Criteria:
First Tier: Influence, Reputation, Acclaim.
Second Tier: Performance (crowd interaction, use of the stage and variety).
These Frontmen and women were ranked considering the criteria above and chosen from all the myriad forms of rock "n" roll music including metal, hard rock, soft rock, rap, soul, reggae, glam, grunge, new wave, etc.
Edited By: Lew
Last Updated: 2023-10-12
Newly added names are in Red
Greatest Rock Frontmen
1. James Brown 2. Elvis Presley 3. Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) 4. Freddie Mercury (Queen) 5. Tina Turner (Ike & Tina Turner Revue, Solo) 6. Michael Jackson (Jackson 5, Solo) 7. Little Richard 8. Jerry Lee Lewis 9. Jim Morrison (The Doors) 10. Jackie Wilson 11. Bruce Springsteen 12. Roger Daltrey (The Who) 13. Madonna 14. Janis Joplin (Big Brother & the Holding Company, Solo) 15. Jimi Hendrix 16. David Bowie 17. Alice Cooper 18. Elton John 19. Bono (U2) 20. Prince 21. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) 22. Chuck Berry 23. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) 24. Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, Solo) 25. David Lee Roth (Van Halen, Solo) 26. Iggy Pop (The Stooges, Solo) 27. Chuck D (Public Enemy) 28. Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) 29. Bon Scott (AC/DC) 30. David Byrne (Talking Heads) 31. Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) 32. Bob Marley 33. Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) 34. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) 35. Sam & Dave 36. Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers) 37. Sly Stone (Sly & The Family Stone) 38. Joey Ramone (The Ramones) 39. Levi Stubbs (The Four Tops) 40. Paul Stanley (KISS) 41. Rob Halford (Judas Priest) 42. Screamin' Jay Hawkins 43. Lord Sutch 44. Bo Diddley 45. Otis Redding 46. Johnny Rotten (The Sex Pistols) 47. George Clinton (P-Funk) 48. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) 49. Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Solo) 50. Deborah Harry (Blondie)
51. Peter Gabriel (Genesis, Solo) 52. Michael Hutchence (INXS) 53. Robbie Williams 54. Perry Farrel (Jane's Addiction) 55. Donna Summer 56. Arthur Brown (Crazy World of Arthur Brown) 57. Marc Bolan (T. Rex) 58. Patti Smith 59. Joe Strummer (The Clash) 60. Run & D.M.C. (RUN-D.M.C.) 61. Frank Zappa 62. Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) 63. Robert Smith (The Cure) 64. Marilyn Manson 65. Jon Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi) 66. Janet Jackson 67. Billy Joel 68. Annie Lennox (The Eurythmics) 69. Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane) 70. James Hetfield (Metallica) 71. Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) 72. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings, Solo) 73. Rod Stewart 74. Thom Yorke (Radiohead) 75. Peter Frampton 76. David Ruffin (The Temptations) 77. Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) 78. Jack White (The White Stripes) 79. Maynard James Keenan (Tool, APC) 80. André 3000 (Outkast) 81. Ronnie Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd) 82. Ronnie James Dio (Dio, Rainbow, Black Sabbath) 83. Björk 84. Wilson Pickett 85. Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver) 86. Zach De La Rocha (Rage Against The Machine) 87. Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) 88. Sting (The Police, Solo) 89. Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) 90. Bobby Brown (New Edition, Solo) 91. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) 92. Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) 93. Buddy Holly 94. Sam Cooke 95. Matthew Bellamy (Muse) 96. Morrissey (The Smiths, Solo) 97. Eric Burdon (The Animals, War) 98. Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil) 99. Tupac Shakur 100. John Lennon (The Beatles, Solo)
101. Steve Perry (Journey) 102. Joe Elliot (Def Leppard) 103. Bill Haley (Bill Haley & His Comets) 104. Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company) 105. Brian Johnson (AC/DC) 106. Beyoncé (Destiny's Child, Solo) 107. Corey Glover (Living Color) 108. Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music) 109. Layne Staley (Alice In Chains) 110. Ian Astbury (The Cult) 111. King Diamond 112. Bob Seger (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band) 113. Joan Jett (The Blackhearts, Solo) 114. Neil Young 115. Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) 116. Serj Tankian (System Of A Down) 117. Fats Domino 118. Sammy Hagar (Montrose, Van Halen, Solo) 119. Van Morrison 120. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) 121. Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) 122. Corey Taylor (Slipknot) 123. Ann Wilson (Heart) 124. Ray Davies (The Kinks) 125. Lenny Kravitz 126. Henry Rollins (Black Flag) 127. Joe Cocker 128. Cyndi Lauper 129. George Thorogood 130. Gwen Stefani (No Doubt, Solo) 131. Phillip Anselmo (Pantera, Superjoint Ritual) 132. David Johansen (New York Dolls) 133. Captain Beefheart 134. Glenn Danzig (Danzig, The Misfits, Samhain) 135. Elvis Costello 136. Diana Ross (The Supremes) 137. Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) 138. Nick Cave (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) 139. Tom Waits 140. Jonathan Davis (Korn) 141. Rob Tyner (MC5) 142. Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe) 143. Jeff Buckley 144. John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) 145. Kanye West 146. Bob Dylan 147. Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche) 148. Meat Loaf 149. H.R. (Bad Brains) 150. Liam Gallagher (Oasis)
151. Dave Matthews 152. Aretha Franklin 153. Curtis Mayfield (Impressions, Solo) 154. Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead) 155. Chris Martin (Coldplay) 156. Les Claypool (Primus) 157. Ian Curtis (Joy Division) 158. Tom Petty (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Solo) 159. Billy Idol 160. Pat Benatar 161. Lionel Richie (Commodores) 162. David Coverdale (Whitesnake) 163. Smokey Robinson (The Miracles) 164. Marvin Gaye 165. Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) 166. Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran) 167. Klaus Meine (The Scorpions) 168. Belinda Carlisle (The Go-Go's) 169. David Clayton Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears) 170. Peter Wolf (The J. Geils Band) 171. Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) 172. Jay Kay (Jamaroquoi) 173. Brad Nowell (Sublime) 174. Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) 175. Martha Reeves (Martha & the Vandellas) 176. Clyde McPhatter (The Drifters) 177. John K (Steppenwolf) 178. Tommy James (Tommy James & the Shondells) 179. Burton Cummings (The Guess Who) 180. Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) 181. Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad) 182. Pelle Almqvist (The Hives) 183. Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire) 184. Jon Anderson (Yes) 185. Cedric Bixler (The Mars Volta) 186. Bonnie Raitt 187. Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere & The Raiders) 188. Gene Vincent (Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps) 189. Betty Davis 190. Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) 191. Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) 192. Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) 193. Country Joe McDonald (Country Joe & The Fish) 194. Lou Gramm (Foreigner) 195. Jello Biafra (The Dead Kennedys) 196. Courtney Love (Hole) 197.Wayne Cochran (Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders) 198. Frankie Valli (The Four Seasons) 199. Mitch Ryder (Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels) 200. John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful)