The Most Famous
MUSICIANS from Portugal
Top 4
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Portuguese Musicians of all time. This list of famous Portuguese Musicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Maria João Pires (b. 1944)
With an HPI of 63.77, Maria João Pires is the most famous Portuguese Musician. Her biography has been translated into 29 different languages on wikipedia.
Maria João Alexandre Barbosa Pires (Portuguese: [mɐˈɾi.ɐ ʒwɐ̃w ˈpiɾɨʃ]; born 23 July 1944) is a Portuguese classical pianist, widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of the repertoire of the 18th and 19th centuries.
2. Nuno Bettencourt (b. 1966)
With an HPI of 47.19, Nuno Bettencourt is the 2nd most famous Portuguese Musician. His biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt (born September 20, 1966) is a Portuguese-American guitarist. He became known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. Bettencourt has recorded a solo album and has founded rock bands including Mourning Widows, DramaGods, and Satellite Party.
3. Cristina Branco (b. 1972)
With an HPI of 42.69, Cristina Branco is the 3rd most famous Portuguese Musician. Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Cristina Branco (born 28 December 1972 in Almeirim, Ribatejo, Portugal) is a Portuguese musician. She was drawn to jazz and styles of Portuguese music before settling on fado, a choice made after being introduced to the music of Amália Rodrigues by her grandfather. Branco then studied the poems from which the major fado lyrics are taken. Branco performs accompanied by composer Custódio Castelo on guitar.
4. Rui Veloso (b. 1957)
With an HPI of 40.81, Rui Veloso is the 4th most famous Portuguese Musician. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Rui Manuel Gaudêncio Veloso (born 30 July 1957) is a Portuguese singer-songwriter and musician. Commonly called "The father of Portuguese rock" (Portuguese: O pai do rock português), Veloso was a major figure in the boom of Portuguese rock music in the 1980s. His 1980 debut album Ar de Rock, which includes the hit single "Chico Fininho", is considered a landmark of Portuguese rock. During the 1980s and 1990s, Veloso released numerous other successful singles and albums in Portugal. An unconditional lover of blues music, he played with B.B. King several times in King's shows in Portugal.
People
Pantheon has 4 people classified as Portuguese musicians born between 1944 and 1972. Of these 4, 4 (100.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Portuguese musicians include Maria João Pires, Nuno Bettencourt, and Cristina Branco. As of April 2024, 1 new Portuguese musicians have been added to Pantheon including Rui Veloso.
Living Portuguese Musicians
Go to all Rankings
Maria João Pires
1944 - Present
HPI: 63.77
Nuno Bettencourt
1966 - Present
HPI: 47.19
Cristina Branco
1972 - Present
HPI: 42.69
Rui Veloso
1957 - Present
HPI: 40.81
