The Groove

The greatest avant-garde artists of all time

52 artists ranked by the Groove — music.nw’s own measure of renown. Not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. Why?

No. 1

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

United States of America · 1965–1982 · experimental rock

2.686

Why this number?

The full board · page 2

25 Robert Wyatt

United Kingdom · 1945– · art rock 0.698

Can

Germany · 1968–1991 · krautrock 0.646

27 Talk Talk

United Kingdom · 1981–1991 · post-rock 0.623

Talking Heads

United States of America · 1974–1991 · new wave 0.604

Sonic Youth

United States of America · 1981–2011 · alternative rock 0.569

30 Jefferson Airplane

United States of America · 1965–1973 · psychedelic rock 0.522

31 Wendy Carlos

United States of America · 1939– · experimental 0.462

32 Patti Smith

United States of America · 1946– · art rock 0.447

33 Electric Masada

United States of America · 2003– · heavy metal 0.444

34 Amon Düül II

Germany · 1969– · krautrock 0.431

35 Earth

United States of America · 1990– · drone 0.418

Ween

United States of America · 1984–2024 · alternative rock 0.406

Pink Floyd

United Kingdom · 1965–2014 · progressive rock 0.398

38 Joanna Newsom

United States of America · 1982– · folk 0.382

39 Wire

United Kingdom · 1976– · post-punk 0.375

40 Zeal & Ardor

Switzerland · 2013– · avant-garde metal 0.356

Venetian Snares

Canada · 1975– · breakcore 0.334

The Mars Volta

United States of America · 2001– · rock 0.326

43 Butthole Surfers

United States of America · 1982– · alternative rock 0.320

Swans

United States of America · 1982– · experimental rock 0.274

Brian Eno

United Kingdom · 1948– · ambient 0.273

46 David Byrne

United States of America · 1952– · art rock 0.273

47 Soft Machine

United Kingdom · 1966– · progressive rock 0.272

48 Super Furry Animals

United Kingdom · 1993– · rock 0.259