Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
Rolling Stone magazine published a special issue in 2004 and another in 2005 to present their list of the greatest artists. The editors did not choose the names themselves. Instead, they asked a panel of 55 musicians, writers, and industry figures for their input. This group decided who made the final cut based on peer selection. The goal was to create a broad survey of rock history that included genres like blues, hard rock, heavy metal, indie rock, rap, and contemporary pop.
The Beatles held the number one spot in both versions of the list released between 2004 and 2011. Bob Dylan secured the second position across all iterations. Elvis Presley took the third place every time the list appeared. These three names remained unchanged from the initial publication through the later update. Other acts rounded out the top ten including the Rolling Stones at four, Chuck Berry at five, and Jimi Hendrix at six. James Brown, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles filled the remaining slots below them.
A revised edition of the list arrived in 2011 with changes starting from the twenty-seventh position onward. Sixty-eight artists kept their exact rank while twenty others moved fewer than two spots. Carl Perkins experienced the most dramatic shift by dropping thirty ranks during this update. New entries appeared in the updated list such as Pink Floyd at fifty-one and Queen at fifty-two. Metallica entered at sixty-one while Creedence Clearwater Revival landed at eighty-two. Jay-Z reached eighty-eight and Tom Petty finished at ninety-one. R.E.M. and Talking Heads closed out the hundredth spot.
Most artists on the list were active during the nineteen-sixties or nineteen-seventies. The group consisted primarily of American or British musicians who sold well within America. Exceptions included AC/DC from Australia and Bob Marley from Jamaica. Joni Mitchell represented Canada alongside Neil Young. Carlos Santana was born in Mexico but became a naturalized American citizen. U2 came from Ireland and featured two members born in Britain. Lee Scratch Perry appeared only in the 2005 version of the list before disappearing from later counts.
The publication featured written comments where musicians discussed their colleagues. Elvis Costello wrote about the Beatles for the special issue. Janet Jackson contributed her thoughts on Tina Turner. These tributes added personal context to the rankings chosen by the panel. The editors ensured that peers spoke directly about other peers rather than outside critics analyzing the music. This approach kept the focus on industry relationships and mutual respect among the artists.
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Common questions
When did Rolling Stone magazine publish the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list?
Rolling Stone magazine published a special issue in 2004 and another in 2005 to present their list of the greatest artists. A revised edition of the list arrived in 2011 with changes starting from the twenty-seventh position onward.
Who selected the names for Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list?
The editors asked a panel of 55 musicians, writers, and industry figures for their input. This group decided who made the final cut based on peer selection rather than choosing the names themselves.
Which three artists held the top positions on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list between 2004 and 2011?
The Beatles held the number one spot in both versions of the list released between 2004 and 2011. Bob Dylan secured the second position across all iterations while Elvis Presley took the third place every time the list appeared.
How many artists kept their exact rank during the 2011 revision of Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list?
Sixty-eight artists kept their exact rank while twenty others moved fewer than two spots during the update. Carl Perkins experienced the most dramatic shift by dropping thirty ranks during this change.
What nationalities are represented among the majority of artists on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list?
Most artists on the list were active during the nineteen-sixties or nineteen-seventies and consisted primarily of American or British musicians. Exceptions included AC/DC from Australia, Bob Marley from Jamaica, Joni Mitchell representing Canada, Carlos Santana born in Mexico, and U2 coming from Ireland.