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~13.0M artists · ~39.4M recordings indexed
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The Groove

The greatest instrumental artists of all time

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

DS
No. 1

DJ Shadow

United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1972– · trip hop
5.113
Why this number?
The full board
2 Explosions in the Sky United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1999– · post-rock 4.277
3 Godspeed You! Black Emperor Canada flagCanada · 1994– · post-rock 3.977
4 MONO Japan flagJapan · 1999– · post-rock 2.573
5 J Dilla United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1974–2006 · instrumental hip hop 2.509
6 Hans Zimmer United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1957– · modern classical 2.343
7 Lisa Gerrard Australia flagAustralia · 1961– · trance 2.343
8 Common United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1972– · hip hop 2.007
9 C418 Germany flagGermany · 1989– · ambient 1.837
10 Mogwai United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1995– · post-rock 1.720
11 Apocalyptica Finland flagFinland · 1993– · heavy metal 1.373
12 Miles Davis United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1926–1991 · jazz 1.298
13 Buckethead United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1969– · rock 1.233
14 Flying Lotus United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1983– · electronic 1.204
15 Nine Inch Nails United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1988– · industrial 1.041
16 Public Service Broadcasting United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 2010– · rock 1.013
17 Tortoise United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1990– · post-rock 0.980
18 Boards of Canada United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1986– · electronic 0.972
19 Clint Mansell United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1963– · electronic 0.960
20 Kronos Quartet United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1973– · electronic 0.960
21 RJD2 United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1976– · instrumental 0.880
22 Nightwish Finland flagFinland · 1996– · symphonic metal 0.717
23 Tori Amos United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1963– · rock 0.711
24 Eric Dolphy United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1928–1964 · avant-garde jazz 0.703
25 Jean‐Michel Jarre France flagFrance · 1948– · electronic 0.692
26 Ratatat United States of America flagUnited States of America · 2001– · electronic 0.571
27 Fatboy Slim United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1963– · big beat 0.551
28 Brian Eno United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1948– · ambient 0.479
29 坂本龍一 Japan flagJapan · 1952–2023 · ambient 0.475
30 UNKLE United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1994– · electronic 0.440
31 Cannonball Adderley United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1928–1975 · jazz 0.438
32 Amon Tobin Brazil flagBrazil · 1972– · electronic 0.430
33 Anamanaguchi United States of America flagUnited States of America · 2003– · chiptune 0.420
34 Earth United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1990– · drone 0.418
35 The Alan Parsons Project United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1975–1987 · progressive rock 0.400
36 65daysofstatic United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 2001– · post-rock 0.378
37 Venetian Snares Canada flagCanada · 1975– · breakcore 0.334
38 Nujabes Japan flagJapan · 1974–2010 · hip hop 0.326
39 The Prodigy United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1990– · big beat 0.324
40 The Avalanches Australia flagAustralia · 1997– · plunderphonics 0.322
41 Aphex Twin United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1971– · idm 0.321
42 The Chemical Brothers United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1989– · big beat 0.312
43 シートベルツ Japan flagJapan · 1998– · jazz 0.284
44 菅野よう子 Japan flagJapan · 1964– · jazz 0.284
45 Everclear United States of America flagUnited States of America · 1992– · alternative rock 0.227
46 Leftfield United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1989– · electronic 0.215
47 The Future Sound of London United Kingdom flagUnited Kingdom · 1988– · electronic 0.189
48 Boris Japan flagJapan · 1992– · drone 0.177