# Who's the worst famous singer? Who really sucks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2005, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235 "2005-08-09T04:04:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/41 "2005-08-09T16:29:32Z")
Issac Brock from Modest Mouse and Jon Danielle from Mountain Goats come to bath in the shore of my mind. The former made baby Jesus start drinking and the latter made baby Jesus knock up a hooker. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/42 "2005-08-09T16:32:39Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#): > > Issac Brock from Modest Mouse and Jon Danielle from Mountain Goats come to bath in the shore of my mind. The former made baby Jesus start drinking and the latter made baby Jesus knock up a hooker. Now that’s funny! Never heard of these folks. Don’t want to now. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/43 "2005-08-09T16:33:41Z")
Since I don’t want to repeat anyone mentioned, I’ll throw **Stevie Nicks** on the pile. The woman sounds like she gargles gravel while chain smoking an entire bingo parlor’s worth of unfiltered Tareytons in her spare time. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/44 "2005-08-09T16:35:55Z")
I don’t know if this counts as anyone who’s taken seriously, but Brad Delp of Boston is the worst lead singer I’ve ever heard. Even triple-tracked, there’s nothing there. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/45 "2005-08-09T16:37:10Z")
**Garth Brooks.** While this guy can obviously carry a tune and do all those technical things a singer should do, his style is - to me - completely phony. He oozes fake sincerity. Hardly a measure can go by without his voice breaking. A breaking voice can be a very effective technique, but Brooks does it so often it sounds like his voice coach was a trained seal. He has done some great songs, but his totally phony and manufactured style ruins them for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/46 "2005-08-09T16:38:17Z")
Frank Sinatra. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/47 "2005-08-09T16:39:47Z")
Do the name **Don Ho** ring a bell? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/48 "2005-08-09T16:40:52Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Frank Sinatra. I knew this one had to appear. Sorry, you have no taste. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/49 "2005-08-09T16:41:39Z")
The guy from Styx. Absolutely terrible. I’ve heard better singing at high school concerts. Also, Bruce Springsteen. ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/50 "2005-08-09T16:44:45Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > I would just like to point out that whether someone is a good or bad singer, and whether they have a good or bad voice, are two very different things. > > And that it’s not fair to call someone a bad singer just because they sing in a _style_ that you don’t like. Disagree! The singer I hate the most is\*\* Peter Cetera\*\*. His whinyness is annoying, but the worst part is how he never finished the words he was singing! My impression of Peter Cetera singing _Glory of Love_: “I yam a ma’ who will fi’ fo yo ahhhhhna…” great Og, I’ve spent years trying to get that out of my head. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/51 "2005-08-09T16:50:47Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#): > > Issac Brock from Modest Mouse and Jon Danielle from Mountain Goats come to bath in the shore of my mind. The former made baby Jesus start drinking and the latter made baby Jesus knock up a hooker. 😃 I don’t mind some of Modest Mouse’s songs, but I got some Mountain Goats MP3s from station ripper a couple of months ago. I didn’t make it a full minute into any of their songs before skipping to the next songs on my playlist. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/52 "2005-08-09T16:50:48Z")
**yellowval** , I’ll see your Bruce Springsteen and raise you one Roger Daltry. Oy. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/53 "2005-08-09T16:53:23Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I knew this one had to appear. Sorry, you have no taste. Then howd’ja know it was going to appear? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/54 "2005-08-09T16:56:47Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Then howd’ja know it was going to appear? 😉 Because it almost always does in threads of this type. It’s like listing Einstein in a list of idiots, or Sandra Bernhard in the Beautiful People list. It just _has_ to happen. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/55 "2005-08-09T17:55:12Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Since I don’t want to repeat anyone mentioned, I’ll throw **Stevie Nicks** on the pile. The woman sounds like she gargles gravel while chain smoking an entire bingo parlor’s worth of unfiltered Tareytons in her spare time. A technique she no doubt borrowed from **Rod Stewart** , who I came here to mention. All the raspiness of Bruce Springsteen, but without the low pitch that sometimes sells it as rough machismo. Yet he’s not just a star, but a super-star! ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/56 "2005-08-09T17:56:59Z")
I think I have that tape – is this the one where she’s singing backing vocals on “Hey Jude”? If so, I agree she sounded horrible, probably quite stoned. My understanding was that someone in the sound crew (who regularly turned her mics way down she sounded so bad) made the tape. > [@lieu](#): > > My local radio station was able to electronically isolate Linda McCartney’s voice from a Wing’s concert. Good grief, was it ever horribly off key and shrill! I was positively embarrassed for her. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/57 "2005-08-09T18:09:00Z")
> [@F. U. Shakespeare](#): > > I think I have that tape – is this the one where she’s singing backing vocals on “Hey Jude”? > > If so, I agree she sounded horrible, probably quite stoned. My understanding was that someone in the sound crew (who regularly turned her mics way down she sounded so bad) made the tape. That’s certainly the one I’ve heard on the web, with that very description. Just plain awful. But, to be fair, I’d wager that a great many vocalists, with their part isolated that way (with just the barest hint of what the others are doing audible in the background) would sound just as bad. Nah! Never happen. That’s pretty damn bad. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/58 "2005-08-09T18:15:25Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > My local radio station was able to electronically isolate Linda McCartney’s voice from a Wing’s concert. Good grief, was it ever horribly off key and shrill! I was positively embarrassed for her. Wow…it’s been a lot of years since I heard [Linda’s brutalization](http://www.twistedunicorn.com/sounds/pages/lindamccartney.html) of _Hey Jude_ on the Stern show. Geez, that’s painful. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/59 "2005-08-09T18:18:25Z")
Last winter I had the misfortune of listening to some sample tracks from Jessica Simpson’s Christmas album. How in the holy hell did that girl ever get a recording gig? Oh, wait. Nevermind. Good og that was a pile of suck. I mean really, really, bad, whiney, breathy, screechy, pinch-nosed crap. [Samples here](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47E17DC49A97220C7932B43C0A67FA458FE4AED81106E495AD1A930499F0563F240ADC6C4AEF875B47CE3FD24A65B05D2CAFE3681&sql=11:1ddovwbta9xk~T31D), if you dare. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235/60 "2005-08-09T18:39:16Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > He’s dead now, you know. > > Not really. > > [nods] You mean Dinglebert Humpdiback? Englebert Slopptydinck? 😛 I have to put my vote in for the lead singer of Kings of Leon. The boy cannot carry a tune but there is something absolutely mesmerizing about his drawling voice. “Eiiiiighteen!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-famous-singer-who-really-sucks/316235.md?page=4)