Whilst overall having a huge sweatspot for “OKish” voices (80% of which I neither greatly like or dislike), there are one or 2 that really yank my chain:
those make me reach for the dial/next button in a heartbeat.
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what are your problem-childs?
Jefferson Starship (maybe just “Starship”). They were a perfectly fine rock band while they were still just an airplane.
Janis Joplin. I know that’s blasphemy coming from someone who digs 70’s classic rock, but every time I hear her voice I can’t help but picture someone running over a cat. Which really sucks, because I like a lot of BB&tHC songs (and some of her solo stuff), I just can’t stand her voice.
Mumble rap in general. I never wanted to hear Eddie Vedder rap, and I lose respect for anyone who does.
That red hot chili peppers guy, Anthony Kiedis, a man who never found a note that he didn’t have to slide into first.
Oh, and sometimes Stevie Nicks. I was listening to her once and my grandmother, who happened to be in the room, said “I don’t know who that is, but it sounds like a goat braying!” I rolled my eyes but unfortunately understood exactly what she meant and now I can’t un-hear that whenever I hear her sing. I don’t necessarily skip her songs, but it does take away from some of the enjoyment I used to have for her and the songs she sung for Fleetwood Mac.
Not to dump on Minnie Riperton again (but why not?); her hit “Lovin’ You” still hasn’t disappeared from airplay, and it’s essential to get to the dial in time to prevent your eardrums and glassware from shattering when she hits those horrible keening high notes.
You don’t get to hear Family much anymore except on programs featuring obscure 1970s British progressive rock bands, but I’ve taken to stabbing at the next button when Roger Chapman’s singing comes up on iPod shuffle.
I’m not sure why these threads always savage a bunch of classic rockers and pop stars, when the underground aesthetic for over 25 years now has been whiny deliberately off-key lead singers with zero over- and undertones, as far as the horizon, such a Jeff Mangum and Thom Yorke. Utter fingernails on the blackboard time. Compared to them, the likes of Geddy Lee and Stevie Nicks sound like Luciano Pavarotti and Maria Callas.
Donna Jean Godcheaux’s wailing on mid-70s Grateful Dead jams
Natalie Merchant. I recognize that she is a good singer but there is something about her voice, and I can’t even pin down what it is, that just really annoys me.
I can’t stand Bernadette Peters. I don’t like her voice or her hamminess.
Unfortunately, she’s in lots of great musicals, so if I want to hear the recordings of those shows, I just have to put up with her to some degree.
I’m sure she’s a fine human being. But as a singer? No thanks.
Stevie Nicks is one of the first names that always pops into my head when this topic comes up. Braying ass is how I usually phrase it.
Olivia Rodgrigo irritates me in a very large way. Her breathy, overly earnest whinging gives me evil intentions.
The late, great Melanie. I actually enjoyed a lot of her work, as well as her stage persona. But there was something about her voice that went through me like a squeaky styrofoam cup.
Ed Sheeran. Don’t know exactly what it is about him – maybe it’s more about his music, I dunno, but that’s the only vocalist I could think of off the top my head that irritates the crap out of me. It is just so milquetoast and beige. Everyone else so far listed, I’m fine with. Maybe c. 1994 I would have given you Billy Corgan, as well, but, for as his weaknesses, I’ve gotten used to it and actually think it fits his music well.
Okay, no need to reach for the dial because it’s an old and obscure one, but Vaughn Monroe sounded like Frank Sinatra after the dentist shot his mouth with novocaine.
Because that’s the crap the radio has been playing over and over again for the last 60 years.
Every Classic Rock radio station on Earth seems to think Aerosmith only has like 3 songs. The Rolling Stones have a million songs, but they just play “Satisfaction” a dozen times every day. They mention a band upcoming on the playlist, everyone knows what song it’s going to be.
None of this is the band’s fault, but they still get overexposed this way anyways.
I like a lot of hard rock, but the group System of a Down has a singer (Serj Tankian) with a voice that is utterly horrible - I reflexively change the channel or turn it off whenever I hear it. I think a lot of people like this sort of delivery but even for heavy rock it’s over the line for me.
I handle this by listening to Classic Rock very sparingly. It’s fine in short bursts, but I’d never keep the radio/Spotify/whatever on that station for more than a few minutes.
I was going to say Yoko, but you never hear her songs on the radio.
Whichever band sings Sweet Child of Mine.
Also the Growlers who say its heavy metal, its just growling.
I have so many of these. The first two that occur to me are James Taylor and Van Morrison. It’s just nails on chalkboard as far as I’m concerned!