While culture is not the largest of U.S. exports, it has had the most pronounced and observable effect on the world. Global entertainment is dominated by U.S.-produced art, with music as a leading form. From rock and roll to rap music to pop, the world loves American music.

American music is not itself a distinct genre. The country’s evolving history and Americans’ varied experiences have influenced art in different ways — over the years and across states. Each U.S. state has produced musicians who — to varying degrees — have attained some level of fame.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed a range of data indicative of popularity to identify the most famous musician from each state.

Click here to see the most famous musician from each state.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.

50. Alabama
> Artist: Hank Williams
> Album sales: N/A
> Top track: Father & Son
> Place of birth: Mount Olive
> Active: 1930s – 1950s

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49. Alaska
> Artist: John Gourley
> Album sales: N/A
> Top track: Evil Friends (Portugal. The Man)
> Place of birth: Wasilla
> Active: 2000s – present

48. Arizona
> Artist: Linda Ronstadt
> Album sales: 30 million
> Top track: You’re No Good
> Place of birth: Tucson
> Active: 1960s – present

47. Arkansas
> Artist: Johnny Cash
> Album sales: 23.5 million
> Top track: A Boy Named Sue
> Place of birth: Kingsland
> Active: 1950s – 2000s

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46. California
> Artist: Brian Wilson
> Album sales: 22.5 million (The Beach Boys)
> Top track: Caroline, No
> Place of birth: Inglewood
> Active: 1960s – present

45. Colorado
> Artist: Jello Biafra
> Album sales: 0.5 million (Dead Kennedys)
> Top track: N/A
> Place of birth: Boulder
> Active: 1970s – 2000s

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44. Connecticut
> Artist: Michael Bolton
> Album sales: 28 million
> Top track: How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
> Place of birth: New Haven
> Active: 1970s – present

43. Delaware
> Artist: George Thorogood
> Album sales: 5 million
> Top track: Born To Be Bad
> Place of birth: Wilmington
> Active: 1970s – present

42. Florida
> Artist: Tom Petty
> Album sales: 31.5 million
> Top track: Free Fallin
> Place of birth: Gainesville
> Active: 1970s – present

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41. Georgia
> Artist: Ray Charles
> Album sales: 7.5 million
> Top track: I Can’t Stop Loving You
> Place of birth: Albany
> Active: 1940s – 2000s

40. Hawaii
> Artist: Bette Midler
> Album sales: 12 million
> Top track: Wind Beneath My Wings
> Place of birth: Honolulu
> Active: 1970s – present

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39. Idaho
> Artist: Josh Ritter
> Album sales: N/A
> Top track: So Runs The World Away
> Place of birth: Moscow
> Active: 1990s – present

38. Illinois
> Artist: R. Kelly
> Album sales: 32 million
> Top track: Bump N Grind
> Place of birth: Chicago
> Active: 1990s – present

37. Indiana
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Album sales: 81 million
> Top track: Beat It
> Place of birth: Gary
> Active: 1960s – 2000s

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36. Iowa
> Artist: Andy Williams
> Album sales: 10.5 million
> Top track: Can’t Get Used To Losing You
> Place of birth: Wall Lake
> Active: 1940s – 2010s

35. Kansas
> Artist: Martina McBride
> Album sales: 14 million
> Top track: I Love You
> Place of birth: Medicine Lodge
> Active: 1990s – present

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34. Kentucky
> Artist: Loretta Lynn
> Album sales: 4 million
> Top track: The Pill
> Place of birth: Butcher Hollow
> Active: 1960s – present

33. Louisiana
> Artist: Tim McGraw
> Album sales: 37.5 million
> Top track: Let Me Love You
> Place of birth: Delhi
> Active: 1990s – present

32. Maine
> Artist: Patty Griffin
> Album sales: N/A
> Top track: Children Running Through
> Place of birth: Old Town
> Active: 1990s – present

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31. Maryland
> Artist: Toni Braxton
> Album sales: 19.5 million
> Top track: Un-Break My Heart
> Place of birth: Severn
> Active: 1980s – present

30. Massachusetts
> Artist: James Taylor
> Album sales: 33 million
> Top track: You’ve Got A Friend
> Place of birth: Boston
> Active: 1960s – present

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29. Michigan
> Artist: Madonna
> Album sales: 64.5 million
> Top track: Take A Bow
> Place of birth: Bay City
> Active: 1980s – present

28. Minnesota
> Artist: Bob Dylan
> Album sales: 36 million
> Top track: Like A Rolling Stone
> Place of birth: Duluth
> Active: 1960s – present

27. Mississippi
> Artist: Elvis Presley
> Album sales: 136 million
> Top track: Suspicious Minds
> Place of birth: Tupelo
> Active: 1950s – 1970s

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26. Missouri
> Artist: Eminem
> Album sales: 44.5 million
> Top track: The Monster
> Place of birth: St. Joseph
> Active: 1990s – present

25. Montana
> Artist: Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
> Album sales: 31.5 million (Pearl Jam)
> Top track: Last Kiss
> Place of birth: Havre
> Active: 1990s – present

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24. Nebraska
> Artist: Randy Meisner (Eagles)
> Album sales: 101 million (Eagles)
> Top track: Hotel California
> Place of birth: Scottsbluff
> Active: 1960s – 2000s

23. Nevada
> Artist: Brandon Flowers (The Killers)
> Album sales: 4.5 million (The Killers)
> Top track: Mr. Brightside
> Place of birth: Henderson
> Active: 2000s – present

22. New Hampshire
> Artist: GG Allin
> Album sales: N/A
> Top track: N/A
> Place of birth: Lancaster
> Active: 1970s – 1990s

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21. New Jersey
> Artist: Bruce Springsteen
> Album sales: 65.5 million
> Top track: Dancing In The Dark
> Place of birth: Long Branch
> Active: 1970s – present

20. New Mexico
> Artist: John Denver
> Album sales: 33.5 million
> Top track: Thank God I’m A Country Boy
> Place of birth: Roswell
> Active: 1960s – 1990s

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19. New York
> Artist: Billy Joel
> Album sales: 82.5 million
> Top track: It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me
> Place of birth: The Bronx
> Active: 1960s – present

18. North Carolina
> Artist: Randy Travis
> Album sales: 18 million
> Top track: Three Wooden Crosses
> Place of birth: Marshville
> Active: 1970s – present

17. North Dakota
> Artist: Wiz Khalifa
> Album sales: 4 million
> Top track: See You Again
> Place of birth: Minot
> Active: 2000s – present

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16. Ohio
> Artist: Tracy Chapman
> Album sales: 13 million
> Top track: Give Me One Reason
> Place of birth: Cleveland
> Active: 1980s – present

15. Oklahoma
> Artist: Garth Brooks
> Album sales: 148 million
> Top track: Wrapped Up In You
> Place of birth: Tulsa
> Active: 1980s – present

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14. Oregon
> Artist: Tommy Thayer (Kiss)
> Album sales: 21 million (KISS)
> Top track: Beth/Detroit Rock City
> Place of birth: Portland
> Active: 1970s – present

13. Pennsylvania
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Album sales: 26.5 million
> Top track: Blank Space
> Place of birth: Reading
> Active: 2000s – present

12. Rhode Island
> Artist: Billy Gilman
> Album sales: 3 million
> Top track: One Voice
> Place of birth: Westerly
> Active: 1990s – present

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11. South Carolina
> Artist: James Brown
> Album sales: 2 million
> Top track: Living in America
> Place of birth: Barnwell
> Active: 1950s – 2000s

10. South Dakota
> Artist: Shawn Colvin
> Album sales: 1 million
> Top track: Sunny Came Home
> Place of birth: Vermillion
> Active: 1970s – present

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9. Tennessee
> Artist: Kenny Chesney
> Album sales: 27.5 million
> Top track: Out Last Night
> Place of birth: Knoxville
> Active: 1990s – present

8. Texas
> Artist: Beyonce
> Album sales: 13 million
> Top track: Irreplaceable
> Place of birth: Houston
> Active: 1990s – present

7. Utah
> Artist: Jewel
> Album sales: 18.5 million
> Top track: Foolish Games/You Were Meant For Me
> Place of birth: Payson
> Active: 1990s – present

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6. Vermont
> Artist: Aaron Lewis
> Album sales: 9 million (Staind)
> Top track: It’s Been Awhile
> Place of birth: Rutland City
> Active: 1990s – present

5. Virginia
> Artist: Patsy Cline
> Album sales: 14.5 million
> Top track: Crazy
> Place of birth: Winchester
> Active: 1950s – 1960s

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4. Washington
> Artist: Jimi Hendrix
> Album sales: 23 million
> Top track: All Along the Watchtower
> Place of birth: Seattle
> Active: 1960s – 1970s

3. West Virginia
> Artist: Michael W. Smith
> Album sales: 10.5 million
> Top track: Place In This World
> Place of birth: Kenova
> Active: 1980s – present

2. Wisconsin
> Artist: Steve Miller
> Album sales: 25.5 million (Steve Miller Band)
> Top track: Abracadabra
> Place of birth: Milwaukee
> Active: 1960s – present

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1. Wyoming
> Artist: Scott Avett
> Album sales: 0.5 million (The Avett Brothers)
> Top track: True Sadness
> Place of birth: Cheyenne
> Active: 2000s – present

Detailed Findings and Methodology

Musicians’ birthplaces can be central to their identity, and consequently their art as well. Songs by artists like Bruce Springsteen and The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, for example, are clearly influenced by their home states. For many music fans, Wilson is practically synonymous with California and Springsteen with New Jersey.

Some particularly large states are home to dozens of musicians who, if born elsewhere, would be far and away the most famous musician in that state. New York, for example, is the birthplace of mega industry stars like Barbara Streisand, Jay-Z, and Mariah Carey, each of whom has sold well over 25 million albums. However, with 82.5 million album sales to date, Billy Joel ranks as the Empire State’s most famous musician.

Many smaller states do not have an artist who has sold millions of records. But when it comes to quantifying fame, album sales are not the only useful metric. Wiz Khalifa, a rapper born in Minot, North Dakota, has had some 4.8 million Wikipedia page views in the last two years, along with two chart topping singles.

In other states, record sales alone are not enough to eclipse other, often less quantifiable metrics of fame. For example, Seattle-born Kenny G is far and away Washington state’s best selling artist, with some 48 million record sales to date. Still, the state is home to Jimi Hendrix, revered as one of the best and most influential guitarists of all time. Despite selling about 25 million fewer records than Kenny G, Hendrix is Washington state’s most famous musician.

To identify the most popular artist from each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed total album sales from the Recording Industry Association of America. We also considered total Wikipedia page views over the two last two years. In some cases, we gave preference to iconic artists, as established by widely cited authorities on the subject, over total album sales or pageviews. An artist was only considered to be from a state if he or she was born there. Preference was generally given to solo artists, but in several cases, artists on this list are famous for being a part of a musical group. The track that ranked the highest on the Billboard chart for the longest time was considered the artist’s top track.

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