Music Metrics Vault

Singer-songwriter

Most popular artists in Singer-songwriter

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre singer-songwriter 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
26,743,388
6,403,423
2
25,969,041
2,551,162
3
23,399,771
6,634,337
4
20,156,805
1,591,554
5
17,104,996
6,075,307
6
15,922,058
3,313,180
7
15,180,417
6,668,160
8
13,053,845
2,202,435
9
12,257,259
1,850,965
10
12,106,489
4,697,481
11
11,975,567
6,059,118
12
10,857,659
2,302,812
13
10,239,489
865,369
14
10,220,143
2,666,161
15
9,747,753
1,991,990
16
9,657,596
2,111,701
17
9,612,216
2,701,125
18
9,020,192
2,101,380
19
8,917,786
1,136,205
20
8,798,852
1,495,849
21
8,576,604
2,602,178
22
8,282,019
2,775,836
23
8,039,708
2,385,825
24
7,996,738
2,333,375
25
7,952,655
2,936,265
26
7,520,716
3,108,978
27
7,455,205
2,936,473
28
7,330,398
2,553,361
29
6,997,468
3,060,505
30
6,996,533
2,870,772
31
6,737,180
1,893,392
32
6,487,123
1,225,336
33
6,458,723
1,195,890
34
6,209,660
2,649,308
35
6,150,507
1,022,273
36
5,703,463
2,412,070
37
5,280,255
1,288,065
38
5,252,615
1,886,696
39
5,213,283
2,689,794
40
5,212,332
1,654,366
41
5,147,002
1,808,983
42
5,085,445
1,648,183
43
5,051,403
1,527,440
44
4,940,844
1,239,428
45
4,742,987
1,764,577
46
4,740,435
1,620,250
47
4,681,174
1,607,785
48
4,659,966
1,125,559
49
4,409,328
2,431,137
50
4,368,700
1,802,238
51
4,275,907
1,626,057
52
4,162,100
1,468,788
53
4,081,347
1,389,612
54
3,909,586
526,783
55
3,839,998
237,759
56
3,603,649
1,529,170
57
3,558,910
1,686,879
58
3,554,990
1,101,610
59
3,464,548
3,474,253
60
3,444,651
636,311
61
3,111,959
1,585,266
62
3,107,410
992,043
63
3,083,103
1,184,102
64
3,074,183
934,608
65
2,732,930
299,702
66
2,699,681
494,421
67
2,661,516
421,698
68
2,655,138
729,100
69
2,645,905
1,374,359
70
2,637,258
347,110
71
2,566,729
1,040,587
72
2,544,759
1,042,742
73
Joni Mitchell
2,472,334
1,516,996
74
2,418,977
1,065,594
75
2,415,197
852,152
76
2,340,810
867,552
77
2,339,344
806,090
78
2,325,447
415,598
79
2,280,464
715,153
80
2,216,859
1,166,616
81
2,209,984
387,553
82
2,116,507
1,234,963
83
2,099,064
1,238,310
84
2,058,072
491,549
85
2,044,704
1,109,893
86
2,041,594
747,007
87
2,005,833
1,374,049
88
1,887,867
761,968
89
1,821,901
1,211,223
90
1,788,724
1,059,480
91
1,783,217
621,842
92
1,779,408
1,295,670
93
1,749,363
1,351,549
94
1,698,493
750,577
95
1,654,400
769,387
96
1,653,419
822,859
97
1,620,791
1,402,068
98
1,574,964
341,647
99
1,561,880
1,038,811
100
Crazy Horse
1,551,218
86,012
101
1,545,555
808,714
102
1,541,147
207,171
103
1,537,308
1,286,695
104
Laura Marling
1,531,318
513,493
105
1,530,744
577,483
106
1,503,514
1,126,391
107
1,461,309
541,583
108
1,457,446
784,911
109
1,429,932
892,856
110
1,427,523
407,739
111
1,393,643
1,909,420
112
1,393,168
432,761
113
1,387,000
766,146
114
1,352,991
210,860
115
1,317,573
406,127
116
1,296,662
682,602
117
1,259,738
371,069
118
1,244,523
573,582
119
1,236,773
795,353
120
1,205,180
814,425
121
1,170,642
1,129,955
122
Tori Amos
1,155,601
819,504
123
Harry Chapin
1,107,924
366,554
124
Dan Fogelberg
1,101,550
796,387
125
Manfred Mann
1,077,708
372,261
126
1,066,458
242,060
127
1,063,095
397,292
128
1,061,151
570,120
129
Procol Harum
1,021,846
472,545
130
Kurt Vile
953,280
521,763
131
906,152
228,010
132
Billy Bragg
905,541
171,141
133
Joan Baez
904,149
691,822
134
Herman's Hermits
881,260
491,209
135
Lisa Loeb
872,803
222,705
136
Lucinda Williams
847,305
252,155
137
Melissa Etheridge
844,012
494,997
138
The Young Rascals
803,606
177,586
139
David Byrne
769,166
388,269
140
767,925
306,801
141
Angel Olsen
752,087
490,940
142
The Jesus and Mary Chain
750,736
495,700
143
Courtney Barnett
744,319
598,011
144
Rosanne Cash
722,964
176,680
145
Townes Van Zandt
721,003
355,400
146
Natalie Merchant
713,464
424,563
147
10,000 Maniacs
707,884
382,578
148
Indigo Girls
704,425
367,553
149
Jefferson Starship
688,920
1,018,172
150
Justin Townes Earle
687,191
181,445
151
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
682,668
1,098,799
152
Gillian Welch
679,050
227,930
153
Rita Coolidge
668,198
246,176
154
The Replacements
646,078
295,506
155
Pure Prairie League
638,725
260,659
156
Rodney Crowell
629,294
97,413
157
Joan Armatrading
616,993
278,147
158
Blind Faith
598,954
408,033
159
Al Stewart
597,094
282,508
160
Lee Hazlewood
597,056
71,772
161
k.d. lang
591,605
398,194
162
Pete Townshend
585,681
381,159
163
Mary Chapin Carpenter
571,833
218,672
164
The Yardbirds
566,606
973,435
165
Steve Forbert
560,971
40,824
166
John Martyn
526,167
155,041
167
Richard Hawley
521,685
150,810
168
M. Ward
512,517
214,476
169
Liz Phair
508,675
181,387
170
The Association
506,164
251,868
171
Nick Lowe
491,399
110,203
172
Judy Collins
491,222
260,827
173
Ry Cooder
488,040
310,118
174
Marianne Faithfull
454,643
202,205
175
445,713
167,175
176
Janis Ian
429,726
158,691
177
Karen Dalton
422,706
137,570
178
John Cale
403,706
199,890
179
Aimee Mann
401,511
246,592
180
Leon Russell
400,751
265,667
181
Rickie Lee Jones
394,573
198,989
182
Tim Hardin
389,104
55,850
183
Graham Nash
387,365
231,540
184
Jonathan Richman
385,377
91,049
185
Loudon Wainwright III
384,218
79,727
186
Shawn Colvin
383,863
136,953
187
Patty Griffin
369,586
156,523
188
Nick Cave
356,205
484,419
189
Poco
348,464
252,872
190
The Youngbloods
336,706
141,237
191
Neko Case
336,546
226,685
192
Gregg Allman
331,019
293,661
193
Blood, Sweat & Tears
329,105
613,051
194
Television
318,973
367,069
195
Dave Mason
316,991
184,860
196
Tim Buckley
316,969
241,577
197
Ani DiFranco
301,043
243,946
198
Richie Havens
294,296
126,341
199
Arlo Guthrie
285,748
155,511
200
Blaze Foley
284,793
97,453
201
Guy Clark
280,331
136,089
202
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
276,645
200,712
203
Scott Walker
268,927
138,026
204
Stephen Stills
263,255
298,545
205
Richard Thompson
245,591
91,497
206
Roger McGuinn
230,826
49,358
207
Pete Seeger
226,112
174,009
208
Bill Callahan
223,316
167,065
209
Bruce Cockburn
220,561
61,959
210
Jeff Tweedy
199,932
92,518
211
Gram Parsons
199,142
140,143
212
Paul Revere & The Raiders
196,926
225,595
213
Smog
195,814
83,118
214
Woody Guthrie
187,249
192,666
215
Nanci Griffith
184,214
99,799
216
Beth Orton
181,475
144,084
217
Uncle Tupelo
168,567
106,023
218
Levon Helm
153,336
146,210
219
Iris DeMent
149,307
84,499
220
Mary Gauthier
146,754
47,447
221
David Crosby
144,643
309,087
222
The Gregg Allman Band
142,521
314,291
223
Martha Wainwright
141,143
77,102
224
Bonnie Prince Billy
139,274
121,065
225
Fred Neil
133,674
34,958
226
Gene Clark
126,068
54,667
227
Richard & Linda Thompson
121,184
33,047
228
Ron Sexsmith
116,984
41,119
229
Tift Merritt
111,132
36,475
230
JD Souther
109,391
62,985
231
Phoebe Snow
106,372
59,606
232
Son Volt
105,802
87,582
233
Dar Williams
100,495
60,710
234
Jesse Colin Young
88,498
56,142
235
Judee Sill
86,030
52,933
236
John Sebastian
75,544
44,073
237
Crosby & Nash
73,948
257,673
238
Laura Nyro
72,781
68,922
239
New Riders of the Purple Sage
69,280
106,716
240
Kate & Anna McGarrigle
59,580
25,945
241
Danny O'Keefe
59,400
8,657
242
Steve Goodman
49,815
23,088
243
Tom Rush
43,393
28,304
244
Lowell George
40,742
49,741
245
Jimmy Webb
40,655
12,603
246
David Bromberg
28,557
32,765
247
Victoria Williams
7,148
4,124
248
Lotti Golden
275
244

Some info about singer-songwriter

The singer-songwriter genre, a distinctively intimate musical form, has its roots deeply embedded in the early storytelling traditions but coalesced as a recognizable category in the post-war era, particularly during the folk revival of the 1960s and early 1970s. This genre is characterized by the emotional honesty, acoustic intimacy, and a focus on lyrical depth, often reflecting on personal or social issues through a very personal lens.

The term "singer-songwriter" itself signifies an artist who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material. This contrasts with earlier traditions in popular music where songwriting and performance duties were frequently separated. Singer-songwriters assert a degree of artistic autonomy that was somewhat novel in popular music until their rise, often serving as the sole architect of their songs and directly communicating with their audience through both words and music.

The origins of the genre can be traced back to the United States and the United Kingdom, where artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Carole King began to cultivate a style that foregrounded personal expression. Bob Dylan, for example, was instrumental in the transformation of the genre, merging the folk tradition with personal narrative and poetic sophistication. In the UK, artists like Cat Stevens and Nick Drake explored inner landscapes with an equally poignant musical approach.

The 1970s saw the explosion of the genre, with albums like Carole King's "Tapestry" becoming monumental successes. The music of King, alongside others such as James Taylor, was marked by its melodic richness and confessional lyricism, resonating deeply with wide audiences and influencing the broader music culture.

In subsequent decades, the genre continued to evolve and expand. Artists such as Tracy Chapman and Elliott Smith in the late 20th century brought new layers of social consciousness and emotional depth, respectively. Chapman’s 1988 debut album, with songs like "Fast Car," discussed social issues with a clarity and emotional impact that brought the singer-songwriter ethos to a new generation. Similarly, Smith’s introspective and often somber songs dealt with complex personal struggles, drawing on the traditional elements of the genre while integrating more eclectic musical influences.

While rooted in the folk music scenes of the US and UK, the singer-songwriter tradition has found global resonance, adapting to various cultural contexts. In Canada, Leonard Cohen and later artists such as Alanis Morissette have been significant contributors to the genre’s heritage and evolution. In more recent years, the emotional candor and narrative style of the singer-songwriter have been embraced by artists worldwide, adapting the form to local cultures and stories.

Today, the genre remains diverse and highly influential, with artists like Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and Adele embracing the singer-songwriter's mantle in ways that blend traditional elements with contemporary pop sensibilities. These artists manage to achieve commercial success while maintaining a level of lyrical and acoustic intimacy that is quintessential to the singer-songwriter genre.

The enduring appeal of the singer-songwriter genre lies in its fundamental promise: a deep emotional connection forged through the power of song. In offering a window into the human experience, singer-songwriters continue to captivate audiences, proving that powerful stories and honest vocal delivery are timeless forces in music.