# most distinctive singing voice **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817 "2003-08-13T03:21:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/1 "2003-08-13T03:21:49Z")
You know what I mean, a voice that when you hear it, there is no question of “Who is singing this song?” Everybody knows within a note or two. A few contenders: Roy Orbison Willie Nelson John Lennon Louis Armstrong (I just realized these are all men, help throw dome distinctive women into the pot) ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Tambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr\_Tambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Tambo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/2 "2003-08-13T03:30:38Z")
Tom Waits Alison Krauss ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/3 "2003-08-13T03:36:08Z")
Alanis Morrisette Bob Dylan ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/4 "2003-08-13T03:40:56Z")
Bjork Dave Matthews Sting ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/5 "2003-08-13T03:42:30Z")
Tom Petty Gwen Stefani The guy from System of a Down ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/6 "2003-08-13T03:44:36Z")
Aaron Neville ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/7 "2003-08-13T03:47:04Z")
The answer, without a doubt, for good or ill, is Geddy Lee. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/8 "2003-08-13T03:55:33Z")
Ronnie James Dio David Coverdale (oft imitated, never duplicated) Les Claypool Dave Mustaine Lemmy ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/9 "2003-08-13T03:56:47Z")
I think **Miller** nailed it with Geddy Lee. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/10 "2003-08-13T04:07:51Z")
I was gonna post Dylan. Geddy Lee and Dave Matthews and others are good choices too. So I’ll add…Janis. Mick Jagger singing falsetto too! (Emotional Rescue?) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/11 "2003-08-13T04:22:53Z")
Billie Holliday ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/12 "2003-08-13T04:25:33Z")
OOOOO! Lady Day! Good One! ---
**Author:** ![SparrowHawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@SparrowHawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparrowHawk)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/13 "2003-08-13T04:27:26Z")
Maddy Prior ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/14 "2003-08-13T04:27:27Z")
I thought of Dylan as soon as I saw the title. Jim Morrison is pretty unmistakeable too. For the women… Janis Joplin. ---
**Author:** ![darylhallfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@darylhallfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darylhallfan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/15 "2003-08-13T04:28:58Z")
Daryl Hall (of course) Todd Rundgren ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/16 "2003-08-13T04:30:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Troy McClure SF \* > \*\*Tom Petty > > Gwen Stefani > > The guy from System of a Down \*\* The guy from System of a Down = **Serj Tankian** Another vote for **Geddy Lee** - definite top 5 distinctive voice… Another top 5 DV has to go to **Peter Gabriel** with his unique “falsetto insertions” (can you think of a better term?) in virtually all of his songs - a trademark voice if you will… **Ozzy** is quite distinctive too…I have not heard anyone else duplicate it either. That’s probably why Peter let Ozzy sing “Shock the Monkey” (with Coal Chamber) since he could pull that song off too. Chicks? **Cyndi Lauper** …high and squeeky… **Enya** …very smooth and velvety… **George Thuroughgood** is top 10 if not 5… **Roger Waters** is quite the screamer/screecher in some of his tunes - not quite singing, but definitely distinctive… ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/17 "2003-08-13T04:31:18Z")
Marcel Marceau. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/18 "2003-08-13T04:34:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*Marcel Marceau. \*\* LMFAO!!! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/19 "2003-08-13T04:35:30Z")
Maddy Prior, vote #2. I’m just listening to her now, amazingly enough. Tori Amos Lots more dittos down the list… Lyle Lovett ---
**Author:** ![straykat23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@straykat23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straykat23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/20 "2003-08-13T04:37:11Z")
Joe Cocker Michael McDonald [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817.md?page=2)