MUSICIANS from Lebanon

Top 6

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Lebanese Musicians of all time. This list of famous Lebanese Musicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Serj Tankian (b. 1967)

With an HPI of 56.43, Serj Tankian is the most famous Lebanese Musician.  His biography has been translated into 51 different languages on wikipedia.

Serj Tankian ( TAHN-kee-ən, Western Armenian: Սերժ Թանգյան pronounced [sɛɾʒ tʰɑŋkʰˈjɑn]; born August 21, 1967) is an Armenian-American musician and activist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band System of a Down, which was formed in 1994. Tankian has released five albums with System of a Down (System of a Down, Toxicity, Steal This Album!, Mezmerize, Hypnotize) and five solo albums (Elect the Dead, Imperfect Harmonies, Harakiri, Orca, and Elasticity), as well as collaborating with musicians such as rapper Tech N9ne and folk singer Arto Tunçboyacıyan. He also released Elect the Dead Symphony, a live orchestral version of Elect the Dead featuring the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He is the founder of the record label Serjical Strike Records, and is currently represented by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group. Tankian is regarded as one of the best vocalists in heavy metal, with praise given to his unusual delivery and his wide vocal range. In 2006, he was ranked No. 26 on the Hit Parader list of "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists". A study conducted by VVN Music found that Tankian possesses a high and diverse vocal range of 4.2 octaves. In 2002, Tankian co-founded the non-profit political activism organization Axis of Justice, alongside guitarist and fellow activist Tom Morello. In 2011, he was awarded the Armenian Prime Minister's Medal for his contributions to the recognition of the Armenian genocide and the advancement of music.

2. Mika (b. 1983)

With an HPI of 52.74, Mika is the 2nd most famous Lebanese Musician.  His biography has been translated into 54 different languages.

Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. (born 18 August 1983), known professionally as Mika ( MEE-kə, stylised in all caps), is a singer-songwriter born in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised in Paris and London. After recording his first extended play, Dodgy Holiday, Mika was predicted to be the number-one breakthrough act of 2007 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2007. Mika released his first full-length studio album, Life in Cartoon Motion, on Island Records in 2007. It sold more than 8.3 million copies worldwide and helped Mika win a Brit Award—Best British Breakthrough act—and receive a Grammy Award nomination. He topped the UK Singles Chart in January 2007 with "Grace Kelly" and has since gone on to record four more platinum-selling studio albums (most recently My Name Is Michael Holbrook released in October 2019), as well as serve as judge/mentor on both the French version of The Voice and the Italian version of X Factor. Mika also starred for two seasons in his own television variety show in Italy, Stasera Casa Mika, which won the 2017 Rose d'Or Award for Entertainment, and has hosted his own BBC Radio 2 show, The Art of Song. In 2022, he co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest alongside Italian singer Laura Pausini and Italian television presenter Alessandro Cattelan. In addition to his musical career, Mika has worked as a visual artist and designer on various projects, among them sunglasses for the Italian eyewear company Lozza, a clothing line for Belgian retailer JBC, pens for the 100th anniversary of Pilot, and (along with his sister Yasmine) three watches for Swiss company Swatch.

3. Rabih Abou-Khalil (b. 1957)

With an HPI of 47.55, Rabih Abou-Khalil is the 3rd most famous Lebanese Musician.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Rabih Abou-Khalil (Arabic: ربيع أبو خليل, born August 17, 1957) is an oud player and composer born in Lebanon, who combines elements of Arabic music with jazz, classical music, and other styles. He grew up in Beirut and moved to Munich, Germany, during the Lebanese Civil War in 1978.

4. John Dolmayan (b. 1973)

With an HPI of 46.73, John Dolmayan is the 4th most famous Lebanese Musician.  His biography has been translated into 40 different languages.

John Dolmayan (Armenian: Ջոն Դոլմայան) (born July 15, 1972) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American musician, best known as the drummer of System of a Down. He is also the former drummer for Scars on Broadway. Dolmayan ranked number 33 on Loudwire's list of Top 200 Hard Rock + Metal Drummers of All Time.

5. Ara Malikian (b. 1968)

With an HPI of 45.95, Ara Malikian is the 5th most famous Lebanese Musician.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Ara Malikian (born 1968) is a Lebanese-born violinist of Armenian descent. He was educated in Germany and was later based in Spain. He has a wide repertoire and includes music from many cultures. He has played in over 40 countries and has won numerous prizes in international competitions. Milikian has recorded nearly 30 albums over a period of 25 years.

6. Ibrahim Maalouf (b. 1980)

With an HPI of 41.72, Ibrahim Maalouf is the 6th most famous Lebanese Musician.  Her biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Ibrahim Maalouf (Arabic: ابراهيم معلوف, pronounced [ʔɪbraːˈhiːm maʕˈluːf]; born 5 November 1980 in Beirut) is a French-Lebanese trumpeter, producer, arranger, and composer. In 2022, he became the first Lebanese instrumentalist nominated at the Grammy Awards for his album Queen of Sheba in collaboration with Angélique Kidjo.