# Has there ever been a worse very successful singer than Mick Jagger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428 "2009-11-30T03:51:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/101 "2009-12-02T17:27:38Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > olivesmarch4th: > Preach it!! Madonna may not be Whitney or Celine, but she can certainly carry a tune, and occasionally (I love “Live to Tell”) hit one out of the ballpark. I think she has a perfectly serviceable voice these days. She’s actually improved _immensely_ thanks to her training in _Evita_. It’s a testament to both whoever her voice teacher was during that time and to Madonna herself, for obviously caring enough to work on her voice despite already being at the top of her profession. Few stars would bother. Obviously she wanted the role of a lifetime and her hard work shows. Not that she turned into Patti LuPone or anything, but the difference prior to _Evita_ and after is incredible. Of course now she’s overboard with the ProTools / Auto-tune crap, but to quote Abe Simpson, ‘that was the style at the time’. BTW **EinsteinsHund** , I think many people in this thread have acknowledged that having a technically bad voice doesn’t necessarily negate the pop/rock star’s greatness. Assuming that s/he _is_ great. A lot of us have said quite the contrary – that even without pure vocal loveliness, people like Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison are powerful performers. (Sorry, I refuse to put people like Prince\* and McCartney on this list. This is a thread about who has the worst voice, not who has a not-perfectly-stellar voice. Respect the game, people!) - And I don’t even hear anything wrong with Prince’s voice; maybe Tom Jones sang “Kiss” more powerfully, but just listen to “When Dove’s Cry” for a better example of Prince’s vocal prowess. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/102 "2009-12-02T18:08:39Z")
I thought Madonna sounded great on her album “I’m Breathless”, which was songs from the _Dick Tracy_ movie and other songs in the same “big band/swing” style. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/103 "2009-12-02T18:24:39Z")
Roger Daltrey ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/104 "2009-12-02T19:26:26Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > Roger Daltrey Amen to that. IMO, THE most overrated voice in rock history. . ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/105 "2009-12-02T20:01:14Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Boulter’s Canary > > Roger Daltrey > > Amen to that. IMO, THE most overrated voice in rock history. Well that seems nonsensical, by what standard are you judging him? He was the perfect fit for the rest of the band. The songs and the music demanded that voice and that performance. I don’t need to go through a list but “5:15” and “The Real Me” should be enough to convince anyone. I don’t recall anyone rating his voice, I do recall pretty much everyone saying he was a great front man for The Who. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/106 "2009-12-02T20:07:39Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Well that seems nonsensical, by what standard are you judging him? > He was the perfect fit for the rest of the band. The songs and the music demanded that voice and that performance. I don’t need to go through a list but “5:15” and “The Real Me” should be enough to convince anyone. > > I don’t recall anyone rating his voice, I do recall pretty much everyone saying he was a great front man for The Who. Does that really mean anything? I mean, he’s the only front man we’ve known for that band. How would we know if any other singer could do it better? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/107 "2009-12-02T20:13:29Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Does that really mean anything? I mean, he’s the only front man we’ve known for that band. How would we know if any other singer could do it better? Well, Pete Townshend has commented numerous times about how blessed he was to have Roger as the interpreter of his songs… Again, I appreciate that everyone has YMMV opinions about different singers, but many of these postings are just…well, I’m just gonna stay out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/108 "2009-12-02T20:31:40Z")
How about Ian Dury? I love love love his stuff, though. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/109 "2009-12-02T20:48:22Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > Roger Daltrey Best scream in rock history in Won’t Get Fooled Again. That’s enough to not be mentioned in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/110 "2009-12-02T20:59:21Z")
Believe me, Who fans the world over are crossing our fingers that he can nail that scream during the Super Bowl halftime show. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/111 "2009-12-02T23:03:35Z")
Jerry Garcia ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/112 "2009-12-02T23:10:12Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Does that really mean anything? I mean, he’s the only front man we’ve known for that band. How would we know if any other singer could do it better? In a parallel universe there is group of middle aged men playing pub back-rooms who nearly made it. If only they’d found the right front man. And you should see the state of Keith! ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/113 "2009-12-02T23:12:29Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Does that really mean anything? I mean, he’s the only front man we’ve known for that band. How would we know if any other singer could do it better? Well, every other member of The Who took lead vocals on occasion, and as a solo artist Pete Townshend has performed songs originally recorded with Daltrey on lead vocals, so that’s three other people right there. Guest vocalists have joined the Who in concert and Who songs have also been covered by various other artists, so it’s easy enough to find examples of Who songs sung by someone other than Roger Daltrey. As for Daltrey’s voice, I can understand that some people might dislike his style, but in terms of his technical abilities like range, pitch, control, etc., there are far worse rock and roll singers. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/114 "2009-12-02T23:55:33Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > As for Daltrey’s voice, I can understand that some people might dislike his style, but in terms of his technical abilities like range, pitch, control, etc., there are far worse rock and roll singers. I came in to say much the same thing about Van Morrison and Joe Cocker. Echoing an earlier sentiment, I can’t even believe that these names are being mentioned. I’d feel the same in a parallel thread where people criticize guitars because they don’t sound like violins. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/115 "2009-12-03T00:04:04Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Jerry Garcia Not the worst singer in his band. In fact he probably wasn’t even the _second_ worst. But maybe my perception is skewed because I’ve heard Weir recently, when he’s absolutely horrible - sub-Dylan, sub-William Shatner. ---
**Author:** ![Dorothea\_Book](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dorothea\_Book](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorothea_Book)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/116 "2009-12-03T00:08:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Well, Pete Townshend has commented numerous times about how blessed he was to have Roger as the interpreter of his songs… > > Again, I appreciate that everyone has YMMV opinions about different singers, but many of these postings are just…well, I’m just gonna stay out of it. I’d like to put in a plug for the quality of Pete T’s little back-up vocals: “You better, you better, you bet… ooo, ooo, ooo” ---
**Author:** ![Dorothea\_Book](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dorothea\_Book](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorothea_Book)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/117 "2009-12-03T00:09:47Z")
> [@kevlaw](#): > > I’d feel the same in a parallel thread where people criticize guitars because they don’t sound like violins. Nicely put **kevlaw** except that some of the violins are coming in for a whacking 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:** [December 3, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/118 "2009-12-03T00:24:39Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Well, every other member of The Who took lead vocals on occasion, and as a solo artist Pete Townshend has performed songs originally recorded with Daltrey on lead vocals, so that’s three other people right there. Guest vocalists have joined the Who in concert and Who songs have also been covered by various other artists, so it’s easy enough to find examples of Who songs sung by someone other than Roger Daltrey. Geddy Lee! (Rush recorded a cover of _[The Seeker](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QUWkFeGQ0A)_ on their “Feedback” EP, a collection of 8 covers of songs that influenced them when they were kids just starting to learn to play their instruments. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/119 "2009-12-03T01:03:02Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > The Sade of “Smooth Operator”? Now you’re just being silly. I don’t think I’m being silly. Her vocals were very very flat. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428/120 "2009-12-03T02:13:31Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Bad singer is completely a matter of taste. Some genres of music really benefit from a smooth, melodic voice; others are better suited to a harsh or gravelly one. Most people wouldn’t consider any punk rock singer to have a conventionally “good” voice but millions of people love punk rock. And Mick Jagger would sound awful with a swingin’ big band behind him, playing jazz standards, as I’m sure Frank Sinatra would with Black Flag backing him up. Certain voices fit with certain instrumental styles and they just “work.” It can’t really be explained any better than that. Jagger and Evans should never have broken up. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-worse-very-successful-singer-than-mick-jagger/519428.md?page=7)