I love music. I play too (drums). These are my favorite singers. I’ll only list 10 in no certain order except #1. Subject to change as I think of more and might kick some off the list.
Put your list down. Tell me why my list sucks if you want.
Roy Orbison
Sade
Chrissie Hynde
Phil Collins
Stevie Nicks
Michael McDonald
Willie Nelson
Elton John
Freddie Mercury
Stands alone as my all time favorite - Glenn Danzig
Honorable mentions: Lou Gramm, Gwen Stephani, Hayley Williams, Ronnie James Dio, Maynard James Keenan
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Last edited: Oct 10, 2019
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1) Ella Fitzgerald. Range, emotion, rhythm and on top of that does a killer zlouis Armstrong impersonation.
2) Diana Damrau, she gets her teeth into the Queen of the Night aria and rips it to shreds.
3) Bon Scott. Not so much for his limited talent as a singer but more for his showmanship and ability to convey sleazy in a way no one else has.
4) Freddie Mercury. Ella Fitzgerald but without her gravitas.
5) Luciano Pavarotti. Makes opera seem easy in a way that no else except Enrico Caruso did. Caruso was more talented but far less dedicated.
6) Brian Wilson. Harmonies are tough and he did it across a wide range.
7) Astrud Gilberto, the Queen of the Bossa Nova.
8) Bob Marley. For songs that everybody thinks they can sing along to, but are far harder to sing well than they seem. There’s a good reason why Bob Marley is the only reggae singer that connquered the world.
9) Paul McCartney. The true musical genius in the Beatles.
10) Pedro Suarez. Peru’s rock minstrel and you can’t listen to “Mi auto era una rana” without smiling. -
Jk. Interesting list. You gave me a little homework to do.
1. My wife walked (ran crying) down the isle to the song “At last” at our wedding.
2.?
3. He’s a badass.
4. Love him.
5. Have yet to find my appreciation for him or that genre.
6. Love Beach Boys and agree with you 100%.
7. ?
8. Love Marley! But as a singer? I’d push back a tiny bit just for the sake of arguement.
9. I’m more of a Lennon guy, sorry!
10. ? -
In no order:
Lennon - It’s the freakin Beatles man. What else needs to be said?
Dave Matthews - See him live before you tell me he doesn’t belong here. And if you still don’t like him, fall in a ditch or something cause I don’t know what to tell ya.
Hendrix - See 1, except sub in Hendrix name where applicable.
Bob Marley - Agree with Pauly
Luther Vandross - You talk about signing? Whoooo Luther can sing.
Chris Cornell - My Favorite from the early 90’s alt rock genre he could switch octaves as well as anyone. And his daughter inherited the gene.
The Isleys - See Luther.
James Hetfield - His voice is what helped bring heavy metal to the mainstream in the 80’s and 90’s.
Ozzy - Paved the way for bands like Metallica and his voice and lyrics were unlike much else at the time.
Ben Folds - Musical genius. -
I was born and raised in Detroit, aka MOTOWN. Most of my list comes from that era. Man, I love anything with soul.
In no particular order (well, kinda)...
Bobby Womack (my all time fav)
Al Green
Sam Cooke
Nina Simone
Otis Redding
Freddie Mercury
Patti LaBelle
Stevie Wonder
Smokey Robinson
Aretha Franklin -
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Its obviously a matter of total personal preference, but I simply don't really enjoy listening to people with a gravely voice all that much. I can't tell you how many songs that I've listened to over the years, and thought how much better it would be if someone else was doing the vocals.
I've always been a much bigger fans of the Fleetwood Mack songs featuring Christine McVie than Stevie Nicks because of that. And while I've been a DMB fan since high school in the early 90s, I've never once thought of him as a good singer. Its just fun music overall. -
But anyways listen to Stevie song this song. She has such a sweet innocent voice when she wants to. Tell me what you think....
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This might take time...
Darn.
Whitney Houston - First person I thought of. Incredible voice.
Hayley Westenra - Don't listen to classical voice often at all, but I remember hearing Hayley's voice on some pieces and finding it haunting.
Mariah Carey - Effortless range. So talented. Sadly she's not now what she once was.
Michael Jackson (don't forget his time in the Jackson 5)
Billie Holiday - Powerful, emotional voice. Not a fan of jazz in general but I do own some Billie Holiday.
Going to need to come back to this one...Mcduffie81 likes this. -
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Actually it was late last night and if you like those old school runs from singers tben Chris Stapleton can belt em out with the best of em. I listen to no country music...but I can listen to Chris Stapleton for hours.phinswolverinesrockets likes this. -
But for pure signing prowess, power and ability, Toni Tennille was incredible. She had pipes like howitzers.
I didn't find much, but really listen, when she sings it sounds like two to three people are actually singing to me.
Unlucky 13 likes this. -
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phinswolverinesrockets likes this.
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Can’t believe we’ve all missed Franky Crankypants. For me the biggest part of what made him so relevant for so ling was the way he changed his repertoire in line with his age. Starting early in his career with songs like “All or Nothing at All”, “Blue Skies”, and “Night and Day”, moving on to “The Lady is a Tramp”, “l get a kick out of you”, and “One for my baby (and one more for the road)” and moving onto his later career hits like “It was a very good year” “Strangers in the night” and of course “My way”.
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The music is so bad! But she’s got a strong voice. -
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Its always interesting how different people can look at the same question, and come up with answers that are so vastly different from one another. There are a few that were listed that I would have specifically called out as some of the worst popular singers of my lifetime, had the question been reversed, lol.
But some of the people who I think have the best voices (and that's how I interpret the question) are, in addition to others who have already been mentioned:
Karen Carpenter
James Taylor
Carly Simon
Kenny Loggins
Luther Vandros
Lionel Richie
Sarah McLachlan -
I don't listen to Mariah Carey, at all, but from a technical standpoint, she would go on the list. This girl below wouldn't go on my Top 10 list, but her main inspiration and the artist she is covering in this song, Sade, would. That being said, Amber Mark is incredibly young and her natural dark, smoky, but warm timbre is completely unfair (she's a looker as well). Props to the particular run at 1:49-1:53, which was a Sade trademark. Sade personally signed off on Amber's cover.
Last edited: Sep 28, 2019 -
This guy would go on my Top 10 as well- incredibly adept at a wide range of styles. I'm a fan of his more gospel-y stuff, but he sounds pretty at home when singing songs like "They Call the Wind Mariah", etc. Versatile guy.
Edit: I see @adamprez2003 has mentioned Sam Cooke already.
Edit 2: I'm a douche, I see tons of people have mentioned Sam Cooke. I agree with all of you!
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Other ones previously mentioned that I agree with:
- Ella Fitzgerald (the queen of jazz singers, on that note I'd also nominate Mel Torme)
- Brian Wilson (one of the best falsettos and melody-writers ever, melodies so painfully beautiful)
- Ron Isley (style style style)
- Aretha Franklin (effortless, she stills the air and moves it at the same time when she sings)
- On a lesser level, Louis Prima (he gets the nod for just being incredibly unique and gregarious).
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Boston is one of my favorite bands. I have three of their albums and it rocks. But though unique, I don't think his voice is "good".
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There’s no right or wrong with these answers. When I started this thread it was really a thread for your own personal favorites, not “who’s the best” despite the tongue in cheek thread title.
Some people love technically in voices. I personally don’t care all that much about the notes or range a singer can hit in MOST cases.
I tend to value natural vocal tone or unique voices. Of course everyone is trying to be different and some singers take it over the top trying to be unique and that’s an instant turn off. -
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