# FEMALE vocalist with the sexiest voice **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2000, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456 "2000-07-30T16:55:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/21 "2000-07-31T04:37:08Z")
Oh yeah, to go with some classics that have been completely overlooked by all you whippersnappers (well, I think I’m still technically a whippesnapper myself, but…): \*\* Billie Holiday Ella Fitzgerald \*\* But I will agree on the point of any woman singing to, or around me. Women in general are very capable of singing beautifully–there’s a Vonnegut quote to that effect that I am too lazy to dredge up right now. Imagine my shock upon discovering that even the freaky goth chick I sometimes hang out with can sing… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/22 "2000-07-31T05:14:02Z")
Buffy St.Marie Dusty Springfield Holly Near Enya ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/23 "2000-07-31T05:20:09Z")
I’m totally into Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star), and Nina Gordon (ex-Veruca Salt). ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/24 "2000-07-31T05:21:27Z")
\*\* Enya??? \*\* ::beats head into wall repeatedly:: I think I must have just had too much bad exposure to Enya… ::faints:: ---
**Author:** ![JosephFinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JosephFinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JosephFinn)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/25 "2000-07-31T05:22:36Z")
Tori Amos (of whom I have a framed picture in our bedroom, signed to me and my wife (though she did misspell my name as “Jo”)). Growl… Dar Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/26 "2000-07-31T05:37:18Z")
Tanita Tikoram (sp?) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/27 "2000-07-31T05:39:09Z")
Dusty Springfield - Thelook of love Helen Spitteri - Texas ---
**Author:** ![Lux\_Fiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lux\_Fiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lux_Fiat)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/28 "2000-07-31T08:51:29Z")
Well, Sarah McLachlan live was just about the closest thing to a religious experience I’ve ever had (even if she didn’t sing “Full of Grace”), but for sexiest, I’ve got to go with either Beth Gibbons from Portishead or Shirley Manson. I’m sure I’ll think of someone else right after I submit this. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/29 "2000-07-31T08:55:36Z")
The chick from the ‘B-52’s’. The one who sang on Iggy Pop’s ‘Candy’. The name escapes me. Also, Sarah McLachlan. ---
**Author:** ![realidad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@realidad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/realidad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/30 "2000-07-31T11:35:01Z")
Tanya Donelly The woman from 10,000 maniacs (mental block) Tori Amos KD Lange Kate Bush ---
**Author:** ![Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/31 "2000-07-31T11:45:21Z")
Sheryl Crow (her voice makes me happy, so it can’t be THAT bad . . . :rolleyes: ) ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/32 "2000-07-31T12:31:13Z")
PJ Harvey, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Pink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@Pink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pink)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/33 "2000-07-31T14:14:20Z")
I’ve always thought Janice Ian had too much effect on my BF, so I guess that’s a sexy voice. It can’t be her face. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/34 "2000-07-31T14:19:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by realidad \* > \*\*The woman from 10,000 maniacs (mental block) > \*\* That would be Natalie Merchant. And I would like to add Alannah Myles. _Black Velvet_ gets me every time I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/35 "2000-07-31T15:22:04Z")
Although I like Eartha Kitt, I think the sexiest voice ever belongs to Julie London. (the rest of her wasn’t bad either) ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/36 "2000-07-31T15:31:36Z")
Maire Brennan, lead singer for Clannad. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/37 "2000-07-31T16:42:07Z")
Michelle Shocked Judy Tzuke ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/38 "2000-07-31T16:42:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Myrr21 \* > Oh yeah, to go with some classics that have been completely overlooked by all you whippersnappers (well, I think I’m still technically a whippesnapper myself, but…): > \*\* > Billie Holiday > Ella Fitzgerald > \*\* I yield to no one in my admiration for Ella (if you popped open the 6-disc magazine on my old changer you’d find five of the slots occupied at the moment by the Cole Porter and Gershwin songbooks), but I don’t think of her as having a particularly sexy voice. A powerfully affecting one at times, certainly, but not sexy _per se_. For my nominees: [ul] [li]Kirsty MacColl. Maybe it’s her lyrics that make her voice have that effect on me, but when I hear her I have the sense of being in the presence of a woman who knows what she’s about and won’t take any shit, without being at all defensive or hostile. I’ve only met a few women like that in real life, and I found them all extremely attractive, regardless of their physical characteristics.[/li][li]Kelly Hogan. You won’t have heard of her without you’ve listened to one of two CDs released by a band called the Jody Grind, or a certain disc by a group called the Rock-A-Teens, or her solo effort _The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear_. I used to buy stuff at the Turtles music store around the corner from my apartment just in the hope that she’d be working the register. Then I saw her perform with An Evening With the Garbageman (the ensemble that turned into the Jody Grind) at the White Dot. She was obviously painfully uncomfortable on stage, but you’d never have known it from the way she sang. I’ve had higher standards for female vocalists ever since. Track down the first Jody Grind disc, _One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure_, if you can and listen for yourself.[/li][li]Annie Ross. Vocalese technique and range enough for three women, sure, but there’re moments when there’s something more there as well. Teamed up with Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan . . . .[/li][li]Jane Wiedlin. The Go-Go most deserving of more attention than she ever got.[/li][/ul] Honorable mentions, or seconded nominations, for Chrissie Hynde, Susannah Hoffs, Rachel Sweet (I sometimes think that just listening to her cover of “B-A-B-Y” might be illegal in several states), Maria McKee. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/39 "2000-08-01T01:14:48Z")
Karen Carpenter. Ignore the cheesy background instruments and just listen to that exquisite voice. ---
**Author:** ![seriousart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456/40 "2000-08-01T03:26:09Z")
Oh,oh,oh… Annie Lennox. mmmmmm Annie Lennox. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-vocalist-with-the-sexiest-voice/27456.md?page=3)