Artists’ significance in the music industry and other areas allowed them to receive honorific names that range from father or mother of a genre when the figures are the pioneers; to royal titles such as king and queen when the celebrity is a dominant figure in a field.
It is believed that patterns of naming figures for their contributions popularized in the 1930s and 1940s with jazz and swing music. Later it transferred to rock and roll in the 1950s and continued in other genres, including soul, pop, Latin pop, Bachata, and more.
Today, whether alive or deceased, thanks to their popularity and ability to move the masses, sell out millions of records, concert tickets, and merchandise, singers have secured their honorific nicknames through their positive impact on music.
Let the below be your go-to guide when you need to find your favorite musician’s nickname in popular music.
Aaliyah
Princess of R&B and Queen of Urban Pop
© GettyImagesPaula Abdul
Dance/Dancing Queen
© GettyImagesRoy Acuff
King of Country Music
© GettyImagesAdele
British Queen of Soul
© Courtesy of NBCChristina Aguilera
Princess of Pop
© @xtinaLouis “Satchmo” Armstrong
King of Jazz
© GettyImagesAshanti
Princess of Hip Hop and Soul
© GettyImagesErykah Badu
Queen of Neo-Soul
© GettyImagesJ Balvin
Prince of Reggaeton
© GettyImagesChuck Berry
Father of Rock and Roll
© GettyImagesBeyoncé
Queen of 21st Century Pop and Queen of R&B
© GettyImagesJustin Bieber
Prince of Pop and King of Teen Pop
© GettyImagesMary J Blige
Empress of Soul and Queen of R&B
© GettyImagesKurtis Blow
King of Rap
© GettyImagesBoA
Queen of K-Pop
© GettyImagesBrandy
Princess of R&B
© GettyImagesJames Brown
Godfather of Soul
© GettyImagesMariah Carey
Queen of R&B and Songbird Supreme
© GettyImagesCher
Goddess of Pop, Empress of Pop, Queen of Reinvention and Queen of Comebacks
© GettyImagesKelly Clarkson
The Original American Idol, Pop Princess and Queen of Covers
© GettyImagesCelia Cruz
Queen of Salsa
© GettyImagesDaddy Yankee
King of Reggaetón
© GettyImagesDoja Cat
Pop-rap Queen
© DojaCatMissy Elliott
Beat Slayer, First Lady of Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop Goddess, and Hip-Hop Heavyweight
© GettyImagesLali Espósito
Queen of Argentine Pop
© @lalioficialGloria Estefan
Queen of Latin Pop
© GettyImagesVicente Fernández
King of Ranchera
© GettyImagesAretha Franklin
Queen of Soul
© GettyImagesG-Dragon
King of K-Pop
© GettyImagesJuan Gabriel
King of Latin Pop
© GettyImagesLady Gaga
Mother Monster, Queen of Pop, and Princess of Pop
© GettyImagesGloria Gaynor
Queen of Disco
© GettyImagesSelena Gomez
Dance-Pop Princess, Pop Princess, and Queen of Breakup Songs.
© Selena GomezAriana Grande
Princess of Pop, Queen Of Halloween, and Pop Diva Supreme.
© GettyImagesWhitney Houston
The Voice, Queen of Pop, Prom Queen of Soul, and Pop Princess.
© GettyImagesJennifer Hudson
The Princess of Soul and America’s Dreamgirl.
© GettyImagesEnrique Iglesias
King of Latin Pop
La India
The Princess of Salsa
© GettyImagesJanet Jackson
Princess of Pop, Queen of Pop, Queen of R&B, and Queen of Radio.
© GettyImagesMichael Jackson
King of Pop and The Gloved One.
© GettyImagesJay-Z
King of Rap, and King of New York.
© GettyImagesJanis Joplin
Queen of Rock and Roll
© GettyImagesJosé José
The Prince of Song
© GettyImagesAlicia Keys
Queen of R&B
© GettyImagesChaka Khan
Queen of Funk
© GettyImagesGladys Knight
Empress of Soul
© GettyImagesQueen Latifah
Hip-Hop’s First Lady
© GettyImagesPatti LaBelle
Godmother of Soul and High Priestess of Good Vibrations.
© GettyImagesAvril Lavigne
Pop-Punk Queen, Pop Rock Princess, and Punk Rock Princess.
© InstagramHector Lavoe
El Cantante de los Cantantes
© GettyImagesJennifer Lopez
Queen of Las Vegas
© @lacarba @jloDemi Lovato
Tween Princess, and Pop Princess.
© GettyImagesMadonna
Queen of Pop
© GettyImagesRicky Martin
King of Latin Pop, Latin King of Pop, Latin Music King, Latin Pop God, Puerto Rican Pop King, Crossover Latin King, and King of World Cup.
© @worldjunkies/ @rickymartinLuis Miguel
The Sun of Mexico
