100 Greatest Rock Keyboardists
and Pianists

Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman
Criteria: These keyboardists were chosen for their skill, creativity, influence, impact, musical depth & expression, and lasting popularity in 'Rock' music. (Keyboards include - Organ, Synthesizer, Mellotron, Electric and Acoustic Piano)

Last Updated: 2023-10-27
Newly added names are in  Red 
Greatest Rock Keyboardists
  1. Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Nice)
  2. Rick Wakeman (Yes)
  3. Jon Lord (Deep Purple)
  4. Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
  5. Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
  6. Tony Banks (Genesis)
  7. Billy Preston (Solo)
  8. Rod Argent (Zombies, Argent)
  9. Steve Winwood (Traffic)
10. Al Kooper (Blood Sweat & Tears)
11. Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum, Solo)
12. Booker T. Jones (Solo)
13. Ian Underwood (The Mothers Of Invention)
14. Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band)
15. Tony Hymas (Jeff Beck)
16. Jan Hammer (Solo)
17. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, The Jeff Beck Group)
18. Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey)
19. Brian Eno (Roxy Music, Solo)
20. Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment)
21. Richard Tandy (Electric Light Orchestra)
22. Dennis De Young (Styx)
23. Jens Johansson (Stratovarius, Yngwie Malmsteen)
24. Kerry Livgren (Kansas)
25. Barry Goldberg (Bob Dylan, Electric Flag)
26. Lee Michaels (Solo)
27. Terry "T" Lavitz (Dixie Dregs)
28. Don Airey (Rainbow, Ozzy, Deep Purple)
29. Garth Hudson (The Band)
30. David Sancious (Springsteen, Santana, Sting)
31. Ian McLagan (Rolling Stones, Faces)
32. George Duke (Frank Zappa/Solo)
33. Allan Zavod (Frank Zappa)
34. Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello &the Attractions)
35. Max Middleton (Jeff Beck)
36. Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
37. Kevin Moore (Dream Theater)
38. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater)
39. Jimmy Greenspoon (Three Dog Night)
40. Jon Carin (Pink Floyd, Roger Waters)
41. Stevie Wonder (Solo)
42. Benmont Tench (The Heartbreakers)
43. Leon Russell (Solo)
44. Jonathan Cain (Journey, Solo)
45. Chuck Leavell (Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones)
46. Geoff Downes (Yes, Asia)
47. Patrick Moraz (Moody Blues, Yes, Solo)
48. Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep)
49. Howard Jones (Solo)
50. Mike Pinder (Moody Blues)
51. Matt Bellamy (Muse)
52. Allen Ravenstine (Pere Ubu)
53. Tony Kaye (Yes)
54. Alan Price (The Animals)
55. Michael Mcdonald (Doobie Borothers)
56. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
57. Bob Mayo (Frampton)
58. Richard Tee (Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, James Brown)
59. Bill Payne (Little Feat)
60. Roy Bittan (E Street Band)
61. Jools Holland (Squeeze)
62. Jürgen Fritz (Triumvirat)
63. Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads, Funkadelic)
64. David Rosenthal (Rainbow)
65. Roddy Bottum (Faith No More)
66. Robert Lamm (Chicago)
67. Claudio Simonetti (Goblin)
68. Michael Pinella (Symphony X)
69. Isaac Hayes (Solo)
70. Michael Brown (Left Banke, Stories, Montage)
71. Paul "Wix" Wickens (Paul McCartney)
72. Bobby Whitlock (Derek & The Dominos)
73. Mike Ratledge (Soft Machine)
74. Neal Doughty (REO Speedwagon)
75. Mike Garson (David Bowie)
76. Larry Knechtel (Bread, Smith)
77. Gary Wright (Spooky Tooth)
78. Peter Bardens (Camel)
79. Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Grateful Dead)
80. Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)
81. Burton Cummings (Guess Who)
82. Rick Davies (Supertramp)
83. Jeff Chimenti (Rat Dog, The Dead)
84. John Evan (Jethro Tull)
85. Chris Stainton (Joe Cocker's Grease Band)
86. Dick Sims(Eric Clapton, Bob Seger)
87. Keith Tippett (King Crimson)
88. Roger Powell (Todd Rundgren, David Bowie)
89. Mark Mancina (Yes)
90. Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge)
91. Felix Cavaliere (Rascals)
92. Page McConnell (Phish)
93. Edgar Winter (The Edgar Winter Group, Edgar Winter's White Trash)
94. Art Neville (The Neville Brothers, The Funky Meters)
95. Vincent Crane (The Crazy World of Arthur Brown)
96. Roger O'Donnell (The Cure)
97. Mark Kelly (Marillion)
98. Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard)
99. Manfred Mann (Manfred Mann's Earth Band)
100. David A. Stewart (Eurythmics)



Rock music keyboardist Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Rock music keyboardist Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Rock music keyboardist Jon Lord
Jon Lord
Rock music keyboardist Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Honerable Mentions
Doug Ingle (Iron Butterfly)
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Janne Warman (Children of Bodom, Warmen)
Rose Stone (Sly & the Family Stone)
David Greenfield (The Stranglers)
John "Rabbit" Bundrick (The Who)
Tony Carey (Rainbow)
Steve Walsh (Kansas)
Brent Mydland (Grateful Dead)
Donald Fagen (Steely Dan)
Eddie Jobson (UK, Roxy Music)
Greg Hawkes (Cars)
Kerry Minnear (Gentle Giant)
Serj Tankian (System of a Down)
Reese Wynans (Double Trouble)
Gene Taylor (Fabulous Thunderbirds)
Pete Townshend (The Who)
John "Jojo" Herman (Widespread Panic)
Tony MacAlpine
David Bryan (Bon Jovi)
Andrew Fletcher (Depeche Mode)
Moby
Goldy McJohn (Steppenwolf)
Mick Talbot (Dexys Midnight Runners, Style Council)
John Herndon (Tortoise)
Alan Fitzgerald (Night Ranger)
Simon House (Hawkwind)
Eric Drew Feldman (Captain Beefheart)
Alan Pasqua (sessions - Damn Yankees)
Oliver Palotai (Kamelot, Sons of Seasons)
Greatest Rock Pianists
  1. Jerry Lee Lewis
  2. Professor Longhair
  3. Ray Charles
  4. Elton John
  5. Billy Joel
  6. Amos Milburn
  7. Fats Domino
  8. Randy Newman
  9. Keith Emerson
10. Rick Wakeman
11. Dr. John
12. Huey "Piano" Smith
13. Tony Banks (Genesis, Solo)
14. Leon Russell
15. Bruce Hornsby
16. Ian McLagan (Small Faces)
17. Stevie Wonder
18. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, The Jeff Beck Group)
19. Esquerita
20. Gary Brooker (Procol Harum)
21. Ian Stewart (Rolling Stones)
22. Spooner Oldham
23. Little Richard
24. Roy Bittan (E-Street Band)
25. Freddie Mercury (Queen)
26. Ben Folds
27. Carole King
28. Joe Jackson
29. Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello &the Attractions)
30. Paul McCartney (Beatles, Wings)
31. Laura Nyro
32. Neil Sedaka
33. Tori Amos
34. Jack Nitzsche (Neil Young, Rolling Stones)
35. Alan Price (The Animals)
36. David Sancious (Springsteen, Santana, Sting)
37. Jools Holland (Squeeze)
38. David Foster
39. Larry Knechte (Bread, Smith)
40. John Cale (The Velvet Underground)
41. Warren Zevon
42. Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople)
43. Paul Carrack (Squeeze)
44. Jim Dickinson
45. Tom Waits
46. Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys)
47. Carly Simon
48. John Legend
49. Mark "Moogy" Klingman (Utopia)
50. Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac)
51. Van Dyke Parks
52. Chris Martin (Coldplay)
53. Pete Wingfield (The Olympic Runners)
54. Matt Rollings
55. John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting)
56. Russ Conway
57. Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane)
58. Sarah McLachlan
59. Dan Fogelberg
60. Ed Harcourt
61. Sheldon Miller (This Is Me Smiling)
62. Delta Goodrem
63. Alicia Keys
64. Brenda Russell
65. Rufus Wainwright
66. Jon Cleary
Rock music pianist Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Rock music pianist Professor Longhair
Professor Longhair
Rock music pianist Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Rock music pianist Elton John
Elton John








More Music Lists