie Martinez

Brazil · Person · born 1995

rhythm and blues, EDM trap music, indie pop, electronica, alternative music, emo pop

14.7M listeners · 55 wikis · Tier 1

Jess Glynne

United Kingdom · Person · born 1989

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, dance-pop, house music

28.4M listeners · 40 wikis · Tier 1

Sade

United Kingdom · Group · 1982–present

pop music, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, jazz, soft rock, smooth jazz, sophisti-pop

28.1M listeners · 31 wikis · Tier 1

Indila

Poland · Person · born 1984

pop music, rhythm and blues, folk-pop, raï

14.1M listeners · 54 wikis · Tier 1

Gloria Gaynor

United States · Person · born 1949

soul, disco, gospel music, rhythm and blues, dance-pop

10.3M listeners · 61 wikis · Tier 2

Nile Rodgers

United States · Person · born 1952

pop music, contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues

15.6M listeners · 31 wikis · Tier 1

Stray Kids

South Korea · Group · 2017–present

rock music, rhythm and blues, dance-pop, electronic dance music, hip-hop, electropop, ballad, J-pop, K-pop, noise music

10.1M listeners · 55 wikis · Tier 3

Teddy Swims

United States · Person · born 1992

pop music, soul, country music, rhythm and blues

42.1M listeners · 22 wikis · Tier 1

Tarkan

Turkey · Person · born 1972

pop music, rhythm and blues, dance-pop, folk-pop

6M listeners · 66 wikis · Tier 2

Wizkid

Nigeria · Person · born 1990

rhythm and blues, dancehall, Afrobeats

15.6M listeners · 35 wikis · Tier 1

Seal

United Kingdom · Person · born 1963

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, house music, electronica

9.2M listeners · 56 wikis · Tier 2

Kool & The Gang

United States · Group · 1964–present

soul, funk, rhythm and blues, jazz

10.9M listeners · 42 wikis · Tier 2

The Temptations

United States · Group · 1960–present

rock music, rock and roll, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, doo-wop

8.5M listeners · 38 wikis · Tier 2

Gym Class Heroes

United States · Group · 1997–present

funk, rhythm and blues, rap rock, pop rap, alternative hip-hop, emo rap

23.1M listeners · 32 wikis · Tier 1

Dave Stewart

United Kingdom · Person · born 1952

rhythm and blues, pop rock, folk music, synth-pop, new wave

16.8M listeners · 30 wikis · Tier 1

Jhené Aiko

United States · Person · born 1988

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, alternative R&B, neo soul

19.7M listeners · 35 wikis · Tier 1

Gims

Democratic Republic of the Congo · Person · born 1986

pop music, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, pop rap, pop urbaine

17.8M listeners · 37 wikis · Tier 1

Al Green

United States · Person · born 1946

soul, rhythm and blues

6.7M listeners · 40 wikis · Tier 2

Dusty Springfield

United Kingdom · Person · born 1939

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, blue-eyed soul

6.1M listeners · 50 wikis · Tier 2

Seventeen

South Korea · Group · 2015–present

pop music, rhythm and blues, dance-pop, hip-hop, K-pop, C-pop

7M listeners · 47 wikis · Tier 2

The Jackson 5

United States · Group · 1964–1989

pop music, soul, disco, funk, rhythm and blues, bubblegum music

6.2M listeners · 57 wikis · Tier 2

Kimbra

New Zealand · Person · born 1990

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, alternative rock

18.8M listeners · 32 wikis · Tier 1

Robyn

Sweden · Person · born 1979

pop music, contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues, synth-pop, electropop

11.1M listeners · 43 wikis · Tier 3

Robin Thicke

United States · Person · born 1977

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, blue-eyed soul

7.4M listeners · 43 wikis · Tier 2

Anggun

Indonesia · Person · born 1974

rock music, pop music, rhythm and blues, urban contemporary, world music

149 wikis · Tier 2

Prince Royce

United States · Person · born 1989

pop music, rhythm and blues, reggaeton, bachata

26.1M listeners · 23 wikis · Tier 1

Toni Braxton

United States · Person · born 1967

contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues, adult contemporary music, urban contemporary

6.2M listeners · 55 wikis · Tier 2

George Benson

United States · Person · born 1943

pop music, funk, rhythm and blues, jazz, smooth jazz

8.6M listeners · 47 wikis · Tier 3

Steely Dan

United States · Group · 1972–present

rock music, rhythm and blues, pop rock, jazz, soft rock, jazz fusion, yacht rock

7.5M listeners · 39 wikis · Tier 2

The Ronettes

United States · Group · 1959–1966

rhythm and blues, popular music

12.1M listeners · 36 wikis · Tier 2

Craig David

United Kingdom · Person · born 1981

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues

6.1M listeners · 49 wikis · Tier 3

Gnarls Barkley

United States · Group · 2003–2010

contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues, electronic music, alternative rock, neo soul

10.6M listeners · 36 wikis · Tier 2

Danger Mouse

United States · Person · born 1977

rhythm and blues, hip-hop

13.3M listeners · 28 wikis · Tier 1

Hikaru Utada

Japan · Person · born 1983

contemporary R&B, funk, rhythm and blues, dance-pop, synth-pop, J-pop, ethereal wave

6.4M listeners · 44 wikis · Tier 3

Kenny Loggins

United States · Person · born 1948

folk rock, soul, country music, rhythm and blues, pop rock, soft rock, yacht rock

9.8M listeners · 31 wikis · Tier 3

Davido

Nigeria · Person · born 1992

pop music, rhythm and blues, dancehall, Afrobeats, African popular music, screamo, screamo rap

10.3M listeners · 29 wikis · Tier 3

Philip Bailey

United States · Person · born 1951

soul, rhythm and blues, blues

6.6M listeners · 28 wikis · Tier 2

Corinne Bailey Rae

United Kingdom · Person · born 1979

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues

7.9M listeners · 30 wikis · Tier 2

Kelis

United States · Person · born 1979

soul, rhythm and blues, alternative hip-hop, neo soul

6.6M listeners · 34 wikis · Tier 3

Billy Ocean

Trinidad and Tobago · Person · born 1950

pop music, soul, funk, rhythm and blues

7.6M listeners · 30 wikis · Tier 2

Jamie Miller

United Kingdom · Person · born 1997

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues

8.7M listeners · 26 wikis · Tier 3

CKay

Nigeria · Person · born 1995

rhythm and blues, Afrobeats, Amapiano

11.1M listeners · 19 wikis · Tier 3

Sid Sriram

India · Person · born 1990

rhythm and blues, Indian film music, Carnatic music, Indian pop

17.2M listeners · 9 wikis · Tier 1

Ginuwine

United States · Person · born 1970

soul, rhythm and blues

8.1M listeners · 23 wikis · Tier 3

Johnny Hallyday

France · Person · born 1943

rock music, pop music, rock and roll, blues rock, psychedelic rock, soul, country music, rhythm and blues, blues, country rock, chanson, French rock, sentimental ballad

76 wikis · Tier 2

B. B. King

United States · Person · born 1925

rhythm and blues, blues

98 wikis · Tier 2

Nico & Vinz

Norway · Group · 2009–present

pop music, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, Afrobeat

8M listeners · 17 wikis · Tier 3

The Supremes

United States · Group · 1959–1977

pop music, soul, disco, rhythm and blues, doo-wop

53 wikis · Tier 2

Fujii Kaze

Japan · Person · born 1997

rhythm and blues

7.6M listeners · 17 wikis · Tier 3

Person

Suzanne D'Mello

India · Person · born 1976

rhythm and blues, jazz, Indian film music, Indian pop

10.7M listeners · 8 wikis · Tier 3

Glenn Fredly

Indonesia · Person · born 1975

rhythm and blues

7.5M listeners · 13 wikis · Tier 3

Sin Bandera

Mexico · Group · 2000–present

rhythm and blues, Latin pop

9.4M listeners · 6 wikis · Tier 3

Mick Jagger

United Kingdom · Person · born 1943

rock music, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, blues

99 wikis · Tier 2

Naykilla

Indonesia · Person · born 2003

pop music, rhythm and blues, Dangdut hip-hop

7.4M listeners · 3 wikis · Tier 3

Keith Richards

United Kingdom · Person · born 1943

rock music, rock and roll, blues rock, rhythm and blues

86 wikis · Tier 2

Little Richard

United States · Person · born 1932

rock music, rock and roll, soul, funk, gospel music, rhythm and blues

67 wikis · Tier 2

Quincy Jones

United States · Person · born 1933

soul, funk, rhythm and blues, jazz, swing, bossa nova

73 wikis · Tier 2

Nikolai Noskov

Russia · Person · born 1956

pop music, hard rock, folk rock, psychedelic rock, traditional folk music, funk, rhythm and blues, glam rock, progressive rock, art rock, alternative rock, dance-rock, electro, synth-pop, new wave, funk rock, blue-eyed soul, glam metal, folk-pop, trip hop, symphonic rock, romance, bard song

78 wikis · Tier 2

Herbie Hancock

United States · Person · born 1940

funk, rhythm and blues, pop rock, jazz, electro, jazz fusion, classical music, jazz-funk, post-bop, bebop, modal jazz, hard bop

60 wikis · Tier 2

Fats Domino

United States · Person · born 1928

rock and roll, rhythm and blues, jazz, boogie-woogie

60 wikis · Tier 2

John Lee Hooker

United States · Person · born 1917

rhythm and blues, blues, Afro-Cuban jazz

59 wikis · Tier 2

Isaac Hayes

United States · Person · born 1942

soul, funk, rhythm and blues

59 wikis · Tier 2

Sade Adu

Person · born 1959

soul, funk, rhythm and blues, jazz, soft rock, cool jazz

63 wikis · Tier 2

Roberta Flack

United States · Person · born 1937

traditional folk music, soul, rhythm and blues, adult contemporary music, jazz

54 wikis · Tier 2

Jennifer Hudson

United States · Person · born 1981

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, rhythm and blues

70 wikis · Tier 2

Tom Jones

United Kingdom · Person · born 1940

pop music, country music, rhythm and blues, blues, blue-eyed soul

65 wikis · Tier 2

Brian Jones

United Kingdom · Person · born 1942

rock music, rock and roll, blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues

55 wikis · Tier 2

Ike Turner

United States · Person · born 1931

funk, rhythm and blues, blues

51 wikis · Tier 2

Ronnie Wood

United Kingdom · Person · born 1947

rock music, hard rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, blues

46 wikis · Tier 3

Amr Diab

Egypt · Person · born 1961

rhythm and blues, Latin pop, Arabic music, music of Egypt, Khaliji, Arabic pop

54 wikis · Tier 3

Gladys Knight

United States · Person · born 1944

soul, rhythm and blues

36 wikis · Tier 3

Tyrese Gibson

United States · Person · born 1978

rhythm and blues, hip-hop

53 wikis · Tier 3

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

United States · Person · born 1915

rock and roll, gospel music, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz

34 wikis · Tier 2

Christina Grimmie

United States · Person · born 1994

pop music, rhythm and blues

52 wikis · Tier 2

Grace Jones

Jamaica · Person · born 1948

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, disco, rhythm and blues, new wave

52 wikis · Tier 3

Duffy

United Kingdom · Person · born 1984

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, blues

51 wikis · Tier 2

Bill Wyman

United Kingdom · Person · born 1936

rock music, rock and roll, blues rock, rhythm and blues, swing, skiffle

42 wikis · Tier 3

Ruth Brown

United States · Person · born 1928

rhythm and blues, blues

33 wikis · Tier 2

Eric Burdon

United Kingdom · Person · born 1941

rock music, hard rock, rock and roll, blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, blues, traditional heavy metal, jazz fusion, funk rock, Latin rock

41 wikis · Tier 3

Jerry Garcia

United States · Person · born 1942

blues rock, folk rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, progressive rock, bluegrass music

41 wikis · Tier 2

Joss Stone

United Kingdom · Person · born 1987

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz, hip-hop

50 wikis · Tier 2

Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir

Iceland · Person · born 1990

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, pop rock

50 wikis · Tier 3

The Moody Blues

United Kingdom · Group · 1964–2021

psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, progressive rock, art rock

48 wikis · Tier 2

Hadise

Belgium · Person · born 1985

pop music, contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues

48 wikis · Tier 3

Bobby Brown

United States · Person · born 1969

contemporary R&B, rhythm and blues, dance-pop, hip-hop, new jack swing, swingbeat

38 wikis · Tier 3

Tito Jackson

United States · Person · born 1953

rock music, pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, blues

38 wikis · Tier 2