Musicians Flashcards
Learn about the world's most famous musical artists. Special thanks to YouTube and SoundCloud.
Which blind American soul artist and pianist is widely considered one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, having produced hits like “Mess Around”, “Unchain My Heart”, “Georgia On My Mind”, and “What’d I Say”?
Which English rock band of the 1960s formed in Liverpool and became the best-selling band of all time, with albums including Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Abbey Road?
Its four members were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Which Barbadian pop recording artist of the 21st century sings the hit songs “Umbrella”, “Don’t Stop the Music”, “Rude Boy”, “What’s My Name?”, and “We Found Love”?
Which English punk rock band of the 1970s and 80s is famous for the album London Calling?
Which American R&B artist was the frontman of the Motown act The Miracles, and as a solo artist recorded such songs as “Cruisin’”, “Being With You”, and “A Quiet Storm”?
Which American punk rock band from California is famous for hit songs “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, “When I Come Around”, and “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)”?
The band’s three principal members are Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool. Their albums include Kerplunk, Dookie, Nimrod, American Idiot, and 21st Century Breakdown.
Which American rock band of the 1960s and 70s was notably managed by Andy Warhol?
The band’s best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, and its first album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, is considered a masterpiece.
Which American R&B, soul, and blues singer, active from the mid-1950s until her death in 2012, found success in the 60s with songs like “At Last”, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” (famously sampled on Avicii’s 2011 hit “Levels”), “I’d Rather Go Blind”, and “A Sunday Kind of Love”?
Which American rapper rose to fame in the early 2000s after being discovered by Eminem and releasing his massively successful album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which featured production by Dr. Dre?
50 Cent
His songs include “In da Club”, “P.I.M.P.”, “Just a Lil Bit”, “Candy Shop”, “21 Questions”, and “Ayo Technology”.
Which Canadian folk rock artist, active since the 1960s, has had a successful solo career but also co-founded Buffalo Springfield and then joined Crosby, Stills & Nash?
Neil Young
He helped organize the Farm Aid benefit concert in 1985 and the Bridge School and its benefit concerts. His songs include “Harvest Moon”, “Cortez The Killer”, “Cinnamon Girl”, and “Broken Arrow”.
Which 20th-century American jazz trumpeter, regarded as one of the most important figures in jazz, is best known for his iconic album Kind of Blue?
Throughout his career he experimented with numerous styles of jazz like bebop, modal jazz, and jazz fusion.
Which American R&B and soul vocal group is most known for their work for Motown Records in the 60s and 70s, with songs like “My Girl”, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, and “Cloud Nine”?
While their lineup has often changed over the years, their best-known lineup included David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Melvin Franklin.
Which American rapper from Long Beach, California rose to fame in the early 90s after being discovered by Dr. Dre and appearing on his album The Chronic, then released his hugely successful debut album Doggystyle in 1993?
Snoop Dogg
His songs include “Gin and Juice”, “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?”, “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, “Beautiful”, “Sensual Seduction”, and “Young, Wild & Free”.
Which American rapper from St. Louis rose to fame with his 2000 debut album Country Grammar, and hits like “Country Grammar”, “Hot in Herre”, “E.I.”, “Dilemma”, and “Ride Wit Me”?
Which American hip hop artist from Detroit is frequently listed as one of the greatest rappers of all time, with albums including The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, and Recovery?
He won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Lose Yourself” from the 2002 film 8 Mile, in which he also starred.
Which American jazz keyboardist and composer was the pianist in the second of Miles Davis’s two “great quintets” and has enjoyed considerable crossover success throughout his career, with songs like “Chameleon”, “Watermelon Man”, “Maiden Voyage”, and “Rockit”?
Which American rapper from New York, active in the 1990s and famous for his involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry, is best known for songs such as “Juicy”, “Big Poppa”, “Going Back to Cali”, “Hypnotized”, and “Warning”?
Seen by many as one of the greatest hip hop artists ever, he was killed at the age of 24 in a drive-by shooting in 1997.
Which American hip hop group notably dealt with social issues in their songs, including “Can I Kick It?”, “Bonita Applebum”, “Award Tour”, “Scenario”, “Jazz (We’ve Got)”, and “Electric Relaxation”?
Which American actress and singer got her start on two Nickelodeon TV shows and has recorded such hits as “The Way”, “Problem”, and “Break Free”?
Which American grunge rock band released three studio albums in the late 1980s and early 90s, most notably Nevermind?
Nirvana
They are best known for songs like “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, “Come As You Are”, and “Lithium”. They disbanded after the death of frontman Kurt Cobain.
Which American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter overcame his blindness to become one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, known for songs like “Superstition”, “Higher Ground”, “Living for the City”, and “My Cherie Amour”?
Which English rock band is widely regarded as one of the most important groups of the 1990s and 2000s, with critically acclaimed albums such as OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief?
In 2007 they notably self-released the album In Rainbows as a digital download, allowing customers to set their own price.
Which American female singing group is famously associated with Motown Records and released songs like “Baby Love”, “Stop! In the Name of Love”, “I Hear a Symphony”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”, and “Love Child”?
Their best-known lineup was the trio of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard.
Which 20th-century American composer, conductor, and pianist was the longtime music director of the New York Philharmonic and wrote the music for West Side Story?
He is noted as one of the first American-born and educated conductors to gain international acclaim. He is also famous for conducting piano concertos from his piano keyboard (while playing), and notably gave a series of TV lectures on classical music.
Which American recording artist, active since the early 80s and often called the Queen of Pop, is famous for hits such as “Like a Virgin”, “Vogue”, “Like a Prayer”, “Ray of Light”, “Music”, and “Hung Up”?
Which American soul and funk band from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s is famous for songs like “Everyday People”, “Dance To The Music”, “I Want To Take You Higher”, and “Sing A Simple Song”?
Headed by Sly Stone, they produced several groundbreaking albums before dissolving due in large part to drug abuse.
Which American rapper and actor has been active since the mid-80s and is famous for his iconic hip hop singles “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Rock the Bells”?
LL Cool J
Although he has moved more recently into acting, appearing in films as well as on TV on NCIS: Los Angeles, he is regarded as an important figure in rap. His other songs include “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”, “I’m Bad”, “The Boomin’ System”, “Around the Way Girl”, “I Need Love”, “Paradise”, and “All I Have”.
Which English pop and disco group, composed of brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, are best known for songs such as “Nights On Broadway”, “Too Much Heaven”, “Stayin’ Alive”, “More Than a Woman”, “You Should Be Dancing”, and “How Deep Is Your Love”?
They have sold over 200 million records, and featured prominently on the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever.
Which Irish rock band, known for melodic instrumentals and sociopolitical lyrics, is famous for albums The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and All That You Can’t Leave Behind?
The band’s members are Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr.
Which English rock band best known for their stretch of success in the 1960s and 70s was famous for their loud, high-energy performances during which they destroyed instruments, and albums My Generation, Who’s Next, and Who Are You?
Which American rock, pop, and soul singer rose to fame in the 1960s alongside her husband Ike with hits like “Proud Mary” and “River Deep – Mountain High”?
After splitting from her husband, she found success as a solo artist, recording songs like “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and her cover of “Let’s Stay Together.”
Which American hip hop duo based in Georgia is composed of Andre 3000 and Big Boi and is best known for songs like “Player’s Ball”, “ATLiens”, “Rosa Parks”, “B.O.B.”, “Ms. Jackson”, “The Way You Move”, and “Hey Ya!”?
Which 20th-century American blues artist, known for his rough-edged style and booming voice, has had many songs become standards, such as “Back Door Man”, “Smokestack Lightnin’”, and “Spoonful”?
Which American heavy metal band formed in the early 1980s and rose to fame with early albums like Kill ‘Em All and Master of Puppets?
Which English rock band of the 1970s and 80s, famously fronted by pianist and lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, produced songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Under Pressure” (with David Bowie), “Killer Queen”, “We Are the Champions”, “We Will Rock You”, and “Another One Bites the Dust”?
Which English alternative rock band released their debut album Parachutes in 2000, and is best known for songs like “Paradise”, “Viva la Vida”, “Clocks”, “Yellow”, “Fix You”, and “The Scientist”?
The group consists of Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion.
Which influential American rock band formed in 1961 in California is noted for their complicated vocal harmonies and songs about Southern California culture, including “Fun, Fun, Fun”, “Help Me, Ronda”, “Sloop John B”, and “Good Vibrations”?
The band was originally composed of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine.
Which American pop star rose to fame in the late 1990s with hits like “…Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again”?
Other songs include “I’m a Slave 4 U”, “Gimme More”, “Womanizer”, “I Wanna Go”, “Toxic”, and “Till the World Ends”.
Which 1990s rock and ska punk band from Long Beach, California incorporated hip hop and reggae into their sound with hits like “What I Got”, “Santeria”, “Wrong Way”, “Caress Me Down”, and “Doin’ Time”?
Frontman Bradley Nowell died of an overdose in 1996 just before the release of their self-titled third album, which was a commercial success.
Which American rap metal band from Los Angeles is best known for its stretch of success in the 1990s with songs like “Killing In the Name”, “Bulls On Parade”, “Renegades of Funk”, and “Testify”?
Seen as very influential and original rock artists, they released their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 1992. Three of the band’s members joined Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell to create the supergroup Audioslave for a period in the early to mid-2000s.
Which American hip hop duo of the 1980s and 90s is best known for their iconic album Paid in Full, and for songs like “Don’t Sweat the Technique”, “Follow the Leader”, “Microphone Fiend”, “I Know You Got Soul”, “I Ain’t No Joke”, and “Paid in Full”?
The duo was comprised of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim, the latter of whom is viewed by many as perhaps the greatest rapper of all time.
Which American West Coast rapper, active in the 1990s, was famous for his involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry and for songs like “California Love”, “How Do U Want It”, “All Eyez On Me”, “Picture Me Rollin’”, “Dear Mama”, “I Get Around”, and “Hit ‘Em Up”?
Frequently called one of the greatest rappers ever, he was killed at the age of 25 after a drive-by shooting in 1996.
Which American blues-rock band from Ohio, active since the early 2000s, is known for their albums Rubber Factory, Attack & Release, Brothers, and El Camino?
The groups consists of Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach.
Which English blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter is regarded as one of the best guitarists of all time, famous for songs like “Layla”, “Crossroads”, “Cocaine”, and “Tears in Heaven”?
He has been associated with numerous different acts, most notably The Yardbirds and Cream.
Which American R&B and pop singer is famous for her five-octave vocal range and considerable mainstream success in the 1990s and 2000s, with songs like “We Belong Together”, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, “Touch My Body”, “Always Be My Baby”, “Hero”, and “One Sweet Day”?
Which American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter is considered one of the most important blues artists and guitarists of all time, with songs like “3 O’Clock Blues”, “Every Day I Have the Blues”, “Sweet Little Angel”, “The Thrill Is Gone”, and “When Love Comes to Town”?
Which 20th-century Jamaican recording artist was the most famous and popular reggae musician in the history of the genre, with hits including “Three Little Birds”, “Redemption Song”, “Buffalo Soldier”, “No Woman, No Cry”, and “Get Up Stand Up”?
Which American pop singer from Santa Barbara, CA broke through in 2008 with her song “I Kissed a Girl” and has since found enormous success with singles like “Hot N Cold”, “California Gurls”, “Firework”, “Teenage Dream”, “E.T.”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”, and “Roar”?
Which iconic 20th-century jazz bandleader, pianist, and composer is famous for songs like “Do Nothing till You Hear from Me”, “Mood Indigo”, “Take the ‘A’ Train”, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”, and “In a Sentimental Mood”?
He wrote over 1,000 compositions in a wide range of styles, from jazz to blues to classical to film scores. He led his band from 1923 until his death in 1974, and is remembered for his charisma and for popularizing jazz in America.
Which American hip hop group is regarded as one of the most important acts in hip hop history, with celebrated albums like King of Rock and Raising Hell?
The group formed in the early 1980s and remained active until the death of one of its three members, Jam Master Jay, in 2002. They were the first rap group to be nominated for a Grammy.
Which Mexican-American rock guitarist rose to fame in the 1960s by mixing melodic blues with jazz, rock, and Latin and African musical elements, and is known for songs like “Oye Como Va”, “Black Magic Woman”, “Evil Ways”, “Europa”, “Smooth”, and “The Game of Love”?
Which American pianist and singer-songwriter active since the early 1950s, known for his showmanship and frenetic piano playing, recorded songs including “Tutti Frutti”, “Good Golly Miss Molly”, and “Long Tall Sally”?
He is regarded as one of the major figures in the development of rock and roll.
Which American rock band of the 1960s and 70s, fronted by vocalist Jim Morrison, is best known for songs such as “Light My Fire”, “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”, “Peace Frog”, “L.A. Woman”, and “Riders On The Storm”?
They are noted for their innovative incorporation of keyboards and for Morrison’s poetic lyrics and wild stage presence.
Which American rapper, record producer, and songwriter is a friend of and collaborator with Timbaland, and is known for songs like “Work It”, “Get Ur Freak On”, “Gossip Folks”, “Lose Control”, “Pass That Dutch”, “One Minute Man”, and “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”?
She got her start producing and writing in the 1990s for other R&B and hip hop artists, most notably Aaliyah.
Which Jamaican rocksteady, ska, and reggae group was one of the first Jamaican groups to use the word “reggae” and released “Do the Reggay” in 1968?
Toots and the Maytals
Their songs include “Funky Kingston”, “Pressure Drop”, “54-46 Was My Number”, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, and “Sweet and Dandy”.
Which American funk, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer rose to fame as a member of The Impressions, with whom he recorded such songs as “For Your Precious Love”, “Gypsy Woman”, “It’s All Right”, “Keep on Pushing”, “We’re a Winner”, and “People Get Ready”?
He then went on to a successful solo career, releasing songs like “Superfly”, “Freddie’s Dead”, and “Pusherman”.
Which American pop rock band first found success with their 2002 alternative rock album Songs About Jane, with hits like “Harder to Breathe”, “This Love”, “Sunday Morning”, “She Will Be Loved”?
Maroon 5
The band has enjoyed continued success with songs such as “Makes Me Wonder”, “Moves Like Jagger”, “Payphone”, “One More Night”, and “Animals”.
Which English singer-songwriter of the 21st century has released such hits as “Chasing Pavements”, “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone Like You”, and “Set Fire to the Rain”?
Which American singer and actor of the 20th century was active from the early 50s until his death in 1977, and was dubbed the King of Rock and Roll?
Elvis Presley
He was a leading figure in the popularization of rock, and his songs include “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, and “Love Me Tender”.
Which American rock band from Boston, fronted by Steven Tyler and active since the early 1970s, is known for hits like “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”, “Dream On”, “Walk This Way”, and “Sweet Emotion”?