The Groove

The greatest downtempo artists of all time

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

No. 1

Air

France · 1995– · downtempo

18.728

Why this number?

The full board · page 3

R.E.M.

United States of America · 1980–2011 · alternative rock 0.800

50 フィッシュマンズ

Japan · 1987– · neo-psychedelia 0.797

David Bowie

United Kingdom · 1947–2016 · rock 0.797

Taylor Swift

United States of America · 1989– · pop 0.788

The Flaming Lips

United States of America · 1983– · neo-psychedelia 0.766

Alan Menken

United States of America · 1949– · pop 0.760

55 Gotye

Australia · 1980– · indie rock 0.732

56 Leftfield

United Kingdom · 1989– · electronic 0.730

Suede

United Kingdom · 1989– · britpop 0.711

58 Scissor Sisters

United States of America · 2001– · pop 0.711

59 RJD2

United States of America · 1976– · instrumental 0.660

Mike Oldfield

United Kingdom · 1953– · progressive rock 0.652

61 Sneaker Pimps

United Kingdom · 1994– · trip hop 0.648

Vangelis

Greece · 1943–2022 · electronic 0.629

63 Beth Orton

United Kingdom · 1970– · folk 0.623

64 Flying Lotus

United States of America · 1983– · electronic 0.602

65 Darren Korb

United States of America · 1983– · downtempo 0.600

66 Manu Chao

France · 1961– · folk 0.578

67 TV on the Radio

United States of America · 2001– · indie rock 0.567

68 Camille

France · 1978– · chanson française 0.553

Buckethead

United States of America · 1969– · rock 0.543

Daft Punk

France · 1993–2021 · electronic 0.493

71 C418

Germany · 1989– · ambient 0.477

72 t.A.T.u.

Russia · 2000–2011 · pop 0.460