# The 20 Greatest People From Seattle

> Grunge royalty and jazz legends share this list with software billionaires, Broadway stars and an Olympic speed skater. All of them came out of the same rain-soaked city, and most never stopped talking about it.

*By YPB Team · Published October 30, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-20-greatest-people-from-seattle*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Jimi Hendrix** — score 1000/1000
   Seattle-born guitarist widely regarded as the greatest electric guitarist in rock history.
2. **Minoru Yamasaki** — score 862/1000
   Seattle-born architect who designed the original World Trade Center towers.
3. **Sir Mix-a-Lot** — score 731/1000
   Seattle-born rapper behind the Grammy-winning Baby Got Back.
4. **Dyan Cannon** — score 633/1000
   Oscar-nominated actress raised in Seattle, known for Heaven Can Wait and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
5. **Bill Gates** — score 633/1000
   Seattle-born Microsoft co-founder who grew up in the city and attended Lakeside School.
6. **Chris Cornell** — score 632/1000
   Seattle-born singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave, one of grunge's defining voices.
7. **Frances Farmer** — score 632/1000
   Seattle-born 1930s film actress whose turbulent life became a Hollywood legend.
8. **Mary McCarthy** — score 548/1000
   Seattle-born novelist and critic who wrote The Group.
9. **Apolo Ohno** — score 548/1000
   Seattle-born short-track speed skater and eight-time Olympic medalist.
10. **Gypsy Rose Lee** — score 548/1000
   Seattle-born burlesque star whose memoir became the musical Gypsy.
11. **Quincy Jones** — score 448/1000
   Producer of Thriller and 28-time Grammy winner who grew up in Seattle and started out in its jazz clubs.
12. **Fred Couples** — score 448/1000
   Seattle-born golfer who won the 1992 Masters and was world number one.
13. **Bruce Lee** — score 448/1000
   Martial arts icon who studied at the University of Washington, opened his first school in Seattle and is buried there.
14. **Macklemore** — score 448/1000
   Seattle-raised rapper whose Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us topped the charts.
15. **Carol Channing** — score 448/1000
   Seattle-born Broadway star who originated Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
16. **Kenny G** — score 329/1000
   Seattle-born saxophonist and one of the best-selling instrumental artists of all time.
17. **Duff McKagan** — score 329/1000
   Seattle-born bassist of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver.
18. **Jean Smart** — score 329/1000
   Seattle-born actress who won Emmys for Hacks, Frasier and Samantha Who?.
19. **Paul Allen** — score 0/1000
   Seattle-born Microsoft co-founder who later owned the Seahawks and Trail Blazers and founded MoPOP.
20. **Rainn Wilson** — score 0/1000
   Seattle-born actor best known as Dwight Schrute on The Office.

Tags: music, usa, cities, celebrities, seattle