Singers from United States

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Americans Singers of all time. This list of famous Americans Singers 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 Americans Singers.

1. #1

   

   Elvis Presley

   1935 - 1977

   HPI 87.57184 langs

   Elvis Presley is most famous for being a singer, actor, and musician. He was born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi and died in 1977 in...Read moreShow less

   Elvis Presley is most famous for being a singer, actor, and musician. He was born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi and died in 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee.

2. #2

   

   Cher

   b. 1946

   HPI 85.78100 langs

   Cher is most famous for her music and her acting career.

3. #3

   

   Maria Callas

   1923 - 1977

   HPI 84.0274 langs

   Maria Callas was a Greek-American opera singer who is most famous for her bel canto technique.

4. #4

   

   Aretha Franklin

   1942 - 2018

   HPI 83.92100 langs

   Aretha Franklin is most famous for her soulful voice and her vocal range. She has been called the "Queen of Soul" and her music has spanned...Read moreShow less

   Aretha Franklin is most famous for her soulful voice and her vocal range. She has been called the "Queen of Soul" and her music has spanned many genres, including blues, gospel, pop, R&B, rock and roll, and jazz.

5. #5

   

   Janis Joplin

   1943 - 1970

   HPI 83.9185 langs

   Janis Joplin was a singer and songwriter who is most famous for her work with Big Brother and the Holding Company.

6. #6

   

   Joan Baez

   b. 1941

   HPI 83.4880 langs

   Joan Baez is most famous for being a folk singer. She was also a very active member of the civil rights movement and the anti-war movement...Read moreShow less

   Joan Baez is most famous for being a folk singer. She was also a very active member of the civil rights movement and the anti-war movement in the 1960s.

7. #7

   

   Marvin Gaye

   1939 - 1984

   HPI 80.5671 langs

   Marvin Gaye is most famous for his music. He was a singer and songwriter who had many hit songs in the 1960s. He was also a successful...Read moreShow less

   Marvin Gaye is most famous for his music. He was a singer and songwriter who had many hit songs in the 1960s. He was also a successful Motown artist.

8. #8

   

   Jim Morrison

   1943 - 1971

   HPI 80.55122 langs

   Jim Morrison was a singer and songwriter for the rock band The Doors. He was most famous for his poetic lyrics and distinctive voice.

9. #9

   

   Frank Sinatra

   1915 - 1998

   HPI 80.38105 langs

   Frank Sinatra is most famous for his voice. He was also a very popular singer in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

10. #10

    

    Patti Smith

    b. 1946

    HPI 79.1562 langs

    Patti Smith is most famous for her book "Just Kids" which is a memoir of her early life with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.