Honorific nicknames in popular music

Honorific nicknames in popular music are terms used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often religious, familial, or (most frequently) royal and aristocratic titles, used metaphorically. Honorific nicknames were used in classical music in Europe even in the early nineteenth century, with figures such as Mozart being called "The father of modern music" and Bach "The father of modern piano music".^[1] They were also particularly prominent in African-American culture in the post-Civil War era, perhaps as a means of conferring status that had been negated by slavery,^[2] and as a result entered early jazz and blues music, including figures such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie.^[3]

In U.S. culture, despite its republican constitution and ideology,^[4] honorific nicknames have been used to describe leading figures in various areas of activity, such as industry, commerce, sports, and the media; father or mother have been used for innovators, and royal titles such as king and queen for dominant figures in a field.^[5][6] In the 1930s and 1940s, as jazz and swing music were gaining popularity, it was the more commercially successful white artists Paul Whiteman and Benny Goodman who became known as "the King of Jazz" and "the King of Swing" respectively, despite there being more highly regarded contemporary African-American artists.^[7]

These patterns of naming were transferred to rock and roll when it emerged in the 1950s. There was a series of attempts to find (and a number of claimants to be) the "King of Rock 'n' Roll", a title that became most associated with Elvis Presley.^[8] This has been characterized as part of a process of the appropriation of credit for innovation of the then new music by a white establishment.^[9] Different honorifics have been taken or given for other leading figures in the genre, such as "the Architect of Rock and Roll", by Little Richard from the 1990s,^[10] but this term, like many, is also used for other important figures, in this case including pioneer electric guitarist Les Paul.^[11]

Similar honorific nicknames have been given in other genres, including Aretha Franklin, who was literally crowned "Queen of Soul" by disk jockey Pervis Spann on stage in 1968.^[12] Michael Jackson and Madonna have been closely associated with the terms "King and Queen of Pop" since the 1980s.^[13][14][15] Some nicknames have been strongly promulgated and contested by various artists^[16] and occasionally disowned or played down by their subjects.^[17] Some notable honorific nicknames are in general usage and commonly identified with particular individuals.

Individual titles

A

American singer Aaliyah is known as the "Princess of R&B".

American singer Christina Aguilera is known as "The Voice of a Generation".

American trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong is known as the "King of Jazz".

B

American singer and activist Harry Belafonte has been called the "King of Calypso".

American singer Beyoncé is frequently referred to as "Queen Bey".

American singer Chris Brown has been referred to as the "King of R&B".

South Korean singer BoA is referred to as the "Queen of K-pop".

American musician James Brown was known as the "Godfather of Soul".

American singer Ruth Brown has been referred to as the "Queen of R&B".

C

Renowned for her vocal range, American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey is known as the "Songbird Supreme", and "the Queen of Christmas".

American entertainer Cher is referred to as the "Goddess of Pop".

English rock and blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Eric Clapton is widely known as "God".

Cuban singer Celia Cruz is referred to as the "Queen of Salsa".

D

Canadian singer Céline Dion is known as the "Queen of Power Ballads".

American rapper and record producer Dr. Dre has been called the "Father of G-Funk".

American singer Bob Dylan has been called the "Crown Prince", "King" or "God" of Folk, "the King of Folk-Rock", "the Jester" and especially for his catalog of protest songs encompassing the Vietnam War, Civil Rights and American politics: "the Voice of a Generation".

E

American rapper Eazy-E has been dubbed the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap"

American rapper Eminem has gone by multiple honorifics, such as "King of Hip-Hop", "King of Rap" and "Rap God"

F

American singer Ella Fitzgerald is known as the "Queen of Jazz" and "America's First Lady of Song".

American singer Aretha Franklin is known as the "Queen of Soul".

G

South Korean singer G-Dragon has been referred to as the "King of K-pop".

American singer Lady Gaga has been called "Princess of Pop".

Philippine entertainer Sarah Geronimo, widely known as "Popstar Royalty".

American clarinetist Benny Goodman is known as the "King of Swing".

H

Pakistani singer-songwriter Nazia Hassan was known as "the Queen of South Asian Pop Music".

Renowned for her vocal ability, American singer Whitney Houston is referred to as "The Voice".

American singer Jennifer Hudson has been referred to as the "Princess of Soul".

I

J

American singer Mahalia Jackson is known as the "Queen of Gospel".

American singer and entertainer Michael Jackson is known as the "King of Pop".

Pakistani singer Noor Jehan was known as the "Queen of Melody".

American composer and pianist Scott Joplin was dubbed the "King of Ragtime".

K

American musician B.B. King is known as the "King of the Blues".

American DJ, record producer and remixer Frankie Knuckles is known as the "Godfather of House".

L

American rapper and singer Lil' Kim is known as the "Queen Bee".

American rapper and singer Little Richard is widely known as the "Architect of Rock and Roll".

American singer Kenny Loggins is known as the "King of the Movie Soundtrack" for his contribution to movies.

English singer Vera Lynn was known as the "Forces' Sweetheart" for her popularity among the armed forces during World War II.

M

American singer-songwriter Madonna is known as the "Queen of Pop".

Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj has been referred to by media outlets as the "Queen of Rap".

Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar is widely acknowledged as the "Queen of Melody" & "Voice of the Millennium".

Jamaican musician Bob Marley is known as the "King of Reggae".

Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin has been referred to as the "King of Latin Pop".

American singer-poet-songwriter Jim Morrison, lead vocalist of the Doors, was nicknamed "the Lizard King" for his obsession of lizards and wild personality

Vietnamese singer Mỹ Linh is known as the "Vietnam's Queen of R&B" and the "Queen of Spring".

N

American singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks has been called the "Queen of Rock and Roll".

O

English singer Ozzy Osbourne has been identified as the "Godfather of Heavy Metal" and the "Prince of Darkness".

P

Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti has been identified as the "King of the High C's".

American singer Elvis Presley is known as the "King of Rock and Roll".

American musician Prince has been referred to as "The Artist", "The Purple One" and "His Royal Badness".

Q

Milly Quezada, a Dominican singer is known as the "Queen of Merengue"

R

American singer Smokey Robinson has been called the "King of Motown"

Pakistani singer Ahmed Rushdi, known as "Magician of Voice", was the first regular pop singer of South Asia.

S

Filipina singer Lea Salonga is known internationally and in the Philippines as the "Broadway Diva".

American singer-songwriter and poet Patti Smith has been referred to as the "Godmother of Punk".

American singer Britney Spears is known as the "Princess of Pop".

American singer Bruce Springsteen is known by the nickname "The Boss".

American singer Donna Summer is known as the "Queen of Disco".

American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has been referred to as "America's Sweetheart".

T

Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng is regarded as "Asia's eternal queen of pop" and "Asia's singing queen".

Mexican singer Thalía is known as the "Queen of Latin Pop".

English musician Pete Townshend has been referred to as the "Godfather of Punk".

U

Japanese singer Utada Hikaru has been identified as "The Diva of the Heisei period".

V

Filipina singer Regine Velasquez is known as "Asia's Songbird".

W

American singer Martha Wash is most often identified as the "Queen of Clubland".

American singer Dionne Warwick has been referred to as the "Princess of Pop".

British rapper Wiley is known as the "Godfather of Grime".

X

Y

Canadian musician Neil Young is known as the "Godfather of Grunge".

Z

Chinese Singer Jane Zhang also known as the "Dolphin Princess".

Group and collective titles

See also

• Jazz royalty
• Sobriquet
• Teen idol

References