Sure, that quivering goat vocalizing was like a serrated table knife sawing against a fork*.
RIP, though.
*which, for me, was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard for many people (which, in turn, never bothered me)
Lady Gaga can actually sing. In the TV version of The Sound of Music, she did a great job. If you didn’t know you weren’t listening to Julie Andrews, you might not have noticed. Here she is channeling Julie Andrews at the Oscars.
It’s an interesting thread to read. I get some of the dislike for Billie Holiday’s nasal sound but she had great vocal control.
I don’t get the dislike for Robert Plant. He wasn’t just singing notes for Led Zeppelin his voice was an integral part of their songs. It’s rare for a band to have such such a strong musical relationship with it’s members.
the Stevie Nicks comparison to goats made me laugh. But I still like her even if she’s channeling goats.
Of course, then at some point in the mid-'80s Pete’s balls dropped and he started sounding like a Tom Waits impersonator.
My daughter and I disagree about what a singing cockroach would sound like. I say Rod Stewart, she says Bob Dylan.
Same. (I like Holiday’s voice and style, though).
I will say, though, that Simone’s rendition of “Feelin’ Good” is killer. A blues song with an orchestra playing stripper music.
…from a quasi-Brechtian British-music-hall-style musical.
I like a lot of the voices mentioned above. Dylan, Cocker, King, Gaga, to name a few. I understand how tastes differ, and I get the hate on Dylan. But IMHO, Lady Gaga has an amazing voice
I’ll put forth Roberta Flack. I greatly appreciate Killing Me Softly WIth HIs Song. I think it’s a materpiece. So, I started listening to her other work, including her cover album of Beatles songs. I just don’t enjoy her voice.
I can take maybe one song’s worth of Dave Frishberg at a time before his voice starts to grate on me.
Yes, for me it’s more about her persona.
Which persona? It’s getting close to 20 years since she broke and her act is much different now. I’m not a fan but after seeing her win Tony Bennett I couldn’t help but like her.
Ugh. Couldn’t stand her. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly WIth HIs Song were horribly overplayed in my area when they were hits. I heard them constantly. I do think it was the songs and their style I hated more than her voice, though.
Maybe I’m behind on how she’s been coming along.
The only singer I dislike immediately upon hearing him is Joe Cocker.
Bob Dylan I dislike after a few songs (my mom is a big fan).
Otherwise, everyone mentioned is fine. Many of them I particularly enjoy (like Florence and Eddie (not Flo & Eddie, but they’re fine too)).
Mark Volman and (especially) Howard Kaylan have been my two favorite rock/pop vocalists since the 60’s.
She tried so hard with the meat dress to be edgy, but it didn’t work. Kinda like Cyrus trying hard to be naughty to put that stupid TV show behind her.
Maybe I missed it but nobody has mentioned Janis Joplin. I couldn’t stand her voice when I first became aware of her. Just hearing her rasp caused sympathetic pain in my own throat. And that horse-whinny thing she does was like fingernails on a chalkboard. But over time I came to appreciate her vocal styling and now she’s one of my favorite artists of that era. Tastes can change.
I had a similar experience with Louis Armstrong. He could no doubt blow a horn but he sang like he was gargling with rocks. Eventually I figured out that his style and feel were far more important than technical singing ability. Some voices are an acquired taste.
And some voices are suited for certain styles of music. I can’t stand Rod Stewart singing pop disco but I think he’s a great blues rock singer.