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12 Essential Artists You Should Know

12 Essential Artists You Should Hear

Classical Composers

The Essential 100

What are the best movies of all-time? Amazon.com's editors dug in and picked the top 100 movies that are available to buy now. So which movie made no. 1? See the list to find out.

›Go to the Essential 100 store

Music Essentials

We've searched our extensive music library and put together a list of essential artists and composers we think every serious music lover should know. Our list spans decades and styles, genres and movements, cataloging the greats from the greatest. Each list shows the artist's best works and is ranked by what Amazon's customers favor most--so the No.1 album is the one customers love best--a good place to start if you're discovering something new.

We've also created a special Essentials Forum just for debating the list, since what's the fun in making a list if you can't discuss it? Participate in the conversation and help us grow our list of Essentials by telling us what you like, don't like, and would like to see.

Spotlight on Ralph Stanley

Born February 25, 1927 in the Clinch Mountains of Dickenson County, Virginia, (where he still resides) Ralph learned to play the banjo from mother Lucy. It was her inspiration, coupled with Ralph’s natural ability, which led Ralph and his older guitar-playing brother, Carter, to form the Stanley Brothers in 1946. Later Stanley became the very personification of traditional Appalachian mountain music. Along the way he has recorded over 200 albums, won numerous Grammy awards, been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music, and most recently was honored with a National Medal of Arts.

›See Ralph Stanley's Essential Albums

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Rock Essentials

Country Essentials

Jazz Essentials

Pop Essentials

R&B Essentials

Alternative Rock Essentials

Offbeat Essentials

Essential Johann Sebastian Bach Compositions

Bach - Brandenburg Concertos / Il... Audio CD ~ Johann Sebastian Bach...

$33.98 $30.49

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A State of Wonder: The Complete... Audio CD ~ Glenn Gould

$15.98

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The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The... Audio CD ~ J.S. Bach

$31.98 $20.97

›See all Bach Essentials

Music Essentials Forum

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Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
Where are the Christian Artists??????	85	4 days ago
'70s Progressive Rock	7	6 days ago
Essential Electronic Music Artists	9	11 days ago
essentials	1	12 days ago
Artists that should be here	15	13 days ago
Where is the Klezmer Music?	4	13 days ago
Interesting interview about GEMM, Stig Leschly, and Amazon	0	1 month ago
how to buy cd	0	1 month ago
Billy Crash Craddock - CD - Crashes Smashes	7	2 months ago
Classical Essentials	3	2 months ago
U2 - Well, no	20	August 2009
zeppelin beats out the rolling stones any day. period.	27	July 2009

› See all 44 discussions... › Start a new discussion

Essential Film Composers

To call Ennio Morricone film music's greatest composer doesn't do his talent justice. Simply put, he's one of music's greatest composers, a force like no other. Ennio Morricone's Essentials

In the 1980s, Danny Elfman fronted Oingo Boingo, a quirky band with a dark sense of humor. Elfman's ghoulish lyrical preoccupation and idiosyncractic musical sensibility made him the perfect soundtrack companion to cult-hero-turned-mega-director Tim Burton. Danny Elfman's Essentials

Equally adept at scoring for synthesizers or traditional orchestras, Oscar winner Hans Zimmer is one of Hollywood's most famous epic soundtrack composers. Hans Zimmer's Essentials

If you've seen any American movies over the last 40 years, chances are you've heard a John Williams score. Williams is Hollywood's most celebrated soundtrack composer, and his music graces some of the biggest films of all time. John Williams's Essentials

Bestsellers

Music: Essentials: Greats from the Greatest

Updated hourly

	1. Number Ones ›Michael Jackson $9.99 $7.99
	2. Off the Wall ›Michael Jackson $7.99 $5.49
	3. Bad ›Michael Jackson $7.99 $5.99
	4. ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits ›ABBA $13.98 $8.99
	5. Greatest Hits ›Journey $9.99
	6. The Beatles 1 ›The Beatles $18.98 $13.49
	7. James Taylor at Christmas ›James Taylor $9.99
	8. Dangerous ›Michael Jackson $7.99 $5.99
	9. The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered) ›Pink Floyd $34.98 $24.49
	10. Precious Memories ›Alan Jackson $11.94 $9.99