Free Thinkers – The Christian Myth

If you are a Freethinker you are not alone. Freethinkers are the largest growing group in the world with millions of new members every year.

The World’s Newest Major Religion: No Religion

More people than ever before are identifying as atheist, agnostic, or otherwise nonreligious, with potentially world-changing effects.

You don’t usually think of churches as going out of business, but it happens. In March, driven by parishioner deaths and lack of interest, the U.K. Mennonites held their last collective service.

It might seem easy to predict that plain-dressing Anabaptists—who follow a faith related to the Amish—would become irrelevant in the age of smartphones, but this is part of a larger trend. Around the world, when asked about their feelings on religion, more and more people are responding with a meh.

The religiously unaffiliated, called “nones,” are growing significantly. They’re the second largest religious group in North America and most of Europe. In the United States, nones make up almost a quarter of the population. In the past decade, U.S. nones have overtaken Catholics, mainline protestants, and all followers of non-Christian faiths.

By Gabe Bullard

PUBLISHED April 22, 2016

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160422-atheism-agnostic-secular-nones-rising-religion/

List of atheists in film, radio, television and theater

Douglas Adams (1952–2001): British radio and television writer and novelist.^[1]
Mary Adams (1898–1984): English producer and BBC television administrator.^[2]
Phillip Adams (1939–): Australian broadcaster, writer, film-maker, left-wing radical thinker, and iconoclast. He was the Australian Humanist of the Year in 1987.^[3]
Adithya (1974–): Indian actor.^[4]
Joe Ahearne (1963–): British television writer and director.^[5]
Brandy Alexandre (1964–): American adult actress.^[6]
Keith Allen (1953–): British comedian, actor, singer and writer.^[7]
Woody Allen (1935–): American film director, writer, actor, comedian, and playwright.^[8]
Robert Altman (1925–2006): American film director.^[9]
Alejandro Amenábar (1972–): Spanish-Chilean film director.^[10]
Wil Anderson (1974–): Australian comedian, radio presenter, and television host.^[11]
Seth Andrews (1968–): American author and host of The Thinking Atheist radio podcast.^[12]
Fred Armisen (1966–): American actor, comedian.^[13]
Michelangelo Antonioni (1912–2007): Italian modernist film director, screenwriter, editor and short story writer.^[14]
Jane Asher (1946–): English film and television actress.^[15]
Kevin Bacon (1958–): American film and theater actor.^[16]
Joan Bakewell CBE (1933–): English television presenter and journalist.^[17]
Javier Bardem (1969–): Spanish actor and former rugby player.^[18]
Pelin Batu (1978–):Turkish actress^[19]
Andréa Beltrão (1963–) Brazilian actress, comedian and author.^[20]
Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923): French stage actress. She was asked by French composer Charles Gounod if she ever prayed. Bernhadt replied “No, never. I’m an atheist”.^[21]
Paul Bettany (1971–): English actor.^[22]
Orla Brady (1961–): Irish actress.^[23]
Brannon Braga (1965–): American TV producer and writer.^[24]
Robert Bresson (1901–1999): French film director known for his spiritual, ascetic style.^[25]^[26]
Jim Broadbent (1949–): English theatre, film, and television actor.^[27]
Jeremy Brock (1959–): British actor, producer, writer, and director.^[28]
Charlie Brooker (1971–): British writer and satirist best known for his TV show Screenwipe.^[29]
Derren Brown (1971–): English psychological illusionist, mentalist, and skeptic of paranormal phenomena. Professed to being an atheist in his book Tricks of the Mind and described Bertrand Russell‘s collection of essays Why I Am Not a Christian “an absolute joy.”
Luis Buñuel (1900–1983): Spanish film-maker, activist of the surrealist movement. Known for his one-liner, “Thank God I’m an atheist.”^[30]
Richard Burton (1925–1984): Welsh actor.^[31]
Kari Byron (1974–): American television host and artist.^[32]^[33]
Peter Caffrey (1949–2008): Irish actor.^[34]
James Cameron (1954–): Canadian film director.^[35]
Richard Carleton (1943–2006): Current affairs journalist.^[36]
George Carlin (1937–2008): American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author.^[37]^[38]^[39]
Adam Carolla (1964–): American comedian, actor, author, radio host, and podcaster. Regularly refers to himself as an atheist.^[40]^[41]
Jimmy Carr (1972–): English comedian, author, actor, and presenter of radio and television.^[42]
Asia Carrera (1973–): Former American pornographic actress.^[43]
Matthew Chapman (1950–): English journalist, screenwriter, and director.^[44]
Jeremy Clarkson (1960–): English journalist and broadcaster.^[45]
Scott Clifton (1984–): American soap opera actor.^[46]
Billy Connolly (1942–): Scottish comedian, actor, former musician.^[47]
Jim Cornette (1961–): American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker.^[48]
Sir Noël Coward (1899–1973): English actor, playwright, and composer of popular music.^[49]
David Cronenberg (1943–): Canadian film director, one of the principal originators of the ‘body horror‘ genre.^[50]
Mackenzie Crook (1971–): English actor and comedian.^[51]
David Cross (1964–): American actor, writer.^[52]
Adrianne Curry (1982–): American model, television host, and film actress.^[53]
John Davidson (1941–): American singer, actor, and game show host.^[54]
Alan Davies (1966–): English comedian, writer, and actor.^[55]
Russell T Davies (1963–): Welsh television producer and writer.^[56]
Terence Davies (1945–): English screenwriter, film director, actor, and novelist.^[57]
William B. Davis (1938–): Canadian actor.^[58]
Guillermo del Toro (1964–): Mexican director and screenwriter.^[59]
Andrew Denton (1960–): Australian comedian and television host.^[60]
Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992): German-born American actress, singer and entertainer.^[61]
Phyllis Diller (1917–2012): American actress and comedian.^[62]
Stanley Donen (1924–): American film director.^[63]
Natalie Dormer (1982–): English film and television actress.^[64]
John Doyle (1953–): Australian comedian, actor, and writer.^[65]
Christopher Eccleston (1964–): English stage, film, and television actor.^[66]
David Edgar (1948–): British playwright.^[67]
Sergei Eisenstein (1898–1948): Soviet Russian film director and film theorist.^[68]^[69]^[70]
Ben Elton (1959–): English comedian, writer and director.^[71]^[72]
Frances Farmer (1913–1970): American film, television, and theater actress.^[73]^[74]
Diane Farr (1969–): American actress.^[75]
Harvey Fierstein (1952—): American actor, playwright, and screenwriter.^[76]
Brian Flemming (1966–): American film director and playwright, notable for his 2005 film The God Who Wasn’t There.^[77]
Dave Foley (1963–): Canadian actor.^[78]
Peter Fonda (1940–): American actor.^[79]
Sir Denis Forman (1917–2013): British Director (1949–1954) and later Chair (1971–1973) of The British Film Institute, Chairman and Managing Director of Granada Television, and Director of the Royal Opera House in London.^[80]
Jodie Foster (1962–): American film actress, director, and producer.^[81]
Nick Frost (1972–): English actor, comedian, and writer.^[82]
Stephen Fry (1957–): British humourist, writer, actor, and filmmaker.^[83]^[84]
Ricky Gervais (1961–): British actor, film and TV director, screenwriter, producer, and comedian.^[85]^[86]
Paul Giamatti (1967–): American film and television actor.^[87]
Ira Glass (1959-): American radio personality and host of This American Life. He has stated that he is a staunch atheist.^[88]
Theo van Gogh (1957–2004): Dutch film director, television producer, publicist, and actor, murdered following the broadcasting of his anti-Islamic film Submission.^[89]
Bobcat Goldthwait (1962–): American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director.^[90]
Dan Gordon (1961–): Northern Irish actor, director and author. Calls himself agnostic.^[91]
Richard E. Grant (1957–): British actor.^[92]
Seth Green (1974–): American actor and comedian.^[93]
Peter Greenaway, CBE (1942–): Welsh-born English film director.^[94]
Sasha Grey (1988–): Former American pornographic actress.^[95]
Kathy Griffin (1960–): American actress and comedian.^[96]^[97]
Rachel Griffiths (1968–): Australian film and television actress.^[98]
Shenae Grimes (1989–): Canadian actress.^[99]
Kamal Haasan (1954–): Indian film actor and film director.^[100]^[101]^[102]
Paul Haggis (1953–): Canadian born, American citizen screenwriter and producer for consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners, 2004’s Million Dollar Baby and 2005’s Crash, the latter of which he also directed.^[103]^[104]
Brian Hall (1937–1997): English actor.^[105]
Tony Hancock (1924–1968): British actor and comedian.^[106]
Sir David Hare (1947–): English dramatist and theatre and film director.^[107]
Nina Hartley (1959–): American pornographic actress, film director, author, and sex educator.^[108]
Amber Heard (1986–): American film and television actress.^[109]
Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003): American actress.^[110]
Werner Herzog (1942–): German film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and opera director.^[111]
Kenny Hotz (1973–): Canadian comedian, filmmaker, actor, producer, director and photographer.^[112]
John Humphrys (1943–): Welsh journalist, author and radio and television presenter. Prefers the term agnostic.^[113]^[114]
John Huston (1906–1987): American film director and actor.^[115]
Jamie Hyneman (1956–): American visual effects expert.^[116]
Eric Idle (1943–): British comedian.^[117]
Eddie Izzard (1962–): British comedian.^[118]^[119]
Clive James AM (1939–): Australian expatriate author, poet, critic, memoirist, travel writer, and cultural commentator.^[120]
Derek Jarman (1942–1996): English film director, stage designer, diarist, artist, gardener and author.^[121]
Penn Jillette (1955–): American magician.^[122] He has also taken the Blasphemy Challenge.
Alejandro Jodorowsky (1929–): Chilean-French filmmaker, playwright, actor, author, comic book writer and spiritual guru.^[123]
Dom Joly (1967–): Award-winning British television comedian and journalist.^[124]
Sarah Kane (1971–1999): English playwright.^[125]
Skandar Keynes (1991–): English actor.^[126]
Rajeev Khandelwal (1975–): Indian television actor.^[127]
Margot Kidder (1948–): Canadian American film and television actress.^[128]
Larry King (1933–): American radio and television host.^[129]
Michael Kinsley (1951–): American political journalist, commentator, and television host.^[130]
Jerzy Kawalerowicz (1922–2007): Polish film director.^[131]
Keira Knightley (1985–): English actress and model.^[132]
Jan Kott (1914–2001): Polish theatre theoretician and critic.^[133]
Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999): American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and editor whose films include 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining.^[134]
Burt Lancaster (1913–1994): American film actor.^[135]
Elsa Lanchester (1902–1986): English-born American actress. Atheism is mentioned in her autobiography.^[136]
John Landis (1950–): American film director.^[137]
Fritz Lang (1890–1976): Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor.^[138]^[139]^[140]
Charles Laughton (1899–1962): English-born American actor. Atheism is mentioned in his wife’s autobiography.^[136]
Hugh Laurie OBE (1959–): English actor, comedian and writer.^[141]
Nigella Lawson (1960–): English journalist, food writer, broadcaster, and television presenter.^[142]
Bruce Lee (1940–1973): martial artist, actor and philosopher. John Little states that Lee was an atheist. When asked in 1972 what his religious affiliation was, Lee replied “none whatsoever.”^[143]^[144] Also in 1972, when asked if he believed in God, he responded, “To be perfectly frank, I really do not.”^[143]^[144]
Tom Leykis (1956–): American radio talk-show host.^[145]
Robert Llewellyn (1956-): English actor, TV presenter, comedian, and writer. Also a skeptic and science enthusiast, and has expressed that his major pseudoscientific irritations are astrology and climate change denial.^[146]^[147]
Rebecca Lord (1973–): French pornographic actress.^[148]
Kevin Macdonald (1967–): Scottish director.^[149]
Seth MacFarlane (1973–): Creator, animator, executive producer, actor and writer.^[150]^[151]
Bill Maher (1956–): American comedian, author, political satirist and television host.^[152]^[153]
John Malkovich (1953–): American actor, producer, and director.^[154]
Stephen Mangan (1972–): English actor.^[155]
Paul Mazursky (1930–2014): American director, producer, and actor.^[156]
Sylvester McCoy (1943–): Scottish actor.^[157]
John McCririck (1940–): English television horse racing pundit.^[158]
Ian McDiarmid (1944–): Scottish theatre actor and director.^[159]
Sir Ian McKellen (1939–): English stage and screen actor.^[160]
Butterfly McQueen (1911–1995): American actress.^[161]
Stephen Merchant (1974–): British actor and writer.^[162]^[163]
George Meyer (1956–): American television producer and writer.^[164]
Dame Helen Mirren (1945–): English stage, television and film actress.^[165]
Warren Mitchell (1926–2015): English actor.^[166]
Julianne Moore (1960–): Actress.^[167]^[168]
Dylan Moran (1971–): Irish comedian.^[169]
Dermot Morgan (1952–1998): Irish comedian and actor.^[170]^[171]
Sam Mulvey (1977–): Seattle-Tacoma radio personality. Host of “ask an atheist” radio program airing Sundays at 3 pm on KLAY 1180 am in Tacoma.
Cillian Murphy (1976–): Irish stage and screen actor.^[172]
Jonathan Myerson (1960–): British television and radio dramatist.^[173]
Akkineni Nageswara Rao (1924-2014): Indian actor, producer, Padmavibhushan award recipient.^[174]
Thandie Newton (1972–): English actress.^[175]
Mike Nichols (1931–2014): American television, stage and film director, writer, and producer.^[176]
Gaspar Noé (1963–): Argentinian-born French filmmaker.^[177]
Dara Ó Briain (1972–): Irish comedian and television presenter.^[178]
Patton Oswalt (1969–): American comedian and actor.^[179] In his standup special No Reason To Complain, he calls himself a “stone-cold atheist.”
Yasujirō Ozu (1903–1963): Japanese film director and script writer.^[180]
Ellen Page (1987–): Canadian actress.^[181]
Sir Michael Parkinson CBE (1935–): English broadcaster and journalist.^[182]
Bruce Parry (1969–): English former Royal Marines instructor.^[183]
Julia Pascal (1949–): British Jewish playwright and theatre director.^[184]
Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922–1975): Italian film director, poet, writer and intellectual.
Simon Pegg (1970–): English actor, comedian, writer, film producer and director.^[185]
Sam Perrin (1901–1998): American screenwriter.^[186]

Julia Phillips (1944–2002): film producer and author.^[187]
Joaquin Phoenix (1974–): American film actor.^[188]
Brad Pitt (1963–): American actor and producer, has stated that he does not believe in God, and that he is partly atheist, partly agnostic.^[189]
Michael Pitt (1981–): American actor and musician.^[190]
Roman Polanski (1933–): Polish director. Describes himself as an atheist in his autobiography.
Sarah Polley (1979–): Canadian actress and director.^[191]
Gail Porter (1971–): Scottish television presenter.^[192]
Peter Purves (1939–): English actor and television presenter.^[193]
Daniel Radcliffe (1989–): English actor.^[194]
Carl Reiner (1922–): American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian.^[195]
Rob Reiner (1947–): American actor, film director, producer, and political activist ^[196]
Griff Rhys Jones (1953–): Welsh comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter.^[197]^[198]
Anna Richardson (1971–): English presenter, television producer, writer, and journalist.^[199]
Fyfe Robertson (1902–1987): Scottish television journalist.^[200]
Gene Roddenberry (1921–1991): American screenwriter and producer.^[201]
Richard Rodgers (1902–1979): American composer.^[202]
Seth Rollins (1986–): American professional wrestler and actor. ^[203]^[204]
Ray Romano (1957–): American actor, writer and stand-up comedian.^[205]
Pascual Romero (1980–): American musician and television producer.^[206]
Andy Rooney (1918–2011): Humorist, American radio and television writer.^[207]
Roberto Rossellini (1906–1977): Italian film director and screenwriter.^[208]
Douglas Rushkoff (1961-): American media theorist, writer, columnist, lecturer, graphic novelist, documentarian, and outspoken critic of religion.^[209]
Adam Savage (1967–): American television co-host.^[210]
Alan Scarfe (1937–): Canadian actor, director and novelist.^[211]
George C. Scott (1927–1999): American stage and film actor, director, and producer.^[212]
Ridley Scott (1937–): English film director and producer.^[213]
Andy Serkis (1964–): English actor and director.^[214]^[215]
Elyse Sewell (1982–): American fashion model.^[216]
Léa Seydoux (1985–): French actress.^[217]
Don Siegel (1912–1991): American film director and producer.^[218]
Sarah Silverman (1970–): American comedian, writer and actress.^[219]
Marc Sinden (1954–): English Theatre producer and actor.^[220]
Tarsem Singh (1961–): Indian-American director.^[221]
Ian Smith (1938–): Australian soap opera character actor and television scriptwriter.^[222]
Matt Smith (1982–): English actor.^[223]
Dan Snow (1978–): English television presenter and historian.^[224]
Stellan Skarsgård (1951–): Swedish actor.^[225]^[226]
Steven Soderbergh (1963–): American filmmaker, director.^[227]
Todd Solondz (1959–): American screenwriter and independent film director.^[228]
Doug Stanhope (1967–); American comedian.^[229]
David Starkey CBE (1945–): English historian, television and radio presenter.^[230]
Juliet Stevenson (1956–): English actress.^[231]
Matt Stone (1971–), co-creator of South Park.^[232]^[233]
J. Michael Straczynski (1954–): American writer and producer.^[234]
Sir Alan Sugar (1947–): English entrepreneur, businessman, and television personality.^[235]
Julia Sweeney (1959–): American actress, comedian, and author.^[236]
Paul Taylor (1930–): American choreographer.^[237]
Teller (1948–): American magician.^[238]
Emma Thompson (1959–): English actress, comedian, and screenwriter.^[239]
François Truffaut (1932–1984): French filmmaker and film critic.^[240]^[241]
Wendy Turner Webster (1967–): English TV presenter and animal rights campaigner.^[242]
Tom Tykwer (1965–): German film director.^[243]
Brian Tyler (1978–): American film composer ^[244]
Kenneth Tynan (1927–1980): British theatre critic and writer.^[245]
Ram Gopal Varma (1962–): Indian film director, writer, and film producer.^[246]
Wynford Vaughan-Thomas CBE (1908–1987): Welsh newspaper journalist and radio and television broadcaster.^[247]
Paul Verhoeven (1938–): Dutch film director, screenwriter, and film producer.^[248]
Paolo Villaggio (1932–): Italian actor, writer, director, and comedian.^[249]
Joss Whedon (1964–): American screenwriter and director.^[250]
Lalla Ward (1951–): English actress and illustrator.^[251]
Orson Welles (1915-1985): American actor, director, writer, and producer.^[252]
Peter White (1947–): English broadcast journalist and DJ.^[253]
Gene Wilder (1933–2016): American actor.^[254]
Robyn Williams (1944–): Australian science journalist and broadcaster.^[255]
Ted Willis (1914–1992): British television dramatist, also politically active in support of the Labour Party.^[256]
Terry Wogan KBE DL (1938–2016): Irish radio and television broadcaster.^[257]

List of atheists in music

A

Larry Adler (1914–2001): American harmonica player.^[1]
Mikael Åkerfeldt (1974-): Swedish musician, prominently known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of progressive death metal band Opeth.^[2]
Javed Akhtar (1945–): Indian lyricist, poet and scriptwriter.^[3]
Steve Albini (1962–): American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer, and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac.^[4]
Eric Avery (1965–): American musician and is the bass player for the rock band Jane’s Addiction.^[5]

B

Roy Bailey (1935–): British socialist folk singer.^[6]
Brian Baker (1965–): American guitarist and bassist for punk bands such as Bad Religion, Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Samhain, Junkyard, The Meatmen and Government Issue.^[7]
Jack Black (b. 1969): American actor, comedian, musician and producer.^[8]^[9]^[10]
Georges Bizet (1838–1875): French composer. His final work, Carmen, became one of the most popular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertory.^[11]^[12]
Björk (1965–): Icelandic singer-songwriter, producer, fashion model, and actress.^[13]
Jacques Brel (1929–1978): Belgian singer-songwriter.^[14]
Isaac Brock (1975–): American singer, guitarist, banjoist, and songwriter for the indie rock band Modest Mouse.^[15]
Chico Buarque (1941–): Brazilian singer, composer, poet and writer, one of the most famous of MPB.^[16]
Geoffrey Burgon (1941–2010): British composer notable for his television and film themes.^[17]
Mike Burkett (1967–): (a.k.a. Fat Mike) American bassist and vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX. Many of their lyrics include atheist views.^[18]
Henry Burstow (1826–1916): English shoemaker, singer and bellringer from Horsham, Sussex, best known for his vast repertoire of songs, many of which were collected in the folksong revival of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.^[19]
Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924): Italian composer, pianist, teacher of piano and composition, and conductor.^[20]

C

Vic Chesnutt (1964–2009): American singer-songwriter.^[21]
Eddie Collins (1981–): (a.k.a. Greydon Square) African-American hip hop artist.^[22]
Chris Corner (1974–): English musician, co-founder and former leader singer of 90s trip-hop group Sneaker Pimps. Now performing as IAMX.^[23]
Wayne Coyne (1961–): American rock musician, lead singer of The Flaming Lips.^[24]
Jonny Craig (1986–): Post-hardcore singer-songwriter, poet, lead vocalist for Emarosa and co-leader for Isles & Glaciers.^[25]

D

Kim Deal (1961–): American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist and backup vocalist of the alternative rock band the Pixies, and the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Breeders.^[26]
Frederick Delius CH (1862–1934): Noted English composer.^[27]
Marina Diamandis (1985–): Welsh singer-songwriter and musician.^[28]
King Diamond (1956–): Danish heavy metal singer.^[29]
Ian “Dicko” Dickson (1963–): English-born music industry and television personality in Australia, best known as a judge on the television shows Australian Idol and The Next Great American Band.^[30]
Ani DiFranco (1970–): Singer, guitarist, and songwriter.^[31]^[32]
Beth Ditto (1981–): American vocalist with the band Gossip.^[33]

E

Electroboy (1974–): Swiss musician and model.^[34]
Brian Eno (1948–): English electronic musician, music theorist and record producer, known as the father of modern ambient music.^[35]

F

Fenriz (1971–): Norwegian drummer and lyricist for the two-piece black metal band Darkthrone.^[36]
Wil Francis (1982–): American rock musician and poet, lead singer of the post-hardcore band Aiden and the electronic rock project William Control ^[37]

G

Madonna Wayne Gacy, (1964–): Long time keyboardist of the band Marilyn Manson.^[38]
Bob Geldof, (1951–): Irish singer/songwriter, organized the Live Aid and Live 8 charity concerts.^[39]
Aviv Geffen (1972-): Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, and guitarist.^[40]
David Gilmour CBE (1946–): English guitarist, songwriter and vocalist of Pink Floyd.^[41]^[42]
Dave Godin (1936–2004): English champion of African-American music who coined the term ‘Northern soul‘.^[43]
Angela Gossow (1974-): German vocalist, best known as the former lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.^[44]
Greg Graffin (1964–): Lead singer of the punk rock band Bad Religion. Received his zoology PhD with the thesis Monism, Atheism and the Naturalist Worldview: Perspectives from Evolutionary Biology.^[45]^[46]
Percy Grainger, (1882–1961): Australian-born composer and pianist.^[47]
David Gray (1968–): English Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter who came to prominence with his multi-platinum selling album White Ladder.^[48]
Barney Greenway (1969-): British extreme metal vocalist, who has been a member of Napalm Death, Extreme Noise Terror, and Benediction.^[49]

H

Kathleen Hanna (1968–): Lead singer of Le Tigre and Bikini Kill.^[50]
Jeff Hanneman (1964–2013): American guitarist, a founding member of the thrash metal band Slayer.^[51]
Roy Harper (1941–): English rock / folk singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for his longtime associations with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and for his guest lead vocals on Pink Floyd‘s song “Have a Cigar“.^[52]
Angel Haze (1991–) American rapper and singer ^[53]
Paul Heaton (1962–): English singer-songwriter, leading member of The Housemartins and The Beautiful South.^[54]
Anthony Heilbut (1940–): American record producer of gospel music and writer, a Grammy Award winner and noted for his biography of Thomas Mann.^[55]
Chris Holmes (1958–): Heavy metal guitarist, best known as founding member of W.A.S.P..^[56]
George Hrab (1971–): American rock & funk musician & podcaster.^[57]

J

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928): Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He is considered to rank with Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana, as one of the most important Czech composers.^[58]
Steve Jansen (1959–): English drummer, percussionist, musician, composer, and founding member of new wave band Japan.^[59]
Billy Joel (1949–): American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer.^[60]
Heri Joensen (1973–): Faroese musician, lead singer of the metal band Týr.^[61]

K

Alex Kapranos (1972–): Lead singer of Scottish band Franz Ferdinand.^[62]
Howard Kaylan (1947–): American rock and roll musician, best known as a founding member and lead singer of the 1960s band The Turtles, and as “Eddie” in the 1970s rock band Flo & Eddie.^[63]
Paul Kelly (1955–): Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player.^[64]
Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978): Soviet Armenian composer.^[65]^[66]
Kerry King (1964–): American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the thrash metal band Slayer.^[67]^[68]^[69]
Seun Kuti (1983–): Nigerian Afrobeat musician.^[70]
Linton Kwesi Johnson (1952–): British-based dub poet.^[71]

L

Todd La Torre (1974–): American lead singer for the progressive metal band Queensryche.^[72]
Simon Le Bon (1958–): English lead singer and lyricist of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.^[73]
Geddy Lee (1953–): Canadian singer, bassist and keyboardist of the progressive rock band Rush.^[74]
Tom Lehrer (1928–): American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician.^[75]
György Ligeti (1923–2006): Composer of contemporary classical music.^[76]
Till Lindemann (1963–): Lead singer of the German industrial metal band Rammstein.^[77]
Dave Lombardo (1965–): Cuban American heavy metal drummer, best known for his work with American thrash metal band Slayer.^[51]
John Lydon (1956–): British singer-songwriter and television presenter. Best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols and post-punk band Public Image Ltd.^[78]
Emcee Lynx (1980–): anarchist hip hop musician who identifies as potentially pantheist, agnostic or atheist.^[79]

M

Marilyn Manson (1969–): American musician.^[80]
Shirley Manson (1966–): Lead singer of the British-American alternative rock band, Garbage.^[81]
Ida Maria (1984–): Norwegian rock musician.^[82]
George Marshall-Hall (1862–1915): English-born Australian composer, conductor and professor of music.^[83]
Nick Mason (1944–): English drummer for Pink Floyd.^[84]
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies CBE (1934–2016): English composer and conductor; Master of the Queen’s Music.^[85]
Andy McKee (1979–): American composer and guitarist.^[86]
George Melly (1926–2007): English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer.^[87]
Tim Minchin (1975–): British-Australian comedian, actor, and musician. Many of his songs and beat poems involve Tim’s thoughts on his own atheism and organised religion.^[88]
Vinicius de Moraes (1913–1980): Brazilian composer and poet, best known as one of the first songwriters of bossa nova.^[16]

N

Simon Napier-Bell (1939–): English music producer, songwriter, journalist and author, best known as manager of (among others) The Yardbirds, Marc Bolan, T. Rex and Wham!.^[89]
Randy Newman (1943–): American singer-songwriter, who is known for his distinctive voice, mordant (and often satirical) pop songs and for film scores.^[90]
Gary Numan (1958–): English new wave, synthpop and industrial rock musician.^[91]
Alice Nutter (1962–): British singer and percussionist for Chumbawamba.^[92]
Meshell Ndegeocello (1968–) American musician known for influencing the Neo soul movement.^[93]

P

Charlie Parker (1920–1955): American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is widely considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of his time.^[94]
Richard Patrick (1968–): American singer, songwriter for the band Filter.
Andy Partridge (1953–): English singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the pop/new wave band XTC^[95]
Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953): Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century.^[96]^[97]
Greg Puciato (1980-): lead singer of the band The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Black Queen, and the supergroup Killer Be Killed.^[98]

R

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937): French composer.^[99]
Marc Riley (1961–): British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ.^[100]
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908): Russian Nationalist composer, member of “The Five”, best known for the symphonic suite Scheherazade.^[101]
Richard Rodgers (1902–1979): American composer of the music for more than 900 songs and 40 Broadway musicals, best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.^[102]
Henry Rollins (1961–): American punk/rock musician, author, spoken word performer and actor. When asked “Henry, Do you believe in any form of afterlife or form of “God”? Also, what makes you get up out of bed every morning?” Henry responded- “No. Curiosity/anger.”^[103]
Linda Ronstadt: singer and author of Simple Dreams: a Musical Memoir (2013).^[104]
Ned Rorem (1923–): American composer.^[105]
Anton Rubinstein: Russian pianist, composer and conductor who became a pivotal figure in Russian culture when he founded the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.^[106]

S

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921): French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era.^[107]^[108]
Eric Sams (1926–2004): British musicologist and Shakespeare scholar.^[109]
Fazıl Say (1970): Turkish pianist and composer.^[110]
Anton Seidl (1850–1898): Hungarian conductor.^[111]
Captain Sensible (1955–): singer, songwriter, musician and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned.^[112]
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975): Russian composer and pianist.^[113]
Robert Smith (1959–): British musician, songwriter, singer and guitarist of the band The Cure.^[114]
Donita Sparks (1963–): American vocalist, guitarist and song-writer with her band Donita Sparks and The Stellar Moments and co-founder of grunge band L7.^[115]
Wayne Static (1965–2014): Frontman for industrial metal band Static-X.^[116]
Oliver Sykes (1986–): Vocalist of British metalcore band Bring Me the Horizon.^[117]

T

Richard Thomas (1964–): British musician, writer, and comedy actor, best known for composing and scoring the award-winning Jerry Springer – The Opera.^[118]
Tracey Thorn (1962–): English pop singer and songwriter, best known as one half of the duo Everything but the Girl.^[119]
Sir Michael Tippett OM (1905–1998): English composer, regarded as one of the greatest of the 20th century.^[120]
Frank Turner (1981–): English folk/punk singer-songwriter.^[121]^[122]

V

Edgard Varèse (1883–1965): Franco-American composer and pioneer of electroacoustic music.^[123]
Eddie Vedder (1964–): lead singer and lyricist of the band Pearl Jam.^[124]
Caetano Veloso (1942–): Brazilian singer-songwriter, musician. Best known for his participation in the tropicalia movement.^[16]

W

Roger Waters (1943–): English rock musician; singer, bassist, guitarist, songwriter and composer, best known for his career with Pink Floyd.^[125]
Pete Wernick (1946–): American bluegrass banjo player and songwriter.^[126]
Jerry Wexler (1917–2008): American music journalist and producer, regarded as one of the major record industry players behind music from the 1950s through the 1980s, coiner of the term rhythm and blues.^[127]
Mark White (1961–): Bassist of the American alternative rock band Spin Doctors.^[128]
Earl Wild (1915–2010): American classical pianist, considered a leading virtuoso of his generation.^[129]
Steven Wilson (1967-): English musician and record producer, most associated with the progressive rock genre.^[130]

X

Iannis Xenakis (1922–2001): Greek composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He pioneered the use of mathematical models in music such as applications of set theory, stochastic processes and game theory and was also an important influence on the development of electronic music.^[131]^[132]^[133]

Z

Frank Zappa (1940–1993): American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer, and film director.^[63]^[134]

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