Meet the 10 Biggest Musicians From Oregon

It’s no surprise that music and art are popular exports from the Pacific Northwest. The whole area is a haven for creative minds and self-expression. In the beautiful state of Oregon, it’s easy to see how inspiring it is with its romantic rocky coastline, majestic mountains, and rolling green hills. Portland is the creative hub for many in Oregon, but there are many great musicians and artists from all over the state.

While Seattle gets all the attention for the Pacific Northwest’s thriving music scene, Oregon is right there, too. From Portland to Bend, to Eugene to Ashland, the state has been home to many musicians and songwriters. Some you may have heard of, and others may be new names, but here are the ten biggest musicians from Oregon.   ​

To compile this list, 24/7 Tempo consulted various publications, including Last FM, IMBD, Rolling Stone Magazine, and Singersroom.

1. Elliot Smith

 

 

Singer and songwriter Elliot Smith was not born in Oregon but spent much of his teen years and professional life in Portland. Smith moved to Portland when he was fourteen and started playing in the band Heatmiser. Later, in 1994, he went solo and became a fixture on the indie rock scene. Just three years later, his song “Miss Misery” was featured in the film “Good Will Hunting,” and the following year, it was nominated for an Academy Award. Despite his success, the talented singer-songwriter suffered from addiction and depression, and in 2003, he committed suicide.

2. Everclear

 

 

In the early 1990s, during the height of the Pacific Northwest grunge scene, the band Everclear was formed. The band fit right into the alternative rock scene and played all over Portland. They released six albums and then broke up in 2003.​ Later, the lead singer regrouped with other musicians and released a few more albums, but the band was never as successful as in the 1990s.​

3. She & Him​

 

 

You probably know the She from She & Him from her film and TV work, specifically her break-out show “New Girl.” Actress Zooey Deschanel is part of the Portland duo She & Him. The Him of the group is M. Ward. The duo started making music together in 2006 under the band name She & Him. They have released seven albums, two of which are Christmas-themed. The pair write their own songs and do covers.

4. Chromatics

 

 

In 2001, the brainchild of Adam Miller, the band Chromatics, was formed in Portland. They originally started off as a more punk rock high-energy sound of layered guitars. But by 2001, the grunge scene had moved on, and their loud, distorted sound wasn’t what the music scene was responding to, so the band morphed into something different with a new sound. After some format changes, the sound became a little more pop with a disco vibe, which changed the band’s trajectory. In 2007, the Chromatics released their third album, and it really helped them make their mark. Several of their songs were featured on TV series like “The Mindy Project,” “Mr. Robot,” and “Riverdale.” They even had a few songs in films like “Drive” and “Taken 2.” The band had a great twenty-year run.

5. Esperanza Spalding

 

 

It is difficult to describe the talented Portland-born musical artist Esperanza Spalding. She is a musician, a songwriter, a composer, and an artist. Spalding started playing music at a young age, and by age five, she was a professional violinist in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. She studied music in college and plays multiple instruments, including bass and guitar. Her musical style is almost as hard to describe as she is. It crosses genres from jazz to rhythm and blues to Latin jazz. Her music is inspirational and intricate, and if you haven’t heard of her, you need to do yourself a favor and check her out.

6. The Decemberists

 

 

In 2000, the indie band The Decemberists got together in Portland, Oregon. The group has that fun folk indie sound that puts them right at home in the Portland music scene, but the band does something that sets them apart from some of the other indie folk groups, and that is their lyrics. The band writes songs that explore the history and storytelling of larger events in the collective history of civilization, which is a departure from other bands that focus on a more personal approach to songwriting and storytelling. The unique sound of their music, accompanied by telling tall tales, is reminiscent of Irish folk bands with long tales of epic stories. Their live shows feature playful reenactments and feel like a fun history lesson.

7. Kathleen Hanna

 

 

Musician Kathleen Hanna is from Portland. Hanna is an activist, artist, and one of the women who brought the riot grrl movement to the forefront of tangible feminism in the early 1990s. She went to high school in Portland but didn’t start playing music until she was going to college at Evergreen State in Olympia, Washington. Hanna formed the band Bikini Kill and influenced young women of the time to be their authentic selves. She spoke out against violence against women, censorship, and sexism through her music and her art. Unfortunately, a long bout with Lyme disease sidelined her for a few years, but she is back making music. A fun fact about Hanna is that she inspired the infamous grunge song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” because she used to tease Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, saying he smelled like Teen Spirit deodorant. Though Hanna no longer calls Portland home, she is one of the biggest musicians in Oregon.

8. Courtney Love

Musician, artist, and actress Courtney Love was always more than just Kurt Cobain’s wife; she is a talented musician in her own right. Love grew up in Portland in an unconventional family. After high school, she traveled and did some college in Ireland and some acting in New York, but she kept coming back to Portland, where she worked as a stripper until, according to her, music saved her. Love formed a few different bands over the years, but it was not until she started playing guitar and put the band Hole together that she got any recognition as a musician. Hole released “Pretty on the Inside” in 1991 to good reviews, but later, her marriage to Kurt Cobain and addiction issue overshadowed her music.

Courtney Love has been a polarizing figure over the years, with her fair share of ups and downs due to bad press about her bad behavior. But she is always reinventing herself and is still making music and acting. She was always more than someone’s wife.

9. Pink Martini

 

 

Portland-based band Pink Martini departs from the distorted guitars and chaotic vocals of the quintessential Pacific Northwest sound in favor of an international sound. The band formed in Portland in 1994 and has played at home and internationally ever since. The band is more of a mini-orchestra than a band, with, at times, between ten and twelve musicians. The sound is an eclectic mix of styles, including jazz, pop, Latin, and classical, with vocals in different languages. Listening to Pink Martini is like stepping into a time machine and exploring different musical genres and time periods. Even if the name Pink Martini is new, you have probably heard some of their music as their songs have been on the big screen in films like “Hitch” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Many of their songs have appeared in popular television series like “The Sopranos,” “Scream Queens,” and “Better Call Saul.”

10. The Dandy Warhols

 

 

The band The Dandy Warhols formed in 1994 in Portland. Their sound fit right into the Portland music scene, and they quickly began playing all over town. They released their first album in 1997 and quickly gained an audience outside of the Pacific Northwest. Then came the commercial that gave them a serious push; their song “Bohemian Like You” was used in a popular Vodafone commercial, bringing their sound to an even bigger audience.

In 2002, Ziggy Stardust himself, David Bowie, invited them to play with him at the Glastonbury Festival, and a year later, they toured with him. Throughout the early 2000s, The Dandy Warhols had songs in the popular TV series, including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Veronica Mars.” They have made ten studio albums so far and continue to make music. (Music lovers might enjoy reading about the 100 Best Pop Albums of All Time.)