Nat King Cole
Montgomery, Alabama singer and pianist who became the first African-American to host a nationally broadcast TV show and produced one of the most beloved vocal catalogs in American music.
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 Nat King Cole significantly differently across lists.
The Cultural Record
Discography

Montgomery, Alabama singer and pianist who became the first African-American to host a nationally broadcast TV show and produced one of the most beloved vocal catalogs in American music



Awards & Recognition
No Grammy data on record.
—
Mona Lisa (1950
Oscar)
first Black artist with national TV show
Grammy Lifetime Achievement
The Case For Nat King Cole
“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 Nat King Cole.
Often Compared To
Ne-Yo
#2R&B / Soul — Camden, Arkansas · 2000–present
Camden, Arkansas R&B singer who wrote Let Me Love You for Mario before launching his own successful career as one of the most consistent hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s.
New Edition
#3R&B / Soul — Boston, Massachusetts · 1978–present
Boston teen R&B group that launched the careers of Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, and Bell Biv DeVoe — widely regarded as the template for boy group success in the R&B era.