# Most famous popular music artist, by genre **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342 "2012-06-26T13:32:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/61 "2012-06-28T09:38:52Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > **Punk** (no sub-classification): The Clash, The Ramones get 2nd > > **Hardcore:** Black Flag I heartily endorse these suggestions. The Sex Pistols are well known not so much for their contributions to the genre as for their off-stage antics and tragedies. If we’re breaking down rock music, I think we should add these. **Progressive:** Pink Floyd **Glam:** David Bowie ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/62 "2012-06-28T10:48:43Z")
**Morna/coladeira** : Cesaria Evora ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/63 "2012-06-28T11:21:06Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > **Metal:** Metallica. Unfortunately. This is debateable. (thankfully) Ozzy Osborne is probably more famous than Metallica, for Black Sabbath and his solo career. Outside of North America, Iron Maiden is by far the most famous metal act and have had a huge revival with a new generation of fans. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/64 "2012-06-28T12:58:30Z")
In terms of sales, Elvis is apparently the biggest seller of all time. His house is the second most visited house in the United States and he’s still freakishly big in Asia. So Elvis for the rock/pop crown. They call him the King for a reason. What about Gospel? Who is the biggest composer? Mozart for the win? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/65 "2012-06-28T15:28:43Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > What about Gospel? Who is the biggest composer? Anonymous. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/66 "2012-06-28T15:51:51Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > What about Gospel? Who is the biggest composer? > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Anonymous. Amen ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/67 "2012-06-28T15:56:04Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Anonymous. Actually, that was Anonymous’s first cousin, Trad. He also wrote some of the best folk music. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/68 "2012-06-28T16:06:31Z")
New Wave is definitely too broad of a term really, it has been used to describe everything from punk, ska, reggae, art rock, up to and including some of the new romantic bands. When I think New Wave, I think, The Knack, The (English) Beat, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Blondie, The Cars, Cheap Trick. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/69 "2012-06-28T16:20:58Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ll agree that Pachelbel’s _Canon in D_ is a really well-known work of music. But Pachelbel himself? Not so much. Still having problems getting the joke, I see. ---
**Author:** ![Shearer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Shearer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shearer)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/70 "2012-10-14T14:41:19Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Electronic - Fatboy Slim? Good god. Surely (hopefully) he’s forgotten about now? Kraftwerk is the obvious choice. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/71 "2012-10-14T17:41:39Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > **Punk** (no sub-classification): The Clash, The Ramones get 2nd > > **Hardcore:** Black Flag > > \*\*New Wave: \*\*The Police > > **Grunge:** Nirvana (Soundgarden was my favorite, Pearl Jam is up there, but there’s no debate) > \*\* > Ska:\*\* The Specials > > **Emo:** Sunny Day Real Estate > \*\* > Alt Rock:\*\* R.E.M. > \*\* > Indie Rock:\*\* not touching this one, though The Pixies and Hüsker Dü spring to mind immediately. > > My view on popularity: while very few of these guys are in the headlines today, they mostly are still in rotation on the radio / satellite radio long after their heyday. While there are current acts that are more popular/trending at the moment in some instances, their staying power in most cases has not been tested as thoroughly. Black Flag was a punk band; the Ramones were punk in name only. They were a power pop band imo. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/72 "2012-10-14T18:04:04Z")
Based on chart success, I believe most famous in R&B would be Mariah Carey. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/73 "2012-10-14T19:18:18Z")
The Specials and Madness have been tossed out there for ska. The Specials ate the most pure and influential of the ska bands but Madness beats them on popularity and longevity. But if someone asked me “what does ska sound like?” I’d definitely present The Specials. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/74 "2012-10-14T19:29:32Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > The Specials ate the most pure and influential of the ska bands _burp_ ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/75 "2012-10-14T20:23:29Z")
I don’t know what genre to put them in but, in terms of being famous and popular, ABBA has to fit in somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/76 "2012-10-14T20:58:31Z")
Skiffle - Lonnie Donegan. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/77 "2012-10-15T14:26:36Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > Based on chart success, I believe most famous in R&B would be Mariah Carey. Or Beyounce. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342/78 "2012-10-15T15:07:51Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > Based on chart success, I believe most famous in R&B would be Mariah Carey. In the USA, that’s definitely true, but we’re only a small part of the world’s population. To look at it another way, I don’t know who the most popular singer in India is, but who ever he/she is, in nations of over a billion people, that person would have to be IMMENSELY popular, right? But chances are, no one outside India knows who India’s biggest musical act is, right? (Replace India with China, and the point remains.) Mariah Carey in her prime was HUGE here in the USA. Was she equally huge around the world? I don’t know. I mean, Queen and Abba were both fairly successful in the USA, but neither was ever huge. It would be pretty easy for an American to underestimate their popularity elsewhere. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-popular-music-artist-by-genre/626342.md?page=3)