Elon Musk names his greatest musician of all time, compares him to Shakespeare

Elon Musk has put his opinion firmly on the table: Johann Sebastian Bach is, in his words, the greatest musician who has ever lived.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO took to X on October 20, 2026, to share the bold declaration.

Elon Musk wrote: "Johann Sebastian Bach is the Shakespeare of music. Best there ever was."

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) was a German composer and organist whose catalogue spans more than 1,000 works, among them the Brandenburg Concertos, the Well-Tempered Clavier, and hundreds of sacred cantatas.

Scholars and musicians have long credited him as a cornerstone of Western classical music, particularly for his command of counterpoint, harmony, and musical structure.

A significant portion of his output was composed during his tenure as cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where he wrote new music almost every week for church services.

The comparison to Shakespeare is not a new impulse for Elon Musk. As far back as 2023, he had described Bach as "the best ever," named him alongside David Bowie as a personal favourite, and singled out pieces such as Bach's Air for praise.

His latest post simply reinforces a preference he has held publicly for years. Check out Elon Musk's X post praising Johann Sebastian Bach below:

Johann Sebastian Bach is the Shakespeare of music. Best there ever was.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2026