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
49,429,560
54,286,755
2
42,810,168
13,391,012
3
35,404,867
7,257,656
4
34,741,409
34,228,685
5
33,286,637
31,538,477
6
33,173,748
30,159,214
7
31,114,449
7,701,875
8
27,884,536
15,404,897
9
26,072,258
6,292,078
10
24,478,132
15,633,975
11
24,226,290
22,225,143
12
24,219,558
11,849,562
13
24,210,529
8,567,689
14
22,067,868
5,713,713
15
19,644,799
15,634,631
16
18,585,078
3,679,944
17
18,579,965
9,051,952
18
16,816,737
3,711,761
19
16,300,533
10,645,382
20
16,019,933
3,514,856
21
15,139,097
2,773,045
22
13,753,268
2,339,269
23
13,676,353
6,424,545
24
13,302,348
6,680,162
25
12,403,140
2,879,854
26
12,062,588
4,820,702
27
11,649,259
5,160,611
28
11,245,991
3,252,181
29
11,140,522
1,275,256
30
11,080,473
3,027,657
31
10,952,232
1,506,424
32
10,768,925
8,672,581
33
10,421,960
1,311,002
34
10,357,486
2,594,898
35
10,023,411
2,915,933
36
9,903,313
1,841,242
37
9,392,728
2,987,819
38
9,367,772
3,855,366
39
9,108,310
5,513,309
40
9,037,217
1,109,960
41
8,923,628
3,277,579
42
8,488,441
5,731,295
43
8,328,249
3,075,431
44
8,284,840
2,777,342
45
7,747,720
7,240,083
46
7,652,537
1,993,557
47
7,526,737
1,851,177
48
6,802,913
2,831,385
49
6,786,679
5,886,580
50
6,726,338
2,465,514
51
6,073,227
2,546,051
52
6,054,138
1,265,075
53
5,828,638
1,089,211
54
5,627,263
1,682,635
55
5,621,832
3,968,966
56
5,267,332
1,717,154
57
5,099,588
1,313,702
58
5,016,674
1,769,573
59
4,970,704
2,127,905
60
4,894,418
1,206,470
61
4,815,841
1,639,079
62
4,530,590
2,577,855
63
4,423,013
1,639,218
64
4,181,417
680,936
65
4,153,665
1,624,249
66
4,051,798
3,550,774
67
3,972,699
1,778,800
68
3,948,942
103,999
69
3,879,914
1,352,702
70
3,806,684
2,499,423
71
3,367,003
794,230
72
3,300,207
1,890,739
73
3,204,136
1,098,362
74
3,019,940
872,901
75
2,925,518
998,375
76
2,818,921
963,663
77
2,817,478
1,322,213
78
2,741,874
570,651
79
2,738,780
900,150
80
2,543,885
1,311,421
81
2,300,314
1,347,119
82
2,295,339
1,276,585
83
2,271,277
1,065,761
84
2,230,218
662,339
85
2,188,123
975,262
86
2,018,559
368,074
87
2,010,794
1,344,536
88
1,971,601
1,110,966
89
1,916,052
796,475
90
1,670,238
1,954,497
91
1,555,597
299,112
92
1,506,574
335,463
93
1,505,220
465,456
94
1,504,114
931,834
95
1,406,601
1,141,991
96
1,371,645
1,250,165
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
915,386
167,880
102
Sammy Hagar
849,645
999,243
103
Traffic
707,759
628,247
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
525,587
106,349
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
4,397
701
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
Ēbn-Ōzn
1,330
312
131
Jack Nicholson
1,270
1,640
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.