callings of the archive
Musician Biographies
Every archived life recorded as musician, ordered by their place in the ledger.
Contemporary era
Jesse Powell
February 24, 1971 – September 13, 2022
American singer (1970–2022)
Contemporary era
Joseph Michel Martelly
b. February 12, 1961
Musician and former President of Haiti
Modern era
Frederik IX of Denmark
March 11, 1899 – January 14, 1972
King of Denmark from 1947 to 1972
Ancient era
Nero
December 15, 1937 CE – June 9, 1968 CE
Fifth and last Roman Emperor of Julio-Claudian dynasty (54–68)
Modern era
Prince Albert
August 26, 1819 – December 14, 1861
Consort of Queen Victoria from 1840 to 1861 (1819–1861)
Early Modern era
William Herschel
November 15, 1738 – August 15, 1822
German-born British astronomer and composer (1738–1822)
Modern era
Harper Lee
April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016
American novelist (1926–2016)
Modern era
Raphael
b. May 5, 1943
Spanish recording artist; singer and actor
Early Modern era
Antonio Vivaldi
March 4, 1678 – July 28, 1741
Italian composer and violinist (1678–1741)
Early Modern era
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791
Prodigy composer of over 600 works of enduring genius
Contemporary era
Umm Kulthum
December 31, 1898 – February 3, 1975
Egyptian singer called the Voice of the Arabs
Modern era
Charlie Parker
August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955
American jazz saxophonist (1920–1955)
Contemporary era
Ozzy Osbourne
December 3, 1948 – July 22, 2025
English musician and television personality (1948–2025)
Contemporary era
Michael Jackson
August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009
The King of Pop, best-selling entertainer in history
Contemporary era
The Notorious B.I.G.
May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997
American rapper (1972–1997)
Contemporary era
Rihanna
b. February 20, 1988
Barbadian singer (born 1988)
Contemporary era
Taylor Swift
b. December 13, 1989
American singer-songwriter (born 1989)
Contemporary era
Adele
b. May 5, 1988
English singer-songwriter (born 1988)
Contemporary era
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
b. December 9, 1974
Pakistani sufi singer
Contemporary era
Junaid Jamshed
September 3, 1964 – December 7, 2016
Pakistani recording artist
Contemporary era
Faisal Kapadia
b. June 29, 1971
Vocalist
Medieval era
Amir Khusrau
1253 – September 27, 1325
Indian poet, writer, singer and scholar (1253–1325)
Contemporary era
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri
October 12, 1945 – September 21, 2011
Major Qawwali singer, and a leading member of the Sabri Brothers
Contemporary era
Amjad Sabri
December 23, 1976 – June 22, 2016
Pakistani qawwal, naat khawan and a proponent of the Sufi Muslim tradition
Modern era
Alla Rakha
April 29, 1919 – February 3, 2000
Indian tabla player (1919–2000)
Modern era
Bismillah Khan
March 21, 1916 – August 21, 2006
Indian shehnai player (1916–2006)
Modern era
Ali Akbar Khan
April 14, 1922 – June 18, 2009
Hindustani musician (1922–2009)
Modern era
Bhimsen Joshi
February 4, 1922 – January 24, 2011
Indian Hindustani classical vocalist (1922–2011)
Contemporary era
Pankaj Udhas
May 17, 1951 – February 26, 2024
Indian singer
Modern era
Geeta Dutt
November 23, 1930 – July 20, 1972
Indian playback singer (1930–1972)
Modern era
Ilaiyaraaja
b. June 2, 1943
Indian film composer & singer
Contemporary era
Rekha
b. October 10, 1954
Indian actress
Modern era
Mercedes Sosa
July 9, 1935 – October 4, 2009
Argentine singer (1935-2009)
Medieval era
Abbas ibn Firnas
810 CE – 887 CE
9th century astronomer and physician
Medieval era
Ziryab
777 CE – 857 CE
9th-century poet and musician
Medieval era
Hadewijch
1200 – c. 1260
13th-century Dutch poet and mystic
Modern era
Munshi Raziuddin
1912 – 2003
Pakistani musician
Modern era
Arvo Part
b. September 11, 1935
Estonian composer (born 1935)
Modern era
Arturo Toscanini
March 25, 1867 – January 16, 1957
Italian conductor (1867–1957)
Modern era
Mahalia Jackson
October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972
American gospel singer (1911–1972)
Modern era
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973
American gospel musician (1915–1973)
Contemporary era
Ed Sheeran
b. February 17, 1991
English singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1991)
Contemporary era
Justin Bieber
b. March 1, 1994
Canadian singer-songwriter (born 1994)
Modern era
Fairuz
b. November 21, 1935
Lebanese singer and actress
Modern era
Mohammed Rafi
December 24, 1924 – July 31, 1980
Indian playback singer (1924–1980)
Modern era
Kishore Kumar
August 4, 1929 – October 13, 1987
Indian singer and actor (1929–1987)