I saw the “Worst Singers?” topic and thought… “Why not a best singers topic?” So here it is.
By best I mean:
Both technical and talent. (There is a difference!)
My choices would be:
-Maynard James Keenan (Tool) (A Perfect Circle)
-Chris Cornell (Sound Garden) (Audioslave)
-Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) (Mad Season)
Discuss. ,’)
Neil Hannon (the Divine Comedy)
Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields)
I’ll agree with Maynard and Layne. Although I haven’t heard Chris Cornell (at least, not knowingly), I’ll agree with you on those two guys.
My nominations (barring the obvious like David Gilmour and Roger Waters) are:
David Draiman (Disturbed)
Gackt (Malice Mizer and solo projects)
Lead singer of Dir en Grey. Man, that guy can sing and scream. Just listen to the song “Merciless Cult”!
Lead singer of System of a Down Jesus Christ, he can sing.
That’s all I can think of for now.
Agh! Can’t believe I forgot this:
Clare TORY! (“Dark Side of the Moon”- Great Gig in the Sky, backup singer)
Eva Cassidy
I don’t know some of their names, but here they are:
Howlin’ Wolf
Aretha Franklin
Hitomi Yaida
Lead singer for:
Queens of the Stone Age
The Yellow Monkey
Globe (no, not the French dude)
The Tiger Lillies
I heard the guy in Audioslave and he sounds like he could eventually be great–but probably needs another 10 years. The guy in the Queens of the Stone Age is probably roughly the same age but has already hit it.
Clyde McPhatter
Sam Cooke
Marvin Gaye
Elvis
Aretha. Otis. James Brown. Apart from the soul guys, Jeff Buckley.
In terms of “characterful” singing (that is, horrible but strangely compelling), Shane Mc Gowan and Bob Dylan.
Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Jane Monheit, Curtis Stigers and I’d like to second Eva Cassidy and Aretha Franklin
Karen Carpenter
I’m limiting it to the rock genre, since I know next to nothing about opera, where muco singing talent lies.
Robin Zander of Cheap Trick has an incredibly versatile voice.
When he was younger, Rob Halford of Judas Priest had a great range. I can’t say that about him for the last 20 years though.
Ann Wilson of Heart and Johnette Napolitano from Concrete Blonde have great voices.
Freddie Mercury brought incredible dynamics to the table with Queen.
There are too many soul artists to mention. Aretha Franklin kicks all kinds of ass.
I think Joss Stone has a great voice, too.
Mike Patton, the “Hardcore Pavarotti”.
Joan Baez
Cyndi Lauper (there’s a real wide range in her)
Enya
Male:
Sinatra
Tony Bennett
Kenny Rankin
Jack Jones
Michale Buble
Johnny Hartman
Vic Damone
Dean Martin
Nat “King” Cole
Joe Williams
Female:
Rosemary Clooney
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughn
Norah Jones
Carol Sloane
Diana Krall
Shirley Horn
Eydie Gorme
Emmy Lou Harris
Dolly Parton
That’s Chris Cornell, formerly of Soundgarden, and he has been around since the late '80s. That’s not really the kind of music I listen to anymore, but I’ve always thought he had a striking voice and an amazing range.
As for me:
Males:
Elvis Presley
Freddie Mercury
Chris Isaak
Harry Connick, Jr.
Frank Sinatra
Jeff Buckley
Morrissey
Brian Setzer
Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music)
Bono (U2)
Tom Waits (admittedly not a great voice, but perfect for what he does with it)
Shane McGowan (The Pogues) (see above)
Mike Ness (Social Distortion) (see above)
Females:
Ella Fitzgerald
Neko Case
Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
Patsy Cline
Sarah Nixey (Black Box Recorder)
Shirley Manson (Garbage)
Dusty Springfield
Billie Holliday
Jennifer Charles (Lovage, Elysian Fields)
Nellie McKay
Judy Niemack
Tori Amos
Tarja (Nightwish)
Loretta Lynn
Paul Rogers
Freddie Mercury
Bryan Ferry
David Sylvian (Japan)
Kate Bush
Anne Wilson
Sinead O’Connor
Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance)
Sinead O’Connor
Lauryn Hill
Mary J. Blige
Christine McVie
Nico
Leonard Cohen
Josh Homme
Robert Plant
Pepper Keenan
Peter Murphy
Best female: Karen Carpenter. No one comes close to her.
Best male: four-way tie between Michael Crawford, John Denver, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.