Sound art is a category of artwork whose boundaries are the subject of debate. As such there is contention as to which artists are “sound artists” or if another category might be more accurate (experimental music, electronic music, sound installation, circuit bending, sound sculpture, builder of experimental musical instruments, noise music, acoustic ecology, sound poetry, installation art, performance art, Fluxus, etc.) or if it is possible to be classified in more than one category. [1] [2] [3] [4]
As the category specifically called “sound art” is relatively new and there is no clear definition of the field, it is difficult to justify excluding any artist who uses sound (as opposed to standard definitions of music) and listening as a significant element in their art from this field. Whether or not an artist has achieved sufficient renown is also subjective, as awards, venues, honors, academic positions, showings in major galleries, and other accolades are seldom in the area of sound art, but rather still fall into other categories (visual art, music, design, etc.). Likewise, the published material on sound art (as designated by that particular term) is relatively sparse (and relatively new), so it would be erroneous to depend upon these few publications to define the entire catalogue of sound artists. Scottish artist Susan Philipsz's 2010 British Turner Prize win for her piece 'Lowlands' (overlapping recordings of the artist singing an ancient Scottish lament in three different versions, simply played back over loudspeakers) was seen as a major boost for this relatively new genre (it was the first time a work of sound art won this prestigious prize), and highlighted the genre's blurred boundaries with other, more visual artforms.
It is understood, by this definition, that anyone listed on this page could be contentious. It is advisable to read the artist’s Wikipedia page to determine whether or not they qualify as a sound artist.