American ballad musicians

Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20th century. Presley's energetic and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, brought both great success and initial controversy.

Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its melancholic exploration of glamor and romance, with frequent references to pop culture and 1950s–1970s Americana. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an MTV Video Music Award, three MTV Europe Music Awards, two Brit Awards, two Billboard Women in Music awards, and a Satellite Award, in addition to nominations for 11 Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Variety honored her at their Hitmakers Awards for being "one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 21st century". In 2023, Rolling Stone placed Del Rey on their list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time", while Rolling Stone UK named her as the "greatest American songwriter of the 21st century".

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, film producer, and record producer. Commonly referred to as "the Voice", she is one of the most awarded performers of all time. A cultural icon, she broke down gender and racial barriers through her artistic achievements and music videos. Known for her vocal delivery, gospel singing style, crossover appeal, and live performances, Houston was ranked second on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest singers of all time in 2023.

Francis Albert Sinatra was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century.

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Songbird Supreme", Carey is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, signature use of the whistle register, and diva persona. An influential figure in popular culture, she was ranked as the fifth-greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.

Aretha Louise Franklin was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Regarded as the "Queen of Soul", she was twice named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time.

Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand is an American singer, actress, songwriter, and filmmaker. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Streisand's success in the entertainment industry has included Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.

American jazz singer (1917–1996)

American singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1981)

American jazz singer (1915–1959)

Diana Ross is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown", she was the lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. They remain the best-charting female group in history, with a total of 12 number-one pop singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

American musician (born 1979)

American singer and jazz pianist (1919–1965)

Cuban-American singer (born 1957)

American singer, songwriter and actor

American musician

American singer (1943–1997)

American singer-songwriter and musician (born 1942)

American singer (1950–2015)

American singer (born 1968)

American singer and actress (1952–2004)

American singer

American singer (1937–2025)

American singer and drummer (1950–1983)

American singer (born 1940)

American singer and actor

American neo-soul singer

American singer (1927–2012)

American musician (born 1977)

American musician

American singer-songwriter

American singer and actress (born 1982)

American singer-songwriter

American singer, songwriter, pianist (1924-1963)

American singer-songwriter

American singer

American singer

American singer

American singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist (1949–2024)

American singer and songwriter

American R&B singer (1951–2005)

American actress and singer (1926-2000)

American singer

American singer and actress

American singer (born 1944)

Angela Laverne Stone was an American singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, and record producer. With a career spanning more than four decades, she has been credited with revolutionizing the sound of hip-hop and neo soul.

Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson (born June 27, 1997), known professionally as H.E.R. (pronounced "her" and standing for "Having Everything Revealed") is an American R&B singer-songwriter. She has won an Academy Award, a Children's and Family Emmy Award, and five Grammy Awards, and been nominated for a Golden Globe Award, three American Music Awards, and four Billboard Music Awards.

American songwriter

American singer, songwriter, model, poet and actress

American singer

American singer-songwriter

American singer (1937–2018)

American singer

Michael Eugene Archer (February 11, 1974 – October 14, 2025), better known by his stage name '''D'Angelo' (), was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. Widely regarded as a pioneer of the neo-soul movement, Billboard named him one of the greatest R&B artists, while Rolling Stone'' ranked him as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2025, he was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

American country singer

American singer (1947–1979)

American singer-songwriter and record producer (1952–2019)

American musician

American jazz singer

American pop singer