MUSICIAN
Thelonious Monk
1917 - 1982

Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser", "Ruby, My Dear", "In Walked Bud", and "Well, You Needn't". Monk is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington. Monk's compositions and improvisations feature dissonances and angular melodic twists, often using flat ninths, flat fifths, unexpected chromatic notes together, low bass notes and stride, and fast whole tone runs, combining a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of switched key releases, silences, and hesitations. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Thelonious Monk is the 245th most popular musician (down from 227th in 2019), the 1,526th most popular biography from United States (down from 1,275th in 2019) and the 72nd most popular American Musician.
Thelonious Monk is most famous for his contributions to jazz and bebop. He was a pianist, composer, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most important jazz musicians of the 20th century.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Thelonious Monk by language
Among MUSICIANS
Among musicians, Thelonious Monk ranks 245 out of 3,175. Before him are Alfred Brendel, Moe Tucker, Muddy Waters, Brian Eno, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Pitbull. After him are Isaac Stern, Arthur Nikisch, Paolo Conte, John Zorn, Mauro Giuliani, and Don Shirley.
Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsAlfred Brendel
1931 - 2025
HPI: 67.79
Rank: 239
Moe Tucker
1944 - Present
HPI: 67.77
Rank: 240
Muddy Waters
1913 - 1983
HPI: 67.76
Rank: 241
Brian Eno
1948 - Present
HPI: 67.74
Rank: 242
Jerry Lee Lewis
1935 - 2022
HPI: 67.73
Rank: 243
Pitbull
1981 - Present
HPI: 67.70
Rank: 244
Thelonious Monk
1917 - 1982
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 245
Isaac Stern
1920 - 2001
HPI: 67.64
Rank: 246
Arthur Nikisch
1855 - 1922
HPI: 67.64
Rank: 247
Paolo Conte
1937 - Present
HPI: 67.62
Rank: 248
John Zorn
1953 - Present
HPI: 67.57
Rank: 249
Mauro Giuliani
1781 - 1829
HPI: 67.50
Rank: 250
Don Shirley
1927 - 2013
HPI: 67.49
Rank: 251
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1917, Thelonious Monk ranks 64. Before him are Edward Norton Lorenz, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia, Violeta Parra, Leonora Carrington, and John Lee Hooker. After him are Juan Rulfo, Cyrus Vance, Louis Zamperini, Manolete, Sidney Nolan, and Dinu Lipatti. Among people deceased in 1982, Thelonious Monk ranks 53. Before him are Meša Selimović, Walter Hallstein, Peter Weiss, Vladimir K. Zworykin, Gershom Scholem, E. H. Carr, Sobhuza II, and Takashi Shimura. After him are Eduardo Frei Montalva, Mario Del Monaco, Vinoba Bhave, and Philip Noel-Baker.
Others Born in 1917
Go to all RankingsEdward Norton Lorenz
MATHEMATICIAN
1917 - 2008
HPI: 68.25
Rank: 58
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.
HISTORIAN
1917 - 2007
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 59
Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia
POLITICIAN
1917 - 1992
HPI: 67.99
Rank: 60
Violeta Parra
MUSICIAN
1917 - 1967
HPI: 67.94
Rank: 61
Leonora Carrington
PAINTER
1917 - 2011
HPI: 67.84
Rank: 62
John Lee Hooker
SINGER
1917 - 2001
HPI: 67.83
Rank: 63
Thelonious Monk
MUSICIAN
1917 - 1982
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 64
Juan Rulfo
WRITER
1917 - 1986
HPI: 67.52
Rank: 65
Cyrus Vance
POLITICIAN
1917 - 2002
HPI: 67.44
Rank: 66
Louis Zamperini
ATHLETE
1917 - 2014
HPI: 67.42
Rank: 67
Manolete
BULLFIGHTER
1917 - 1947
HPI: 67.29
Rank: 68
Sidney Nolan
PAINTER
1917 - 1992
HPI: 67.19
Rank: 69
Dinu Lipatti
MUSICIAN
1917 - 1950
HPI: 67.00
Rank: 70
Others Deceased in 1982
Go to all RankingsMeša Selimović
WRITER
1910 - 1982
HPI: 68.22
Rank: 45
Walter Hallstein
POLITICIAN
1901 - 1982
HPI: 68.19
Rank: 46
Peter Weiss
WRITER
1916 - 1982
HPI: 68.16
Rank: 47
Vladimir K. Zworykin
INVENTOR
1888 - 1982
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 48
Gershom Scholem
PHILOSOPHER
1897 - 1982
HPI: 67.62
Rank: 49
E. H. Carr
PHILOSOPHER
1892 - 1982
HPI: 67.31
Rank: 50
Sobhuza II
POLITICIAN
1899 - 1982
HPI: 67.15
Rank: 51
Takashi Shimura
ACTOR
1905 - 1982
HPI: 66.68
Rank: 52
Thelonious Monk
MUSICIAN
1917 - 1982
HPI: 66.52
Rank: 53
Eduardo Frei Montalva
POLITICIAN
1911 - 1982
HPI: 66.23
Rank: 54
Mario Del Monaco
SINGER
1915 - 1982
HPI: 66.10
Rank: 55
Vinoba Bhave
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1895 - 1982
HPI: 66.09
Rank: 56
Philip Noel-Baker
POLITICIAN
1889 - 1982
HPI: 66.05
Rank: 57
In United States
Among people born in United States, Thelonious Monk ranks 1,526 out of 20,380. Before him are John Gotti (1940), William Gibson (1948), Pitbull (1981), Al Jarreau (1940), Joseph Kosuth (1945), and Adrien Brody (1973). After him are Ronald Wayne (1934), Eric Roberts (1956), Thomas Pynchon (1937), Gary Sinise (1955), Matthew Perry (1969), and Phil Spector (1939).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsJohn Gotti
MAFIOSO
1940 - 2002
HPI: 67.70
Rank: 1,520
William Gibson
WRITER
1948 - Present
HPI: 67.70
Rank: 1,521
Pitbull
MUSICIAN
1981 - Present
HPI: 67.70
Rank: 1,522
Al Jarreau
SINGER
1940 - 2017
HPI: 67.69
Rank: 1,523
Joseph Kosuth
PAINTER
1945 - Present
HPI: 67.69
Rank: 1,524
Adrien Brody
ACTOR
1973 - Present
HPI: 67.69
Rank: 1,525
Thelonious Monk
MUSICIAN
1917 - 1982
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 1,526
Ronald Wayne
BUSINESSPERSON
1934 - Present
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 1,527
Eric Roberts
ACTOR
1956 - Present
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 1,528
Thomas Pynchon
WRITER
1937 - Present
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,529
Gary Sinise
ACTOR
1955 - Present
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,530
Matthew Perry
ACTOR
1969 - 2023
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,531
Phil Spector
PRODUCER
1939 - 2021
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,532
Among MUSICIANS In United States
Among musicians born in United States, Thelonious Monk ranks 72. Before him are Don Cherry (1936), Sean Combs (1969), Moe Tucker (1944), Muddy Waters (1913), Jerry Lee Lewis (1935), and Pitbull (1981). After him are John Zorn (1953), Don Shirley (1927), Joe Satriani (1956), Dave Brubeck (1920), Mike Portnoy (1967), and Randy Jackson (1961).
Don Cherry
1936 - 1995
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 66
Sean Combs
1969 - Present
HPI: 67.81
Rank: 67
Moe Tucker
1944 - Present
HPI: 67.77
Rank: 68
Muddy Waters
1913 - 1983
HPI: 67.76
Rank: 69
Jerry Lee Lewis
1935 - 2022
HPI: 67.73
Rank: 70
Pitbull
1981 - Present
HPI: 67.70
Rank: 71
Thelonious Monk
1917 - 1982
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 72
John Zorn
1953 - Present
HPI: 67.57
Rank: 73
Don Shirley
1927 - 2013
HPI: 67.49
Rank: 74
Joe Satriani
1956 - Present
HPI: 67.34
Rank: 75
Dave Brubeck
1920 - 2012
HPI: 67.20
Rank: 76
Mike Portnoy
1967 - Present
HPI: 67.17
Rank: 77
Randy Jackson
1961 - Present
HPI: 66.92
Rank: 78