There’s no doubt that Jews have left their mark on music—and continue to do so. But you might be surprised by my list of the coolest pop culture Jewish musical celebs of all time.

BOB DYLAN:
One way to describe Bob Dylan’s notable five-decade career is metamorphic, ranging from introspective folk singer of a generation to brilliant rock star of the drug era. As a songwriter, he pioneered several different schools of pop songwriting, from confessional singer-songwriter to winding, hallucinatory stream-of-conscious narratives. He broke down the notions that, in order to perform, a singer had to have a conventionally good voice, thereby redefining the role of vocalist in popular music. As a musician, he sparked several genres of pop music, including electrified folk-rock. And that just touches the tip of his achievements. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Dylan No. 2 on the list of “Greatest Artists of All Time,” second only to the Beatles. Personally, my favorite Dylan songs are on his Blonde on Blonde album.

BILLY JOEL:
Billy Joel has Broadway sass with chart-topping pop music hits, such as his albums Piano Man and Glass Houses. This singing-songwriting piano man’s music will always be in style, whether taking the form of rock, new wave, hard-edged dance fare, ‘60s nostalgia or political statement. He is the sixth best-selling recording artist in the U.S., winning six Grammy Awards and selling over 150 million albums worldwide. He was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.

LENNY KRAVITZ:
Lenny Kravitz, the hot African-American Jew with tattoos, defines the words “rock star.” He is unique in that he successfully mixes a retro approach with contemporary innovation. Personally, my favorite Lenny Kravitz album is Are You Gonna Go My Way. He truly wears his influences as proudly as he flaunts his mirrored specs. His musical style is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix and his songwriting talents have been compared to John Lennon. Songs like “My Love” and “Sugar” find in their relative simplicity an honest optimism about love relationships and sex. On Let Love Rule, Kravitz plays almost every instrument himself, including guitars, bass, organ and drums.

ADAM LEVINE:
Adam Levine, funk man, lead singer and guitarist for Maroon 5, is one sexy Jew. Some of his musical style like a Jewish, sensual version of John Lennon, with Prince-like erotic lyrics. His tenor voice is sultry and sensitive and is influenced by Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers and Al Green. Maroon 5’s debut album, Songs About Jane, sold over 10 million copies. Their sophomore release, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 429,484 copies in its first week. Maroon 5 is the winner of five Grammy Awards. This L.A. bad boy was born to rock!

AMY WINEHOUSE:
Amy Winehouse is the sultry, seductive vixen with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. Although this British-rocker Jew is known for her problems with alcohol and drugs, people need to remember what a striking songwriter she is and what an original style she has—not to mention she can belt out an amazing pop song. Her latest release, Back to Black, received six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the record for the most wins by a female artist in one night and becoming the first British singer to win five Grammy Awards.

BEASTIE BOYS:
The Beastie Boys are one of the longest-lived hip-hop acts, and they still enjoy commercial and critical success more than 20 years after the release of their debut album. In 2007, they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They’re definitely Jewtastic with albums like Licensed to Ill. All band members are New York Jews. Similar to Run-DMC, they match the grandeur of heavy-metal guitar and rap. Personally, Paul’s Boutique is my favorite Beastie Boys album. The song “Hey Ladies” illustrates their lyrical genius and shows off their talents as music producers using quirky acoustics. They are known for their eclecticism, kitschy lyrics and jocular attitudes.

GENE SIMMONS:
Gene Simmons sky-rocketed to rock-star fame with his trademark ghoulish black-and-white painted face and serpent-like tongue as the lead singer of the biggest heavy-metal band of the 1970s. Simmons was born in Israel with the name “Chaim Witz.” He moved to Brooklyn at 9 years old with his mother, a Holocaust survivor. Simmons is a shrewd businessman, credited as the driving force behind transforming KISS into a mega-merchandising machine. 

SIMON and GARFUNKEL:
This list would be totally incomplete without these two legendary Jew-boy musicians. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are among the most popular recording artists of the 1960s, and are best known for their songs “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Simon and Garfunkel are also famous for their perfect harmonies and profound lyrics. They have received several Grammy Awards and are inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

DAVID BOWIE:
David Bowie is probably the most surprising rocker on this list. Bowie discusses his Jewish ancestry on one of his albums (his mother is Jewish but his father is not). His real name is David Stenton Haywood-Jones, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of pop music. Bowie has influenced the direction of popular music several times and flavored several generations of musicians with glam-rock, art-rock and the very notion of the self-mythologized, larger-than-life rock star. Bowie’s breakthrough came with The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Spiders from Mars.

PAULA ABDUL:
Paula Abdul is a multi-faceted pop-tastic star: She’s a Grammy Award-winning singer, American Idol judge, dancer, Emmy Award-winning choreographer and actress. Originally trained as a dancer, Paula had little singing experience before recording her 1988 hit Forever Your Girl. The album sold seven million copies thanks to catchy hooks, perky bubble gum-funk arrangements and glossy videos that displayed Abdul’s true strengths: her stylish, high-energy dance techniques. As a practicing Jew, Abdul is proud of her Jewish heritage. She has said: “Not many people know, but both my parents are Jewish. I am very excited about telling you this.”

Michele Pinczuk is a teen journalist who freelances for several publications, including The New York Times. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area. Michele loves New York and Saturday Night Live. Her role models are Gilda Radner, Golda Meir, her grandmom, mom and Aunt Sylvia. She’s also a member of the JVibe Teen Advisory Board.