If you want to know who was the first musician knighted for just their music contributions, the answer is Cliff Richard. Though not very well-known in the U.S., Britannica explains that he was Britain’s first rock star, considered the “British Elvis Presley.” Billboard states that he’s one of the best-selling musical artists of all time in the U.K. Per Britannica, he’s had more than 100 hits in Britain, beginning with 1958’s “Move It.” Richard was backed by a group called The Shadows. He also had some success as an actor in “clean teen” films like “The Young Ones” (1961) and “Summer Holiday” (1962). The Beatles’ popularity slowed him down a little, but not completely. His career continued into the 21st century.
Per Billboard, he was knighted on Oct. 25, 1995. Although he was born in India, he is a British citizen, so he can be called Sir Cliff. Later in life, he moved to Barbados and gained Barbadian citizenship as well (via The Daily Telegraph). However, he wasn’t the first-ever knighted musician.
