Your Opinion: The Greatest Vocalist In The History of Rock and / or Pop Music Is...
 

I'm not making a poll, as I'd have to have a hundred entries - and I'd like to listen to your opinions. 99% of which will be Kell Clarkson, Gary Newman, and The Pet Shop Boys...

I still stand by statement that Paul Stanley is the best frontman in the history of American Rock and Roll - particularly pre-1979 - but...

My nomination for the greatest vocalist in the history of life, the universe, and everything is...



The late, great (and much missed), Mr. Farrokh Bulsara.

...and Brian May ain't a half-bad guitar picker, either...

Annie Lennox or Johnette Napolitano from Concrete Blonde.

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I was going to say Freddie Mercury but you already did. I'll say Robert Plant then.

Totally agree on the Johnette Napolitano. She might not have the clearest voice or the best range but her voice was hauntingly enchanting.

voice: Freedy

Showman: David Lee Roth / Axl Rose

Robert Plant's a good one - would've probably been my number two.

Nobody's playing - but thank you guys for at least giving a bump. Screw it. I'll just watch ancient videos all alone - like the pathetic old man I am...

I want to hear some insane, classic vocal performances. Don't want to talk politics, religion, or even business (business discussion is an anomaly here, anyway...)

One last blast from my rapidly fading past... Another contender. A man who's never sang a bad note in his life. Elton, I love you.

I was brought up on Led Zep. I am with the others who say Robert Plant.

Roger Waters,Roger Daltry,Steven Tyler gets my vote

I am in loves with Lady Gagas.

gotta go with Bon Scott myself...:2 cents:

David Lee - good call. Axl - batshit insane. Neither had the longevity, though. Ego and insanity (particularly in Axl's case) cut their careers short. They had their moments, but could not follow through.

David Lee, Billy Sheehan, Steve Vai. Guns 'n Roses. Good stuff. Unfortunately, neither DLR or Axl can sing anymore. Their ships sailed a LONG time ago.



I,m a huge fan of Steve Vai. First heard him from his work with Frank Zappa, and through a "flexidisk" included in Guitar Magazine about 25 years ago. Little Green Men. Guns 'n Roses is (or was) a younger, prettier version of Aerosmith.

Stevie Wonder (early years- fingertips,innervisions etc)
Joni Mitchell
Singer from The Platters (smoke gets in your eyes)
Johnny Rotten
Ray Charles
Ann Magnuson (Bongwater)
Don Maclean

so many, hard to pin down really. I would agree with alot of those guys already listed too.

Don't know if you ever heard this movie score she did, "hauntingly" is a perfect description.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TKKSmr_Ssgs


And a couple Concrete Blonde songs for those that aren't familiar.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=gEvm4...eature=related

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OdpTcvSn8HQ&ob=av2e

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This thread went 13 replies before I had to mention Ronnie James?

I was thinking Don McLean, but the can't sing for shit - he's just another folkie. He may have written the single greatest pre-Bruce Springsteen American song ever... but he's not a vocalist. No disrespect meant - Amercian Pie is beyond reproach. I would put it second behind Sympathy For The Devil as the greatest song of my generation. Don McLean cannot sing, though. Not like

Johnny Rotten... I knew him fairly well through Steve Jones. Steve was a fucking laugh! John, not so much. Besides that, he can't sing at all. He's a lesser vocalist than Sid was a bass player. Really, though? Comparing John to Freddie?

You have greatness listed there - how can I argue against Ray Charles? - but I want some fucking videos. I want aural and visual backup.

I hadn't heard the movie score so thanks for that.

One of my favourites is a cover of the classic Leonard Cohen song "Everybody Knows".



Hard to mention covers without talking about "Tomorrow Wendy" too.

You're right about both McLean and Johnny Rotten.

Don't get me wrong here, I grew up on the Sex Pistols, but Sid Vicious was the hero of the story, not Johnny. :2 cents:

Here she is in her late 40's on the Stewart Show.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SmcrE...eature=related

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Different league. No matter how talented they are, they're not even competing on the same field. I know them both well (musically, not personally...) Comparing the chick from the Eurythmics and the chick from Concrete Blonde (who I only saw live once - opening for Aerosmith at the Skydome around the summer of 1996) to Freddie Fucking Mercury?

Please... C'mon.

I'll take Joan Jett, Ann Wilson's cleavage, and Crissie Hynde before I waste a second listening to Annie Lennox. By the time Ms. Lennox started making hit records, music was already dead. Hence her rapid departure from the public eye.

And, well, the Platinum - err - Concrete Blonde bitch never did make much of a name for herself.

Nobody that ANYONE has mentioned can compare to Freddie Mercury. Post proof.

Who is a better vocalist than Mr. Fred?

Whitney Houston

An argument could probably be made for Ann Wilson too

Steve Perry - Journey:thumbsup

Technically near perfection.

Hits his notes and on key everytime. I've heard other vocalists say he's the best.

I do believe I may have inferred that? Someone said John. I said no. John was a talentless attention whore. I loved Sid, and I grew close to Steve - initially meeting him at a boozecan on Bathurst, and jamming with him numerous times after that.

This is NOT the point. Who is a better vocalsit than Freddie Mercury? The answer is none. No-one. No-one can sing like Freddie.

You're not posting any evidence. You're all saying, "Oh! I like this person", or "I like this music".

THAT'S NOT THE FUCKING POINT, GRUMPHLOPHLARKARKDELETAB!

No one mentioned here - with the exception of Robert Plant - are in the same league ad Freddie Mercury or Elton John (my backup video). Not even fucking close.

I think you mean you might have implied that, not inferred that. I imply. You infer. :)

Modern Music... Chris Cornell

Agreed :thumbsup

My vote, though Freddie is up there too.

Can't believe I'm the first to mention Elvis, but seems like people are mostly looking at eras after his heyday. Also, Elton John.

I'll probably get shit for this, but I like many am probably a victim of the time I grew up, and so a lot of who I'd say will be from the 90s. That said, some underrated ones IMO as far as singing ability/voice/feeling is concerned are Eddie Vedder, Scott Weiland and Chris Cornell. Is Freddie Mercury better than them? Sure. But just surprised they don't come into conversation very much about talented singers as frontmen are concerned.

On the female side, would go really old again and say Aretha. Other than the really old, I honestly don't have much of a clue. Maybe Deborah Harry of Blondie? Some of the ones mentioned already are great so I'd cede to others' picks on this probably.

Edit: Figures as I was posting this, someone mentions Chris Cornell. :P

I have to agree on Freddy but IMO Ronnie James is up there too.

you must be kidding me man. Mclean's version of Crying LIVE.
The guy had an incredible voice and i think you are just remembering american pie...


as far as johnny rotten, he was absolutely the sex pistols no doubt. vicious was a side show freak really. later on with Public Image the sound just gets better, but his was the defining moment in the birth o' punk. i mean, how many other wannabees tried to sing like Johnny?

I should add to, Bradley mentioned Bon Scott who is an incredible singer. Not much of a technical vocalist but a true original with a ton o' power which is a must if you are going to talk about top singers.

i should add a clip for Stevie though.

Well as soon as I saw the title I was thinking Freddy, but the OP and a few others beat me to it.

So I'll go with someone else - David Ruffin

For those of you thinking - who? - Ruffin was the lead singer of the Temptations in their hey day, before drugs fucked him up and he was kicked out of the group.

Somebody can - Marc Martel:

For pop I'd have to go with Karen Carpenter. One of the purest, sweetest voices ever.

Personal favs, Muddy Waters and Etta James.

Some obvious candidates missed so far:

Rob Halford from Judas Priest:






Ian Gillan of Deep Purple:

Not going to lie, read the title and first thing that popped into my head was "Freddie Mercury", followed by "nah.. there has to be other people who had a better VOICE". Perhaps not?

Some less obvious choices:

Burton Cummings of the Guess Who:






Jorn Lande of Ark (newer, and it's all been done before but he's really good - in the vein of Ronnie James Dio):

I see your Chris Cornell and raise you a Maynard James Keenan.

Ah, good choice and one I hadn't thought of.

Best vocalist I would have to say Rob Halford but my favourite pick is Ian Gillan of Deep Purple. He was the first of the "power" voices in rock.

Steve Perry is who I was going to say.

Josh Groban has a hell of a voice. Not rock or pop, but he can still sing his ass off.

Maynard is actually a really good vocalist. Not a great singer but a great vocalist - sometimes there is a difference.

Another good one like that - Layne Staley:



Possibly the most unique voice in rock history. RIP brother.

Music, like movies, books and art is all speculative. For example people love and adore Roger Plant. While I can appreciate the talent of Zepplin his voice annoys me so there is no right and wrong.

That said, here is the top 5 list. Sorry Freddy isn't on it. He was great and would make my top 10, just not quite in the top 5.

#5. Eddie Vedder. Haters will hate, but when it comes to power, honesty and emotion it is hard to match him.


#4. Lennon/Mcartney combo. The topic is greatest rock vocalist, not showman. Nobody influnced more people than the Beatles.


#3. Bono. Again. Haters will hate, but I have seen them live three times and I would rank those three shows among the best I have ever seen. The guy has the ability to project emotion and make a stadium feel like a small intimate club.


#2. Springsteen. How can you even have this topic and nobody has mentioned the boss. You want longevity? The guy is still putting out records that are relevant and great.


#1. Elvis Presley. Say what you will about the guy, but he did something few singers ever do. When he first started out the parents of his fans hated him. A decade later those same haters loved him. As Eddie Murphy famously said,"He sang so good they put him in movies and he can't act." how many singers grew up wanting to be Elvis?

I vote Dave Gahan.

Another personal fave of mine and possibly one of the coolest and most emotive voices in rock history - Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, QOTSA, Soulsavers, Gutter Twins, solo):






(Stones cover).

The OP was about vocalists. I personally think Maynard is a great singer also.

kd lang
roy orbison

Mike Patton, the end.