The Most Famous
MUSICIANS from Belgium
Top 10
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Belgian Musicians of all time. This list of famous Belgian Musicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Belgian Musicians.
1. Django Reinhardt (1910 - 1953)
With an HPI of 68.19, Django Reinhardt is the most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 62 different languages on wikipedia.
Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django (French: [dʒãŋɡo ʁɛjnaʁt] or [dʒɑ̃ɡo ʁenɑʁt]), was a Belgian-French Manouche or Sinti jazz guitarist and composer. Since he was born on Belgian soil, in Liberchies, he is also often named a Belgian musician. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most significant exponents. With violinist Stéphane Grappelli, Reinhardt formed the Paris-based Quintette du Hot Club de France in 1934. The group was among the first to play jazz that featured the guitar as a lead instrument. Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, and briefly toured the United States with Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1946. He died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage in 1953 at the age of 43. Reinhardt's most popular compositions have become standards within gypsy jazz, including "Minor Swing", "Daphne", "Belleville", "Djangology", "Swing '42", and "Nuages". The jazz guitarist Frank Vignola said that nearly every major popular music guitarist in the world has been influenced by Reinhardt. Over the last few decades, annual Django festivals have been held throughout Europe and the U.S., and a biography has been written about his life. In February 2017, the Berlin International Film Festival held the world premiere of the French biographical film Django, based on Reinhardt's life.
2. Toots Thielemans (1922 - 2016)
With an HPI of 60.16, Toots Thielemans is the 2nd most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 34 different languages.
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans ([tuts tiləmans]), was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for playing the chromatic harmonica, as well as his guitar and whistling skills, and composing. According to jazz historian Ted Gioia, his most important contribution was in "championing the humble harmonica", which Thielemans made into a "legitimate voice in jazz". He eventually became the "preeminent" jazz harmonica player. His first professional performances were with Benny Goodman's band when they toured Europe in 1949 and 1950. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1951, becoming a citizen in 1957. From 1953 to 1959 he played with George Shearing, and then led his own groups on tours in the U.S. and Europe. In 1961 he recorded and performed live one of his own compositions, "Bluesette", which featured him playing guitar and whistling. In the 1970s and 1980s, he continued touring and recording, appearing with musicians such as Oscar Peterson, Elis Regina, Caetano Veloso, Ella Fitzgerald, Ivan Lins, Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Werner, Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Mina Mazzini, Elis Regina, Quincy Jones, George Shearing, Natalie Cole, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, and Paquito D'Rivera. Thielemans recorded the soundtracks for The Pawnbroker (1964), The Reivers (1969), Midnight Cowboy (1969), The Getaway (1972), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Sugarland Express (1974) and Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977). His harmonica theme song for the popular Sesame Street TV show was heard for 40 years. He often performed and recorded with Quincy Jones, who once called him "one of the greatest musicians of our time." In 2009 he was designated a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honor for a jazz musician in the United States.
3. Arthur Grumiaux (1921 - 1986)
With an HPI of 55.63, Arthur Grumiaux is the 3rd most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
Baron Arthur Grumiaux (French: [gʁymjo]; 21 March 1921 – 16 October 1986) was a Belgian violinist, considered by some to have been "one of the few truly great violin virtuosi of the twentieth century". He has been noted for having a "consistently beautiful tone and flawless intonation". English music critic and broadcaster, Edward Greenfield wrote of him that he was "a master virtuoso who consistently refused to make a show of his technical prowess".
4. Brian Molko (b. 1972)
With an HPI of 53.27, Brian Molko is the 4th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.
Brian Molko (born 10 December 1972) is a British-American musician who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist of the band Placebo. He is known for his nasal vocals, feminine/androgynous appearance and aggressive guitar style and tunings.
5. Sigiswald Kuijken (b. 1944)
With an HPI of 52.85, Sigiswald Kuijken is the 5th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Sigiswald Kuijken (Dutch: [ˌsiɣɪsʋɑlt ˈkœykə(n)]; born 16 February 1944) is a Belgian violinist, violist, and conductor known for playing on period and original instruments.
6. Adrien-François Servais (1807 - 1866)
With an HPI of 52.20, Adrien-François Servais is the 6th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Adrien-François Servais (6 June 1807 – 26 November 1866) was one of the most influential cellists of the nineteenth century. He was born and died in what is now Halle, Belgium. He is one of the founders of the Modern Cellistic Schools of Paris and Madrid, which began through collaboration with his friend Auguste Franchomme and his disciple Víctor Mirecki Larramat. His compositions are still studied, performed and recorded all over the world. Two of his sons also had musical careers and performed his music.
7. Bobbejaan Schoepen (1925 - 2010)
With an HPI of 52.08, Bobbejaan Schoepen is the 7th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
Bobbejaan Schoepen (a pseudonym of Modest Schoepen; 16 May 1925 – 17 May 2010) was a Flemish pioneer in Belgian pop music, vaudeville, and European country music. Schoepen was a versatile entertainer, entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, guitarist, comedian, actor, and professional whistler, as well as the founder and former director of the amusement park Bobbejaanland. His musical career flourished from 1948 until the first half of the 1970s. He sold more than five million copies from his repertoire of 482 songs, which extended from Twang, cabaret, instrumental film music, chansons, country, to folk and vocal music. Born in Boom, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, he worked his way up from a working-class environment to become one of the 200 richest people in Belgium. Schoepen married Dutch former opera singer and photographer's model Josephina (Josée) Jongen on 18 May 1961. They have five children: Robert ("Bob Jr.", 1962), Myriam (1963), Jacky (1964), Peggy (1968), and Tom (1970). His son Tom became his manager in Belgium.
8. André Cluytens (1905 - 1967)
With an HPI of 50.67, André Cluytens is the 8th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Augustin Zulma Alphonse "André" Cluytens (French: [ɑ̃dʁe klɥitɛ̃s], Dutch: [ˈɑndreː ˈklœytəns]; 26 March 1905 – 3 June 1967) was a Belgian-born French conductor who was active in the concert hall, opera house and recording studio. His repertoire extended from Viennese classics through French composers to 20th century works. Although much of his career was spent in France, he was the first French conductor at Bayreuth in 1955; he also conducted The Ring and Parsifal at La Scala.
9. Francis Goya (b. 1946)
With an HPI of 50.20, Francis Goya is the 9th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Francis Goya (born François Edouard Weyer; 16 May 1946) is a Belgian classical guitar player and producer. He has recorded fifty albums, many of which have reached gold or platinum status. Francis went solo in 1975, changing his name to Goya. His first solo single, Nostalgia, became an international hit, reaching the top ten in Belgium and the Netherlands.
10. Arthur De Greef (1862 - 1940)
With an HPI of 48.65, Arthur De Greef is the 10th most famous Belgian Musician. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Arthur De Greef (10 October 1862 – 29 August 1940) was a Belgian classical pianist and composer of the romantic era.
People
Pantheon has 14 people classified as Belgian musicians born between 1807 and 1993. Of these 14, 7 (50.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Belgian musicians include Brian Molko, Sigiswald Kuijken, and Francis Goya. The most famous deceased Belgian musicians include Django Reinhardt, Toots Thielemans, and Arthur Grumiaux. As of April 2024, 1 new Belgian musicians have been added to Pantheon including Gustaph.
Living Belgian Musicians
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Brian Molko
1972 - Present
HPI: 53.27
Sigiswald Kuijken
1944 - Present
HPI: 52.85
Francis Goya
1946 - Present
HPI: 50.20
Gotye
1980 - Present
HPI: 44.72
Lost Frequencies
1993 - Present
HPI: 37.76
Gustaph
1980 - Present
HPI: 37.70
Netsky
1989 - Present
HPI: 30.13
Deceased Belgian Musicians
Go to all RankingsDjango Reinhardt
1910 - 1953
HPI: 68.19
Toots Thielemans
1922 - 2016
HPI: 60.16
Arthur Grumiaux
1921 - 1986
HPI: 55.63
Adrien-François Servais
1807 - 1866
HPI: 52.20
Bobbejaan Schoepen
1925 - 2010
HPI: 52.08
André Cluytens
1905 - 1967
HPI: 50.67
Arthur De Greef
1862 - 1940
HPI: 48.65
Newly Added Belgian Musicians (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Musicians were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 6 most globally memorable Musicians since 1700.
