SINGER
James Brown
1933 - 2006

James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by various nicknames, among them "Mr. Dynamite", "the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business", "Minister of New Super Heavy Funk", "Godfather of Soul", "King of Soul", and "Soul Brother No. 1". Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. James Brown is the 61st most popular singer (down from 43rd in 2019), the 406th most popular biography from United States (down from 265th in 2019) and the 24th most popular American Singer.
James Brown is most famous for being the "Godfather of Soul" and an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is also known as the "hardest working man in show business."
Memorability Metrics
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Among SINGERS
Among singers, James Brown ranks 61 out of 4,381. Before him are Jacques Brel, Albano Carrisi, Sade, Shakira, Kate Bush, and Sinéad O'Connor. After him are Amanda Lear, 50 Cent, Nina Simone, George Michael, Rod Stewart, and Joe Cocker.
Most Popular Singers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsJacques Brel
1929 - 1978
HPI: 75.56
Rank: 55
Albano Carrisi
1943 - Present
HPI: 75.50
Rank: 56
Sade
1959 - Present
HPI: 75.38
Rank: 57
Shakira
1977 - Present
HPI: 75.31
Rank: 58
Kate Bush
1958 - Present
HPI: 75.15
Rank: 59
Sinéad O'Connor
1966 - 2023
HPI: 75.08
Rank: 60
James Brown
1933 - 2006
HPI: 74.80
Rank: 61
Amanda Lear
1939 - Present
HPI: 74.76
Rank: 62
50 Cent
1975 - Present
HPI: 74.50
Rank: 63
Nina Simone
1933 - 2003
HPI: 74.43
Rank: 64
George Michael
1963 - 2016
HPI: 74.39
Rank: 65
Rod Stewart
1945 - Present
HPI: 74.27
Rank: 66
Joe Cocker
1944 - 2014
HPI: 74.23
Rank: 67
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1933, James Brown ranks 17. Before him are Claudio Abbado, Francisco Gento, William Anders, Heinrich Rohrer, Jalal Talabani, and Tinto Brass. After him are H. D. Deve Gowda, Just Fontaine, Nina Simone, Arno Allan Penzias, Susan Sontag, and Amartya Sen. Among people deceased in 2006, James Brown ranks 13. Before him are Raymond Davis Jr., Gerald Ford, Stanisław Lem, Milton Friedman, Alfredo Stroessner, and Owen Chamberlain. After him are Syd Barrett, György Ligeti, Philippe Noiret, Choi Kyu-hah, Mako, and Desmond Doss.
Others Born in 1933
Go to all RankingsClaudio Abbado
CONDUCTOR
1933 - 2014
HPI: 76.41
Rank: 11
Francisco Gento
SOCCER PLAYER
1933 - 2022
HPI: 75.90
Rank: 12
William Anders
ASTRONAUT
1933 - 2024
HPI: 75.54
Rank: 13
Heinrich Rohrer
PHYSICIST
1933 - 2013
HPI: 75.31
Rank: 14
Jalal Talabani
POLITICIAN
1933 - 2017
HPI: 74.91
Rank: 15
Tinto Brass
FILM DIRECTOR
1933 - Present
HPI: 74.81
Rank: 16
James Brown
SINGER
1933 - 2006
HPI: 74.80
Rank: 17
H. D. Deve Gowda
POLITICIAN
1933 - Present
HPI: 74.63
Rank: 18
Just Fontaine
SOCCER PLAYER
1933 - 2023
HPI: 74.56
Rank: 19
Nina Simone
SINGER
1933 - 2003
HPI: 74.43
Rank: 20
Arno Allan Penzias
PHYSICIST
1933 - 2024
HPI: 74.19
Rank: 21
Susan Sontag
WRITER
1933 - 2004
HPI: 73.98
Rank: 22
Amartya Sen
ECONOMIST
1933 - Present
HPI: 73.57
Rank: 23
Others Deceased in 2006
Go to all RankingsRaymond Davis Jr.
CHEMIST
1914 - 2006
HPI: 80.12
Rank: 7
Gerald Ford
POLITICIAN
1913 - 2006
HPI: 79.91
Rank: 8
Stanisław Lem
WRITER
1921 - 2006
HPI: 77.56
Rank: 9
Milton Friedman
ECONOMIST
1912 - 2006
HPI: 77.39
Rank: 10
Alfredo Stroessner
POLITICIAN
1912 - 2006
HPI: 75.34
Rank: 11
Owen Chamberlain
PHYSICIST
1920 - 2006
HPI: 74.94
Rank: 12
James Brown
SINGER
1933 - 2006
HPI: 74.80
Rank: 13
Syd Barrett
MUSICIAN
1946 - 2006
HPI: 74.54
Rank: 14
György Ligeti
COMPOSER
1923 - 2006
HPI: 74.05
Rank: 15
Philippe Noiret
ACTOR
1930 - 2006
HPI: 73.66
Rank: 16
Choi Kyu-hah
POLITICIAN
1919 - 2006
HPI: 72.98
Rank: 17
Mako
ACTOR
1933 - 2006
HPI: 72.46
Rank: 18
Desmond Doss
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1919 - 2006
HPI: 72.42
Rank: 19
In United States
Among people born in United States, James Brown ranks 406 out of 20,380. Before him are John Ford (1894), Lee Van Cleef (1925), Audie Murphy (1925), Jamie Foxx (1967), Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (1921), and Josiah Willard Gibbs (1839). After him are Geraldine Chaplin (1944), George Smith (1941), Sarah Palin (1964), Iggy Pop (1947), William Henry Harrison (1773), and Arthur Compton (1892).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsJohn Ford
FILM DIRECTOR
1894 - 1973
HPI: 74.91
Rank: 400
Lee Van Cleef
ACTOR
1925 - 1989
HPI: 74.88
Rank: 401
Audie Murphy
ACTOR
1925 - 1971
HPI: 74.88
Rank: 402
Jamie Foxx
ACTOR
1967 - Present
HPI: 74.84
Rank: 403
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow
PHYSICIST
1921 - 2011
HPI: 74.82
Rank: 404
Josiah Willard Gibbs
PHYSICIST
1839 - 1903
HPI: 74.81
Rank: 405
James Brown
SINGER
1933 - 2006
HPI: 74.80
Rank: 406
Geraldine Chaplin
ACTOR
1944 - Present
HPI: 74.80
Rank: 407
George Smith
BIOLOGIST
1941 - Present
HPI: 74.77
Rank: 408
Sarah Palin
POLITICIAN
1964 - Present
HPI: 74.76
Rank: 409
Iggy Pop
MUSICIAN
1947 - Present
HPI: 74.75
Rank: 410
William Henry Harrison
POLITICIAN
1773 - 1841
HPI: 74.74
Rank: 411
Arthur Compton
PHYSICIST
1892 - 1962
HPI: 74.74
Rank: 412
Among SINGERS In United States
Among singers born in United States, James Brown ranks 24. Before him are Kanye West (1977), Beyoncé (1981), Barbra Streisand (1942), Axl Rose (1962), Jay-Z (1969), and Sammy Davis Jr. (1925). After him are 50 Cent (1975), Nina Simone (1933), Joe Dassin (1938), Kurt Cobain (1967), Ella Fitzgerald (1917), and Eminem (1972).
Kanye West
1977 - Present
HPI: 76.53
Rank: 18
Beyoncé
1981 - Present
HPI: 76.38
Rank: 19
Barbra Streisand
1942 - Present
HPI: 76.35
Rank: 20
Axl Rose
1962 - Present
HPI: 76.08
Rank: 21
Jay-Z
1969 - Present
HPI: 75.88
Rank: 22
Sammy Davis Jr.
1925 - 1990
HPI: 75.78
Rank: 23
James Brown
1933 - 2006
HPI: 74.80
Rank: 24
50 Cent
1975 - Present
HPI: 74.50
Rank: 25
Nina Simone
1933 - 2003
HPI: 74.43
Rank: 26
Joe Dassin
1938 - 1980
HPI: 74.20
Rank: 27
Kurt Cobain
1967 - 1994
HPI: 74.14
Rank: 28
Ella Fitzgerald
1917 - 1996
HPI: 74.12
Rank: 29
Eminem
1972 - Present
HPI: 74.11
Rank: 30