MUSICIAN
Buddy Holly
1936 - 1959

Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas, during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his two siblings. Holly made his first appearance on local television in 1952, and the following year he formed the group Buddy and Bob with his friend Bob Montgomery. In 1955, after opening once for Elvis Presley, Holly decided to pursue a career in music. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Buddy Holly is the 139th most popular musician (down from 135th in 2019), the 929th most popular biography from United States (down from 763rd in 2019) and the 43rd most popular American Musician.
Buddy Holly is most famous for being the first rock and roll artist to have a number one hit with "That'll Be The Day."
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Buddy Holly by language
Among MUSICIANS
Among musicians, Buddy Holly ranks 139 out of 3,175. Before him are Angus Young, Chris Isaak, John Bonham, John Dowland, Pete Seeger, and Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber. After him are Nat King Cole, Hank Marvin, Barry Gibb, Frank Farian, José Feliciano, and Arnaut Daniel.
Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsAngus Young
1955 - Present
HPI: 70.75
Rank: 133
Chris Isaak
1956 - Present
HPI: 70.67
Rank: 134
John Bonham
1948 - 1980
HPI: 70.66
Rank: 135
John Dowland
1563 - 1626
HPI: 70.65
Rank: 136
Pete Seeger
1919 - 2014
HPI: 70.60
Rank: 137
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber
1644 - 1704
HPI: 70.59
Rank: 138
Buddy Holly
1936 - 1959
HPI: 70.51
Rank: 139
Nat King Cole
1919 - 1965
HPI: 70.50
Rank: 140
Hank Marvin
1941 - Present
HPI: 70.50
Rank: 141
Barry Gibb
1946 - Present
HPI: 70.48
Rank: 142
Frank Farian
1941 - 2024
HPI: 70.40
Rank: 143
José Feliciano
1945 - Present
HPI: 70.33
Rank: 144
Arnaut Daniel
1150 - 1210
HPI: 70.29
Rank: 145
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1936, Buddy Holly ranks 42. Before him are Georges Perec, Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Clark, Alan J. Heeger, Roy Orbison, and Tariq Aziz. After him are Michael Landon, Émile Lahoud, Yasuo Fukuda, Burt Reynolds, B. J. Habibie, and Benedict Anderson. Among people deceased in 1959, Buddy Holly ranks 24. Before him are Shirō Ishii, Camilo Cienfuegos, George Grosz, Errol Flynn, Ettore Majorana, and Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal. After him are Alfred Schütz, Ritchie Valens, William D. Leahy, Ernest Bloch, Mike Hawthorn, and Enrico De Nicola.
Others Born in 1936
Go to all RankingsGeorges Perec
WRITER
1936 - 1982
HPI: 71.72
Rank: 36
Wilt Chamberlain
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1936 - 1999
HPI: 71.64
Rank: 37
Jim Clark
RACING DRIVER
1936 - 1968
HPI: 71.32
Rank: 38
Alan J. Heeger
CHEMIST
1936 - Present
HPI: 70.82
Rank: 39
Roy Orbison
SINGER
1936 - 1988
HPI: 70.61
Rank: 40
Tariq Aziz
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2015
HPI: 70.60
Rank: 41
Buddy Holly
MUSICIAN
1936 - 1959
HPI: 70.51
Rank: 42
Michael Landon
ACTOR
1936 - 1991
HPI: 70.35
Rank: 43
Émile Lahoud
POLITICIAN
1936 - Present
HPI: 70.27
Rank: 44
Yasuo Fukuda
POLITICIAN
1936 - Present
HPI: 70.25
Rank: 45
Burt Reynolds
ACTOR
1936 - 2018
HPI: 70.17
Rank: 46
B. J. Habibie
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2019
HPI: 69.93
Rank: 47
Benedict Anderson
POLITICAL SCIENTIST
1936 - 2015
HPI: 69.90
Rank: 48
Others Deceased in 1959
Go to all RankingsShirō Ishii
PHYSICIAN
1892 - 1959
HPI: 71.63
Rank: 18
Camilo Cienfuegos
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1932 - 1959
HPI: 71.23
Rank: 19
George Grosz
PAINTER
1893 - 1959
HPI: 70.93
Rank: 20
Errol Flynn
ACTOR
1909 - 1959
HPI: 70.82
Rank: 21
Ettore Majorana
PHYSICIST
1906 - 1959
HPI: 70.81
Rank: 22
Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal
POLITICIAN
1862 - 1959
HPI: 70.77
Rank: 23
Buddy Holly
MUSICIAN
1936 - 1959
HPI: 70.51
Rank: 24
Alfred Schütz
PHILOSOPHER
1899 - 1959
HPI: 70.35
Rank: 25
Ritchie Valens
MUSICIAN
1941 - 1959
HPI: 69.67
Rank: 26
William D. Leahy
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1875 - 1959
HPI: 69.44
Rank: 27
Ernest Bloch
COMPOSER
1880 - 1959
HPI: 69.07
Rank: 28
Mike Hawthorn
RACING DRIVER
1929 - 1959
HPI: 68.57
Rank: 29
Enrico De Nicola
POLITICIAN
1877 - 1959
HPI: 68.56
Rank: 30
In United States
Among people born in United States, Buddy Holly ranks 929 out of 20,380. Before him are William F. Buckley Jr. (1925), George Kennedy (1925), J. E. B. Stuart (1833), Lon Chaney Jr. (1906), John Irving (1942), and Josephine Cochrane (1839). After him are Milton H. Erickson (1901), Nat King Cole (1919), George Clinton (1941), Robert Altman (1925), Baruch Samuel Blumberg (1925), and Philip Glass (1937).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsWilliam F. Buckley Jr.
WRITER
1925 - 2008
HPI: 70.54
Rank: 923
George Kennedy
ACTOR
1925 - 2016
HPI: 70.54
Rank: 924
J. E. B. Stuart
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1833 - 1864
HPI: 70.53
Rank: 925
Lon Chaney Jr.
ACTOR
1906 - 1973
HPI: 70.53
Rank: 926
John Irving
WRITER
1942 - Present
HPI: 70.53
Rank: 927
Josephine Cochrane
INVENTOR
1839 - 1913
HPI: 70.52
Rank: 928
Buddy Holly
MUSICIAN
1936 - 1959
HPI: 70.51
Rank: 929
Milton H. Erickson
PSYCHOLOGIST
1901 - 1980
HPI: 70.50
Rank: 930
Nat King Cole
MUSICIAN
1919 - 1965
HPI: 70.50
Rank: 931
George Clinton
SINGER
1941 - Present
HPI: 70.49
Rank: 932
Robert Altman
FILM DIRECTOR
1925 - 2006
HPI: 70.47
Rank: 933
Baruch Samuel Blumberg
PHYSICIAN
1925 - 2011
HPI: 70.46
Rank: 934
Philip Glass
COMPOSER
1937 - Present
HPI: 70.46
Rank: 935
Among MUSICIANS In United States
Among musicians born in United States, Buddy Holly ranks 43. Before him are John Coltrane (1926), Lady Gaga (1986), Cyndi Lauper (1953), Paul Simon (1941), Chris Isaak (1956), and Pete Seeger (1919). After him are Nat King Cole (1919), Glenn Miller (1904), Chet Baker (1929), Woody Guthrie (1912), Benny Goodman (1909), and Ritchie Valens (1941).
John Coltrane
1926 - 1967
HPI: 71.01
Rank: 37
Lady Gaga
1986 - Present
HPI: 71.00
Rank: 38
Cyndi Lauper
1953 - Present
HPI: 70.98
Rank: 39
Paul Simon
1941 - Present
HPI: 70.88
Rank: 40
Chris Isaak
1956 - Present
HPI: 70.67
Rank: 41
Pete Seeger
1919 - 2014
HPI: 70.60
Rank: 42
Buddy Holly
1936 - 1959
HPI: 70.51
Rank: 43
Nat King Cole
1919 - 1965
HPI: 70.50
Rank: 44
Glenn Miller
1904 - 1944
HPI: 70.23
Rank: 45
Chet Baker
1929 - 1988
HPI: 70.21
Rank: 46
Woody Guthrie
1912 - 1967
HPI: 70.19
Rank: 47
Benny Goodman
1909 - 1986
HPI: 70.19
Rank: 48
Ritchie Valens
1941 - 1959
HPI: 69.67
Rank: 49