Okay - who is a singer who you wonder how they EVER got the notion they could sing - but they actually do a great job.
NOTE - I am NOT looking for folks who have genuine problems holding a tune or are notoriously known for not being all that great - so obvious nominees like Dylan, Neil Young and even Courtney Love don’t need to be mentioned. These are folks who can hit the notes, but the tone (the timbre to get musical about it) is weird, off or really distinct.
Here’s some examples:
Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs - he hits the notes; he CAN sing, but his voice sounds like an old, dusty floor.
Robert Smith of the Cure - again, the guy hits the notes, but his warbly tone is just…weird
Macy Gray - again, actually a solid vocalist, but she sounds like a little kid who has been smoking cigarettes.
Macy Gray is the worst excuse for a singer I’ve ever heard. Kurt Cobain, Billy Corgan and Frank Black can’t sing well either, but at least they found a way to make their poor singing abilities WORK.
I appreciate the fact that you don’t like her, but actually - as a musician I think I can speak to this - technically, she is a solid vocalist technically, with obvious R&B/Gospel roots. She hits the notes, has a great vibrato, etc.
You are welcome to not like her, obviously - everyone’s MMV. But to call her “the worst excuse for a singer” is simply inaccurate.
Okay, mine is the male singer for Crash Test Dummies. I don’t know his name, but he has that incredibly distinctive, weird, deep voice. Sometimes I think he sounds like Neil Diamond on downers.
Tom Petty can hit the notes just fine, but he kind of mangles the enunciation ala Bob Dylan and makes himself sound not-as-good. I still like him, though. Loads of great songs.