Famous British Musicians a to z

Singer Adele is a Grammy Award-winning artist whose throwback, soulful sound has made her an international success.

Lily Allen is a British recording artist known for her hit songs "Sime" and "The Fear," and for her unruly public behavior.

Adam Ant came to fame in the early 1980s as the lead singer of the New Wave band Adam and the Ants.

English singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft was the lead vocalist for the Verve. After the band broke up, Ashcroft started a new band, RPA & The United Nations of Sound, in 2010.

Considered one of the greatest drummers of all time, Ginger Baker played with the bands Cream and Blind Faith. He is known for using two bass drums in his kit.

Guitarist Syd Barrett helped found the psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd. After a mental break forced his departure, he spent 30 years as a painter and recluse.

John Barry was a British film composer best known for his memorable work on James Bond films.

A world-famous singer with a big voice and a glamorous reputation, Shirley Bassey has recorded numerous hits, including three James Bond theme songs.

Jeff Beck is a guitarist best known for his recordings and performances with The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group, and as a solo artist.

Victoria Beckham is a fashion designer and singer chiefly known for her work with the Spice Girls and for being the wife of soccer star David Beckham.

Andy Bell is an English musician best known as the lead singer of the pop duo Erasure. 

David Bowie is an English rock star known for dramatic musical transformations, including his character Ziggy Stardust. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Melanie Brown, also known as "Mel B," was previously known as "Scary Spice," a member of the all-girl, British pop group the Spice Girls.

Freddie Mercury is best known as the rock worlds most versatile and engaging performers and for his mock operatic masterpiece, Bohemian Rhapsody.

Emma Bunton was known as "Baby Spice" in the all-girl, British pop group the Spice Girls. She became engaged to R&B singer Jade Jones in 2011.

Anthony Burgess was an English novelist and composer best known for his novel A Clockwork Orange, which became a popular 1971 Stanley Kubrik film.

David Byrne is a singer/songwriter who is best known as the front man for the art-rock musical group the Talking Heads.

Melanie Chisholm, also known as "Sporty Spice" and "Mel C," became famous in the mid-1990s with the all-girl British pop group the Spice Girls.

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton's 1992 single "Tears in Heaven" became a top five hit. It was written about the death of his son.

Vince Clarke is best known for his membership in the snythpop group Erasure and the technopop group Depeche Mode.

Singer Cheryl Cole was part of the top-selling British girl group Girls Aloud.

Phil Collins was one of the most successful musicians in the world during the 1980s, releasing thirteen U.S. Top Ten hits between 1984 and 1990.

Stewart Copeland is best known as the drummer for The Police. Copeland is also an accomplished producer and composer of soundtracks for movies and television.

Simon Cowell is a record producer and television personality known for his scathing critical remarks as a judge on the television show, "American Idol."

Graham Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the guitarist and backup vocalist for the alternative rock band Blur.

Singer Nadine Coyle was part of top-selling British girl group Girls Aloud.

British singer-songwriter Taio Cruz is known for the albums Departure and Rokstarr, which includes songs like "Break Your Heart" and "Dynamite."

Roger Daltrey is a rock musician and singer who’s the former lead vocalist of The Who. He’s also a film and TV actor.

Lead singer for The Kinks, Ray Davies is known for his decades-long career in rock, hits like ‘Lola,’ and ongoing feuds with brother and bandmate Dave Davies.

John Deacon is a bassist and songwriter who played with the band Queen. He penned the hits "You're My Best Friend" and "Another One Bites the Dust."

The music of British singer-songwriter Nick Drake wasn't a hit during his lifetime, but his albums Fruit Tree and Pink Moon have gained fans over the years.

Joe Elliott is known for his singing career with metal band Def Leppard, made popular by such songs as "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Love Bites."

Nicknamed "The Ox," bass guitarist John Entwistle was a founding member of the legendary rock band the Who.

Rupert Everett is a British actor known for roles in the films My Best Friend’s Wedding, Shakespeare in Love and a Midsummer Night’s Dream.

English musician Peter Frampton began his career with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. He is best known for his hit album Frampton Comes Alive!.

British musician Dave Gahan is best known as the lead singer of electronic band Depeche Mode. His voice can be heard on the tracks "Suffer Well" and "Nothing's Impossible," among many others.

Noel Gallagher was the vocalist and lead guitarist in the 1990s alternative rock band Oasis. He began a solo career after quitting Oasis in 2009.

Maximillian Alberto George, commonly known as Max George, is a British singer best known as a member of the successful boy band the Wanted.

British singer Andy Gibb released the popular album Shadow Dancing and was the youngest brother of the sibling singing group the Bee Gees.

As a member of the Bee Gees, Maurice Gibb scored numerous hits during the 1970s.

Singing with two of his brothers as the Bee Gees, Robin Gibb scored numerous hits in the 1970s, including "Stayin' Alive" and "How Deep Is Your Love."

David Gilmour was the guitarist and singer for the British rock band Pink Floyd. He is also an aviator and philanthropist.

Martin Gore is best known as the keyboardist and primary songwriter for Depeche Mode. Gore wrote many hit tracks, including "Policy of Truth" and "Personal Jesus."

Geri Halliwell was known as "Ginger Spice" in the all-girl, British pop group the Spice Girls. Halliwell has the most No. 1 singles of any female musician in U.K. history.

George Harrison was lead guitarist of The Beatles as well as a singer-songwriter on many of their most memorable tracks.

British singer Engelbert Humperdinck made it big in 1967 with hit song "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)."

As the lead singer of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger has become a rock legend for his gritty, blues-influenced songs and for his charismatic stage presence.

Elton John is a British singer, pianist and composer who was one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. Along with selling more than 250 million records he has found success on Broadway, composing the music score for the Tony award winning hit Billy Elliot (2008).

Brian Jones was a guitarist for rock-and-roll band the Rolling Stones.

Davy Jones is a singer and actor who found fame as the singer for the band the Monkees on the TV show by the same name.

English musician Mick Jones was a guitarist and singer for the punk rock band The Clash.

Steve Jones was the guitarist for the pioneering English punk rock band the Sex Pistols.

Reggae and ska musician Judge Dread produced a string of hits in the 1970s, such as Big Six and several others that were banned by the BBC for their sexual innuendo.

Dame Cleo Laine was a Grammy Award-winning British jazz vocalist as well as a stage actress. She was known as the "Queen of Jazz" in her singing prime.

Simon Le Bon was lead singer of the 1980s pop group Duran Duran, known for recording the hit song “Hungry Like the Wolf.” He left the group before they later reunited in 2001.

John Lennon, pop star, composer, songwriter and recording artist, founded the Beatles, a band that impacted the music scene like no other before or since.

Musician Julian Lennon is the child of John Lennon, a founding member of The Beatles, and his first wife. One of his better know songs is Too Late For Goodbyes.

Annie Lennox is a singer/songwriter known for her work with the Eurythmics and as a solo act. Her hits include “Sweet Dreams,” “Who’s That Girl?” and “Why.”

Jon Lord is best known for his membership in the hard-rock band Deep Purple in the late 1960s, performing songs like "Demon's Eye" and "Space Truckin'." He later joined the band Whitesnake, which gained wide fame in the 1980s.

Chris Lowe is a British musician best known as half of the electronic dance music duo the Pet Shop Boys.

John Lydon, a.k.a. Johnny Rotten, was the lead singer and front man for the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols.

M.I.A. is a British singer known for albums such as Arular and Kaya and hit singles such as "Paper Planes" and "O...Saya."

Chris Martin is lead singer, rhythm guitarist and pianist for the alternative band Coldplay, which has won two Grammy awards one being for its debut album.

Nick Mason was a founding member and drummer of the British psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd.

Brian May, lead guitarist of the rock band Queen, wrote the song "We are the Champions," applying his physics background in the recording studio.

British vocalist, songwriter, musician, and composer, Paul McCartney was a member of the Beatles as well as one of the most popular solo performers of all time.

Jay McGuiness is a British singer best known as a member of the five-member U.K. boy band the Wanted.

Recording artist and fashion designer Malcolm McLaren came to fame as manager of the Sex Pistols. Later, he recorded several albums of his own material.

Grammy Award-winning pop singer George Michael was one of the leading performers in the 1980s. His 1987 album Faith won a Grammy for best album of the year.

Keith Moon was a legendary drummer for the rock band the Who before his untimely death by accidental drug overdose in 1978.

Being the drummer of Culture Club

Graham Nash's vocals and songwriting talents helped make Crosby, Stills and Nash one of the most popular folk-rock bands of all time.

Jason Orange is best known for performing as a member of the British boy band Take That.

Beth Orton is an award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist who plays folk and acoustic pop on albums like Comfort of Strangers and Sugaring Season.

Roland Orzabal is an English musician, songwriter and record producer best known as co-founder with Curt Smith of the popular '80s pop band Tears for Fears.

Actress, singer and fashion designer Kelly Osbourne is the daughter of heavy-metal musician Ozzy Osbourne.

Eccentric English musician Ozzy Osbourne fronted the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. In 2001, he opened his home to reality TV cameras for The Osbournes show.

Pop singer Mark Owen became famous as a member of Take That and as a U.K. reality TV star.

Tom Parker is a British musician and singer best known as a member of the popular boy band the Wanted.

A tenor known for his larger-than-life showmanship, Luciano Pavarotti helped expand the popularity of opera worldwide.

Billie Piper is a British actress and former pop singer best known for her role as Rose Tyler, companion to the Doctor, on the hit U.K. sci-fi TV series Doctor Who.

Robert Plant is a British rock singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin.

Keith Relf was a founding memeber of the Yardbirds, one of the pivotal British rock bands of the 1960s. Relf is also remembered for his unusual, untimely death.

Nick Rhodes is the keyboardist for Duran Duran, one of the biggest bands of the 1980s.