Situated below the Great Lakes and landlocked between Illinois and Ohio is the state of Indiana. Named for its historic Native American Territory, and also known as “The Hoosier State,” Indiana has a reputation for its successful sports teams and racing tracks. What’s less known about the state, however, is how many influential musicians were raised there. In this article, we will meet the 10 biggest musicians from Indiana. (For artists from a more eastern state, meet the 10 biggest musicians from Connecticut.)
To compile a list of the 10 biggest musicians from Indiana, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of music and celebrity publications including Hello Music Theory, The Famous People, and Singers Room. Next, we selected musicians from a range of genres and periods. After that, we consulted sites like Biography and Britannica for specific biographical information about the musicians.
Michael Jackson
- Hometown: Gary
One of the biggest musicians from Indiana is undoubtedly Michael Jackson. Born Michael Joseph Jackson, Jackson rose to fame as a member of his family band, The Jackson 5. After that, Jackson embarked on an unprecedented solo career, selling over 400 million records worldwide and earning the title “The King of Pop.”
Quite frankly, Jackson has too many accomplishments to mention in full. Besides smash hits like “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean,” he also earned many awards for his music. Some of these include 15 Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards, and 39 Guinness World Records. Jackson was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He died in 2009 from a drug overdose.
Janet Jackson
- Hometown: Gary
Born Janet Damita Jo Jackson, Janet Jackson is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. Sister to the famed Michael Jackson, she also began her career as part of her family band, The Jackson 5. After that, she appeared on various television shows before becoming a pop sensation with the release of her third and fourth albums “Control” and “Rhythm Nation 1814.”
Throughout her career, Jackson has sold over 100 million records. She also holds the record for the most consecutive top-ten singles on the Billboard charts. As for her accolades, Jackson has won five Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, and eleven American Music Awards.
John Mellencamp
- Hometown: Seymour
One of the biggest musicians from Indiana is John Cougar Mellencamp. He first rose to fame with a series of hit songs in the 1980s including “Jack & Diane,” “Hurts So Good,” and “Cherry Bomb.” This helped him earn a whopping 22 Top 40 hit songs. Throughout his career, Mellencamp has sold over 90 million records worldwide.
In addition to music, Mellencamp is also a noted activist. In 1985, he helped found Farm Aid. This organization raises awareness about the loss of family farms in the United States. Mellencamp has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards for his musical success, winning one for his song “Hurts So Good.” In 2008, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2018 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. (For other artists from this generation, discover baby boomers who are still making great music.)
Axl Rose
- Hometown: Lafayette
Another one of the biggest musicians from Indiana is singer, songwriter, and frontman for Guns N’ Roses, Axl Rose. Born William Bruce Rose Jr., Rose first rose to fame as frontman for the band Guns N’ Roses. With them, he sold more than 100 million records worldwide and is credited with helping to transition rock and roll from glam rock to hard rock in the late ’80s to early ’90s.
Increasingly erratic behavior from Rose and internal disagreements with the band led to Guns N’ Roses dissolving, leaving Rose as the only remaining member. Nevertheless, he has earned many accolades for his worth with the band. These include four American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, and a Billboard Music Award.
Babyface
- Hometown: Indianapolis
Another one of the biggest musicians from Indiana is singer, songwriter, and record producer Babyface. Born Kenneth Brian Edmonds, Babyface first rose to prominence by writing and producing songs for artists such as Bobby Brown, The Whispers, and Johnny Gill.
Babyface has produced hit records for some of the biggest acts in the world including Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. Throughout his career, Babyface has written and produced nearly 30 number-one hit songs. For his musical success, he has won 12 Grammy Awards.
Crystal Gayle
- Hometown: Wabash
Born Brenda Gail Webb, Crystal Gayle is a country music singer and musician. Although she was born in Kentucky, Gayle spent most of her young life in Indiana. She was a working musician for years, but first rose to prominence with the release of her song “Wrong Road Again.” After that, she scored her biggest success with “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” which was a crossover hit.
Gayle had several more hit songs throughout her career including “Ready for the Times to Get Better,” “Talking in Your Sleep,” and “You and I.” For her musical success, she has won a Grammy Award, five Academy of Country Music Awards, four American Music Awards, and an induction into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.
David Lee Roth
- Hometown: Bloomington
Another one of the biggest musicians from Indiana is singer and frontman David Lee Roth. He first rose to prominence as the lead singer for the band Van Halen. A wildly successful band, Van Halen has sold more than 80 million records worldwide with 13 number-one hits on the Billboard Charts.
Roth left the band and rejoined at different times. During the interim, he released several successful solo albums, with multiple being certified as platinum or gold. For his musical success with Van Halen, Roth has won a Grammy Award, four MTV Music Video Awards, and an American Music Award. In 2007, along with Van Halen, Roth was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Adam Lambert
- Hometown: Indianapolis
Born Adam Mitchel Lambert, Adam Lambert is a singer, songwriter, and actor. He first rose to prominence after finishing second on the eighth season of “American Idol.” After that, Lambert released several successful albums, spawning several singles including “Whataya Want from Me.”
Throughout his career, Lambert has sold over three million albums and five million singles. He is also noted for joining the classic rock band Queen as the replacement lead vocalist. In addition to music, Lambert is also an activist. In 2019, he founded the Feel Something Foundation, which provides support and education for at-risk LGBTQ communities.
Scatman Crothers
- Hometown: Terre Haute
Another one of the biggest musicians from Indiana was singer, guitarist, and actor Scatman Crothers. Born Benjamin Sherman Crothers, Scatman first rose to prominence after Capitol Records released a few of his singles including “I’d Rather Be a Hummingbird,” “Blue Eyed Sally,” and “Television Blues.”
After music, Scatman embarked on a successful acting career. Best known for his roles in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” and on the hit television show “Chico and the Man,” he also was a prominent voice-over actor. Some of his voice roles include the “Harlem Globetrotters,” “The Transformers,” and “The Aristocats.” (For more musicians that never reached commercial success, discover the most popular artists who’ve never had a No. 1 hit.)
Mick Mars
- Hometown: Terre Haute
Another one of the biggest musicians from Indiana is guitarist Mick Mars. Born Robert Alan Deal, Mick Mars first rose to prominence as the guitarist for Mötley Crüe. Together with the band, Mars has sold over 100 million records and become an icon of 80s glam rock.
In addition to the band, Mars has also embarked on a successful solo and collaborative career. Some of these collaborations include with members of Evanescence, as well as the bands Hinder and Escape the Fate. For his music success with Mötley Crüe, Mars has won an American Music Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (For other music from the glam rock decade, explore the biggest one-hit wonders of the 1980s.)