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Allan Holdsworth

Jazz Fusion / Progressive Rock·Music·established·United Kingdom
WELL LOVED
Quality and recognition well-matched
LISTENERS
210
YT SUBS
18K
CHAMPIONS
0

Allan Holdsworth was an English jazz-rock/fusion guitarist and violinist from Bradford, West Yorkshire, celebrated for his innovative and virtuosic playing style. He performed with Soft Machine, U.K., The Tony Williams Lifetime, Pierre Moerlen's Gong, Bruford, Level 42, and Planet X, in addition to a solo career, until his death in 2017 at age 70.

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NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS (6)
  • Widely regarded by peers and critics as a revered, virtuosic guitarist (per NYT and NPR obituaries)
  • Released Metal Fatigue (1985) on Warner Bros.
  • Posthumous catalog release 'The Nineteen Men of Tain' (2022) under 'Allan Holdsworth's Legacy' on Apple Music
  • Eddie Van Halen personally lobbied Warner Bros. Records to sign him, resulting in a two-album deal circa 1983
  • Collaborated with Jean-Luc Ponty
  • Member of influential fusion/prog bands including Soft Machine, U.K., The Tony Williams Lifetime, Pierre Moerlen's Gong, Bruford, Level 42, and Planet X
WHAT FANS SAY (2)

it sounds like hes just choosing random chords or notes sometimes, but thats what i used to think about many artists i like quite a lot currently, maybe in the future i will understand all the praise i see for him

Last.fm user · lastfm

Bro, I don't feel convinced that he was technically the best, but the guy who explored the "mystery" of hamony and tonality in his music. Like, he never tried to be a machine while playing, he missed on while improvising and focused in a strange and sometimes etheral, heavy and abstract

Last.fm user · lastfm
SIMILAR ARTISTS (5)
FREQUENTLY ASKED (5)
Q:Is Allan Holdsworth underrated?

Allan Holdsworth has a Quality-to-Fame Gap Score of 26 out of 100. they have notable achievements including widely regarded by peers and critics as a revered, virtuosic guitarist (per nyt and npr obituaries).

Q:What genre is Allan Holdsworth?

Allan Holdsworth works in Jazz Fusion / Progressive Rock originating from United Kingdom (Bradford, West Yorkshire). As a music artist at the "established" level, Allan Holdsworth has a Wikipedia presence and is categorized within the broader Jazz Fusion scene. They are signed to a major label.

Q:How many monthly listeners does Allan Holdsworth have?

Allan Holdsworth has approximately 210 monthly listeners on Spotify. They also have 18K YouTube subscribers. This places them in the niche tier — a small but dedicated fanbase.

Q:Who are similar artists to Allan Holdsworth?

Fans of Allan Holdsworth often also enjoy Frank Zappa, John McLaughlin, Shawn Lane, Greg Howe, Jean-Luc Ponty. These artists share common ground in the Jazz Fusion space and/or the United Kingdom music scene. If you appreciate Allan Holdsworth's approach to jazz fusion / progressive rock, these artists offer similar qualities.

Q:Why isn't Allan Holdsworth more famous?

With a Gap Score of 26/100, Allan Holdsworth's artistic quality significantly exceeds their current level of recognition (established). Contributing factors: with 210 monthly listeners, they haven't yet crossed the algorithmic threshold where streaming platforms begin recommending them organically.

Allan Holdsworth — WELL LOVED | WHYNOTFAMOUS