John Legend | |
|---|---|
 Legend in 2022 | |
| Born | John Roger Stephens (1978-12-28)December 28, 1978 (age 46) Springfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Works | |
| Political party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | |
| Website | johnlegend |
Musical artist | |
| Signature | |
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John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally asJohn Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano onLauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything", and performing as an uncredited backing vocalist onJay-Z's "Encore" andAlicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name". He was the first artist to sign with rapperKanye West'sGOOD Music, through which he released his debut studio album,Get Lifted (2004). Preceded by the hit ballad "Ordinary People", the album reached the top ten of theBillboard 200 and receiveddouble platinum certification by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Legend won threeGrammy Awards from eight nominations at the48th Annual Grammy Awards—"Ordinary People" wonBest Male R&B Vocal Performance,Get Lifted wonBest R&B Album, and Legend wonBest New Artist; the album's final single, "So High" (remixed withLauryn Hill), was nominated forBest R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. His second album,Once Again (2006), was met with continued success, supported by the lead single "Save Room". His third album,Evolver (2008), further diversified his sound with other genres; itsfunk-inspired lead single, "Green Light" (featuringAndré 3000), peaked within the top 30 of theBillboard Hot 100 and receiveddouble platinum certification by the RIAA. That same year, Legend released the live albumJohn Legend: Live from Philadelphia (2008), followed by his collaborative album with thePhiladelphia-based hip hop bandRoots,Wake Up! (2010).
Legend's fourth studio album,Love in the Future (2013) was preceded by the hit single "All of Me". Thepopballad yielded his furthest commercial success; it peaked atop theBillboard Hot 100, spent 23 consecutive weeks in the chart's top ten, and receiveddiamond (14× platinum) certification by the RIAA. In 2015, he co-performed withMeghan Trainor on her single "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", which peaked at number seven on the chart. The following year, he released his fifth albumDarkness and Light (2016) and parted ways with GOOD Music. Legend has since releasedA Legendary Christmas (2018),Bigger Love (2020)—which won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album—and his ninth album,Legend (2022).
Throughout his musical career, Legend has won 12 Grammy Awards. In 2007, he won theHal David Starlight Award from theSongwriters Hall of Fame.[2] Legend won theAcademy Award for Best Original Song andGolden Globe Award for Best Original Song for his 2015 single "Glory" (withCommon), which was released for the filmSelma. He won theNAACP'sPresident's Award in 2016.[3][4] InBroadway acting, Legend won aTony Award for co-producing the stage playJitney (2017), and portrayed thetitular character inNBC'sadaptation of the rock operaJesus Christ Superstar (2018). He received aPrimetime Emmy Award nomination for his acting role, and won the award for his role as a producer of the show, making him the first Black male and second youngest recipient of all four of the major American entertainment awards:Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT) in 2018.[5][6] Legend also has served as a vocal coach for the reality competition seriesThe Voice for ten seasons since itssixteenth season in 2019. He became the show's senior coach followingBlake Shelton's 2023 departure. He has served as the Chief Music Officer for the companyHeadspace since 2025.[7]
John Roger Stephens was born on December 28, 1978, inSpringfield, Ohio.[8] He is the second eldest of four children[9][10] of Phyllis Elaine (née Lloyd), a seamstress, and Ronald Lamar Stephens, afactory worker atInternational Harvester.[11][12][13][14] His father was a drummer, while "his mother sang and directed the church choir, and his grandmother was the church organist".[15]
In 2004, Legend stated that his parents were divorced for 12 years before reuniting.[16] Legend washomeschooled by his mother.[17] He began playing the piano at age 4.[18][19] At the age of 7, he performed with his church choir.[20] Because of his academic talent, he skipped two grades.[15]
At the age of 12, Legend enteredNorth High School in Springfield, Ohio,[15] and graduatedsalutatorian.[21] At the age of 15, Legend won a Black History Month essay competition sponsored byMcDonald's, following the prompt "How do you intend to make Black history?" with an essay about how he intended to be a successful musician.[22]
At the age of 16, he enrolled at theUniversity of Pennsylvania inPhiladelphia, where he served as president and musical director of the co-edjazz and popa cappella group, the Counterparts. His lead vocals on the group's recording ofJoan Osborne's "One of Us", written by fellow University of Pennsylvania alumEric Bazilian ofthe Hooters, received critical acclaim, landing the song on the track list of the 1998Best of Collegiate a Cappella compilation CD.[23] Legend was also a member of theSphinx Senior Society, one of Penn's undergraduate senior societies, and Onyx Senior Honor Society. While at Penn, Legend was introduced to American singerLauryn Hill by a mutual friend; Hill hired him to play piano on "Everything Is Everything", a song from her albumThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.[24] He graduatedmagna cum laude with a bachelor's degree inEnglish, with an emphasis onAfrican-American literature in 1999.[25][26]
After graduating from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, Stephens worked as amanagement consultant at theBoston Consulting Group (BCG) and began producing, writing, and recording his own music.[15] He released two albums independently: his self-titled demo (2000) andLive at Jimmy's Uptown (2001), which he sold at his shows. He subsequently began working on ademo tape and began sending his work to various record labels.[17][16]
In 2001,Devo Springsteen introduced Legend toKanye West, a then up-and-coming hip-hop artist; Stephens was hired to co-write or performhooks on several of West's songs. After signing to West'sGOOD Music, Stephens chose his stage name from an idea that was given to him by poetJ. Ivy, due to what he perceived as an "old-school sound". Ivy told Stephens: "I heard your music and it reminds me of that music from the old school. You sound like one of the legends. As a matter of fact, that's what I'm going to call you from now on! I'm going to call you John Legend." After Ivy continued to call him by the new moniker "John Legend", others quickly caught on, including West. Despite Stephens' reluctance to adopt a stage name, he ultimately announced his new artist name as John Legend.[24][27]
Legend released his debut studio album,Get Lifted, throughGOOD Music, in a joint venture withSony BMG'sColumbia Records in December 2004. It featured production fromKanye West,Dave Tozer, andwill.i.am, and debuted at number seven on the USBillboard 200, selling 116,000 copies in its first week.[28] It went on to sell 540,300 copies in the United States and was certifiedgold by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[29][30] An international success,Get Lifted also reached number one on theNorwegian Albums Chart and peaked within the top ten in the Netherlands and Sweden, resulting in worldwide sales of 850,000 copies.[24] Critically acclaimed, it won the 2006Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, and earned Legend another two nominal awards forBest New Artist andBest Male R&B Vocal Performance. Altogether, the album produced foursingles, including debut single "Used to Love U", which entered the top 30 of the New Zealand andUK Singles Chart, and Grammy Award-winning "Ordinary People" which peaked at 24 on theBillboard Hot 100. Legend also co-wroteJanet Jackson's "I Want You", which was certified platinum and received a nomination forBest Female R&B Vocal Performance at the47th Annual Grammy Awards.[31]
Legend was featured on several records in the following years. He appeared on albums byFort Minor,Sérgio Mendes,Jay-Z,Mary J. Blige,the Black Eyed Peas,Stephen Colbert,Rich Boy,MSTRKRFT,Chemistry, andFergie, among others. Legend also tentatively recorded withMichael Jackson on a future album, for which he had written one song.[32] In August 2006, Legend appeared in an episode ofSesame Street, where he performed the song "It Feels Good When You Sing a Song", a duet withHoots the Owl.[33] He also performed during the pregame show ofSuper Bowl XL in Detroit, and the halftime show at the2006 NBA All-Star Game.[34][35]
In October 2006, Legend's second album,Once Again, was released. Legend co-wrote and co-produced the bulk of the album, which saw him returning to work with West, will.i.am and Tozer, as well as other producers includingRaphael Saadiq,Craig Street,Sa-Ra,Eric Hudson,Devo Springsteen, andAvenue.[36] Released to major commercial success, it reached number three on theBillboard 200 and debuted atop theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It has since received platinum certification by theRIAA, and attained gold certification in Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. At the2007 Grammy Awards, the song "Heaven" wonBest Male R&B Vocal Performance, while lead single "Save Room" received a nomination in theBest Male Pop Vocal category. That same night, Legend wonBest R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for his cover of "Family Affair", a collaboration withSly & the Family Stone,Joss Stone andVan Hunt, from the former's remix album,Different Strokes by Different Folks (2005).
In January 2008, Legend sang in a video forBarack Obama, produced bywill.i.am called "Yes We Can".[37] The same year, Legend had a supporting, singing-only role in the 2008 movieSoul Men, where he plays the deceased lead singer of a fictitious soul group that includesSamuel L. Jackson andBernie Mac. In October, he released his third studio album,Evolver.[38] Speaking about the reasons for calling the albumEvolver, he stated: "I think people sometimes come to expect certain things from certain artists. They expect you to kind of stay in the same place you were at when you started out. Whereas I feel I want my career to be defined by the fact that I'm NOT gonna stay in the same place, and that I'm always gonna try new things and experiment. So, as I think this album represents a manifestation of that, I came up with the title 'Evolver'."[39] The album was preceded bydance-pop-influenced up tempo single "Green Light" which featured rapperAndre 3000 ofOutKast and became his highest-charting single since "Ordinary People"; it was also nominated for theGrammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.[40] On March 30, 2008, Legend performed "America the Beautiful" in front of a sold-out crowd of 74,635 in theOrlando Citrus Bowl, now known asCamping World Stadium, forWWE'sWrestleMania XXIV.[citation needed]
In 2009, Legend performed inThe People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historianHoward Zinn'sA People's History of the United States.[41] Also in 2009, Legend andthe Roots teamed up to record a collaborative album,Wake Up!, which was released on September 21, 2010.[42] The first single released from the album was "Wake Up Everybody" featuring singerMelanie Fiona and rapperCommon.[43][44] In November 2010, Legend was featured on West'sMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, listed a feature on the song 'Blame Game'. In February 2011, Legend won three prizes at the 53rd Annual Grammy Music Awards. He was awarded Best R&B Song for "Shine", while he and the Roots won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang On in There". In March 2011, Legend and the Roots won twoNAACP Image Awards, one for Outstanding Album (Wake Up!) and one for Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration.[citation needed]
On July 5, 2011, songwriter Anthony Stokes filed acopyright infringement lawsuit against Legend in theUnited States District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleging that Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" from his 2006 albumOnce Again derives from Stokes' demo "Where Are You Now".[45] Stokes claimed he gave Legend a demo of the song in 2004 following a concert at theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[46] Legend denied the allegations, tellingE! Online, "I never heard of his song until he sued me. I would never steal anyone's song. We will fight it in court and we will prevail."[47] However, nearly 60,000 people took aTMZ.com poll that compared the two songs and 65% of voters believed that Legend's "Maxine's Interlude" is a rip-off of Stokes' "Where Are You Now".[48] A year later, Legend confirmed that hesettled out of court with Stokes for an undisclosed amount.[49]
Also in 2011, Legend completed a 50-date tour as a guest for British soul bandSade. In theSan Diego performance, Legend confirmed that he was working on his next studio album and played a new song called "Dreams".[50] Later, via his official website, he revealed the official title of the album to beLove in the Future, and debuted part of a new track called "Caught Up". The album has been executive-produced by Legend himself, along withKanye West andDave Tozer – the same team who worked on Legend's previous albumsGet Lifted,Once Again, andEvolver. Legend has stated that his intention for the record was "To make a modern soul album – to flip that classic feel into a modern context."[51]
Legend was granted an honorary doctorate degree fromHoward University at the 144th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 12, 2012.[52] Legend was a judge on theABC music showDuets along withKelly Clarkson,Jennifer Nettles, andRobin Thicke. Legend's spot was originally forLionel Richie, who had to leave the show due to a scheduling conflict.Duets debuted on Thursday, May 24, 2012.[53]
He released his fourth studio album,Love in the Future, on September 3, 2013, debuting number 4 on theBillboard 200, selling 68,000 copies in its first week.[54] The album was nominated forBest R&B album at the2014 Grammy Awards.[55] Legend's third single from the album, "All of Me", became an international chart success, peaking at number one on theBillboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and reaching the top of six national charts and the top ten in numerous other countries, becomingone of the best-selling digital singles of all time. It was ranked the third best-selling song in the United States and the United Kingdom during 2014. The song is a ballad dedicated to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, and was performed at the56th Annual Grammy Awards.
In 2014, Legend partnered with the rapperCommon to write the song "Glory", featured in the filmSelma, which chronicled the 1965Selma to Montgomery marches. The song won theGolden Globe Award for Best Original Song as well as theAcademy Award for Best Original Song. Legend andCommon performed "Glory" at the87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015.[citation needed]
Legend was featured onMeghan Trainor's "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" from herdebut studio album, which reached number eight on theBillboard Hot 100. On February 1, 2015, he sang "America the Beautiful" in the opening ceremony of Super Bowl XLIX. He provided guest vocals on Kelly Clarkson's song "Run Run Run" for her albumPiece by Piece. He also co-wrote and provided vocals for French DJDavid Guetta's song "Listen", as part of the albumListen.
Legend released his new albumDarkness and Light, with first single "Love Me Now", on December 2, 2016, with songs featuringChance the Rapper andMiguel. Legend featured onKygo's song "Happy Birthday" for his debut studio album"Cloud Nine" released in 2016.[citation needed]
For the 2017 filmBeauty and the Beast, Legend andAriana Grande performed a duet on thetitle track, a remake of the 1991 original version sung byCeline Dion andPeabo Bryson.[56] In April 2017,Crow: The Legend, a short animation film, premiered its prologue at theTribeca Film Festival. Legend was cast in the title role as the character Crow. He also served as executive producer for the project and performed the original song "When You Can Fly".[57] The film won at thirteen different film festivals including theLA Film Festival where it made its North American premiere in 2018.[58] The film won Best Animation VR Experience at the2018 Raindance Film Festival and received nomination for Best Virtual Reality Production at the46th Annual Annie Awards.[citation needed]
On December 19, 2017,NBC announced that Legend had been cast in the title role in thelive concert production ofJesus Christ Superstar at the Marcy Avenue Armory inWilliamsburg, Brooklyn.[59] The production was broadcast live on NBC television on April 1, 2018 (the date ofEaster Sundaythat year inWestern Christianity).[60] On May 8, 2018,Google chose Legend as one of the six newGoogle Assistant voices.[61]
Legend was one of the few celebrities to appear and speak out in theLifetime documentarySurviving R. Kelly.[62] The six-partdocuseries details sex abuse allegations spread over four decades against acclaimedR&B singerR. Kelly.[63] It focuses on women who allege that the musician and record producer used his status and influence to sexually and physically abuse women and young girls for decades.[62] Legend lambasted R. Kelly during his interview in the final episode of the series, asserting that "R. Kelly has brought so much pain to so many people. Time's up for R. Kelly."[64][65]
In spite of numerous public allegations and controversies regarding Kelly, Legend stood as the only major recording artist willing to come forward and speak against him in the documentary.[62][64] In response to fans who labeled him as "brave" for his actions, Legend stated the following onTwitter ahead of the program's debut:[65] "To everyone telling me how courageous I am for appearing in the doc, it didn't feel risky at all. I believe these women and don't give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision."[64] Executive producerDream Hampton revealed that it was "incredibly difficult" to get men and women who had artistically collaborated with Kelly to come forward, including those who had criticized him. During an interview withDetroit Free Press she said, "We askedLady Gaga. We askedErykah Badu. We askedCéline Dion. We askedJay-Z. We askedDave Chappelle. [They're] people who have been critical of him. That makes John Legend even more of a hero for me."[63]
On May 21, 2019, Legend was the winning coach onThe Voice, and won the competition with his artistMaelyn Jarmon.[66] In November, Legend was namedPeople's Sexiest Man Alive.[67][68][69] In 2020, Legend was working on a seventh album. On May 13, 2020, he announced the album would be titledBigger Love. It was released on June 19. On May 28, 2020, Legend received an honorary doctorate fromBerklee College of Music.[70]On June 19, 2020, Legend performed alongsideAlicia Keys for episode fifteen ofVerzuz.[71] Legend is featured onCarrie Underwood's Christmas albumMy Gift. Legend wrote his featured track entitledHallelujah.[72] Legend was among the performers in theCelebrating America television event held onInauguration Day 2021.[73] He delivered the commencement address to theDuke University Class of 2021.[74] On November 12, 2021, Legend signed with Republic Records after completing the contract that lasted for 17 years with Sony Music.
In February 2022, Legend launched the music-basedNFT platform, OurSong.[75] On April 3, 2022, performed a new song called "Free" at the64th Annual Grammy Awards as a tribute to the fallen citizens of Ukraine amidRusso-Ukrainian War.[76] He was joined on stage alongside by three Ukrainian female artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newtown, and poetLyuba Yakimchuk.[77] On September 9, 2022, he released his eighth studio album titledLegend. The following month, Legend becameThe Voice's senior coach in its 24th season after the departure of singerBlake Shelton.[78]
Legend performed a benefit concert in Springfield, Ohio, in 2005 in support of a tax levy for theSpringfield City School District.[79]
In May 2007, Legend partnered withTide laundry detergent to raise awareness about the need of families inSt. Bernard Parish (Chalmette, Louisiana), one of the areas most devastated byHurricane Katrina; he spent a day folding laundry at theTide "clean start" mobile laundromat and visited homes that Tide was helping to rebuild in that community. On July 7, 2007, Legend participated in theLive Earth concert in London, performing "Ordinary People". After reading ProfessorJeffrey Sachs' bookThe End of Poverty, Legend started hisShow Me Campaign in 2007. In this campaign, Legend called on his fans to help him in his initiative for residents in Bosaso Village, Somalia[80][failed verification] andnon-profit organizations partnered with the campaign.
In early 2008, he began touring with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs ofColumbia University'sEarth Institute to promotesustainable development as an achievable goal. Legend joined Sachs as a keynote speaker and performer at the inaugural Millennium Campus Conference. Legend then joined the Board of Advisors of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), and has aided MCN programs throughonline support and funding fellowships for MCN summer interns through the Show Me Campaign. In 2009, Legend gaveAIDS Service Center NYC permission to remix his song "If You're Out There" to create a music video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.[81]
On January 22, 2010, he performed "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on theHope for Haiti Nowtelethon show.[82] On September 8, 2010, John Legend joined the national board ofTeach For America.[83] Legend also sits on the boards of theEducation Equality Project, theHarlem Village Academies, andStand for Children. He serves on the Harlem Village Academies' National Leadership Board. On September 9, 2010, he performed "Coming Home" on theColbert Report as a tribute song for the end ofcombat operations in Iraq, and for the active troops and the veterans of theUnited States Armed Forces.[84] In 2011, he contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to theRed Hot Organization's most recent albumRed Hot+Rio 2. The album is a follow-up to the 1996Red Hot+Rio. Proceeds from the album sales were donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues. On March 6, 2012, John Legend was appointed by theWorld Economic Forum to theForum of Young Global Leaders.[85] Later that year, Legend stopped byChildren's Hospital Los Angeles for a surprise visit and acoustic performance as a part ofGet Well Soon Tour.[86] On June 1, 2013, Legend performed atGucci's global concert event in London whose campaign, "Chime for Change", aims to raise awareness of women's issues in education, health and justice.[87] At a press conference before his performance, Legend identified himself as a feminist saying, "All men should be feminists. If men care about women's rights the world will be a better place."[88]
In 2014, Legend founded the FREEAMERICA campaign, which aims to help reformincarceration in the United States.[89] He also supported the 2018 ballot initiative to passFlorida Amendment 4, which restored the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions.[90]
In 2016, Legend co-signed a letter to theUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon calling for a more humane drug policy, along with people such asRichard Branson,Jane Fonda, andGeorge Shultz.[91] The following year, Legend appeared on Salem State University's speaker series and was recognized by Voices Against Injustice (formerly known as the Salem Award Foundation for Human Rights and Social Justice) as the inaugural Salem Advocate for Social Justice.[92] Also in 2017 Legend donated $500,000 toSpringfield City School District to renovate an auditorium, which is named in his honor, within the Springfield Center of Innovation.[93] He performed at the John Legend Theater on October 9, 2016.[94] In 2018, he starred in an animated virtual-reality short film written and directed byEric Darnell, titledCrow: The Legend, together withOprah Winfrey, telling a Native American origin tale.[95] He also sits on the advisory board & is a financial supporter of FUSE Corps, mitigating racial inequality and breaking down barriers which contribute to racism.
Legend met modelChrissy Teigen in 2006 while filming the music video for his song "Stereo".[96][97] They became engaged in December 2011[98][99] and were married on September 14, 2013, inComo, Italy.[100] His 2013 song "All of Me" is dedicated to her. The couple have four children: a daughter born in April 2016,[101] a son born in May 2018,[102] a daughter born in January 2023,[103] and a son born in June 2023.[104] Their first three children were all conceived viain vitro fertilization.[105][103] The couple had their fourth child viasurrogacy.[104]
In 2020, the couple were expecting a third child,[106] but Teigen lost the baby at twenty weeks due to a pregnancy complication.[107] The pregnancy loss was described by media as a late miscarriage; in 2022, Teigen clarified that the loss was "an abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance".[108][109][110]
On thePBS seriesFinding Your Roots, it was determined that Legend's genetic makeup is 64%African, 32%European, and 4%Native American.[111]
Legend endorsedKamala Harris in the2024 United States presidential election.[112]
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006, 2018 | Sesame Street | Himself | ||||
| 2007 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself | Episode: "The Bat Mitzvah" | |||
| Las Vegas | Himself | Episode: "Wagers of Sin" | ||||
| 2008 | A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All | Forest Ranger | ||||
| 2009 | The People Speak | Himself | Documentary | |||
| 2010 | Dancing with the Stars | Himself/Performer | ||||
| 2011 | Royal Pains | Himself | "Listen to the Music" | |||
| 2015 | The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon | Himself/Performer | Performed with Meghan Trainor | |||
| Hollywood Game Night | Himself/Contestant | 1 episode | ||||
| 2015–2019 | Lip Sync Battle | Himself | 7 episodes | |||
| 2016–2017 | Underground | — | Producer | |||
| 2017 | The Nightly Show | Himself | 1 episode | |||
| Master of None | Himself | Episode: "The Dinner Party" | ||||
| Carpool Karaoke: The Series | Himself | Episode: "Alicia Keys & John Legend" | ||||
| 2018 | Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Jesus Christ | Also executive producer | |||
| A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy | Himself | |||||
| 2019–2022, 2023–2024, 2025 | The Voice | Himself/Coach | Season 16–22, 24–25, 27 | |||
| 2019 | Songland | Himself | Episode: "John Legend" | |||
| Ask the StoryBots | The King of Music | Episode: "How do you make music?" | ||||
| Celebrity Family Feud | Himself | Episode: "John Legend andChrissy Teigen vs. the cast ofVanderpump Rules" | ||||
| 2020 | This Is Us | Himself | Episode: "Light and Shadows" | |||
| The Simpsons | Himself | Voice; Episode: "The Miseducation of Lisa Simpson" | ||||
| Whose Vote Counts, Explained | Himself (Narrator) | Episode: "Whose Vote Counts".[115] | ||||
| 2021 | That's My Jam | Himself/Guest | Along withKelly Clarkson,Ariana Grande,Blake Shelton | |||
| 2024 | Celebrity Family Feud | Guest | Episode: "Chrissy Teigen & John Legend vs.David Chang andDeadliest Catch vsStar Trek Universe" | 2025Reading Rainbow (2025 revival) | Narrator alongside wifeChrissy Teigen | Episode: "Tiny Troubles: Nelli's Purpose" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sesame Street: Elmo Loves You! | Himself | |
| Soul Men | Marcus Hooks | ||
| 2012 | The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America | Duke Ellington | Voice role |
| 2016 | Southside with You | — | Producer |
| La La Land | Keith | Also co-wrote/performed "Start a Fire" forfilm's soundtrack | |
| 2017 | Crow: The Legend | Crow | Voice role, Also executive producer[116] |
| 2019 | Between Two Ferns: The Movie | Himself | |
| 2020 | A Crime on the Bayou | — | Executive producer[117] |
| 2020 | Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey[118] | — | Producer |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Himself | Cameo |
| 2021 | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Jim Posey | Voice role |
