MUSICIAN
Ray Charles
1930 - 2004

Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Genius". Among friends and fellow musicians, he preferred being called "Brother Ray". Charles was blinded during childhood, possibly due to glaucoma. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Ray Charles is the 35th most popular musician (down from 19th in 2019), the 279th most popular biography from United States (down from 149th in 2019) and the 8th most popular American Musician.
Ray Charles was most famous for being a singer and pianist. He was also a singer of rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, and country music. He was born in 1930 and died in 2004.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Ray Charles by language
Among MUSICIANS
Among musicians, Ray Charles ranks 35 out of 3,175. Before him are Giuseppe Tartini, Ringo Starr, Brian May, Sting, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Joe Jackson. After him are André Rieu, Isaac Albéniz, Maurice Gibb, Arthur Rubinstein, Benny Andersson, and Scatman John.
Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsGiuseppe Tartini
1692 - 1770
HPI: 76.91
Rank: 29
Ringo Starr
1940 - Present
HPI: 76.87
Rank: 30
Brian May
1947 - Present
HPI: 76.75
Rank: 31
Sting
1951 - Present
HPI: 76.75
Rank: 32
Stuart Sutcliffe
1940 - 1962
HPI: 76.65
Rank: 33
Joe Jackson
1928 - 2018
HPI: 76.31
Rank: 34
Ray Charles
1930 - 2004
HPI: 76.30
Rank: 35
André Rieu
1949 - Present
HPI: 76.28
Rank: 36
Isaac Albéniz
1860 - 1909
HPI: 76.13
Rank: 37
Maurice Gibb
1949 - 2003
HPI: 76.11
Rank: 38
Arthur Rubinstein
1887 - 1982
HPI: 76.08
Rank: 39
Benny Andersson
1946 - Present
HPI: 76.02
Rank: 40
Scatman John
1942 - 1999
HPI: 75.82
Rank: 41
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1930, Ray Charles ranks 20. Before him are Pierre Bourdieu, Steve McQueen, Mobutu Sese Seko, Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, Jean-Luc Godard, and Vigdís Finnbogadóttir. After him are Baudouin of Belgium, Pete Conrad, John Young, Buzz Aldrin, Ed White, and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Among people deceased in 2004, Ray Charles ranks 7. Before him are Ronald Reagan, Yasser Arafat, Marlon Brando, Jacques Derrida, Ahmed Yassin, and Juliana of the Netherlands. After him are Estée Lauder, Czesław Miłosz, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Francis Crick, and Peter Ustinov.
Others Born in 1930
Go to all RankingsPierre Bourdieu
SOCIOLOGIST
1930 - 2002
HPI: 78.90
Rank: 14
Steve McQueen
ACTOR
1930 - 1980
HPI: 78.50
Rank: 15
Mobutu Sese Seko
POLITICIAN
1930 - 1997
HPI: 77.52
Rank: 16
Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon
POLITICIAN
1930 - 2017
HPI: 77.35
Rank: 17
Jean-Luc Godard
FILM DIRECTOR
1930 - 2022
HPI: 77.02
Rank: 18
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
POLITICIAN
1930 - Present
HPI: 76.38
Rank: 19
Ray Charles
MUSICIAN
1930 - 2004
HPI: 76.30
Rank: 20
Baudouin of Belgium
POLITICIAN
1930 - 1993
HPI: 76.11
Rank: 21
Pete Conrad
ASTRONAUT
1930 - 1999
HPI: 76.08
Rank: 22
John Young
ASTRONAUT
1930 - 2018
HPI: 75.84
Rank: 23
Buzz Aldrin
ASTRONAUT
1930 - Present
HPI: 75.43
Rank: 24
Ed White
ASTRONAUT
1930 - 1967
HPI: 75.22
Rank: 25
Jean-Louis Trintignant
ACTOR
1930 - 2022
HPI: 75.04
Rank: 26
Others Deceased in 2004
Go to all RankingsRonald Reagan
POLITICIAN
1911 - 2004
HPI: 86.36
Rank: 1
Yasser Arafat
POLITICIAN
1929 - 2004
HPI: 83.78
Rank: 2
Marlon Brando
ACTOR
1924 - 2004
HPI: 82.91
Rank: 3
Jacques Derrida
PHILOSOPHER
1930 - 2004
HPI: 78.95
Rank: 4
Ahmed Yassin
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1937 - 2004
HPI: 77.42
Rank: 5
Juliana of the Netherlands
POLITICIAN
1909 - 2004
HPI: 77.40
Rank: 6
Ray Charles
MUSICIAN
1930 - 2004
HPI: 76.30
Rank: 7
Estée Lauder
BUSINESSPERSON
1906 - 2004
HPI: 76.07
Rank: 8
Czesław Miłosz
WRITER
1911 - 2004
HPI: 75.74
Rank: 9
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
COMPANION
1901 - 2004
HPI: 75.17
Rank: 10
Henri Cartier-Bresson
PHOTOGRAPHER
1908 - 2004
HPI: 75.13
Rank: 11
Francis Crick
BIOLOGIST
1916 - 2004
HPI: 74.94
Rank: 12
Peter Ustinov
ACTOR
1921 - 2004
HPI: 74.28
Rank: 13
In United States
Among people born in United States, Ray Charles ranks 279 out of 20,380. Before him are Gary Cooper (1901), Samuel L. Jackson (1948), Barbra Streisand (1942), Edward Tatum (1909), Carl David Anderson (1905), and Joe Jackson (1928). After him are Fred Trump (1905), Jane Fonda (1937), Burt Lancaster (1913), Bill Paxton (1955), James Buchanan (1791), and Carl Sagan (1934).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsGary Cooper
ACTOR
1901 - 1961
HPI: 76.38
Rank: 273
Samuel L. Jackson
ACTOR
1948 - Present
HPI: 76.35
Rank: 274
Barbra Streisand
SINGER
1942 - Present
HPI: 76.35
Rank: 275
Edward Tatum
BIOLOGIST
1909 - 1975
HPI: 76.34
Rank: 276
Carl David Anderson
PHYSICIST
1905 - 1991
HPI: 76.33
Rank: 277
Joe Jackson
MUSICIAN
1928 - 2018
HPI: 76.31
Rank: 278
Ray Charles
MUSICIAN
1930 - 2004
HPI: 76.30
Rank: 279
Fred Trump
BUSINESSPERSON
1905 - 1999
HPI: 76.27
Rank: 280
Jane Fonda
ACTOR
1937 - Present
HPI: 76.25
Rank: 281
Burt Lancaster
ACTOR
1913 - 1994
HPI: 76.24
Rank: 282
Bill Paxton
ACTOR
1955 - 2017
HPI: 76.24
Rank: 283
James Buchanan
POLITICIAN
1791 - 1868
HPI: 76.24
Rank: 284
Carl Sagan
ASTRONOMER
1934 - 1996
HPI: 76.23
Rank: 285
Among MUSICIANS In United States
Among musicians born in United States, Ray Charles ranks 8. Before him are Michael Jackson (1958), Bob Dylan (1941), B.B. King (1925), Louis Armstrong (1901), Jimi Hendrix (1942), and Joe Jackson (1928). After him are Scatman John (1942), Brian Wilson (1942), Ronnie James Dio (1942), Tom Petty (1950), Bill Haley (1925), and Marilyn Manson (1969).
Michael Jackson
1958 - 2009
HPI: 85.12
Rank: 2
Bob Dylan
1941 - Present
HPI: 82.73
Rank: 3
B.B. King
1925 - 2015
HPI: 81.79
Rank: 4
Louis Armstrong
1901 - 1971
HPI: 80.57
Rank: 5
Jimi Hendrix
1942 - 1970
HPI: 79.33
Rank: 6
Joe Jackson
1928 - 2018
HPI: 76.31
Rank: 7
Ray Charles
1930 - 2004
HPI: 76.30
Rank: 8
Scatman John
1942 - 1999
HPI: 75.82
Rank: 9
Brian Wilson
1942 - 2025
HPI: 75.80
Rank: 10
Ronnie James Dio
1942 - 2010
HPI: 75.75
Rank: 11
Tom Petty
1950 - 2017
HPI: 75.53
Rank: 12
Bill Haley
1925 - 1981
HPI: 75.08
Rank: 13
Marilyn Manson
1969 - Present
HPI: 74.95
Rank: 14