Composer Timeline

Known as "The Red Priest", master of the Baroque concerto

Master of counterpoint and the height of Baroque composition

Master of opera and oratorio, creator of Messiah

Master of ground bass and word painting

Pioneer of the trio sonata and harmonic clarity

Transition from Renaissance to Baroque

Father of the Symphony and String Quartet

Child prodigy and master of every musical genre

Bridged Classical and Romantic eras, revolutionary composer

Virtuoso violinist and symphonic innovator

Pioneer of the Empfindsamer Stil

Founder of the Mannheim School

The "London Bach", galant style master

Early Romantic master and Bach revivalist

Master of the Lied (art song)

Poet of the piano

Romantic composer and music critic

Revolutionary opera composer, creator of "total artwork"

Master of ballet and orchestral color

Master of developing variation

Virtuoso pianist and pioneer of thematic transformation

Pioneer of programme music and orchestration

Master of nationalism in music

Father of Czech music

Master of monumental symphonies

Late Romantic symphonist and existential explorer

The "African Mahler"

Father of musical Impressionism

Revolutionary modernist, changed music forever

Master orchestrator and impressionist

Inventor of twelve-tone serialism

Expressionist opera master

Master of concision and serialism

Folk music researcher and modernist

Member of Les Six, sacred and secular master

Neo-classical innovator

Bridge between classical and jazz

Pioneer of minimalism and phasing techniques

Minimalist master of repetition

Post-minimalist innovator

Creator of tintinnabuli style

Neo-minimalist and post-classical pioneer

Film music innovator

Father of jazz improvisation

Master of big band color

Bebop revolutionary

Master of dissonance and angular melodies

Pioneer of modal jazz and fusion

Master of extended harmony and spiritual jazz

Jazz fusion pioneer

Pioneer of rock and roll

Studio innovation and songwriting perfection

Girl group pioneers of the Wall of Sound

Folk-rock poet and voice of a generation

Queen of Soul

Motown vocal harmony masters

Folk-rock pioneers with jangly guitars

Surf rock harmonizers and studio innovators

Blues-rock power trio

Godfather of Soul and funk inventor

Progressive rock complexity masters

Founders of heavy metal

Soul and funk innovator

Psychedelic and progressive rock conceptualists

Theatrical rock opera masters

Disco kings with falsetto harmonies

Disco sophistication and groove masters

Punk rock revolutionaries

Punk rock pioneers

Hard rock powerhouse

King of Pop

Synth-pop innovators

Grunge explosion leaders

Grunge with metal complexity

Grunge with classic rock roots

Britpop anthemic rock

Britpop art-rock sophisticates

Psychedelic Britpop dreamers

Alternative rock pioneers

Chameleon of rock, master of character and timbre

Multi-instrumental genius and funk master

Experimental rock pioneers

Princess of Pop

R&B girl group trailblazers

Master of motivic complexity in musical theatre

Master of the mega-musical and leitmotif

Bridge between classical and Broadway

Disney Renaissance composer