MUSICIAN
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
1959 - 1997

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997), also called Braddah IZ or just simply IZ, was a Native Hawaiian musician and singer. He is regarded as one of the greatest musicians from Hawaii and is considered the most successful musician from the state. Along with his ukulele playing and incorporation of other genres, such as jazz and reggae, Kamakawiwoʻole remains influential on Hawaiian music. In 2010, he was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR, who called him "The Voice of Hawaii". Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is the 93rd most popular musician (down from 63rd in 2019), the 655th most popular biography from United States (down from 364th in 2019) and the 25th most popular American Musician.
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is most famous for his album "Facing Future" and his medley of "What a Wonderful World" and "Over the Rainbow."
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Israel Kamakawiwoʻole by language
Among MUSICIANS
Among musicians, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole ranks 93 out of 3,175. Before him are Glenn Gould, Jamiroquai, Jon Lord, David Oistrakh, Giorgio Moroder, and Nadia Boulanger. After him are Dave Grohl, Cosima Wagner, Sia, Avicii, Alice Cooper, and Henryk Wieniawski.
Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsGlenn Gould
1932 - 1982
HPI: 73.01
Rank: 87
Jamiroquai
HPI: 73.00
Rank: 88
Jon Lord
1941 - 2012
HPI: 72.85
Rank: 89
David Oistrakh
1908 - 1974
HPI: 72.83
Rank: 90
Giorgio Moroder
1940 - Present
HPI: 72.78
Rank: 91
Nadia Boulanger
1887 - 1979
HPI: 72.63
Rank: 92
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
1959 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 93
Dave Grohl
1969 - Present
HPI: 72.45
Rank: 94
Cosima Wagner
1837 - 1930
HPI: 72.28
Rank: 95
Sia
1975 - Present
HPI: 72.20
Rank: 96
Avicii
1989 - 2018
HPI: 72.17
Rank: 97
Alice Cooper
1948 - Present
HPI: 72.06
Rank: 98
Henryk Wieniawski
1835 - 1880
HPI: 72.03
Rank: 99
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1959, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole ranks 5. Before him are Carlo Ancelotti, Val Kilmer, Sade, and Morrissey. After him are Luc Besson, Jens Stoltenberg, Kevin Spacey, Tupou VI, Emma Thompson, Klaus Iohannis, and Mike Pence. Among people deceased in 1997, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole ranks 23. Before him are Sviatoslav Richter, Paulo Freire, Melvin Calvin, The Notorious B.I.G., Robert Mitchum, and Hugo Gunckel Lüer. After him are William S. Burroughs, Clyde Tombaugh, Isaiah Berlin, Hans Eysenck, Bohumil Hrabal, and Roy Lichtenstein.
Others Born in 1959
Go to all RankingsCarlo Ancelotti
COACH
1959 - Present
HPI: 81.23
Rank: 1
Val Kilmer
ACTOR
1959 - 2025
HPI: 76.19
Rank: 2
Sade
SINGER
1959 - Present
HPI: 75.38
Rank: 3
Morrissey
SINGER
1959 - Present
HPI: 73.10
Rank: 4
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
MUSICIAN
1959 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 5
Luc Besson
FILM DIRECTOR
1959 - Present
HPI: 72.41
Rank: 6
Jens Stoltenberg
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 72.38
Rank: 7
Kevin Spacey
ACTOR
1959 - Present
HPI: 72.32
Rank: 8
Tupou VI
NOBLEMAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 72.18
Rank: 9
Emma Thompson
ACTOR
1959 - Present
HPI: 72.13
Rank: 10
Klaus Iohannis
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 72.08
Rank: 11
Mike Pence
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 71.71
Rank: 12
Others Deceased in 1997
Go to all RankingsSviatoslav Richter
MUSICIAN
1915 - 1997
HPI: 73.27
Rank: 17
Paulo Freire
PHILOSOPHER
1921 - 1997
HPI: 73.10
Rank: 18
Melvin Calvin
CHEMIST
1911 - 1997
HPI: 73.09
Rank: 19
The Notorious B.I.G.
SINGER
1972 - 1997
HPI: 72.97
Rank: 20
Robert Mitchum
ACTOR
1917 - 1997
HPI: 72.96
Rank: 21
Hugo Gunckel Lüer
BIOLOGIST
1901 - 1997
HPI: 72.86
Rank: 22
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
MUSICIAN
1959 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 23
William S. Burroughs
WRITER
1914 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 24
Clyde Tombaugh
ASTRONOMER
1906 - 1997
HPI: 72.42
Rank: 25
Isaiah Berlin
PHILOSOPHER
1909 - 1997
HPI: 72.20
Rank: 26
Hans Eysenck
PSYCHOLOGIST
1916 - 1997
HPI: 71.77
Rank: 27
Bohumil Hrabal
WRITER
1914 - 1997
HPI: 71.76
Rank: 28
Roy Lichtenstein
ARTIST
1923 - 1997
HPI: 71.67
Rank: 29
In United States
Among people born in United States, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole ranks 655 out of 20,380. Before him are Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804), David Carradine (1936), Gordon Allport (1897), Dian Fossey (1932), Lucy Webb Hayes (1831), and William Lipscomb (1919). After him are William S. Burroughs (1914), Paul Berg (1926), Christian B. Anfinsen (1916), Dave Grohl (1969), Arthur Leonard Schawlow (1921), and Chuck Jones (1912).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsNathaniel Hawthorne
WRITER
1804 - 1864
HPI: 72.52
Rank: 649
David Carradine
ACTOR
1936 - 2009
HPI: 72.52
Rank: 650
Gordon Allport
PSYCHOLOGIST
1897 - 1967
HPI: 72.50
Rank: 651
Dian Fossey
BIOLOGIST
1932 - 1985
HPI: 72.50
Rank: 652
Lucy Webb Hayes
POLITICIAN
1831 - 1889
HPI: 72.48
Rank: 653
William Lipscomb
CHEMIST
1919 - 2011
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 654
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
MUSICIAN
1959 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 655
William S. Burroughs
WRITER
1914 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 656
Paul Berg
CHEMIST
1926 - 2023
HPI: 72.46
Rank: 657
Christian B. Anfinsen
CHEMIST
1916 - 1995
HPI: 72.45
Rank: 658
Dave Grohl
MUSICIAN
1969 - Present
HPI: 72.45
Rank: 659
Arthur Leonard Schawlow
PHYSICIST
1921 - 1999
HPI: 72.45
Rank: 660
Chuck Jones
FILM DIRECTOR
1912 - 2002
HPI: 72.44
Rank: 661
Among MUSICIANS In United States
Among musicians born in United States, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole ranks 25. Before him are Chuck Berry (1926), Cliff Burton (1962), Miles Davis (1926), Dean Martin (1917), Charlie Parker (1920), and Yehudi Menuhin (1916). After him are Dave Grohl (1969), Alice Cooper (1948), Lou Reed (1942), Ice-T (1958), Keith Jarrett (1945), and Sixto Rodriguez (1942).
Chuck Berry
1926 - 2017
HPI: 73.97
Rank: 19
Cliff Burton
1962 - 1986
HPI: 73.87
Rank: 20
Miles Davis
1926 - 1991
HPI: 73.83
Rank: 21
Dean Martin
1917 - 1995
HPI: 73.60
Rank: 22
Charlie Parker
1920 - 1955
HPI: 73.10
Rank: 23
Yehudi Menuhin
1916 - 1999
HPI: 73.04
Rank: 24
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
1959 - 1997
HPI: 72.47
Rank: 25
Dave Grohl
1969 - Present
HPI: 72.45
Rank: 26
Alice Cooper
1948 - Present
HPI: 72.06
Rank: 27
Lou Reed
1942 - 2013
HPI: 71.85
Rank: 28
Ice-T
1958 - Present
HPI: 71.81
Rank: 29
Keith Jarrett
1945 - Present
HPI: 71.46
Rank: 30
Sixto Rodriguez
1942 - 2023
HPI: 71.36
Rank: 31