The Best Gospel Singers and Groups (Top 100)

Gospel music is one of the oldest forms of music. With its origins being traced back as far as the 17th century, Gospel singers have preached the words of the good book for centuries and are making some of the best gospel and Christian songs of 2018. Gospel singers for a long time had to sing without musical accompaniment outside of clapping and stomping – black gospel music has a strong tradition of using the human hands and feet as instruments. More recently, these hymns and songs feature the same strong harmonies, but also organs to tambourines to electric guitars. Beginning in the 1920s and 1930s, gospel artists became some of the most popular singers in the world. The best gospel singers are wildly popular in the Christian community are closely associated with other Christian singers. Today, within the Christian community, gospel singers are as, if not more popular than Christian rock bands, which is saying a lot.

So, who are the best gospel singers? Any list of gospel artists has to include male gospel singers like Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, BeBe Winans, and Fred Hammond, as well as female Christian singers like CeCe Winans, Yalonda Adams and Shirley Caesar. These gospel singers are considered some of the best in the genre and it’s with good reason that they’re at or near the top of this poll. The best gospel artists are well represented on this list and with good reason. When you think of Christian singers and gospel artists, you should be able to use this list as a great point of reference.

Some Nigerian gospel singer made it to this list, gospel acts such as Sinach, Nathaniel Bassey, Frank Edwards and St. Chika.

1 Donnie McClurkin
Genres: Hymn, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music

2 Kirk Franklin
Genres:Christian hip hop, Urban contemporary gospel

3 Fred Hammond
Genres: Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music

4 Marvin Sapp
Genres: Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music

5 Yalonda Adams

6 CeCe Winans
Genres: Pop music, Hymn, Contemporary worship music

7 Shirley Caesar
Genres: Gospel music

8 Mahalia Jackson
Genres: Gospel music

9 John P. Kee
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Gospel music

10 Andraé Crouch
Genres: Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music

11 Marvin Winans
Genre: Gospel music

12 BeBe & CeCe Winans
Genre: Pop music, Contemporary Christian music, Urban contemporary gospel

13 Israel Houghton
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music

14 Karen Clark Sheard
Genre: Contemporary Christian music, Urban contemporary gospel, Rhythm and blues

15 Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
Genre: Gospel music

16 BeBe Winans
Genre: Adult contemporary music, Pop music, Rhythm and blues

17 Kurt Carr
Genre: Contemporary worship music, Gospel music

18 Chris Tomlin
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music

19 Deitrick Haddon
Genre: Pop music, Electronic dance music, Urban contemporary gospel

20 Don Moen
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music

21 Youthful Praise
Genre: Gospel music

22 Sinach

23 Kim Burrell
Genre: Jazz

24 Tasha Cobbs

25 Twinkie Clark
Genre: Gospel music

26 Dottie Peoples

27 LeCrae
Genre: Hip hop music, Christian hip hop, Gangsta rap

28 God’s Property
Genre: Gospel music

29 Albertina Walker
Genre: Gospel music

30 Darlene Zschech
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music

31 David Phelps
Genres: Christian music, Southern Gospel, Gospel music

32 Five Blind Boys of Alabama
Genres: Gospel music, Blues

33 Daryl Coley
Genres: Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music

34 Ron Kenoly
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music

35 William McDowell

36 Frank Edwards

37 James Moore

38 Sandi Patty
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music

39 Jason Crabb
Genres: Christian music, Southern Gospel

40 Michael W. Smith
Genres: Christian music, Pop music, Contemporary Christian music

41 The Crabb Family
Genres: Christian music

42 Larnelle Harris
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music

43 Vestal Goodman
Genres: Southern Gospel

44 Sohyang
Genres: Contemporary Christian music

45 Cathedral Quartet
Genres: Christian music, Southern Gospel

46 Michael English
Genres: Christian music, Pop music, Contemporary Christian music

47 Kari Jobe
Genres: Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music, Country

48 The Hoppers
Genres: Southern Gospel

49 Keith Green
Genres: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Rock and roll

50 Jake Hess
Genres: Southern Gospel

51 Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Genre: Christian music, Southern Gospel

52 Gold City
Genre: Christian music, Southern Gospel

53 Thomas A. Dorsey
Genre: Gospel music, Blues

54 The Blackwood Brothers
Christian music, Southern Gospel

55 Nathaniel Bassey
Genre: Contemporary Worship, Nigerian Junglebeat-Rock Worship, Rock

56 Jerry Butler & The Impressions
Genre: Rhythm and blues, Soul music, Gospel music

57 The Happy Goodman Family
Genre: Southern Gospel

58 Elvis Presley
Genre: Christian music, Pop music, Rock music

59 J. D. Sumner
Genre: Southern Gospel, Gospel music

60 George Beverly Shea

61 Babbie Mason

62 Andy Mineo
Genre: Christian hip hop

63 Jessy Dixon
Genre: Christian music, Rhythm and blues, Gospel music

64 Kathy Troccoli
Genre: Christian music

65 The Talleys
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Southern Gospel

66 Lee Williams and The Spiritual QC’s

67 The Martins
Genre: Contemporary Christian music, Southern Gospel

68 Marion Williams
Genre: Christian music, Gospel music

69 Brian Courtney Wilson
Genre: Urban contemporary, Contemporary Christian music

70 The Rambos
Genre: Christian music, Southern Gospel

71 The Florida Boys

72 The Inspirations
Genre: Southern Gospel

73 Matt Redman
Genre: Christian music, Pop music, Contemporary worship music

74 Planetshakers
Genre: Christian rock,Contemporary Christian music,Contemporary worship music

75 Barrett sisters

76 Carter Family
Genre: Country

77 Kirk Talley
Genre: Southern Gospel, Gospel music

78 The LeFevres
Genre: Southern Gospel

79 The McKameys
Genre: Southern Gospel

80 Tamika Patton
Genre: Gospel/Soul/Jazz

81 Damita

82 Damita Jo DeBlanc

83 The Chuck Wagon Gang
Genre: Bluegrass, Southern Gospel

84 The Andrews Sisters
Genre: Girl group, Swing music, Boogie-woogie

85 ESTHER EDWARD
Genre: GOSPEL

86 David Crowder Band
Genre: Electronic music, Contemporary worship music, Folk rock

87 Damita
Genre: gospel music

88 The Perrys

89 Lincoln Brewster
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary worship music, Contemporary Christian music

90 St. Chika

91 LaKisha Jones
Genre: Pop music, Contemporary R&B, Rhythm and blues

92 Mighty Elohim
Genre: Gospel Rap/ Hip Hop – Eternal Bangers!

93 Deborah Fraser

94 Bridget Blucher

95 Marshall Hall

96 Kitty Wells
Genre: Nashville sound, Honky-tonk, Gospel music

97 The Lewis Family
Genre: Bluegrass, Gospel music

98 Lisa Bevill
Genre: Christian music, Contemporary Christian music, Gospel music

99 Gayla Earlene
Genre: Christian music, Gospel music, Country

100 Darrell Evans
Genre: Christian music

Written by Donatus Nwaogu.