# Bands With Multiple Lead Vocalists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 27, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386 "2013-10-27T18:22:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/21 "2013-10-27T21:40:38Z")
Three Dog Night ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/22 "2013-10-27T22:34:04Z")
Kiss. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley shared lead vocal duties. Journey. They were looking to hire someone to share lead vocals with Gregg Rolie. They ended up with Steve Perry, and shortly thereafter, they weren’t sharing any more. It’s a shame, really, because Gregg has a beautiful voice, and [they sounded great together](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg5vziU-qIs). ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/23 "2013-10-27T22:53:53Z")
Blue Öyster Cult - Buck Dharma sang several songs per album, Alan and Joe Bouchard usually sang the songs they’d written themselves, and Allen Lanier sang lead once or twice. Cream - Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton traded vocal duties pretty often, and Ginger Baker “sang” on “Pressed Rat and Warthog” and “Blue Condition”. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/24 "2013-10-27T22:59:55Z")
Michael Stipe sang the lead on every R.E.M. song except “Superman”, “Texarkana” and the song from which I took my username, “Near Wild Heaven”, and in those cases, the vocals were handled by Mike Mills. Honestly, he really can’t sing all that well, but NWH remains my favorite song by them. Throwing Muses also had two singers, Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donnelly, who later handled the vocals for Belly. As long as Lou Gramm and Mick Jones were both in Foreigner, they also shared lead vocal duties, although I don’t think Jones sang lead on any of their hits. The Edge has sung lead on several U2 songs; “Numb” is the best known among them. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/25 "2013-10-27T23:01:38Z")
The Monkees. Mickey and Davy seemed about even for taking turns on lead vocals, Mike had a not insignificant amount too. Peter only one or two (that I know of). ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/26 "2013-10-27T23:35:32Z")
The Rolling Stones have songs where both Mick and Keef sing. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/27 "2013-10-27T23:43:52Z")
**Night Ranger** vocals were split pretty much evenly between Kelly Keagy and Jack Blades. Ditto **Mike + the Mechanics** , with Paul Young and Paul Carrack. Trevor Rabin often traded lead vox with Jon Anderson during his tenure in **Yes.** FWIW I don’t think we should count bands like U2, who only had lead vocals by The Edge on one or two songs in their entire career; otherwise we’ll be counting bands like Black Sabbath because Bill Ward sang lead once. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/28 "2013-10-27T23:52:00Z")
Thought of another: **Chicago** had numerous lead singers (Terry Kath, Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm, Bill Champlin, etc.) depending on whoever was in the band at the time. (Reading the bottom of this page reminded me of this one, haha.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/29 "2013-10-28T01:35:50Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > What are some bands where any one concert, or album, is likely to feature two or more people sharing lead-vocalist duties? > > Two examples that come to mind: > > **Styx** (at least, in their heyday; can’t say what’s going on with them now) would oft feature Tommy Shaw doing lead vocals on some songs (_Blue Collar Man, Foolin’ Yourself_); James Young on one or two others A(_Miss America, Snowblind_); and Dennis DeYoung handling the lion’s share. > > **The Eagles** seem to divvy up the lead vocal duties fairly evenly. A cursory sampling of some of their top hits has Glenn Frey singing _Take It Easy_, Don Henley singing _Hotel California_; undoubtedly Joe Walsh has taken the lead a time or two as well, though I don’t feel like researching The Eagles’ entire catalogue right now to be certain. > > Who else? Don’t forget Timothy Schmit. He sings lead on a few songs, most notably “I Can’t Tell You Why.” Robin Gibb and Barry Gibb shared lead vocals for the Bee Gees. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/30 "2013-10-28T01:58:47Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Don’t forget Timothy Schmit. He sings lead on a few songs, most notably “I Can’t Tell You Why.” Or Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, who both sang on several songs. The current band rather shamefully refuses to acknowledge the past members. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/31 "2013-10-28T02:00:05Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Don’t forget Timothy Schmit. He sings lead on a few songs, most notably “I Can’t Tell You Why.” Don’t forget Randy Meisner, either. He sang on a fair number of songs, most notably “Take It To The Limit” (which I believe he also wrote). That was before Schmit joined the band, of course. _Edit_: Oops. I see \*\*Steophan \*\*beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/32 "2013-10-28T02:14:24Z")
All three members of TLC have (had) more or less equal parts on all the songs they did together. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/33 "2013-10-28T02:29:29Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > The Rolling Stones have songs where both Mick and Keef sing. I think Keith has done several lead vocals on his own (“You’ve Got the Silver” springs to mind, but I think there are several more.) Bill Wyman did at least one lead vocal (“In Another Land”), and I rather think Brian Jones did one or two as well. I am not sure about Charlie, or Ron, or Mick Taylor. Interestingly, on the Stones’ early recordings (certainly their first album), backing vocals are credited to Brian and Bill (and not Keith), but not too much later on Keith seemed to take over as the main backing vocalist. I do not know why that was, but it may reflect shifts in the band’s internal politics, as (well before Brian left) it shifted from being Brian’s band to being Keith’s. _Love_ had Arthur Lee and Bryan MacLean. Actually, probably most band with any sort of longevity (and many that didn’t last) have probably given several members at least the occasional chance to sing lead. It would probably be much harder to name bands (apart from one-hit wonders) who always had the same person sing lead. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/34 "2013-10-28T02:51:10Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I think Keith has done several lead vocals on his own (“You’ve Got the Silver” springs to mind, but I think there are several more.) Yes, lots more. I’m not totally sure, but I think that he took the lead on at least one song per album from “Exile” on, most notably on “Happy” and “Before they make me run”. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/35 "2013-10-28T03:11:23Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > The Beatles? > > ETA: **RealityChuck** beat me to them. And Undead Annie beat you both. Both my suggestions (Beatles and Three Dog Night) have already been mentioned so… (Although I wouldn’t really count Ringo, one song an album is barely into ‘guest vocalist’ territory.) ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/36 "2013-10-28T03:13:35Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Yes, lots more. I’m not totally sure, but I think that he took the lead on at least one song per album from “Exile” on, most notably on “Happy” and “Before they make me run”. From earlier than that, since Between The Buttons. [Here’s a list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Richards#Lead_vocals_on_Rolling_Stones_tracks) from Wiki. Although you’re technically correct as he sang no lead on Sticky Fingers. It was on the Exile tour that he started singing his songs in concert, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/37 "2013-10-28T04:06:04Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Journey. They were looking to hire someone to share lead vocals with Gregg Rolie. They ended up with Steve Perry, and shortly thereafter, they weren’t sharing any more. It’s a shame, really, because Gregg has a beautiful voice, and [they sounded great together](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg5vziU-qIs). I used to hear that song on the radio, and for the longest time I thought it was some sort of collaboration between Journey and Chicago. Part of it was that I had never heard a Journey song with anybody but Steve Perry singing. But Greg Rollie’s vocal inflections strongly remind me of Peter Cetera, and the harmonies seem very Chicago-ish for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/38 "2013-10-28T14:00:05Z")
> [@Undead Annie](#): > > And the Beatles used all four members as lead vocalists. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > There’s also a group called “the Beatles.” All of its members did lead vocals at one time or another. > [@WordMan](#): > > The Beatles? > > ETA: **RealityChuck** beat me to them. > [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > And Undead Annie beat you both. Want to know who sang what? There’s a [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_the_Beatles) for that. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/39 "2013-10-28T15:14:20Z")
Eric Bloom and Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser shared lead vocals in Blue Oyster Cult. In their prime, guitarist Rik Emmett and drummer Gil Moore shared lead singer duties in Triumph. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386/40 "2013-10-28T16:26:32Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Actually, probably most band with any sort of longevity (and many that didn’t last) have probably given several members at least the occasional chance to sing lead. It would probably be much harder to name bands (apart from one-hit wonders) who always had the same person sing lead. Rush. You can count on - I think - one hand the number of times another voice has appeared on one of their songs. Cygnus X-1 The Necromancer Time Stand Still (Aimee Mann!) Superconductor (Rupert Hine) Subdivisions I might be missing a few. Alex used to provide chorus back up on ‘In the Mood’ when they did it live, but it got dropped from the set list more than a decade ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-with-multiple-lead-vocalists/672386.md?page=3)