# Worst Vocals in All of Rock 'n' Roll? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531 "2002-12-13T16:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/1 "2002-12-13T16:43:45Z")
OK, who would you nomiate for having the worst singing voice in all of rock and roll? I vote for AC/DC’s Angus whoever as #1. I’d also have to lump in Joe Cocker, Mick Jagger, and Janis Joplin. If I forgot any others, I’ll re-post more later. I think I’d rather listen to fingernails being dragged across a blackboard while someone makes squeeky noises with a balloon than listen to their smoked-out voiceboxes attempting to belt out a tune. Who would you add to this elite group? I think I’ll call this the “Mime List” because that’s what they’d be better at than singing! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/2 "2002-12-13T16:50:55Z")
Dylan, Neil Young and Axl Rose come to mind. A lot of people hate Bruce Springsteen’s voice as well. Most of these singers (yours and mine) I like but I can understand why others might have a problem with them. Same goes with Thom Yorke (Radiohead). His voice annoys a lot of people. Not me though. ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/3 "2002-12-13T16:53:51Z")
Ringo? ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/4 "2002-12-13T16:55:13Z")
Angus didn’t sing. I vote for Axl. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/5 "2002-12-13T16:59:37Z")
I second Bruce Springsteen. Yuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/6 "2002-12-13T17:00:14Z")
Well, personally, I love her voice, but alot of people would say Stevie Nicks. She’s just one of those people you either like her rasp or you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/7 "2002-12-13T17:01:19Z")
There are many songs on which Robert Plant’s voice drives me insane. The problem with ansering this question is that I usually don’t listen to bad voices long enough for them to make an impression in my head. I rue the day when it was decided that enthusiasm was more important than ability in rock. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/8 "2002-12-13T17:03:40Z")
I love the B-52’s, but Fred, take the clothespin off your nose. [sub]Brian Johnson is the current lead singer for AC/DC…Bon Scott was before him until 1980. [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/9 "2002-12-13T17:03:47Z")
Bobby Vinton ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/10 "2002-12-13T17:10:14Z")
Canned Heat ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/11 "2002-12-13T17:15:55Z")
Do you know where you are? You’re in the jungle baby. You’re gonna diiiiieeeeee!!! Glass shatters, dogs moan, EBS is set off. ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/12 "2002-12-13T17:18:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LolaCocaCola \* > \*\*I second Bruce Springsteen. > > Yuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk \*\* D’oh. You can have the inital nomination. I actually like his voice for the style of music he plays (as with others). Singing in an opera on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/13 "2002-12-13T17:25:25Z")
As mentioned: Neil Young must be absolutely tone-deaf. Shaggy (?) - Now thats a guy with a clothespin on his nose. I also have a real distaste for Males vocalists that sound like they’re sniveling and crying when they sing. It bothers me that there seems to be an over abundence of singers with this type of voice the past few years. A perfect example of this is the lead singer for Counting Crows. \ ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/14 "2002-12-13T17:34:48Z")
Shakira. [comicbookguy]Worst singer EVER![/comicbookguy] I know there are a lot of notes out there, but lordy, you don’t have to try to hit them all. Especially with that milk bubble in your throat. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/15 "2002-12-13T17:39:35Z")
Rush. I can’t possibly nominate them enough. Rush Rush Rush Rush Rush Rush ---
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/16 "2002-12-13T17:40:06Z")
Shane MacGowan. Raspy and inchoherent. Still, he does make it work in his songs. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/17 "2002-12-13T18:20:22Z")
Another vote for Neil Young. Dylan would be a close runner up. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/18 "2002-12-13T18:23:20Z")
Joe Strummer, from **The Clash**. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/19 "2002-12-13T18:25:40Z")
Dave Matthews. I’m bewildered why so many people think whiney=sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531/20 "2002-12-13T18:33:40Z")
More votes for Axl and the AC/DC guy. As a matter of fact, I think AC/DC is the most overrated band in history. They suck. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-vocals-in-all-of-rock-n-roll/142531.md?page=2)