SINGER
Florence Foster Jenkins
1868 - 1944

Florence Foster Jenkins
Florence Foster Jenkins (born Narcissa Florence Foster; July 19, 1868 – November 26, 1944) was an American socialite and amateur coloratura soprano who became known, and mocked, for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability. Stephen Pile ranked her "the world's worst opera singer ... No one, before or since, has succeeded in liberating themselves quite so completely from the shackles of musical notation." Despite – or perhaps because of – her technical incompetence, she became a prominent musical camp cult-figure in New York City during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Cole Porter, Gian Carlo Menotti, Lily Pons, Sir Thomas Beecham, and other celebrities were counted among her fans. Read more on Wikipedia
Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Florence Foster Jenkins is the 168th most popular singer (down from 67th in 2019), the 1,180th most popular biography from United States (down from 404th in 2019) and the 67th most popular American Singer.
Florence Foster Jenkins was a New York heiress who became famous for her lack of musical talent. She was known for singing songs with a terrible voice to audiences who were too polite to tell her she was terrible.
Memorability Metrics
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Among SINGERS
Among singers, Florence Foster Jenkins ranks 168 out of 4,381. Before her are Kenny Rogers, Falco, Halla Margrét Árnadóttir, Toni Braxton, Sylvie Vartan, and Manu Chao. After her are Tony Bennett, Barbara Strozzi, Lisa Marie Presley, Ofra Haza, Sofia Rotaru, and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
Most Popular Singers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsKenny Rogers
1938 - 2020
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 162
Falco
1957 - 1998
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 163
Halla Margrét Árnadóttir
1964 - Present
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 164
Toni Braxton
1967 - Present
HPI: 69.32
Rank: 165
Sylvie Vartan
1944 - Present
HPI: 69.30
Rank: 166
Manu Chao
1961 - Present
HPI: 69.26
Rank: 167
Florence Foster Jenkins
1868 - 1944
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 168
Tony Bennett
1926 - 2023
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 169
Barbara Strozzi
1619 - 1677
HPI: 69.21
Rank: 170
Lisa Marie Presley
1968 - 2023
HPI: 69.17
Rank: 171
Ofra Haza
1957 - 2000
HPI: 69.16
Rank: 172
Sofia Rotaru
1947 - Present
HPI: 69.14
Rank: 173
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
1925 - 2012
HPI: 69.13
Rank: 174
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1868, Florence Foster Jenkins ranks 37. Before her are Edmond Rostand, Charles Maurras, Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Annie S. D. Maunder, Louis Couturat, and Vittorio Monti. After her are Huo Yuanjia, Scott Joplin, Josephine Bakhita, Stefan George, Pompeu Fabra, and Felix Hausdorff. Among people deceased in 1944, Florence Foster Jenkins ranks 56. Before her are Giovanni Gentile, Max Jacob, Eduard Dietl, Nikolai Vatutin, Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim, and Princess Mafalda of Savoy. After her are Leo Baekeland, Ida Tarbell, Cécile Chaminade, Jakob von Uexküll, Jean Giraudoux, and Mildred Harris.
Others Born in 1868
Go to all RankingsEdmond Rostand
WRITER
1868 - 1918
HPI: 70.18
Rank: 31
Charles Maurras
WRITER
1868 - 1952
HPI: 69.94
Rank: 32
Henrietta Swan Leavitt
ASTRONOMER
1868 - 1921
HPI: 69.88
Rank: 33
Annie S. D. Maunder
MATHEMATICIAN
1868 - 1947
HPI: 69.62
Rank: 34
Louis Couturat
PHILOSOPHER
1868 - 1914
HPI: 69.51
Rank: 35
Vittorio Monti
COMPOSER
1868 - 1922
HPI: 69.50
Rank: 36
Florence Foster Jenkins
SINGER
1868 - 1944
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 37
Huo Yuanjia
MARTIAL ARTS
1868 - 1910
HPI: 68.98
Rank: 38
Scott Joplin
COMPOSER
1868 - 1917
HPI: 68.97
Rank: 39
Josephine Bakhita
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1868 - 1947
HPI: 68.83
Rank: 40
Stefan George
WRITER
1868 - 1933
HPI: 68.53
Rank: 41
Pompeu Fabra
LINGUIST
1868 - 1948
HPI: 68.45
Rank: 42
Felix Hausdorff
MATHEMATICIAN
1868 - 1942
HPI: 68.33
Rank: 43
Others Deceased in 1944
Go to all RankingsGiovanni Gentile
PHILOSOPHER
1875 - 1944
HPI: 69.95
Rank: 50
Max Jacob
WRITER
1876 - 1944
HPI: 69.46
Rank: 51
Eduard Dietl
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1890 - 1944
HPI: 69.42
Rank: 52
Nikolai Vatutin
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1901 - 1944
HPI: 69.29
Rank: 53
Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1905 - 1944
HPI: 69.29
Rank: 54
Princess Mafalda of Savoy
POLITICIAN
1902 - 1944
HPI: 69.27
Rank: 55
Florence Foster Jenkins
SINGER
1868 - 1944
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 56
Leo Baekeland
CHEMIST
1863 - 1944
HPI: 68.90
Rank: 57
Ida Tarbell
WRITER
1857 - 1944
HPI: 68.67
Rank: 58
Cécile Chaminade
COMPOSER
1857 - 1944
HPI: 68.53
Rank: 59
Jakob von Uexküll
BIOLOGIST
1864 - 1944
HPI: 68.37
Rank: 60
Jean Giraudoux
WRITER
1882 - 1944
HPI: 68.37
Rank: 61
Mildred Harris
ACTOR
1901 - 1944
HPI: 68.36
Rank: 62
In United States
Among people born in United States, Florence Foster Jenkins ranks 1,180 out of 20,380. Before her are Bill Evans (1929), L. Ron Hubbard (1911), Robert Wagner (1930), James Cromwell (1940), Sting (1959), and John J. Pershing (1860). After her are Ray Manzarek (1939), Ginger Rogers (1911), John Brown (1800), Tony Bennett (1926), Paul Allen (1953), and Tina Fey (1970).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsBill Evans
MUSICIAN
1929 - 1980
HPI: 69.26
Rank: 1,174
L. Ron Hubbard
WRITER
1911 - 1986
HPI: 69.26
Rank: 1,175
Robert Wagner
ACTOR
1930 - Present
HPI: 69.26
Rank: 1,176
James Cromwell
ACTOR
1940 - Present
HPI: 69.25
Rank: 1,177
Sting
WRESTLER
1959 - Present
HPI: 69.25
Rank: 1,178
John J. Pershing
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1860 - 1948
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 1,179
Florence Foster Jenkins
SINGER
1868 - 1944
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 1,180
Ray Manzarek
MUSICIAN
1939 - 2013
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 1,181
Ginger Rogers
ACTOR
1911 - 1995
HPI: 69.23
Rank: 1,182
John Brown
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1800 - 1859
HPI: 69.23
Rank: 1,183
Tony Bennett
SINGER
1926 - 2023
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 1,184
Paul Allen
BUSINESSPERSON
1953 - 2018
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 1,185
Tina Fey
COMEDIAN
1970 - Present
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 1,186
Among SINGERS In United States
Among singers born in United States, Florence Foster Jenkins ranks 67. Before her are Chester Bennington (1976), Suzi Quatro (1950), Kris Kristofferson (1936), Tori Amos (1963), Kenny Rogers (1938), and Toni Braxton (1967). After her are Tony Bennett (1926), Lisa Marie Presley (1968), Roberta Flack (1937), Billy Joel (1949), Jon Bon Jovi (1962), and Usher (1978).
Chester Bennington
1976 - 2017
HPI: 69.84
Rank: 61
Suzi Quatro
1950 - Present
HPI: 69.74
Rank: 62
Kris Kristofferson
1936 - 2024
HPI: 69.62
Rank: 63
Tori Amos
1963 - Present
HPI: 69.53
Rank: 64
Kenny Rogers
1938 - 2020
HPI: 69.34
Rank: 65
Toni Braxton
1967 - Present
HPI: 69.32
Rank: 66
Florence Foster Jenkins
1868 - 1944
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 67
Tony Bennett
1926 - 2023
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 68
Lisa Marie Presley
1968 - 2023
HPI: 69.17
Rank: 69
Roberta Flack
1937 - 2025
HPI: 69.03
Rank: 70
Billy Joel
1949 - Present
HPI: 68.71
Rank: 71
Jon Bon Jovi
1962 - Present
HPI: 68.44
Rank: 72
Usher
1978 - Present
HPI: 68.41
Rank: 73