Music Metrics Vault

Classic rock

Most popular artists in Classic rock

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre classic rock by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
49,362,213
54,258,635
2
42,604,959
13,381,138
3
35,206,493
7,247,533
4
34,627,970
34,210,643
5
33,014,578
30,141,695
6
32,937,051
31,514,767
7
30,672,436
7,693,148
8
27,729,701
15,399,407
9
25,783,336
6,284,696
10
24,415,318
15,626,539
11
24,266,087
22,216,470
12
24,087,556
11,843,881
13
23,953,835
8,558,602
14
21,520,787
5,710,635
15
19,458,438
15,622,315
16
18,590,144
3,674,641
17
17,136,958
9,035,041
18
16,773,686
3,710,315
19
16,288,970
10,639,381
20
15,970,773
3,513,458
21
14,897,994
2,769,899
22
13,750,625
2,337,536
23
13,628,415
6,419,019
24
13,273,819
6,676,918
25
12,237,275
2,877,962
26
12,024,469
4,818,380
27
11,618,333
5,157,440
28
11,254,966
1,274,233
29
11,232,012
3,249,271
30
10,874,829
3,026,306
31
10,838,279
1,505,437
32
10,757,038
8,669,122
33
10,392,777
2,593,239
34
10,373,567
1,310,272
35
10,027,112
2,914,086
36
9,766,076
1,838,095
37
9,392,861
2,986,267
38
9,317,520
3,853,536
39
9,059,166
5,510,116
40
8,906,704
1,109,063
41
8,791,413
3,274,920
42
8,447,148
5,729,648
43
8,221,553
2,775,147
44
8,212,735
3,073,667
45
7,748,905
7,237,772
46
7,734,901
1,992,743
47
7,232,585
1,849,622
48
6,770,876
5,884,856
49
6,767,449
2,828,392
50
6,700,699
2,464,477
51
6,074,229
2,545,044
52
6,048,724
1,264,438
53
5,761,477
1,088,017
54
5,651,956
3,966,653
55
5,544,509
1,681,961
56
5,258,829
1,716,273
57
5,169,354
1,313,180
58
4,995,415
1,768,663
59
4,979,033
2,127,143
60
4,900,308
1,637,983
61
4,882,357
1,205,825
62
4,493,058
2,575,735
63
4,423,327
1,637,677
64
4,152,657
680,623
65
4,120,013
1,622,720
66
4,025,164
3,550,066
67
3,959,939
1,778,106
68
3,902,191
103,663
69
3,863,982
1,352,262
70
3,806,087
2,498,447
71
3,366,127
793,764
72
3,325,154
1,889,435
73
3,187,632
1,097,928
74
3,005,376
872,447
75
2,915,268
997,433
76
2,838,638
1,321,095
77
2,826,036
963,108
78
2,710,129
899,869
79
2,694,049
570,068
80
2,529,714
1,310,638
81
2,294,658
1,276,044
82
2,280,634
1,346,245
83
2,253,088
1,065,237
84
2,204,845
661,644
85
2,187,539
974,585
86
2,039,390
367,924
87
1,998,832
1,344,018
88
1,923,356
1,110,158
89
1,913,994
796,118
90
1,682,275
1,953,900
91
1,550,838
298,987
92
1,504,114
931,834
93
1,497,196
465,252
94
1,429,256
335,079
95
1,405,137
1,141,945
96
1,367,053
1,249,774
97
Manfred Mann
1,184,050
394,699
98
1,172,432
745,603
99
Jefferson Starship
1,033,630
1,074,248
100
Herman's Hermits
960,962
513,363
101
Lindsey Buckingham
884,899
166,966
102
Sammy Hagar
849,645
999,243
103
Traffic
702,658
627,869
104
Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah
616,323
20,651
105
April Wine
615,391
420,151
106
Blind Faith
613,109
442,149
107
James Gang
598,440
392,080
108
Ringo Starr
597,353
995,844
109
Triumph
542,836
513,802
110
Red Rider
520,616
106,168
111
The Edgar Winter Group
518,152
296,499
112
Molly Hatchet
505,460
625,181
113
Edgar Winter
490,860
110,211
114
Blood, Sweat & Tears
363,277
630,742
115
Rick Derringer
284,774
81,517
116
Head East
222,571
184,490
117
Prism
85,343
28,569
118
City Boy
65,667
9,695
119
My Silent Bravery
39,283
7,924
120
Utopia
33,927
30,320
121
Flo & Eddie
33,057
10,906
122
Scott Krokoff
25,227
469
123
Edgar Winter's White Trash
15,532
22,138
124
Peter Rivera
5,565
564
125
Ann Margret
4,380
700
126
Oliver Reed
3,859
1,320
127
Gun Hill Road
1,637
294
128
Keith Moon
1,377
41,262
129
Alison Dowling
1,357
17
130
Jack Nicholson
1,340
1,642
131
Ēbn-Ōzn
1,330
312
132
Fabulous
385
2,018
133
Leoni Kopilevi
10
18
134
The Rubber Bullets
1
18
135
Blackmail Honeymoon
1
1
136
The Runways
1
390

Some info about classic rock

Classic rock is a music genre that primarily draws on the rock music of the late 1960s and 1970s, typically featuring a harmonious blend of robust electric guitars, forceful drums, and strong vocals. It is a genre rooted deeply in the heart of rock’s golden age, embodying the spirit of an era marked by a cultural shift towards bold musical experiments and lyrical narratives that reflected contemporary social realities.

The genesis of classic rock can be traced back to the mid-1960s through to the late 1970s, a period that witnessed the maturation of the rock genre. Emerging from earlier rock & roll styles, bands began to adopt heavier sounds, more complex compositions, and introspective lyrics. The etymology of "classic rock" began as a radio format in the 1980s, designed to cater to adults who grew up with rock music in the 1960s and 1970s. By this definition, what was once simply contemporary became "classic" due to its endurance and influence on subsequent generations.

Integral to the classic rock genre are iconic bands that not only defined but transcended their time. The Beatles, though primarily associated with the pop and psychedelic rock scenes, played a significant role in laying the groundwork with albums like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". The Rolling Stones, with their grittier edge, epitomized the blues-infused rock that became a staple of classic rock soundtracks worldwide. Other monumental contributors include Led Zeppelin, whose heavy, guitar-driven sound forged the archetype of hard rock; Pink Floyd, known for their complex compositions and deep lyrical themes; and The Who, which introduced rock opera as a new form of musical expression.

Classic rock found a particularly fervent following in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, where it not only influenced music but also fashion, language, and lifestyle. American bands like Aerosmith and The Eagles contributed their distinctive flair to the genre, as did Australian groups like AC/DC, which added a raw power to the classic rock scene.

The enduring appeal of classic rock is not just in its nostalgia but in its pioneering approach to rock music. It was a time when artists experimented with electronic effects, multi-track recording, and conceptual album formats, pushing the boundaries of what music could represent. Albums were no longer just collections of songs; they were narratives, explorations, and statements.

Throughout its evolution, classic rock has remained a staple on radio stations, in digital streaming playlists, and live concert venues, underscoring its lasting impact on the music industry and on music lovers around the world. Fans continue to celebrate the genre through numerous tribute acts, remastered tracks, and reissued albums, keeping the aged spirit of the '60s and '70s alive.

For contemporary musicians and bands, classic rock acts as both a foundation and an inspiration. Bands such as Greta Van Fleet have captured attention in the modern era for their classic rock reminiscent sound, proving the genre’s adaptability and its capacity to resonate even after decades.

In essence, classic rock encapsulates a significant era in music history. It champions the innovation and the rebellious spirit of rock music. Its legacy, characterized by its depth, diversity, and revolutionary sound, continues to influence and inspire, making it an undying element of global music culture.