SINGER
Youssou N'Dour
1959 - Today

Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour (French: [jusu (ɛ)nduʁ], Wolof: Yuusu Nduur [juːsu ⁿd̺uːɾ]; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa and in 2023, the same publication ranked him at number 69 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. From April 2012 to September 2013, he was Senegal's Minister of Tourism. N'Dour helped develop a style of popular Senegalese music known by all Senegambians (including the Wolof) as mbalax, a genre that has sacred origins in the Serer music njuup tradition and ndut initiation ceremonies. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Youssou N'Dour is the 307th most popular singer (up from 327th in 2019), the 6th most popular biography from Senegal (up from 7th in 2019) and the most popular Senegalese Singer.
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Among SINGERS
Among singers, Youssou N'Dour ranks 307 out of 4,381. Before him are Karen Carpenter, Ajda Pekkan, F. R. David, Mylène Farmer, Basshunter, and Lara Fabian. After him are Natalia Oreiro, The Singing Nun, Lucia Popp, Jennie, Agnes Baltsa, and M.I.A..
Most Popular Singers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsKaren Carpenter
1950 - 1983
HPI: 66.01
Rank: 301
Ajda Pekkan
1946 - Present
HPI: 65.91
Rank: 302
F. R. David
1947 - Present
HPI: 65.90
Rank: 303
Mylène Farmer
1961 - Present
HPI: 65.89
Rank: 304
Basshunter
1984 - Present
HPI: 65.78
Rank: 305
Lara Fabian
1970 - Present
HPI: 65.74
Rank: 306
Youssou N'Dour
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 307
Natalia Oreiro
1977 - Present
HPI: 65.70
Rank: 308
The Singing Nun
1933 - 1985
HPI: 65.70
Rank: 309
Lucia Popp
1939 - 1993
HPI: 65.64
Rank: 310
Jennie
1996 - Present
HPI: 65.63
Rank: 311
Agnes Baltsa
1944 - Present
HPI: 65.63
Rank: 312
M.I.A.
1975 - Present
HPI: 65.59
Rank: 313
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1959, Youssou N'Dour ranks 66. Before him are Anne Hidalgo, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Michel Preud'homme, Nina Hartley, Li Qiang, and Charlie Murphy. After him are Boyko Borisov, William Lai, Ajay Banga, Ving Rhames, Mauricio Funes, and Frank Darabont.
Others Born in 1959
Go to all RankingsAnne Hidalgo
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 66.14
Rank: 60
"Weird Al" Yankovic
SINGER
1959 - Present
HPI: 66.11
Rank: 61
Michel Preud'homme
SOCCER PLAYER
1959 - Present
HPI: 66.08
Rank: 62
Nina Hartley
PORNOGRAPHIC ACTOR
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.95
Rank: 63
Li Qiang
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.89
Rank: 64
Charlie Murphy
ACTOR
1959 - 2017
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 65
Youssou N'Dour
SINGER
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 66
Boyko Borisov
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.61
Rank: 67
William Lai
POLITICIAN
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.45
Rank: 68
Ajay Banga
BUSINESSPERSON
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.41
Rank: 69
Ving Rhames
ACTOR
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.23
Rank: 70
Mauricio Funes
JOURNALIST
1959 - 2025
HPI: 65.11
Rank: 71
Frank Darabont
FILM DIRECTOR
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.03
Rank: 72
In Senegal
Among people born in Senegal, Youssou N'Dour ranks 6 out of 138. Before him are Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906), Abdoulaye Wade (1926), Ségolène Royal (1953), Abdou Diouf (1935), and Patrick Vieira (1976). After him are Ousmane Sembène (1923), Ali Dia (1965), Macky Sall (1961), Cheikh Anta Diop (1923), Mariama Bâ (1929), and Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow (1921).
Others born in Senegal
Go to all RankingsLéopold Sédar Senghor
WRITER
1906 - 2001
HPI: 74.42
Rank: 1
Abdoulaye Wade
POLITICIAN
1926 - Present
HPI: 68.75
Rank: 2
Ségolène Royal
POLITICIAN
1953 - Present
HPI: 67.87
Rank: 3
Abdou Diouf
POLITICIAN
1935 - Present
HPI: 67.52
Rank: 4
Patrick Vieira
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.70
Rank: 5
Youssou N'Dour
SINGER
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 6
Ousmane Sembène
FILM DIRECTOR
1923 - 2007
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 7
Ali Dia
SOCCER PLAYER
1965 - Present
HPI: 63.58
Rank: 8
Macky Sall
POLITICIAN
1961 - Present
HPI: 63.50
Rank: 9
Cheikh Anta Diop
ANTHROPOLOGIST
1923 - 1986
HPI: 61.87
Rank: 10
Mariama Bâ
WRITER
1929 - 1981
HPI: 61.63
Rank: 11
Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow
POLITICIAN
1921 - 2024
HPI: 61.48
Rank: 12
Among SINGERS In Senegal
Among singers born in Senegal, Youssou N'Dour ranks 1. After him are Habib Koité (1958), and MC Solaar (1969).
Youssou N'Dour
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 1
Habib Koité
1958 - Present
HPI: 54.47
Rank: 2
MC Solaar
1969 - Present
HPI: 50.69
Rank: 3