1

Chuck Berry

Image: Provincial Archives of Alberta

Let’s begin with the man known as the "Father of Rock and Roll." To label Chuck Berry as a pioneer would definitively misrepresent the legacy of this amazing musician; Berry was almost solely responsible for introducing the key elements that would eventually define rock music.

Songs like "Maybellene," "Roll Over Beethoven," and "Johnny B. Goode" influenced countless musicians through the ages. Legendary artists like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones famously covered some of his songs, while Bob Dylan once defined Berry as "the Shakespeare of Rock n’ Roll."

2

Bruce Springsteen

Image: Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez

Up next, we have a boss that anyone would love to have in their office. Bruce Springsteen is undoubtedly one of New Jersey’s favorite sons. Known as "The Boss," Springsteen has dazzled the American public since his first album in 1973, earning a myriad of awards and recognitions in the process, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Known for his insane charisma and distinctive voice, Springsteen has performed with his iconic "E Street" band since 1972. Rolling Stone magazine has described him as "the embodiment of rock and roll" and included him in its list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

3

Jimi Hendrix

Image: Aditya Wardhana

Can the ‘60s be summarized by one musician? Many believe they can even summarized by one performance: Jimi Hendrix’s jaw-dropping rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock. In a way, this legendary guitarist embodies the innovation and freedom that characterize this era, but make no mistake: Hendrix’s contributions to rock and roll can’t be limited to a single decade. Suffice it to say that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame considers him to be "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music."

Born in Seattle, Hendrix showed interest in music from an early age. He bought his first guitar at age 15 and practiced daily, imitating the styles of blues musicians like B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf. While he sadly passed away at age 27, his legacy continues to live on in every single one of his amazing songs.

4

Elvis Presley

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Chuck Berry might have been the "Father of Rock and Roll," but Elvis Presley was this genre’s undisputed "King." This musician’s legacy is as timeless and eternal as his songs are, earning him a well-deserved spot among America’s most beloved pop culture icons. Just think of all the countless Elvis impersonators around the world to realize how iconic Elvis’s music and style were.

Elvis received his first guitar at the age of 7. Little did anyone know that this birthday gift would be the first step in a meteoric musical career. From his amazing dance moves to his unbelievable charisma, Elvis will forever be remembered as an American icon.

5

Tom Petty

Image: Samuel Ramos

In the 1980s, when Tom Petty joined the musical supergroup "The Traveling Wilburys," he stood shoulder to shoulder with juggernauts like Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Roy Orbison. While Petty was relatively a newcomer when he joined what many believe to be the biggest supergroup in history, time would prove that he had what it takes to become one of the most memorable rock stars in history.

According to the man himself, Petty’s love for rock 'n' roll first started when he met Elvis Presley at age 10. This love for music would eventually lead him to form his most iconic band, "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers," with which he performed for almost 40 years.

6

Jon Bon Jovi

Image: Simon Weisser

It takes talent to make your last name synonymous with rock 'n' roll, but John Francis Bongiovi Jr., better known as Jon Bon Jovi , was able to turn his last name into the name of one of the most groundbreaking bands of the ‘80s.

Born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Jon formed Bon Jovi when he was still in his teens, quickly rising to fame and becoming an undisputed rock star. While he is still very much active in music, he has also built a very successful acting career, appearing in TV shows like Sex and the City and The West Wing .

7

Jim Morrison

Image: Markus Spiske

Take it to the world of rock 'n' roll to produce a nickname like "the Lizard King" to describe one of the most emblematic vocalists of the '70s. Regardless of whether there was someone who could pull off such a strange nickname, it was Jim Morrison . In fact, this singer chose the nickname himself, as it perfectly described both his fascination with reptiles and Native American culture.

Morrison’s deep voice and magnetic persona were among the main reasons behind The Doors' rise to prominence, quickly making them the first American band to achieve eight consecutive Gold LPs. While his life was unfortunately cut short at the age of 27, his songs, poetry, and journals will forever celebrate the Lizard King’s legacy.

8

Prince

Image: DJ Johnson

Prince's first live band was called "The Revolution," and we believe that this is one of the most aptly named bands in history. After all, this Minneapolis-born musician brought forward a revolutionary and fresh take on music, fashion, and art in general. Known for his amazing falsetto voice and flamboyant persona, Prince is considered to this day one of the very best musicians in history.

You would think that such a flashy and daring musician would take a more ostentatious stage name, but Prince Rogers Nelson performed under his first name throughout his entire career. Actually, that’s not entirely true: while in the midst of a contractual dispute, he performed as " The Artist Formerly Known as Prince " for approximately a decade.

9

Steven Tyler

Image: Matt Botsford

Steven Tyler might have the nickname that every rock singer probably covets: known as "the Demon of Screamin’," Aerosmith’s frontman is recognized for his powerful voice and vast vocal range.

Tyler has been at the helm of Aerosmith since its beginning in Boston in the early ‘70s, producing such hits as "Dream On" and "Walk This Way." While the band is currently on hiatus due to Steven injuring his vocal cords, Aerosmith still hopes to return to performing soon.

10

Kurt Cobain

Image: Panos Sakalakis

The '90s introduced the world to a new take on rock music: for many, grunge was the quintessential sound of this decade, characterized by its raw and angry tone. In that sense, there’s no band that represents the '90s better than Nirvana, and this legacy is in no small part due to Kurt Cobain.

Known for his scruffy yet powerful voice, Cobain led this iconic trio since its inception in 1987. While his untimely death deprived the world of his incredible talent, his legacy still lives on in amazing songs like "Smells like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are."

1

Levi Strauss

Image: Eric Prouzet

Although his name will forever be associated with American business pioneers, Levi Strauss was not born in the United States. That's right! The inventor of the iconic blue jeans was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1829. In 1847, he came to America along with his siblings in search of new opportunities, settling in New York. Eventually, he moved to San Francisco, where his famous company would be founded.

2

Irving Berlin

Image: Sandra Grünewald

While he can be considered one of the most American of Americans, Irving Berlin was actually born in Russia. That's right; the legendary composer and lyricist was born in 1888 in what was then the Russian Empire, and his family immigrated to the US when he was just a child. How lucky for us! Can you imagine life without classics like "White Christmas," "God Bless America," and "There's No Business Like Show Business"? Neither can we!

3

Alexander Graham Bell

Image: Carlos Eduardo

Although he became a naturalized US citizen in 1882, Alexander Graham Bell was born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He arrived in the United States in 1871, where he worked as a teacher and researcher. It was in America, in 1876, that he made his most famous invention: the telephone.

4

Elizabeth Taylor

Image: Color Crescent

Elizabeth Taylor, our Cleopatra, wasn't born in the United States. As you probably know, she saw the world for the first time in England in 1932 and moved to America in 1939, just before World War II started. But here's an important detail: Her parents were American! So, she was a US citizen from birth; she just happened to be born overseas.

5

Alfred Hitchcock

Image: Usha Kiran

Yes, Alfred Hitchcock was born in England, but we probably wouldn't have had the pleasure of enjoying cinema classics like Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963) if he hadn't come to live and work in America. Although he was already a successful director in his home country, Hitchcock decided to come to the United States in 1939, drawn by the promise of Hollywood's growing film industry.

6

Audrey Hepburn

Image: Paige Johnson

Although she became an American citizen in the 1950s and won our hearts on the big screen, the legendary Audrey Hepburn was actually born in 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. In 1945, she settled in England, where she began taking ballet classes and started landing modeling and acting roles. Finally, in 1951, she came to America to star in the Broadway production of Gigi .

7

Isaac Asimov

Image: Phillip Glickman

Science fiction as we know it wouldn't be the same without the incredible work of Isaac Asimov. However, we may never have had the opportunity to enjoy his brilliant writing if his family hadn't immigrated to America. Asimov was born in 1920 in Petrovichi, Russia. His parents decided to move in 1923, just a year after the Soviet Union was established. At only 3 years old, he arrived in the US, and by the age of 8, he was a full American citizen.

8

Charles Chaplin

Image: Mimi Di Cianni

The unforgettable Charlie Chaplin was born in London in 1889. Before he turned 20, he arrived in the US as a young performer with a vaudeville company. Here, he found fame and became a global icon of silent film. Surprisingly, even after living and working here for over 40 years, he never officially became an American citizen, but Americans embraced him wholeheartedly all the same.

9

Albert Einstein

Image: WikiImages

Albert Einstein, one of the most famous scientists in the world, was born in Germany. And he chose to be American! He was born in Ulm, Germany, on March 14, 1879, and later became a US citizen in 1940.

His first trip to America was in 1921, when he came to New York as a renowned scientist. Then, in 1933, he returned for good and accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where his former house still stands.

10

Joseph Pulitzer

Image: Jorien Loman

Joseph Pulitzer revolutionized the press in America and around the world, but before becoming a renowned US citizen, he lived in Hungary, the place where he was born in 1847. At the age of 17, he left Europe in search of greater opportunities and arrived in the US in 1864. Here, he went on to become a pioneering journalist and newspaper publisher, even giving his name to the prestigious awards honoring excellence in journalism and the arts.

1

The Pillsbury Doughboy

Image: Dan Depew, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

You only need to see a tiny bit of his fluffy body to recognize him: Poppin’ Fresh, better known as the Pillsbury Doughboy, is a global star. The Pillsbury Company created him in 1965, and over the decades, he has appeared in hundreds of commercials and on all kinds of merchandise. Now, 60 years later, his cute image is still familiar to Americans everywhere. He’s even part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

2

Tony the Tiger

Image: SqueakyMarmot from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our childhood memories include a character who was and still is right there at the breakfast table. We're talking about Tony the Tiger, the beloved mascot of Frosted Flakes. Introduced in 1952 by Kellogg’s, many of us grew up with him and watched him become a cereal icon. And of course, no one can forget his iconic catchphrase: "They’re grrrreat!"

3

The Energizer Bunny

Image: Jazz Guy from New Jersey, United States, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Style, attitude, energy: The Energizer Bunny has it all. With his signature sunglasses, drum, and flip-flops, this bunny first appeared in 1989 as a parody of the Duracell bunny, and he quickly grew far beyond Energizer batteries. In fact, he became a symbol of vitality and nonstop energy, so much so that when someone can’t sit still, they’re often compared to this bunny. You know, he just keeps going and going and going.

4

Mr. Clean

Image: JESHOOTS.COM

His style is unmistakable: that celebrity tan, bald head, bright white eyebrows, and even a cool earring. Of course! It’s Mr. Clean, the magical helper who shows up when stains get stubborn. Procter & Gamble introduced him in 1958, and he quickly became more than just the face of a product; he is a full character with his own personality and identity, deeply tied to the idea of household cleaning.

5

Mr. Monopoly

Image: Fluffybuns, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

We already talked about Mr. Clean, but there’s another Mister who is just as famous, if not more: Mr. Monopoly. While we all know him by that name today, he originally had a much funnier one: "Rich Uncle Pennybags." His mustache and top hat are unmistakable, and his fame has long transcended the Monopoly game, turning him into a visual symbol of wealth and capitalism in pop culture.

6

The Jolly Green Giant

Image: greefus groinks, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Green Giant Company introduced its giant mascot in 1928, and he quickly became synonymous with frozen vegetables across America. The Jolly Green Giant originally had a somewhat intimidating look, but a later redesign turned him into the friendly, smiling giant everyone knows and loves today. Decades of TV commercials, packaging, toys, and pop-culture references made him famous even among people who don’t buy the products.

7

Mr. Peanut

Image: InOttawa.ca, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

With his classic top hat and monocle, Mr. Peanut is undoubtedly a sophisticated mascot. And since he’s literally a peanut, it’s almost impossible not to think of Planters every time we grab a handful, right? Surprisingly, despite his excellent condition, Mr. Peanut is over 100 years old, having been introduced in 1916.

8

Mickey Mouse

Image: Brian McGowan

If there’s one truly world-famous mascot, it’s definitely Mickey Mouse. His round ears, white gloves, red shorts, and big yellow shoes are so familiar that most of us could sketch them from memory. Mickey started as a character but quickly became the unmistakable icon of Disney. Over time, he even transcended the brand itself, appearing in all kinds of products, commercials, shows, and parades, becoming a symbol of childhood around the world.

9

Colonel Sanders

Image: Marques Thomas

Every time you see this face, you instantly crave fried chicken. That’s the magic of the iconic Colonel Sanders, who is much more than a mascot. He was a real person, the founder of KFC. Because of that, his face has become so familiar to Americans that he feels almost like a father figure. His fame is so strong that KFC often doesn’t even need the brand name; the Colonel’s friendly face says it all.

10

Geico Gecko

Image: Roland Balik, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The GEICO Gecko is so famous that seeing any lizard instantly brings him to mind. This friendly character has been tied to the brand since 1999, and the idea for him came from people mispronouncing "GEICO" as "gecko." Over the years, he has become a celebrity, so recognizable that he doesn’t even need the brand name for people to know exactly who he is.