Who are the best Rock Singers of all time?

[Since 80]

So on a different note...who are your favourite rock vocalists of all time?

I like the badass guys that you scratch your head wondering how they can sing song after song with such a fierce, harsh, growl...so my guys and one gal:

Dan McCafferty - Nazareth
Brain Johnson - AC DC
Chris Cornell - AudioSlave and Soundgarden
Janis Joplin - Janis Jolin

I know there are many, many other greats...maybe these are the ones that my mood first thinks of today.

[Nuje]

Layne Staley (sp?) - Alice in Chains
Steven Tyler - Aerosmith
Scott Weiland - Velvet Revolver/Stone Temple Pilots

Those are probably my favourites, and a few you mentioned since 80....ok fine all 4.

[eagle60]

Paul Simon is one of my favourite vocalists. Roger Daltry has an incredible voice in terms of sheer quality but I'm not that big of a fan of him. I really like the sound of Eddie Vedder's voice, although it's been mimicked so poorly by artists like Nickelback. Van Morisson too, I just saw him live a couple weeks ago and man can he still sing.

[FlamesAddiction]

For me, this begins and ends with Robert Plante.

Best rock vocalist of all time as far as I'm concerned.

Honourble mention:

Jim Morrison

Some personal favourites, although hard to justify as the best:

Kathleen Hanna
Curt Cobain
Tim Armstrong
Anthony Kiedis
Jack White

[DuffMan]

I like the badass guys that you scratch your head wondering how they can sing song after song with such a fierce, harsh, growl...so my guys and one gal:


You should probably like Lemmy then.
I don't know how that guy continues to breathe, let alone sing.

Peter Gabriel.

[burnin_vernon]

Hmmm, such an objective subject. These are some of the voices I really like to hear


Maynard James Keenan
Mike Patton
Chris Cornell
John McCrea - definitely not for everyone
Sheryl Crow
Thom Yorke

[CaptainCrunch]

Roger Daltry
Jim Morrison
Mary Anne Faithful
Robert Plante
Stevie Nicks pre throat surgery

[Canada 02]

Bono
Steve Perry
David Bowie
Sting
Bill Medley
Chrissie Hynde
Shirley Manson

[Displaced Flames fan]

Robert Plant
Roger Daltry
Ann Wilson
Geoff Tate
Layne Staley

[pope04]

Elvis Presley
Steve Tyler
Roger Daltry
Mick Jagger
John Lennon

[Manson?]

Craig Finn - the Hold Steady
Jim Morrison
axl rose

[habernac]

Robert Plant
Chris Cornell
Ozzy Osbourne
Sheryl Crow
John Lennon

[Shazam]

Axl Rose.

I love Eddie Vedder, and am continuously disgusted by all the posers that believe they can sing as good as him.

[Ozy_Flame]

Scott Weiland
Brian Johnson
Robert Plante
Roger Waters
Maynard James Keenan
Anthony Kiedis
Jimi Hendrix

In no particular order, of course!

[Azure]

Nobody likes James Hetfield?

Sully Erna from Godsmack can growl with the best.

[Hack&Lube]

Are you guys insane? Quite possibly the greatest rock singer of all time and not one mention thus far?

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4093/9749525dscn1930ai8.jpg

What other rock star can hold a candle to that voice? That power?

[Shazam]

Are you guys insane? Quiet possibly the greatest rock singer of all time and not one mention thus far?Yes. You are absolutely correct. Freddie Mercury was awesome. I wish he was still around, because I really miss Queen.

[icarus]

Yes. You are absolutely correct. Freddie Mercury was awesome. I wish he was still around, because I really miss Queen.
I concur. Greatest rock singer of all time.

Where is that statue located anyway? My guess is Budapest.

[gottabekd]

Plant for me.


Maynard James Keenan worth mentioning again, too.

[Vulcan]

Lots of good choices here but except for Elvis there is nobody from the 50's.
Here's a couple with links. This guy had a good voice and it was Rock then although it's not much like it is now. I think he also ODed young on heroin so that's another cred.
Frankie Lymon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZhlRUnWKYQ

Of course Buddy Holly wasn't bad either
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PYXZEkAC4E

[Dodsdomd]

http://www.buoy.com/%7Ebonfire/bonscott1.jpg

Badass Motherer!

[FlamesAddiction]

I concur. Greatest rock singer of all time.

Where is that statue located anyway? My guess is Budapest.

The building style looks more western european to me, and the landscape looks more alpine.

[transplant99]

Robert Plant
Freddie Mercury
Elvis Presley
Lou Graham
Roger Daltry

[llama64]

Chad Kroeger

...Well I like him at least. :bag:

Best of all time though? Mick Jagger. This guy has amazing timing. It's a shame about the eighties though.

[MJK]

Maynard James Keenan

[Manson?]

Lots of good choices here but except for Elvis there is nobody from the 50's.
Here's a couple with links. This guy had a good voice and it was Rock then although it's not much like it is now. I think he also ODed young on heroin so that's another cred.
Frankie Lymon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZhlRUnWKYQ

Of course Buddy Holly wasn't bad either
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PYXZEkAC4E

Only Elvis from the 50's??
How about Jerry Lee Lewis?

[Jiggy_12]

Robert Plant.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Thank god someone brought up Mercury no one comes close...

[KevanGuy]

Where is that statue located anyway? My guess is Budapest.

Montreux.

[keratosis]

Getty Lee has to be included.

[FanIn80]

Freddie (of course)
Axl
and...

Bonn Scott. :D

[Vulcan]

Only Elvis from the 50's??
How about Jerry Lee Lewis?

I meant to say nobody mentioned. Johnny Cash is another. Conway Twitty wasn't bad before he went mawdling country.
Also Eric Burdon in the 60's.

[Hack&Lube]

Getty Lee has to be included.

You mean Geddy? Only in Canada I suppose. He can hit some crazy highs though. I always laugh when I see him in Tears are not Enough.

[looooob]

in addition to many mentioned...Mark Lanegan....

[Igottago]

in addition to many mentioned...Mark Lanegan....

I agree, Mark Lanegan has an amazing voice. Not too recognized in the mainstream though.

Here are some my personal choices for best overall singing voice:

Ed Vedder
Layne Staley (nice to see a lot of you pick him as well)
Michael Stipe
Thom Yorke
Robert Plante

[J pold]

Tom Waits.
Mark Kozelek.

[tussery]

It sucks that Roger Daltry is on here so much when Pete Townshend was the better singer of the two. Oh well I guess you can't be famous for all three of writing great songs, singing, and playing guitar.

[Inferno]

Nobody likes James Hetfield?

Papa Het gets my vote too. He might not be able to use his growl live as much as he used to after damaging his vocal cords recording the black album but I still prefer him over any other metal singer.

[MarchHare]

Are you guys insane? Quite possibly the greatest rock singer of all time and not one mention thus far?

What other rock star can hold a candle to that voice? That power?


I came in this thread for the sole purpose of posting Freddie Mercury. I was absolutely shocked that it took 16 posts for someone to mention his name.

By no means am I a huge Queen fan or anything, but there's no denying that the man could sing.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Kurt Cobain
Freddie Mercury

[coaster]

It sucks that Roger Daltry is on here so much when Pete Townshend was the better singer of the two. Oh well I guess you can't be famous for all three of writing great songs, singing, and playing guitar.

While Townsend's unique voice is O.K.,he is nowhere near the class of Daltry IMO.
I thought I'ld add another great voice that I thought would have been mentioned by now if not just for being Canadian and a Prarie boy.
Burton Cummings

[the-rasta-masta]

No Paul McCartney? Sacrelidge!

http://www.wilson-benesch.com/uploaded_images/McCARTNEYblog-767746.jpg

[Vulcan]

Little Richard wasn't badd in his day. Here he is getting into it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyswxUZ42L8

[liamenator]

My top 2 have always been Robert Plant and Rod Stewart.

In fact, in a curious little "did you know", Jimmy Page actually attempted to recruit Stewart to sing for a new little project he was just getting off the ground in the late 60s. Stewart said no, opting instead to focus on his solo career while dabbling in a few "Super-Groups" (the Jeff Beck Group & The Faces).

But it all worked out as Page discovered an unknown singer thanks to Terry Reid (who also turned him down - whoops) in Birmingham by the name of Robert Plant.

And thus the beast of Zeppelin was born.

In terms of sheer quality, though, I think nobody has ever been able to hold a candle to Roy Orbison.

[Dan]

I have to add John Fogerty

[RougeUnderoos]

Youtube has lots of clips of Queen at Live Aid. That performance pretty much seals the deal. The songs were for the most part kind of goofy but Freddie Mercury was definitely "on" that day. Parts of it are almost like a Nuremberg rally but with a way better moustache.

And Axl.

[Ford Prefect]

Jon Anderson, from Yes.

[Dion]

Freddie Mercury
Randy Bachman
David Lee Roth
Jackson Browne
Mark Knopfler
Steve Winwood
Don Henley
Bob Seger

[icarus]

While Townsend's unique voice is O.K.,he is nowhere near the class of Daltry IMO.
I thought I'ld add another great voice that I thought would have been mentioned by now if not just for being Canadian and a Prarie boy.
Burton Cummings
### on both accounts.

Seriously, what did Townsend sing better than Daltry? Daltry sang both "Love Reign O'er Me" and "Won't Get Fooled Again". Tough to beat either of those two vocally, IMO.

[Mango]

I have an odd list:

Freddie Mercury - "Who Wants to Live Forever" gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.
Jackson Browne
Pat Benatar
Lenny Kravitz
Steve Perry
Robert Plante
Russ Ballard
Elvis
Joan Jett
Chris Isaak, although he's probably more classified under soft rock/pop, but an amazing and unforgettable voice nonetheless

[prarieboy]

Freddie Mercury
Paul Rogers
Roger Daltrey

Stevie Nicks

and what about Jeff Beck???

[Burninator]

Robert Plante
Maynard James Keenan
Ozzy Osbourne
Jimi Hendrix
John Fogerty
Neil Young
Kurt Cobain
Don Henley

[disco_inferno]

Axl Rose.


agreed

[Vulcan]

Not too many females picked yet. Besides some of my favorites like Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, and Joni Mitchell I'd like to mention German singer, Nico. I only heard her with the Velvet Underground in the mid 60's but she helped influence rock music to this day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S52aR94DYVs

[The Unabomber]

Shannon Hoon was incredible
Neil Young
Ozzy
Bob Dylan
Bruce Dickinson is one of the best as well.

[FlamesAddiction]

I thought I'd thown in a couple more as greats:

Ari Up
Dave Grohl

[icarus]

Is it just me or are some of the names listed in this thread not great singers at all? :ph34r:

[Engine09]

Bon Scott

[octothorp]

I'm not sure about great singers, but as far as my favorites to listen to, I tend to like baritone voices, and I particularly dislike the American Idol sentiment that being a good male vocalist means being able to hit really high notes or scream in perfect pitch (not that doing so doesn't require talent). Tom Wilson (formerly of Junkhouse) is one of my favorites--just a fantastic voice. Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, David Bowie are some other singers whose voices I love. Similarly with female vocalists, I really enjoy PJ Harvey, Annie Lennox, and Fiona Apple for their low, smoky voices. None of these people are what you'd really call 'rock singers', I guess; for more convential rock singers, Chris Robinson of Black Crowes is great.

[Vulcan]

Is it just me or are some of the names listed in this thread not great singers at all? :ph34r:

I'll bite. While being two of my favorite musicians, Hendrix and Dylan aren't or weren't great singers.

[Cerebral]

Jeff Magnum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRw9NqvOM9M

[Five-hole]

Jeff Buckley.

Seriously...page 4 and nothing?

[Flame Of Liberty]

This one is easy.

Anneke van Giersbergen

(The Gathering)

[ernie]

Best/favourites

Freddie Mercury
Bruce Dickenson
Geoff Tate
Doug Pinnick (King's X...much more impressive live than on albums)
Eddie Vedder

[ZDogg]

Bono
Freddie Mercury
Kurt Cobain
Robert Plant

Unfortunately it seems that Bono is loosing some of his range. Last time I saw U2 in concert (summer 2005) he couldn't reach some of the high notes and hold them as he once could.

[habernac]

gotta throw Neil Diamond into the mix here. Love his stuff, brings back fond childhood memories.

[North East Goon]

Andrew Wood - of Mother Love Bone fame had some great pipes!

[troutman]

Freddie:

http://f-mercury.com.ar/eng_characteristics.htm

Freddie Mercury possessed a remarkably light voice, capable of producing not only very high sounds but low sounds as well. If we were to classify him according to the classic standards he would be a light tenor or a lyric tenor. He had a most enviable vocal extension, with an outstanding range of three octaves and a major sixth, including his falsetto singing (F1 (http://f-mercury.com.ar/Audio/F1_donttrysuicide.mp3) - D5 (http://f-mercury.com.ar/Audio/D5_japon_falsetto.mp3)).

Since falsetto is not a part of a singer's real range, his real full-voiced range was three octaves (F1 (http://f-mercury.com.ar/Audio/F1_donttrysuicide.mp3) - F4 (http://f-mercury.com.ar/Audio/F4_barcelona.mp3)).

But Freddie was actually a baritone. His lowest range, (below C2), it's not a tenor tessitura. He was a light baritone, who was actually singing in tenor's range. His passagio zone was, in fact, more similar to tenor's than a baritone's.

[Shawnski]

...
Pat Benatar...

Incredible singer for certain.

Another that amazed me for his range and vocal tenacity, who hasn't been mentioned yet (or I missed it) is Judas Priest's Rob Halford.

[alltherage]

Right now I would have to say i really like Chris Cornell and of course, Robert Plant.

[Seabass]

Have to throw in Paul Rodgers from Bad Company.

[Hack&Lube]

Have to throw in Paul Rodgers from Bad Company.

As long as its for Bad Company and not Paul Rodgers from Queen. :bag: :bag: :bag:

[Seabass]

I dont know why he tried that. Different style completely.

[stuck_in_chuk]

Freddie Mercury - great voice no doubt
Tom Waits
Nick Cave
Emily Haines (Metric)
Paul Weller (the Jam)
Joe Strummer (the Clash)