1931

• Gurban Pirimov (1880–1965), tarist, the first awardee^[1]

1932

• Abbasov Hajiagha Muttalib oglu [ru] (1888–1975), theater actor, playwright^[1]
• Hovhannes Abelian (1865–1936), Armenian film and theater actor^[1]
• Huseyngulu Sarabski (1879–1945), Soviet Azerbaijani opera singer (tenor)^[1]

1933

• Mirzaagha Aliyev (1883–1954), film and theater actor

1934

• Reinhold Glière (1875–1956), composer
• Shovkat Mammadova (1897–1981), opera singer
• Vasily Nikolsky [ru] (1882–1967), opera singer

1935

• Mary losifovna Zhasmen [az] (1894–?), actress
• Vahram Papazian (1888–1968), actor

1936

• Marziyya Davudova (1901–1962), actress
• Abbas Mirza Sharifzadeh (1893–1938), theater actor and director
• Alexander Tuganov [az], director

1937

• Uzeyir Hajibeyov (1885–1948), composer, conductor, writer, columnist, playwright and teacher

1938

• Mammadtaghi Baghirov (1890–1961), opera singer
• Huseynagha Hajibababeyov (1898–1972), singer
• Agha Javadov [ru] (1894–1981), actor
• Sidgi Ruhulla (1886–1959), actor

1940

• Alasgar Alakbarov (1910–1963), film and theater actor
• Aghasadyg Garaybeyli (1897–1988), film and theater actor
• Fatma Mukhtarova (1893 or 1898 – 1972), opera singer

1943

• Gamar Almaszadeh (1915–2006), ballerina
• Rza Afganly [ru] (1899–1973), film and theater actor
• Adil Isgandarov (1910–1978), director, film and theater actor
• Kazim Zia [ru] (1896–1956), film and theater actor, director
• Mustafa Mardanov, film and theater actor
• Hagigat Rzayeva (1907–1969), opera singer^[2]

1946

• Alexei L. Gripich [ru] (1891–1983), theater director

1947

• Barat Shakinskaya (1914–1999), theater and film actress

1948

• Ismail Osman Osmanli [ru] (1902–1978), film and theater actor

1949

• Heydar Velikhanli [az] (1899–1969), film and theater actor
• Sona Salman Hajiyev [az] (1907–1979), actress
• Ismayil Daghistanli (1907–1980), actor
• Movsun Sanani [ru] (1900–1981), actor
• Alexander Andriasovich Hovhannisyan [az] (1895–1949), actor of theater
• Yeva Olenskaya (1900–1959), actress

1951

• Rashid Behbudov (1915–1989), opera singer

1954

• Aliagha Aghayev (1913–1983), film and theater actor
• Arkady Nikolayevich Arzumanyan [az] (1898–1985), film and theater actor
• Suraya Sadraddin Qajar (1910–1992), singer

1955

• Gurgen M. Harutyunyan [az] (1905–1973), theater actor
• Niyazi (1912–1984), composer and conductor

1956

• Vladimir Vladimirovich Otradinsky [az] (1904–1971), theater actor

1957

• Said Rustamov (1907–1983), composer, teacher and conductor

1958

• Fikret Amirov (1922–1984), composer
• Leyla Vakilova (1927–1999), ballerina
• Gara Garayev (1918–1982), composer
• Mehdi Asadullah Mamedov [ru] (1918–1985), actor and director

1959

• Alibala Abdullah Abdullayev [ru] (1915–1980), dancer and choreographer
• Leyla Badirbeyli (1920–1999), film actress
• Amina Dilbazi (1919–2010), dancer
• Nadir Gasimov (1928–2000), painter

1960

• Lutfali Abdullayev (1914–1973), theater and film actor
• Afrasiyab Badalbeyli (1907–1976), composer, conductor, writer and musicologist
• Soltan Hajibeyov (1919–1974), composer
• Hokuma Gurbanova (1913–1988), film actress

1962

• Nina Ovanesovna Osipyan [az] (1913–1977), actress

1963

• Jahangir Jahangirov (1921–1992), composer, conductor and choirmaster

1964

• Franghiz Ahmadova (1928–2011), opera singer
• Shamsi Badalbeyli (1911–1986), theater director
• Rauf Hajiyev (1922–1995), composer
• Tofig Guliyev (1917–2000), composer, pianist and conductor

1966

• Rza Tahmasib (1894–1980), theater director, actor

1967

• Kamal Abdullayev [az] (1927–1997), conductor, educator
• Rauf Atakishiyev (1925–1994), pianist and educator
• Zarosh Hamzayeva (1925–2004), actress
• Lutfiyar Imanov (1928–2008), an operatic singer
• Togrul Narimanbekov (1930–2013), painter and opera singer

1968

• Mayor Brenner (1906–1973), pianist and educator

1969

• Firangiz Sharifova (1924–2014), actress and singer

1970

• Rafiga Akhundova (1931-2024), Ballerina, choreographer, teacher

1971

• Ajdar Ibrahimov (1919–1993), filmmaker
• Muslim Magomayev (1942–2008), Soviet, Azerbaijani and Russian opera and variety singer (baritone), composer
• Rubaba Muradova (1930–1983), opera singer (mezzo-soprano)

1972

• Konstantin Adamov (1923), actor and producer
• Safar Aliyeva (1907–1984), pianist and teacher
• Anatoliy Falkovich (1923–1994), actor

1973

• Akhmad Bakikhanov (1892–1973), tarist
• Lyudmila Sakina (1929–2009), singer
• Aram Khachaturian (1903–1978)^[3]

1974

• Sofa Bashirzade (1918–2000), actress
• Malik Dadashov (1924–1996), actor
• Nasiba Zeynalova (1916–2004), actress
• Najiba Malikova (1921–1992), actress
• Nina Sarnachkaya (1909–1986), actress

1975

• Zeynab Khanlarova (1936), opera singer

1976

• Mukhtar Dadashov (1913–1998), operator, screenwriter, director, actor
• Hasan Sayidbayli (1920–1980), writer, playwright, screenwriter, director
• Tofig Tahgizade (1919–1998), actor, screenwriter, director

1977

• Khosrov Abdullayev (1926–1980), circus artist, juggler, illusionist

1978

• Farhad Badalbeyli (1947), pianist
• Bahram Mansurov (1911–1985), Soviet Azerbaijani artist
• Arif Malikov (1933), Soviet Azerbaijani compositor
• Afag Malikova (born 1947), Azerbaijani dancer
• Tamilla Shiraliyeva (1946), Soviet Azerbaijani ballerina, teacher, choreographer

1979

• Zinovar Gevokrkyan (1920–2005), theater actor
• Yusif Valiyev (1917–1980), Soviet Azerbaijani actor
• Huseynagha Sadigov (1914–1983), Soviet Azerbaijani actor

1980

1981

1982

1983

1985

• Amaliya Panahova (1945–2018), Azerbaijani actress and director

1986

• Khuraman Gasimova (born 1951), Azerbaijani singer and actress

1987

• Agshin Alizadeh (1937–2014), Soviet Azerbaijani composer
• Lev Gruber [az] (1923–1994), Soviet Azerbaijani theater actor, in 1990 he moved to Israel
• Fuad Poladov (1948–2018), Azerbaijani actor
• Akbar Kardashbeyov [az] (1923–2001), Azerbaijani actor
• Khayyam Mirzazade (1935–2018), Soviet Azerbaijani composer
• Ramiz Mustafayev (1926–2008), Soviet Azerbaijani musician
• Chingiz Sadykhov (1929–2017), Azerbaijani musician, pianist

1988

• Haji Khanmammadov (1918–2005), Azerbaijani and Soviet composer
• Ramiz Guliyev [az] (born 1947), Azerbaijani musician

1989

• Shahmar Alakbarov (1943–1992), Azerbaijani actor and film director
• Arif Babayev (singer) [az] (born 1938), Azerbaijani singer
• Yashar Nuri (1951–2012), Azerbaijani-Soviet actor
• Islam Rzayev (1934–2008), Azerbaijani singer
• Vasif Babayev [az], Soviet Azerbaijani television and film director
• Tofik Akhundov [az] (born 1941), Soviet–Azerbaijani circus artist and animal trainer
• Habib Bayramov [az] (1926–1994), Soviet–Azerbaijani musician
• Aliaga Guliyev [az; ru], Soviet–Azerbaijani musician
• Alibaba Mammadov (1929–2022), Azerbaijani singer and composer^[4]

1991

• Ajdar Ibrahimbeyov, Soviet and Azerbaijani film director; the last awardee^[1]
• Solmaz Gurbanova, Azerbaijani actress^[5]