Why is the typical male “mainstream popular” music voice so high-pitched and squeaky? Is it some kind of emasculation fantasy that I’ve fortunately missed out on? Why are actually masculine voices like Lou Rawls and Barry White–guys in my vocal range–so rare in “popular” music? Dunno about you, but it’s pretty tiresome to hear squeaker after squeaker.
I don’t know, but it parallels the preferences in classical singing: the tenor (and previous to that, the castrati) sang the major part and were the starts. In opera, it’s because the tenor part is showy and the difficulty in hitting the high notes impresses people.
Not just mainstream music, there are a number of singers in hard rock/metal bands with distinct high voices, such as:
Brian Johnson - AC/DC
Geddy Lee - Rush
Randy Jackson - Zebra
Well, I guess these bands have been around so long they are mainstream now anyway…
I always assumed it was because a higher-pitched voice cuts through the mix better and makes a superior solo “instrument.” This would be more true for rock or metal than other styles.
I tend to notice this as more a modern thing. Take musical theatre…in the 40’s/50’s lead male roles were typically baratone or even bass…and females were nearly always soprano. In modern broadway most of your good male roles are tenor and most females are strong alto…i attribute this is particular to less emphasis on “gender roles” in changing times. But i suppose a fad is a fad and thats why things are the way they are at this point in history.
Higher pitched voices work better in certain styles of popular music. They occupy a range that is uncluttered by the instrumentation.
This is why the most “poppy” side of pop, dance etc, is almost entirely occupied by female singers.
In general, popular music is fairly high-pitched. You don’t hear too many low-register sounds.
Well I’ll have a bash. This is me thinking aloud here.
Pop singers, and I include all rock styles too, are pretty much self taught. If indeed they actually learned to sing at all. When you are not a ‘good’ singer ( your breathing’s all over the place no technique) it is easier to carry a tune and stay in tune higher in your range*. You need some talent and/or training to be comfortable all through you range a/la Sinatra and his ilk or classically trained singers. If you start always singing at the top of your range it becomes habitual.
*I was gonna name Morrissey as an example, of what I leave to the reader 
There are always a good number of low-but-somehow-still-whiny voices in rock as well. I blame Eddie Vedder (a lot of them are clones of him).
I think it has to do with the instruments popular now. It’s easier to hear a Robert Plant over a driving lead guitar, booming bass, and drums, than it would be to hear a Lou Rawls. I don’t think Adam Duritz or Dave Matthews fit this idea of mine though, and can’t think of deeper voiced counterparts either.
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Nevermind.
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