Some of the greatest musicians of all time were born in the United States, and if you look across our country, you’d be hard-pressed to find a state with more incredible musicians than Michigan. From famous rock stars to game-changing rappers, there are tons of talented folks who once called the Great Lakes State home, and many still do.
Though there are many from which to choose, we have selected the 10 biggest musicians from Michigan. (Click to read about baby boomer artists still making music.)
To compile this list, 24/7 Tempo consulted various music and pop culture sources, from Rate Your Music to AllMusic, and we also checked out local sources, including Around Michigan, among others.
Stevie Wonder
When many people think about the pioneers of music, often Stevland Hardaway Morris, also known as Stevie Wonder, comes to mind. This Michigan native influenced countless musicians who came after him in many different genres, from soul and gospel to pop, jazz, and funk. He’s had many Billboard hits, including his first one when he was 13 years old. It was his single called “Fingertips.” All in all, he is one of the best-selling artists of all time, and he’s responsible for over 100 million records sold. He’s also won numerous awards and has a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and more.
He’s done all of this and more. It’s especially impressive considering that he’s been blind since shortly after his birth. Stevie Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950. As he grew up, he spent time in church and joined the choir, where he got a lot of his influence. In addition to singing, he also learned various musical instruments at a young age, including drums, harmonica, and piano. He attended Fitzgerald Elementary School in Detroit as well as the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing.
Eminem
Arguably one of the biggest musicians from Michigan, and more specifically Detroit, is Marshall Mathers, aka Slim Shady, aka Eminem. Although he’d been working on his craft for many years in underground clubs, he surprised the world when he came out with his famous single, “My Name Is,” in 1999. From there, he was a force of nature. Over the next several years, he continued to churn out hit after hit, including “The Real Slim Shady,” “Without Me,” and “Lose Yourself,” among many others. Many have credited him as introducing much of middle America to rap music, and he’s considered to be one of the most famous rappers of all time.
This famous rapper from Michigan hasn’t really made his early years much of a secret. In fact, most of it was disclosed in interviews and during his film 8 Mile. Technically, he wasn’t born in Michigan, but instead in Missouri. However, around the age of 12, his mother moved them to Michigan, and that’s where he started working on his music at age 14. That’s when he started rapping with a school friend. Eminem attended Lincoln High School in Michigan. He had a troubled childhood, and his parents had a lot of troubles, but he made it through. In 1997, after he was fired from his job, he went out to Los Angeles to compete in a rap competition, and the rest is history.
Kid Rock
After Eminem, Kid Rock is another name that many people of younger generations will think of when considering the biggest musicians from Michigan. Also, like Eminem, Kid Rock started to gain notoriety when he joined the Detroit hip-hop scene. When he hit it big, he was typically known for transitioning that hip-hop sound into a rock-rap vibe that was popular in the late 90s and 2000s. His famous songs, including “Bawitdaba,” and “Cowboy” were getting constant radio play. As of today, Kid Rock has sold over 26 million albums and shows no signs of slowing down. Over the years, his sound has evolved, and he’s now known for more of a country rock vibe.
Kid Rock was born Robert James Ritchie in Romeo, Michigan, in 1971. His parents were William and Susan Ritchie, the owners of multiple car dealerships in the area. He attended Romeo High School. He had a fairly good life and lived with his dad on a large property. During the 80s, he started to have an interest in breakdancing, hip hop, and rap. Soon after, he started performing with a hip-hop group called the Beast Crew. That helped him meet several influential producers and business associates. After he came out with his debut album, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, he became one of the biggest rap stars in Detroit, and he’s been synonymous with the city ever since.
Iggy Pop
If you listen to punk rock music, you can thank the godfather of the genre, Iggy Pop, who was the lead singer of the punk band The Stooges way back in 1967. This man is often called the Godfather of Punk and is often considered to be one of the greatest voices to ever exist in the music scene. The Stooges played a kind of proto-punk and they had many on-stage gimmicks that helped them stand apart. Iggy Pop was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Iggy Pop was born James Newell Osterberg Jr. in Muskegon, Michigan, back in 1947. For years, his family lived in a trailer park in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He started to play the drums in fifth grade, and then he started playing in bands. After attending the University of Michigan for a while, he eventually moved to Chicago.
Alice Cooper
There are many rock stars that have made this state famous, and another of the most famous Michigan musicians is Alice Cooper. He’s been rocking stages for over 60 years and changed the game when he first started. Alice is known for his raspy voice, crazy lyrics, and very colorful stage shows, which often include fireworks, guillotines, sword fights, lots of fake blood, and more. Now at 75 years old, Cooper has played many different music styles, including hard rock, glam metal, new wave, industrial rock, and more. He has performed both as a solo act and as part of a band during his career.
Before he became a shock star, he was born in Detroit, Michigan. His real name is Vincent Damon Furnier, after his uncle. Alice Cooper spent much of his childhood in East Detroit. He went to Kantner Elementary School and watched horror movies at the Eastown Theater. During his teen years, he moved with his family to Arizona when he was in a couple of young bands. He also moved to Los Angeles but eventually realized that the best place to perform was back in Detroit, so he moved back there and continued to be famous for being from Michigan.
Lizzo
Lizzo is one of the biggest musicians from Michigan who continues to be a driving force in the music industry to this day. Although she’s been showcasing her talent for many years, she started to see mainstream fame in 2019 with the release of her album Cuz I Love You, which features the singles “Tempo” and “Juice.” She had a big year in 2021 when she won Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards.
She was born Melissa Viviane Jefferson in 1988. Her hometown was Detroit, Michigan. She is classically trained to play the flute, which she began to learn at age eight. At ten years old, she and her family moved to Houston, Texas.
The White Stripes
Another famous band from Michigan is The White Stripes, a rock duo from Detroit. The band consists of Meg and Jack White. Meg played the drums, and Jack played the guitar, bass, piano, and more. Both of them sing. They formed in the 1990s and put out a couple of albums but found mainstream success in 2001 with their album White Blood Cells and Elephant. Some of their most well-known songs include “Fell in Love with a Girl” and “Seven Nation Army,” which still get plenty of radio play today. Together, they put out several albums but called it quits in 2011.
The band started to plant roots in the Detroit music scene. They were the quintessential indie band and helped to usher in the garage rock revival scene. Jack White’s real name is John Anthony White, and he was born in Detroit as the youngest of 10 children. At one point, he was going to attend seminary school and become a priest. However, he opted to go to public school instead. Meg White was born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, attended Grosse Pointe North High School, and was a generally quiet girl. She met Jack White when they both started working at a restaurant in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Madonna
Perhaps the most famous artist from Michigan is Madonna. She has been a hit machine since 1978, when she went from singing in rock bands to becoming a solo act. Many of her albums, including Like a Virgin, The Immaculate Collection, and Ray of Light have been chart toppers. The fact that she’s always reinventing herself helped her to remain a fresh act that has stood the test of time. She’s also an actress, having roles in Dick Tracy, A League of Their Own, and Evita, among others. Madonna is easily one of the biggest musicians from Michigan, with over 300 million records sold.
That’s her real name too. She was born Madonna Louise Ciccone in Bay City, Michigan, back in 1958. During her young life, she spent time in the suburbs of Pontiac and what is now known as Rochester Hills. Sadly, her mother died when Madonna was still young and when her father remarried, she started to rebel and it partially molded the person she is today. She attended Rochester Adams High School and the University of Michigan before moving to New York in 1978.
Anthony Kiedis
If you listen to alternative rock radio, then you know this next famous Michigan singer. He is Anthony Kiedis, and he’s the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1962. His family had originally emigrated from Lithuania back in the 1900s. He had an interesting childhood and often did drugs with his father. Although his roots are in Michigan, Anthony Kiedis moved to Hollywood, CA, when he turned 12 years old.
It was during high school that he met fellow Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates, Flea and Hillel Slovak. They got their first start when Kiedis was asked to open for a local band. He gathered the guys together to start their own band. Since then, he has recorded 13 studio albums with the Peppers. They have become such a force of nature that he and his band were added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
Aaliyah
During the late 90s, no one was bigger in the music industry than Aaliyah. She was a singer and actress who was often credited with redefining R&B and pop music. Many people even called her the “Queen of Urban Pop.” During her career, she worked with other fellow musicians, including Missy Elliot and Timbaland. Some of her biggest songs included “Try Again,” “Rock the Boat,” and “More Than Woman,” among others.
Aaliyah was born in New York. However, at the age of five, her family moved to Detroit, and she was well-known for being from Michigan. While there, she attended the Gesu Elementary Catholic School. It was also in Michigan where she started taking singing lessons. She had her first taste of fame when she performed on Star Search at 10 years old. Sadly, her career was cut short in 2001 when she passed away in a plane crash. (Read about the different celebrities who passed away while in transit.)