# The greatest stand-up comedians of all time

The stand-ups that keep coming up at the top of the big rankings (Rolling Stone's 50 Best Stand-Up Comics, Paste's 50 Greatest) and in comedians' own picks, with the special or album that defines each one.

- 171 votes · 22 items
- May 14, 2021 · Cameron Elliott
- https://even.best/en/l/350/the-greatest-stand-up-comedians-of-all-time

## Top 20

1. **Richard Pryor** (17 · ▲18 ▼1) — No. 1 for Rolling Stone; «Live in Concert» (1979) is often called the greatest stand-up film ever made. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Pryor>
2. **Chris Rock** (14 · ▲14 ▼0) — «Bring the Pain» (1996) and «Kill the Messenger» (2008), sharp social commentary at full volume. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rock>
3. **Mort Sahl** (14 · ▲14 ▼0) — The first modern political stand-up, newspaper in hand, on the cover of Time in 1960. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mort_Sahl>
4. **George Carlin** (12 · ▲12 ▼0) — Fourteen HBO specials and the «Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television» routine (1972). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Carlin>
5. **Lenny Bruce** (9 · ▲10 ▼1) — The 1950s-60s pioneer who fought obscenity trials and opened the door for everyone after him. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenny_Bruce>
6. **Dave Chappelle** (8 · ▲8 ▼0) — «Killin' Them Softly» (2000) and his Netflix specials; winner of the Mark Twain Prize in 2019. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Chappelle>
7. **Joan Rivers** (6 · ▲7 ▼1) — «Can we talk?» Five decades of fearless stand-up, from the Tonight Show in 1965 onwards. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Rivers>
8. **Jerry Seinfeld** (6 · ▲6 ▼0) — The master of observational comedy; «I'm Telling You for the Last Time» (1998). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Seinfeld>
9. **Robin Williams** (5 · ▲7 ▼2) — Pure improvised energy; «Live at the Met» (1986). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Williams>
10. **Eddie Murphy** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — «Delirious» (1983) and «Raw» (1987), the highest-grossing stand-up film for decades. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Murphy>
11. **Andy Kaufman** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — Anti-comedy pioneer: Mighty Mouse lip-sync, Foreign Man and wrestling women. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Kaufman>
12. **Steven Wright** (4 · ▲5 ▼1) — Deadpan one-liners; his album «I Have a Pony» (1985) was nominated for a Grammy. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Wright>
13. **Mitch Hedberg** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — Surreal one-liners delivered half-asleep; «Strategic Grill Locations» (1999). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_Hedberg>
14. **Norm Macdonald** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — Shaggy-dog stories and the legendary moth joke; «Me Doing Standup» (2011). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Macdonald>
15. **Steve Martin** (3 · ▲6 ▼3) — The arena-filling absurdist of the 1970s; «A Wild and Crazy Guy» (1978) won a Grammy. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Martin>
16. **Bill Hicks** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — Angry, philosophical and ahead of his time; «Relentless» (1992). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hicks>
17. **Moms Mabley** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — Pioneering stand-up who started on the Chitlin' Circuit in the 1920s and became one of the first women to headline the Apollo.
18. **Bill Burr** (2 · ▲5 ▼3) — The modern king of the rant; «You People Are All the Same» (2012) and «Walk Your Way Out» (2017). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Burr>
19. **Albert Brooks** (2 · ▲5 ▼3) — The comedian's comedian; «Comedy Minus One» (1973) and «A Star Is Bought» (1975). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Brooks>
20. **Billy Connolly** (2 · ▲4 ▼2) — The Big Yin from Glasgow, a master storyteller on stage for more than 50 years. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Connolly>
21. **Kevin Hart** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — «Laugh at My Pain» (2011) and the first comedian to headline a sold-out NFL stadium (2015). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Hart>
22. **Rodney Dangerfield** (0 · ▲2 ▼2) — «I don't get no respect!» He opened his own comedy club in 1969, where many future stars started. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Dangerfield>

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.