# Which band from, say, the 60’s… **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 22, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024 "2021-10-22T19:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/1 "2021-10-22T19:36:01Z")
Has had the most lead singers? Define as you will. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/2 "2021-10-22T19:42:03Z")
If we are to include vocal groups, the Temptations have had numerous lead singers over the past 60 years. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/3 "2021-10-22T20:06:00Z")
Jefferson Airplane had at least six. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/4 "2021-10-22T21:41:31Z")
Mothers of Invention had a bunch. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/5 "2021-10-22T22:04:53Z")
Yes (formed 1968) has had five vocalists, all of whom appeared on at least one album. Jon Anderson is the band’s signature lead vocalist, but others who have had the lead (or co-lead) vocalist role with the band include Trevor Horn, Trevor Rabin, Benoit David, and Jon Davison. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/6 "2021-10-23T05:10:01Z")
Santana has had eleven. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/nbb93m8p3839h2hsqf7gihwwczu7nab.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/nbb93m8p3839h2hsqf7gihwwczu7nab.png) ---
**Author:** ![RobotDevilDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RobotDevilDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobotDevilDog)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/7 "2021-10-23T07:56:43Z")
Fleetwood Mac has had at least 13, if you count a spoken-word song by Mick Fleetwood. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/8 "2021-10-23T13:37:46Z")
Defining lead singers to require being lead singer of a top 40 song or several significant songs, the Eagles had five (Henley, Frey, Meisner, Walsh, Schmit). They would have more if you included those that sang lead for a song on an album or who has song lead over the years (like Vince Gill and Deacon Frey). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2021, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/9 "2021-10-23T15:31:23Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Define as you will. And, of course, there are multiple ways of defining/interpreting it. A “lead singer” could be anyone who sings lead vocals on at least one song, or it could be a specific role in the band, which is typically held by only one person at a time. As an example of the former: The Beach Boys have had “significant songs” (IMHO) with lead vocals by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and Blondie Chaplin. As an example of the latter: Looks like [King Crimson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_King_Crimson_members#Timeline) has had six different people in the “lead singer” role (and I’m a little surprised it hasn’t been more). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/10 "2021-10-24T01:31:11Z")
Chicago had at least eight, not counting backing vocalists who stepped up during a concert. Of course, they’ve been a band since 1968 so there’s bound to be turnover. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/11 "2021-10-24T21:36:38Z")
Wow! Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/12 "2021-10-24T21:39:53Z")
It really is an impressive chart, and illustrates that Santana (the band) really is Carlos Santana, with an ever-evolving set of bandmates. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/13 "2021-10-24T23:14:26Z")
The real voice of the band Santana has always been Carlos’ unique guitar tone. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/14 "2021-10-25T23:48:53Z")
Agreed. So far it looks like Santana is the top. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2021, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-from-say-the-60-s/953024/15 "2021-10-26T05:14:55Z")
I forgot to count Gregg Rollie and Carlos Santana. It’s actually a baker’s dozen.