The 50 Greatest Brazilian Artists of All Time (according to Rolling Stone Brazilian edition)

Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
God

(although as this Forro revival begins [or stalls], I wish Jackson do Pandeiro got the attention he deserves)

(and o_O at no Novos Baianos listed!)

No Airto Moreira? I guess I gotta go for Baden Powell then.

who did the ipanema girl jam

I'd like to see Wilson Simonal listed near the top, but considering how much of his catalog is oop, I doubt chances are on his side

No Edu Lobo, no credibility

It's weird that they included Hermeto Pascoal but not Airto... Of course Hermeto is Airto's spiritual father, but Airto is clearly more prolific and well-known. I guess Hermeto is the more "original" choice and Airto is too "populist" for some critics.

where's diplo?

good troll

To be fair, Los Hermanos was possibly the biggest thing to happen to Brazilain youth (outside of Funk Carioca) in this generation, and could've been on the list before someone like Chico Science or Hermeto Pascoal.

But then again, if they were, it may smack of tokenism.

And speaking of Funk, who would/could make the list? DJ Marlboro?

I probably listen to caetano veloso the most out of this list I guess

no carlinhos brown??

but pascoal played the frogs!

Marlboro in 100th, two Los Hermanos guys listed below the top 50. Carlinhos Brown wasn't even mentioned, but it's no surprise.

And honestly, the Miranda sisters continue to get the shaft in the Louis-Armstrong-is-an-uncle-tom way, despite their massive contribution to the canon creatively and commercially.

My first encounter with brazilian music as a child remains a standout

Voted Jao Gilberto because of his work with Stan Getz. Not really familiar with the rest other than Jobim (partly same reason, but I like Getz better without vocals). Surprised not to see Sepultura in the list although I hate them.

Surprised not to see Sepultura in the list although I hate them

but they are. max cavalera, 47th.

and sepultura kick ass

I'm a big Paulinho Da Viola booster, including on this board

Voted Jao Gilberto because of his work with Stan Getz. Not really familiar with the rest

democracy does not work

I'm a big Paulinho Da Viola booster, including on this board

yes, Paulinho da Viola is underrated outside Brazil. and, I'd say, in Brazil too

Where's Joyce and Adriana Calcanhotto?

I wouldn't vote for them as the greatest but its weird that Mutantes aren't on here

[I wouldn't vote for them as the greatest but its weird that Mutantes aren't on here/]

man, this poll is about people, not entities. that's why mutantes are not listed, but rita lee and arnaldo baptista are. same for sepultura.

^^^ this point was needed

but yeah, i think the general consensus is so many individuals that are canon are not listed, and it's disappointing, despite being hard enough to choose as it is

but for me, really, despite how big he's gotten, gilberto gil is like the voice of captain kangaroo or mister rogers or something. everything is warm and fuzzy, disarming, and excusable at its worst.

Jorge Ben (Jor) vs. Gil vs. Nascimento

Caetano Veloso followed by Joao Gilberto. Moacir Santos, a brilliant composer/arranger, is usually overlooked because he lived a long time in the USA, but he deserves to be much better known.

Can I vote for Zico or Pele instead?

i don't think they are the greatest but i enjoy gal costa and nara leao the most

much respect for the inclusion of villa-lobos

gal costa is easily my favorite female singer from brazil, no doubt

Tom Ze! I have a bunch of his stuff from the 70s plus quite a bit of his recent work, about seven or eight albums total.

^^the correct answer^^

actually i've only heard about ten of these people and i pretty much love all of them.

Caetano followed by Gilberto Gil followed by Tom Ze

So many great artists. I need to get back to the other Brazilian threads

bossa nova: S&D

The Why the Fuck Has There Never Been a Thread for Antonio Carlos Jobim thread

Jorge Ben Jor S/D

there is no way to choose.

I'd have voted for Secos e Molhados over any of these artists, since they're missing I'll play my card:

Tom Zé, Gal Costa, Gilbert Gil, Zé Ramalho...really hard to choose

No, really - who no CSS?

Marcos Valle out of personal preference but there is much awesomeness on that list.

being familiar with just over half of this list I don't feel qualified to vote

Yeah I haven't heard most of this stuff. I might give Pixinguinha a vote because I don't see many voting for him.

Yeah I haven't heard most of this stuff. I might give Pixinguinha a vote because I don't see many voting for him.

Pixinguinha's Lamentos

I'm a little surprised Daniela Mercury didn't make the list.

Gil closely followed by Veloso.

Personal pick that would have been nice to see: Vinicius Cantuaria

I'd have voted for Secos e Molhados over any of these artists, since they're missing I'll play my card

See Ney Matogrosso on the list? So...

No Xuxa no credibility.

No Chico Science, really no credibility.

But I am still voting for Jorge Ben (which is how I'll always spell it, since that's the way it's spelled on my copy of Africa Brasil, among other things.)

No Chico Science, really no credibility.

But he's there. 16th, which is really great. I'm kind of surprised with so few Chico Science fans on this board

You're right! Weird; I searched his name and nothing came up. But cool; he definitely belongs.

Aw shit. Just noticed Ney Matogrosso is there and already voted Jorge Ben.

Anybody who's thinking of casting vote for Jorge Ben wish to exchange votes with me? Vote Ney Matogrosso so we can restore equilibrium in the universe, kthxbye.

I am loving Villa-Lobos' string quartets right now, he did 17 of them i think. Some really good writing in there, and in his Bachianas brasileiras. So i'll go for him, though I love Veloso, Gil, Jobim. I would like to get acquainted with so many on this list.

i've such a soft spot for gal costa

I wish Jackson do Pandeiro got the attention he deserves

True but I still voted for Jorge Ben.

I might've voted for Milton Nascimento if only for Clube da Esquina 2, but his is a patchy body of work. I dearly love Tom Ze as well. And as for Cartola... Gawd this isn't easy.

Honourable mention for Chico Science EU VIM COM NACAO ZUMBI / AO SEU OUVIDO FALAR / QUERO VER A POEIRA SUBIR / E MUITA FUMACA NO AR etc. What a way to start an album.

Villa-Lobos is really important to me so I voted for him. I don't know most of these artists though.

I find it interesting that the Brazilian Rolling Stone would list a classical composer in their all-time top 50 artists.

I like a lot of these artists plenty, of the ones that I've heard anyway, but the last one I listened to was Carmen Miranda so I'm gonna vote for her.

PappaWheelie's first post OTM x10000000

Yeah, even though at one point he thought of quitting music because Jorge Ben did it so much better.

Other people missing from the list: Luiz Bonfá and Vinicius de Moraes, although maybe they aren't primarily known for being artists per se.

Vinicius is on the list!

Sorry, my Control-F doesn't work anymore. Anyway, see if you can spot him in this video

Los Hermanos--they're probably the best pop-rock band to emerge from Brazil in the past decade,

Peter Margasak's November 7th posting on his Chicago Reader blog.

http://blogs.chicagoreader.com/post-no-bills/

I wonder if I should go and see Little Joy Tuesday night in DC (featuring Rodrigo from Los Hermanos and the Strokes drummer and one other person) . New cd out out, the myspace cuts on one listen are not bad but not exceptional.

Regarding the Little Joy record: I know many people use this word as an (lame) excuse, but 'unpre­ten­tious' fits well when summarizing the spirit of record. I like it.

Anyway, Los Hermanos, Chico Science, Wado, Kassin... there's lots of interesting 'new' names beyond the old and well-known canon...

http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=iTeqQmlGvY4

Baden Powell?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden_Powell_de_Aquino

He recorded several great albums and his guitar playing and voice is incredibly pretty, but he seems to be somewhat less known than most others on the list. I'd strongly recommend any bossa nova/MPB/samba fans to check him out.

"Bossa Nova for boys"

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

I might've voted for Milton Nascimento if only for Clube da Esquina 2, but his is a patchy body of work.

True, true. Patchy it really is. But then again those best bits, which are also plentiful, I just love to, well, bits.
So Nascimento it is for me.

Before this poll closes,it must be said: they managed to omit Brazil's greatest female bossa nova singer (Sylvia Telles) and greastest multi-instrumentalist (Egberto Gismonti).

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Hélio Oiticica was robbed.

Caetano is awesome, but I seriously think he is overrated in English speaking countries. Jorge Ben was more prolific and imo wrote better songs.

always so much love for Mutantes on this board but neither Rita Lee nor Arnaldo Baptista got votes.

It's hard to separate out their contributions. If I had to vote for a single Brazilian act, the Mutantes would have gotten serious consideration.

Tom Zé over Gilberto Gil? Y'all are mad corny. </old ethan, but brazilian>

Caetano is awesome, but I seriously think he is overrated in English speaking countries.

Thread of missing Chupacabras who would have come here and said the same thing. Unless oscar is he. Well, he would have said the second part of the sentence.

Caetano himself doesn't accept anything but awesome when it comes to describe him.

Caetano is awesome, but I seriously think he is overrated in English speaking countries

Caetano Veloso S and D

"Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi and the Mangue Movement: 20 Years Later"
Sunday, December 15th, 5:00-7:00pm
295 Douglass St. (Gowannus Art Space), 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY

Did any New Yorkers here go to hear that presentation?

I guess not

Nope, sorry. Attended no Brazilian music related events this weekend, nor any other events.

I did not either!

Jobim should be #1 and Jorge Ben #2.

Caetano is awesome, but I seriously think he is overrated in English speaking countries. Jorge Ben was more prolific and imo wrote better songs.

― oscar

The whole tropicalia movement is definitely overrated by english speaking countries compared to brazil. Out of these list Vinicius de Moraes, Jobim and Jorge Ben are the ones that far as I know where extremely influential to 20th century brazilian music. I'm not actually from Brazil so I have no way of knowing. Any Brazilian ILM'er that can provide some first hand experience?

i'd say joão gilberto is the most influential by far (entire generations of acoustic gtr players from brazil were modelled after his revolutionary batida) and jobim is almost there, compositionally-wise at least. vinicius was basically a poet, he didn't do much on his own. not sure about ben, caetano or gilberto gil, they seem kinda interchangeable in terms of influence and/or legacy.

wait, edu lobo is not even on the list? fucking philistines

Earlier this year I reviewed reissues of four Marcos Valle albums for The Wire. Some crazy brilliant shit on there. And it's goddamn depressing that nobody voted for Chico Science in this poll. Nação Zumbi are amazing.

I actually talked to Max Cavalera about Chico Science once. He's covered some Zumbi songs on Soulfly albums. Here's footage of him playing with them on Brazilian MTV in 1997:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEc_EcQdHa4

I just picked up the 1969 Gilberto Gil album (the one with the scroll/parchment thing on the cover. ). Man, it is just punk as fuck,. I'm not sure how much I necessarily enjoyed it but dude is just all over the place, switching from funky acoustic strumming to nasty fuzz guitar solos with him singing and yelling in all sorts of ways throughout. And nothing ever settles, it seems, just constant kaleidoscopic ebuilliance.

I don't really get Caetano Veloso, he's probably my least favorite of the 20 or so I am familiar with from this list

Voted for Cartola, wished Jorge Ben would have won this poll, but João Gilberto in fact deserved #1

https://apnews.com/article/brazil-vinyl-boom-002c636f8c25c3874627d7e535a92c48

This record is pretty good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffCibxUg2JM

Os Afro Sambas,” a 2024 documentary about the making of the 1966 Baden Powell and Vinícius de Moraes live album, one of the most treasured Brazilian albums of all time, screens for Brasil Summerfest at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens; on Sunday, July 13, 2025 at 6:30pm. movingimage.org

Blinked and missed it. JBR apparently went though