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26 Musicians Who Are Taller Than You Expected 

tall musicians mick fleetwood playing the drums
BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 26 :The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band plays on the Crossroads stage at the 2016 Byron Bay Bluesfest. 27th annual Blues and Roots festival. Image from Shutterstock.

All rockers and professional music talents seem larger than life onstage, but some are gigantic – literally (kind of). What are some of the most prominent tall musicians in the industry? 

If you’re interested in learning more about some of the tallest artists, you’re in the right place. From heavy metal rockers to country singers, many artists tower over their counterparts. 

26 Tall Musicians

1. Jim Root

jim root on stage in a plaid shirt looking up
Image from Shutterstock.

Jim Root is one of two guitarists in the band Slipknot, and he also happens to be one of the very tall musicians in the country. Root is 6’6″, though his height still pales in comparison to his successful career as one of the original songwriters and guitarists for the band that created iconic tunes like “Purity.”

2. Thurston Moore

Thurston moore on stage playing guitar
Image from Shutterstock.

Guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of the rock band Sonic Youth Thurston Moore is 6‘6″. His height doesn’t stop him from participating in many other activities outside his profession as an iconic rocker, from running the Ecstatic Peace! record label to work on various solo and group collaborations. 

3. Pete Steele

a band performing on stage
(No licensable photo available) Image from Shutterstock.

The late Pete Steele was a musician with a lengthy career, first creating the thrash metal group Carnivore and heavy metal group Fallout before becoming the bassist, lead vocalist, and composer for the gothic metal band O Negative. Steele’s height is as grand as his fame, towering at 6‘8″.

4. Win Butler

win butler on stage with arcade fire plarying guitar and singing
Image from Shutterstock.

Win Butler is next on our list of tall musicians, boasting a lengthy career as a Canadian singer-songwriter for Arcade Fire along with Josh Deu and Regine Chassagne. Butler is a fantastic 6’4″, which doesn’t make him the tallest on the list but does put him up with some other famous musicians. 

5. Krist Novoselic

the best nirvana songs nirvana nevermind cover image with CD
Image from Shutterstock

6’7″ bassist Krist Novoselic co-founded grunge band Nirvana with Kurt Cobain in 1987 and has since moved on to join other bands like Flipper. He’s also acted in movies like World’s Greatest Dad and composed for films like Black Widow. Interestingly for an artist, he’s an independent in his politics.

Related: 18 Best Nirvana Songs

6. Jared Hasselhoff 

jared hasselhoff posing for a photo with a woman
Image from Shutterstock.

Jared Hasselhoff, more well-known by his nickname “Evil” Jared Hasselhoff, is a TV personality and musician known for his role as the bassist of the rock group Bloodhound Gang. He’s supposedly 6‘5″, though his Instagram reports that he is 6‘3″ and 215 pounds. Either way, he is definitely one of the tall musicians.

7. Corey Parks

a concert with a fan holding their hands in a heart shape
(No licenseable images available) Image from Shutterstock.

Corey Parks is the only female on our list of tallest musicians because it’s rare for women to grow past six feet – but Parks goes beyond that number. The rock and roller and Die Hunns bassist is an impressive 6‘3″, which means she towers over all the Beach Boys members, as well as every member of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame band Led Zeppelin.

8. Paul Gilbert

paul gilbert on stage playing guitar
Image from Shutterstock.

Hard rock and heavy metal artist Paul Gilbert is 6‘4″, which helps him stand out onstage. He’s been in famous bands like Mr. Big, Racer X, and Yellow Matter Custard. 

9. Hannes Van Dahl

the band sabaton performing on stage with pyrotechnics
Image from Shutterstock.

Swedish Musician Hannes Van Dahl is around 6‘2″ – 6‘3″, though reports on his official height vary depending on the source you use. His height is one of the first things you might notice about him, but Dahl is most famous for his role as the drummer of the power band Sabaton. 

10. Ed O’Brien

the band radiohead performing on stage
Image from Shutterstock.

Radiohead rocker Ed O’Brien is next on our list of tall musicians, most recognizable for his role as the singer, songwriter, and guitarist. One of the minds behind mega–hits like “Creep” and “Everything In Its Right Place” is 6‘5″.

11. Long John Baldry

long john baldry sitting in a chair in 1972
Image is in the Public Domain.

Long John Baldry might sound like the name of a pirate, but it’s the musician name of the late 6‘7″ artist and actor John William Baldry. He was one of the first British musicians to bring blues music to clubs and even performed with icons like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles on stage.

Related: Best Early Beatles Songs

12. Snowy Shaw

sweedish rock band mercyful fate performs on stage in costume
Image from Shutterstock.

Not only does Snowy Shaw have a fun name, but he also has an impressive height at an above-average 6‘8″ – making him one of the tallest on our list. Shaw is best known for his role as a Swedish heavy metal musician in many bands, such as Mercyful Fate, Notre Dame, Memento Mori, Dream Evil, and more.

13. Oliver Riedel 

the german heavy metal band Rammstein performing on stage
Image from Shutterstock.

Oliver Riedel is next on our list of the tallest musicians. The German musician is an icon in the country for his time as a bassist for Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. He’s six feet, which only adds to his already intense appearance. 

14. Tom Scholz

a boston record cover with a spaceship on it
Image from Shutterstock.

Tom Scholz is another selection on our list of tall musicians with a different view of the world at 6‘5″. He’s the only remaining band member of Boston, functioning as the main songwriter, founder, keyboardist, primary guitarist, and other instruments for the group. 

Related: 30 Best 70s Songs

15. Blackie Lawless

the band wasp performing on stage
Image from Shutterstock.

Blackie Lawless, real name Steven Edward Duren, is a musician, singer, and songwriter who is best known as a primary singer and guitarist for the group W.A.S.P. He’s 6‘4″ and still going strong, even after an experience with surgery for two herniated discs in his back.

16. Arjen Lucassen 

a band performing on stage
(No licenseable image available) Image from Shutterstock.

Arjen Lucassen is another on our list of tallest musicians and one of the most talented multi-instrumentalists in the metal and rock opera world. The 6‘7″ musician is best known for his time in the Ayreon project and time in the band Vengeance. 

17. Adrian Vandenberg

adrian vandenberg leaning against a graffiti wall
Image from Shutterstock.

Iconic Dutch guitarist Adrien Vandenberg is 6‘6″. He’s had a successful career in bands Whitesnake and Vandenberg, both of which started in the 80s. Vandenberg continues to produce music to this day.

18. Blake Shelton

gwen stefani and her husband blake shelton arriving at an event
LOS ANGELES – AUG 13: Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton at the “Bennett’s War” Los Angeles Premiere at the Warner Brothers Studios on August 13, 2019 in Burbank, CA. Image from Shutterstock.

Country music singer Blake Shelton is next on our list of tall musicians. Though it might not seem like he’s far taller than average, the singer and judge on shows like The Voice is 6 ‘5″, which makes him nearly a foot taller than his singer wife, Gwen Stefani.

Related: 25 Best Blake Shelton Songs

19. Hannes Horma

a band performing on stage in sihlouettes
(No licensable image available) Image from Shutterstock.

Hannes Horma is a musician born in Finland and a former member of a Finnish folk metal band called Turisas. Right now, he is the lead guitarist for a group called Silv and stands at 6‘2″ or more depending on the source. 

20. Danny Carey

fans of the band tool watching a performance
Image from Shutterstock.

American musician and songwriter Danny Carey has been in many bands. While he’s most well-known for being in Too, he’s also famous for participating in bands like Green Jelly and Legend of the Seagullmen. Carey is 6‘5″.

21. Buckethead

slash guitar player of guns n roses on stage playing guitar
Image from Shutterstock.

Buckethead is next on our list of the tallest musicians, rocking as guitarist and multi-instrumentalist for groups throughout his career like Guns N’ Roses, Praxis, Painkiller, and more. Buckethead, also known by his birth name Brian Patrick Carroll, is 6‘6″.

22. Gabor Nagy

a man playing guitar from the back
Image from Shutterstock.

Gabor Nagy is the lead singer of the Hungarian heavy metal band Wisdom, a critically acclaimed band in England with several European tours. Nagy is 6‘7″, which only adds to the intimidating presence the band tries to create with their dark clothes and rocker hair. 

23. Elvis Presley

elvis presley singing on stage in 1973
Elvis Presley in 1973. Image is in the Public Domain.

Elvis Presley died in 1977, but before his death, he was known as one of the tallest musicians of his time. At six feet, he would be average today, but in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, he stood inches above other popular music artists like Frank Sinatra, who was only 5’8″, Louis Armstrong, who was only 5’6″, and Eric Clapton, who is 5’10″.

Related: 10 Best Elvis Movies

24. Snoop Dogg

snoop dogg on the red carpet in a kobe bryant jersey
Image from Shutterstock.

Impressive singer and rapper Snoop Dogg towers over others in the genre at 6’4″. His height isn’t really noticeable unless he is on stage next to another performer like Eminem, who is only 5’8″, or Drake, who says he is six feet, but really only stands an inch taller than Eminem at 5’9.

25. Rob Bourdon

rob bourdon posing for photos with other linkin park band members
Image from Shutterstock.

Most famous for his time with the American rock band Linkin Park, Rob Bourdon is a guitarist known for being the tallest musician in his band. While most of the Linkin Park members stood at 5’9″, Rob is an impressive 6’4. Most bands, however, report that this height difference wasn’t really noticeable at performances like concerts and festivals because of Rob’s placement toward the back of the stage. 

26. Mick Fleetwood

mick fleetwood playing the drums
BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 26 :The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band plays on the Crossroads stage at the 2016 Byron Bay Bluesfest. 27th annual Blues and Roots festival. Image from Shutterstock.

Last on our list of tall musicians is Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac, which might surprise lifelong fans. The “Dreams” drummer is 6‘5″, which is even more impressive at the ripe old age of 76.

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Written by Hope Davis

Long-time music lover Hope became a full-time writer in 2020 after being laid off from her regular job due to COVID-19. She now spends her time traveling the world to see her favorite bands while writing about them!

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