Luther Vandross
New York R&B singer whose lush, orchestral romantic ballads made him the defining voice of sophisticated adult R&B for two decades.
Pantheon Standing
| List Name | Rank | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Greatest R&B / Soul Artists of All Time | #1 | 96.0 |
The Age Divide
Voters under 30 and over 35 rank Luther Vandross significantly differently across lists.
The Cultural Record
Discography
New York R&B singer whose lush, orchestral romantic ballads made him the defining voice of sophisticated adult R&B for two decades
Awards & Recognition
8 Grammy Awards total
View All 8 Grammy Wins →—
Dance with My Father (2003
The Case For Luther Vandross
“The longevity argument alone puts them in a category of one. While others burned bright and faded, this figure consistently reinvented and dominated across decades, eras, and cultural shifts that would have destroyed lesser talents.”
“Technically unmatched. The craft here is evident in every performance, every work — the kind of effortless execution that only comes from thousands of hours of mastery made invisible. They make the impossible look inevitable.”
“Commercial success should never be held against artistic legacy. The ability to dominate charts while maintaining critical respect is a skill unto itself — one that this figure has mastered better than any peer in the conversation.”
Rank History
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for Luther Vandross.
Often Compared To
Marvin Gaye
#2R&B / Soul — Washington, D.C. · 1961–1984
Detroit Motown icon who transformed from pop star to serious artist with What's Going On — one of the most acclaimed albums ever made and a turning point in what R&B could say.
Mary J. Blige
#3R&B / Soul — Yonkers, New York · 1991–present
Yonkers Queen of Hip-Hop Soul who fused R&B with rap production aesthetics and raw, confessional storytelling — creating a blueprint for every female R&B artist of the next generation.