Why Are Jews So Good in Music?

The prominence of Jews in music can be traced to culture, history, and community values.

Cultural Emphasis on Learning and Expression
Jewish culture has long valued study, interpretation, and creativity — skills that naturally transfer to music. Reading the Torah, chanting, and interpreting texts all cultivate sensitivity to rhythm, tone, and nuance.

Musical Tradition in Worship
Jewish liturgy is rich with melody. From cantorial singing in the synagogue to the nigunim (wordless spiritual melodies) of Hasidic tradition, many Jewish composers and performers grew up immersed in these sounds, forming the foundation of their musical expression.

Adaptability and Cross-Cultural Experience
Jewish communities have lived in diverse regions and absorbed a wide range of musical influences — from Eastern European klezmer to Arabic maqam scales to Western classical music. This exposure fostered creativity and led to rich, hybrid musical styles.

Migration and Opportunity
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Jewish immigrants brought their musical talent to new cultural centers, particularly in the United States. They became central figures in Broadway, Hollywood, and jazz, with artists like George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, and Barbra Streisand leaving lasting legacies.

Outsider Perspective
Living as a minority often fosters deep emotional awareness and empathy, qualities that enrich artistic expression. Music became a means of connecting, surviving, and communicating identity.

Community Networks and Support
Jewish families and communities frequently encourage education in the arts, viewing it both as cultural preservation and a pathway to social mobility. This support has consistently nurtured generations of musicians.

Here is an incomplete list of remarkable Jewish musicians—there are, of course, many, many more.

1. Adam Levine

2. Alan Menken

3. Alanis Morissette

4. Amy Winehouse

5. Andy Statman

6. Arik Einstein

7. Art Garfunkel

8. Artie Shaw

9. Avraham Fried

10. Avishai Cohen

11. Barbra Streisand

12. Barry Manilow

13. Ben Webster

14. Benny Goodman

15. Berry Sakharof

16. Billy Joel

17. Bob Dylan

18. Bob Weir

19. Carly Simon

20. Carole King

21. Chaim Taub

22. Charlie Puth

23. Dana International

24. Daniel Barenboim

25. Daniel Zamir

26. David Broza

27. David Draiman

28. Dizzy Gillespie

29. Doja Cat

30. Drake

31. Ehud Banai

32. Eitan Reiter

33. Ernest Bloch

34. Eyal Golan

35. Felix Mendelssohn

36. Gene Simmons

37. Gene Wilder

38. George Gershwin

39. George Wein

40. Giacomo Meyerbeer

41. Gilad Atzmon

42. Gilad Hekselman

43. Gidi Gov

44. Gustav Mahler

45. Harold Arlen

46. Herbie Mann

47. Idan Raichel

48. Idina Menzel

49. Ira Gershwin

50. Irving Berlin

51. Itzhak Perlman

52. Jack Antonoff

53. Jacques Offenbach

54. Jason Robert Brown

55. Jason Segel

56. Jerry Herman

57. Joan Baez

58. Jonathan Larson

59. Jule Styne

60. Kurt Weill

61. Lee Konitz

62. Lenny Hambro

63. Lenny Kravitz

64. Leonard Bernstein

65. Leonard Cohen

66. Lior Eliyahu

67. Lil Dicky

68. Lou Reed

69. Mac Miller

70. Madonna

71. Mandy Patinkin

72. Marc Shaiman

73. Matisyahu

74. Max Bruch

75. Max Richter

76. Meir Banai

77. Miri Mesika

78. Moshe Peretz

79. Nissim Black

80. Noa

81. Omer Adam

82. Oren Lavie

83. Paul Simon

84. Pinchas Zukerman

85. Rami Kleinstein

86. Regina Spektor

87. Rita

88. Samuel Barber

89. Sasha Argov

90. Shelly Manne

91. Shlomo Artzi

92. Shlomo Carlebach

93. Stan Getz

94. Stephen Schwartz

95. Stephen Sondheim

96. Suzanne Vega

97. The Weeknd

98. Tracy Chapman

99. Yehudi Menuhin

100. Y-Love