List of African-American singers

This is a list of some notable African-American singers that gives their year of birth and music genres with which they are associated.

A

 * Aaliyah (1979–2001): R&B, pop
 * Marian Anderson (1897–1993): opera
 * Louis Armstrong (1901–1971): jazz

B

 * Erykah Badu (born 1971): neo soul, R&B, funk, hip-hop
 * Mildred Bailey (1907–1951): jazz
 * Pearl Bailey (1918–1990): vaudeville
 * LaVern Baker (1929–1997): R&B
 * Florence Ballard (1943–1976): R&B, pop, soul
 * Fantasia Barrino (born 1984): R&B, soul, gospel
 * Madeline Bell (born 1942): soul
 * Andy Bey (born 1939): jazz
 * Beyoncé (born 1981): R&B, pop
 * Blind Blake (1896–1934): ragtime, blues
 * Lucille Bogan (1887–1948): blues
 * Dee Dee Bridgewater (born 1950): jazz
 * James Brown (1933–2006): soul, funk
 * Oscar Brown, Jr (1926–2005): jazz
 * Peabo Bryson (born 1951): soul, R&B
 * Grace Bumbry (born 1937): opera
 * Solomon Burke (1940–2010): blues, gospel, R&B, soul, rock and roll

C

 * Betty Carter (1929–1998): jazz
 * Tracy Chapman (1964–): folk
 * Ray Charles (1930–2004): R&B, soul, blues, gospel, country, jazz, pop, rock and roll
 * Nat King Cole (1919–1965): jazz, swing, pop
 * Natalie Cole (1950–2015): R&B, pop
 * Mitty Collier (born 1941): soul, R&B, gospel
 * Sam Cooke (1931–1964): soul, gospel, R&B
 * Randy Crawford (born 1952): jazz, R&B, disco

D

 * Sammy Davis Jr. (1925–1990): pop, jazz, easy listening, swing
 * Bo Diddley (1928–2008): R&B, rock and roll

E

 * Billy Eckstine (1914–1993): jazz, pop
 * Betty Everett (1939–2001): soul

F

 * Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996): jazz
 * Roberta Flack (born 1939): jazz, pop
 * Aretha Franklin (1942–): soul, gospel

G

 * Marvin Gaye (1939–1984): R&B, soul, funk, jazz, pop
 * Gloria Gaynor (born 1949): disco, R&B
 * Al Green (1946–): R&B, soul

H

 * Adelaide Hall (1901–1993): jazz
 * Donny Hathaway (1945–1979): soul, jazz, gospel, R&B, blues
 * Richie Havens (1941–2013): folk rock, funk, blues, soul
 * Isaac Hayes (1942–2008): blues, jazz, soul, funk, disco
 * Jon Hendricks (born 1921): jazz
 * Nona Hendryx (born 1944): funk, soul, pop, R&B, rock
 * Lauryn Hill (born 1975): R&B, neo soul, hip-hop, folk, reggae
 * Billie Holiday (1915–1959): soul, blues
 * Jennifer Holliday (born 1960): R&B, soul, pop, house, dance, gospel
 * Lena Horne (1917–2010): jazz, pop
 * Cissy Houston (born 1933): soul, gospel, disco
 * Thelma Houston (born 1946): R&B, soul, disco, Motown, gospel
 * Whitney Houston (1963–2012):R&B, pop, soul, gospel
 * Jennifer Hudson (born 1981): R&B, soul, pop
 * Phyllis Hyman (1949–1995): soul, R&B quiet, jazz, disco

I

 * Luther Ingram (1937–2007): R&B, soul
 * Ronald Isley (born 1941): R&B, soul

J

 * Chuck Jackson (born 1937): R&B
 * Freddie Jackson (born 1956): soul
 * Janet Jackson (1966–): R&B, pop
 * La Toya Jackson (born 1956): pop, R&B, soul, dance
 * Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972): gospel
 * Michael Jackson (1958–2009): pop, soul, R&B, funk, rock
 * Millie Jackson (born 1944): soul, disco, R&B
 * Etta James (1938–2012): blues, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel
 * Al Jarreau (1940–2017): jazz, R&B, soul
 * Etta Jones (1928–2001): jazz
 * Valerie June (born 1982): folk, blues, soul, bluegrass, pop

L

 * Patti LaBelle (born 1944): R&B, soul, disco, dance, gospel, funk
 * Kendrick Lamar (1987–): hip-hop, rap
 * Frankie Lymon (1942–1968): R&B, doo-wop, pop, swing

M

 * Carmen McRae (1922–1994): jazz
 * Johnny Mathis (1935–): pop, jazz

N

 * Meshell Ndegeocello (born 1968): funk, soul, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, rock
 * Aaron Neville (born 1941): R&B, soul, country, gospel, jazz, pop
 * Jessye Norman (born 1945): opera

O

 * Odetta (1930–2008): folk, blues, jazz, spirituals

P

 * Teddy Pendergrass (1950–2010): R&B, soul, disco, funk
 * Prince (1958–2016): pop, rock
 * Leontyne Price (born 1927): opera

R

 * Ma Rainey (1882 or 1886–1939): blues
 * Otis Redding (1941–1967): soul, R&B, blues
 * Della Reese (born 1931): jazz, gospel, pop
 * Dianne Reeves (born 1956): jazz
 * Martha Reeves (born 1941): R&B, pop
 * Lionel Richie (born 1949): soul, R&B, pop, country, gospel
 * Minnie Riperton (1947–1979): soul, R&B, jazz, disco
 * Smokey Robinson (born 1940): R&B, soul, pop
 * Diana Ross (born 1944): R&B, soul, disco, jazz, pop, dance
 * Patrice Rushen (born 1954): R&B

S

 * Jimmy Scott (1925–2014): jazz
 * Nina Simone (1933–2003): jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, pop
 * Bessie Smith (1894–1937): blues
 * Sly Stone (1943): funk, R&B
 * Donna Summer (1948–2012): disco, rock, dance, R&B

T

 * Joe Tex (1933–1982): R&B, soul, funk, disco
 * Ike Turner (1931–2007): R&B, blues, rock and roll, funk
 * Tammi Terrell (1945–1970): R&B, soul, pop
 * Tina Turner (born 1939): R&B, pop, soul, dance, rock and roll

V

 * Luther Vandross (1951–2005): soul
 * Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990): jazz

W

 * Dionne Warwick (born 1940): gospel, R&B, soul, pop
 * Barry White (1944–2003): soul, R&B, pop
 * will.i.am (born 1975): hip-hop, pop, R&B
 * Lenny Williams (born 1945): soul, R&B, jazz
 * Pharrell Williams (born 1973): hip-hop, R&B, funk, pop
 * Nancy Wilson (born 1937): jazz
 * Bill Withers (born 1938): soul, R&B, smooth soul, blues, funk
 * Howlin' Wolf (1910–1976): blues
 * Stevie Wonder (born 1950): soul, pop
 * Bobby Womack (1944–2014): soul, R&B
 * Betty Wright (born 1953): soul, R&B