100 Greatest Black Music Artists

[List328941] | +7

To celebrate Black History Month, I thought it would be appropriate to make a list of the greatest black music artists in history. The list is geared towards the 20th and 21st century as I am not familiar enough with classical music and pre-20th century music to know which black composers to include. I ranked the artists based on the usual critiera for ranking music artists (innovation, impact/influence, skill, productivity, longevity, etc.), how important they were to music, but also how important they were to civil rights and the state of Black America. Artists who were politically and socially active and helped to further the progress of black people in America were likely to finish higher than they might based on their musical out put. Artists in all genres of music throughout the 20th century were included including ragtime, jazz, blues, country, gospel, rock and roll/rock, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, and rap. Enjoy.

Honorable Mentions: Blind Willie Johnson, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, Buddy Guy, Johnny Mathis, Eartha Kitt, Sidney Bechet, Eric Dolphy, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Earl Hines, Wynton Marsalis, Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Lauryn Hill, LL Cool J, OutKast, Amos Milburn, Chubby Checker, The Coasters, The Commodores, The Four Tops, Isaac Hayes, The Isley Brothers, Aaliyah, Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna

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100		100.Kirk Franklin
99		99.Derrick May
98		98.Charley Pride
97		97.The Mills Brothers
96		96.Salt 'n' Pepa
95		95.Ruth Brown
94		94.TLC
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93		93.DeFord Bailey
92		92.Roy Brown
91		91.The Famous Ward Singers w/Marion Williams
w/Marion Williams
90		90.Jimmy Reed
89		89.Max Roach
88		88.Charlie Christian
87		87.Eric B. & Rakim
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86		86.The Dixie Hummingbirds
85		85.Jimmy Cliff
84		84.Wynonie Harris
83		83.Lena Horne
82		82.The Notorious B.I.G.
81		81.Odetta
80		80.Sister Rosetta Tharpe
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79		79.Art Blakey
78		78.Earth, Wind & Fire
77		77.Ma Rainey
76		76.Charley Patton
75		75.Donna Summer
74		74.Ornette Coleman
73		73.Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
72		72.The Soul Stirrers
71		71.Elmore James
70		70.Dinah Washington
69		69.Big Joe Turner
68		68.N.W.A
67		67.Harry Belafonte
66		66.Etta James
65		65.Janet Jackson
64		64.Nina Simone
63		63.Thomas A. Dorsey
62		62.Kanye West
61		61.Gil Scott-Heron
60		60.Sarah Vaughan
59		59.Whitney Houston
58		58.The Ink Spots
57		57.Cab Calloway
56		56.Jackie Wilson
55		55.Jackson 5
54		54.Charles Mingus
53		53.The Temptations
52		52.W. C. Handy
51		51.Howlin' Wolf
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