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Pop and R&B singer-songwriters

1,891 articles

John Newman (singer)

John Newman (born 1990) is an English soul-pop singer from Settle, Yorkshire, known for Love Me Again, Rudimental's Feel the Love, and Calvin Harris's Blame; albums Tribute and Revolve, later a dance-music and DJ career.

John Paul Young

John Paul Young (John Inglis Young, born 1950) is a Scottish-born Australian pop singer whose disco hit "Love Is in the Air", written by Vanda and George Young, reached No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in the UK, and No. 7 in the US in 1978.

John Phillips (musician)

John Phillips, known as Papa John Phillips, was an American musician who founded the Mamas and the Papas and wrote "California Dreamin'" and "Monday, Monday".

John Splithoff

John Splithoff is an American singer-songwriter from Chicago, based in Los Angeles, blending soul and laid-back pop. Known for "Sing to You" (2016), "Show Me" (2017), and the albums All In (2021) and Far From Here (2025).

John Tesh

John Tesh (born 1952, Garden City, NY) is an American pianist, composer, and broadcaster, Entertainment Tonight co-host 1986–1996, composer of NBC's NBA theme Roundball Rock, with six Emmys and 8 million records sold.

Johnnie Ray

Johnnie Ray (John Alvin Ray, 1927–1990), Oregon-born American singer and pianist, early-1950s pop superstar behind "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried"; emotionally explosive performances and partial deafness made him a precursor of rock and roll who influenced Elvis Presley.

Johnny Gill

Johnny Gill Jr. (born 1966, Washington, D.C.) is an American R&B singer, New Edition's sixth member, LSG founder, and solo star behind the 2x Platinum 1990 album Johnny Gill with R&B No. 1 hits "Rub You the Right Way" and "My, My, My."

Johnny Logan (singer)

Johnny Logan (Seán Patrick Michael Sherrard, born 1954) is an Irish singer, the first performer to win Eurovision twice (1980 "What's Another Year", 1987 "Hold Me Now") and a third time as composer of "Why Me?" (1992).

Johnny Maestro

Johnny Maestro (John Mastrangelo, 1939–2010), American doo-wop tenor, lead singer of the Crests ('16 Candles') and the Brooklyn Bridge ('Worst That Could Happen', #3, 1969).

Johnny Mathis

Johnny Mathis (born 1935), American traditional pop singer and Columbia Records' longest-running artist; known for "Chances Are," "Misty," and the 490-week chart run of Johnny's Greatest Hits.

Johnny Orlando

Johnny Orlando (John Vincent Orlando, born 2003, Mississauga, Ontario) is a Canadian pop singer and actor who rose via YouTube covers, released EPs VXIIXI, Teenage Fever, and It's Never Really Over, hit the Canadian Hot 100 with "Everybody Wants You", and made the albums All the Things That Could Go Wrong (2022) and Songs for Young Lovers (2026).

Johnny Otis

Johnny Otis (John Alexander Veliotes, 1921-2012), Greek-American "Godfather of R&B" bandleader, drummer, producer, and talent scout; ten R&B Top Ten singles in 1950, "Willie and the Hand Jive" (1958), produced Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog," Rock Hall 1994.

Johnny Ruffo

Johnny Ruffo (John Patrick Ruffo, 1988–2023) was an Australian pop singer and actor: third on X Factor Australia 2011, winner of Dancing With The Stars 2012, Chris Harrington on Home and Away, died of brain cancer at 35.

JoJo (singer)

JoJo (Joanna Noelle Levesque, born 1990) is an American pop/R&B singer and actress, youngest female solo artist to top US pop radio with "Leave (Get Out)" (2004), later freed from Blackground via lawsuit, founder of Clover Music, 2020 Grammy winner.

JoJo Siwa

JoJo Siwa (Joelle Joanie Siwa, born 2003, Omaha) is an American singer-dancer from Dance Moms and Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition who signed with Nickelodeon at 13, sold millions of bows, came out in 2021, and rebranded with "Karma" in 2024.

Jon B.

Jon B. (Jonathan David Buck, b. 1974) is an American R&B singer-songwriter discovered by Tracey Edmonds and Babyface at Yab Yum Records; known for Bonafide, Cool Relax, 'Someone to Love,' 'They Don't Know,' and the Tupac duet 'Are U Still Down.'

Jon Bellion

Jon Bellion (Jonathan David Bellion, born 1990, Lake Grove, NY) is an American singer-songwriter and producer; debut The Human Condition hit No. 5 on the Billboard 200, he co-wrote "The Monster," and returned in 2025 with FATHER FIGURE.

Jon English

Jon English (Jonathan James English, 1949–2016) was an English-born Australian singer, actor and songwriter, famous as Judas in the 1972 Australian Jesus Christ Superstar, for hits like Six Ribbons, and for The Pirates of Penzance.

Jon Stevens

Jon Stevens, New Zealand-born rock singer based in Melbourne, fronted Noiseworks, INXS (2000-2003), and The Dead Daisies; teen No. 1 hit 'Jezebel' (1979), 2025 solo album Shimmer.

Jona Lewie

Jona Lewie, born John Lewis in 1947 in Southampton, is an English pub rock and new wave singer-songwriter of Stiff Records fame, known for Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs' "Seaside Shuffle" and the 1980 hits "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" and "Stop the Cavalry".

Jonathan Knight

Jonathan Rashleigh Knight (born 1968), American-Canadian singer, oldest member of New Kids on the Block with brother Jordan; left the band in 1994, became a home renovator, and hosts HGTV's Farmhouse Fixer and Crashers while touring with NKOTB.

Joni Mitchell blackface controversy

Joni Mitchell blackface controversy: her 1976 Halloween appearance as a Black man, the Art Nouveau persona on the Don Juan's Reckless Daughter cover, and later criticism and scholarship.

Joni Sledge

Joni Sledge (Joan Elise Sledge, 1956-2017), American singer, co-founded Sister Sledge in Philadelphia in 1971 with sisters Debbie, Kim, and Kathy; sang lead on "Lost in Music" from the 1979 album We Are Family.

Jordan Knight

Jordan Knight (born 1970), falsetto lead vocalist of New Kids on the Block and later a solo artist; 1999 gold debut album with Top Ten hit "Give It to You", 2011 Unfinished, and 2014 Nick & Knight duet album with Nick Carter.

Jorja Smith

Jorja Smith (Jorja Alice Smith), English R&B/soul singer-songwriter from Walsall; 'Blue Lights' (2016) led to Drake's More Life, Lost & Found (2018), falling or flying (2023), and What Are the Odds (2026), all on her label FAMM.

Josh Beech

Josh Beech, English singer-songwriter and former model from Bromley, London; half of duo Beech ('Lovers', album Letters Written In The Sky, 2014), solo Fight Strong EP 2015, now a photographer on hiatus.

Josh Groban

Josh Groban, American baritone singer, songwriter, and actor in classical crossover pop; multi-platinum albums including Noel, Broadway roles in The Great Comet and Sweeney Todd, over 30 million records sold.

Josh Kaufman (singer)

Josh Kaufman (born 1976, Sarasota, Florida) is an Indianapolis-based soul and R&B singer who won season 6 of NBC's The Voice in 2014 on Team Usher; distinct from the producer namesake of Bonny Light Horseman.

Josh Kelley

Josh Kelley (Joshua Bishop Kelley, born 1980, Augusta, Georgia) is an American singer-songwriter known for the 2003 hit "Amazing," the Heatseekers No. 1 album Almost Honest, and his 2011 country crossover Georgia Clay; brother of Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley and husband of Katherine Heigl.

Joss Stone

Joss Stone (Joscelyn Eve Stoker, born 1987) is an English soul singer who debuted with The Soul Sessions (2003), became the youngest female artist to top the UK album chart with Mind, Body & Soul, won a Grammy and two BRITs, and completed a six-year Total World Tour.