# Your Favorite Singer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 26, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063 "2026-01-26T22:46:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/41 "2026-01-27T05:39:45Z")
Elizabeth Fraser, and it’s not even close. ---
**Author:** ![Happytree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happytree/32/3555_2.png) [@Happytree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happytree)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/42 "2026-01-27T05:44:57Z")
Kanika Moore of Doom Flamingo is my current go-to. Her stuff with Tauk and Lespecial are amazing. Embarrassingly, I still can’t manage a YouTube link here, but she absolutely kills “Bohemian Rhapsody”, a very bold cover. My all time favorites though, are a toss up between John Fogerty and Bradley Noel of Sublime. I favor soulful delivery over technical ability. Edit for spelling. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2026, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/43 "2026-01-27T06:08:51Z")
> [@Happytree](#): > > Kanika Moore of Doom Flamingo is my current go-to. Her stuff with Tauk and Lespecial are amazing. Embarrassingly, I still can’t manage a YouTube link here, but she absolutely kills “Bohemian Rhapsody”, a very bold cover. Here you go. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/A9ODsBcRmCY/maxresdefault.jpg "Doom Flamingo - Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) - 5/27/2022 - Summer Camp Music Festival, Chillicothe, Il") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9ODsBcRmCY) ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/44 "2026-01-27T06:19:57Z")
I have a lot of favorites including many already mentioned. But if I have to pick a favorite it would be Leonard Cohen. His poetic lyrics delivered with emotional vocalization reach that melancholy part of me I seem to have been born with. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2026, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/45 "2026-01-27T09:31:44Z")
I like a lot of singers, male and female, but my favorite singer is indisputably Aretha Franklin, by far. No one can sing like her, and IMHO she’s the best singer in the history of recorded music. As for male singers: Otis Redding and Van Morrison. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/46 "2026-01-27T10:12:13Z")
The first ones that come to mind… Bonnie Raitt Robert Plant Steve Perry Christine McVie ---
**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:** [January 27, 2026, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/47 "2026-01-27T11:44:00Z")
Brad Delp Tommy Shaw Olivia Newton-John Karen Carpenter ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/48 "2026-01-27T12:18:41Z")
Maria Callas Karen Carpenter Julie Andrews I also like [Lucy Lawless](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4GNUbUmOP8)’ voice-- she trained as a singer before deciding to pursue acting, but she doesn’t have a lot of material out, and I don’t seek her, because I’m not really a music person. That’s why I don’t have a long list of favorites. If I had to add some men I’d say [Yehoram Gaon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LCM1DaStI) James Taylor ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/49 "2026-01-27T12:52:56Z")
In rock Rob Halford of Judas Priest and Ronnie James Dio. The harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel Dolores O’Riordon of the Cranberries The underrated (or perhaps simply underperforming) duo Strawberry Switchblade with Rose McDowall doing the lead vocals. Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star Tracy Bryn and Melissa Brooke of Voice of the Beehive TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/50 "2026-01-27T12:55:33Z")
Not that I am into his music taste, Brad Robert’s deep bass from the 90s band Crash Test Dummies is pretty good. I love Bob Dylan, but he really is not a good singer - a masterful songwriter, though. Same for Mick Jagger, although he can sing fairly well. I think Freddy Mecury (especially his album with the opera star Monseratte Cabbale) has to be the winner. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y1fiOJDXA-E/maxresdefault.jpg "Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - Barcelona (Original David Mallet Video 1987 Remastered)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1fiOJDXA-E) ---
**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:** [January 27, 2026, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/51 "2026-01-27T13:10:51Z")
For me, it’s not so much the voice as it is the phrasing. Roy Orbison Sam Moore Little Richard Kim Shattuck Dolores O’Riordan ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/52 "2026-01-27T13:56:28Z")
Karen Carpenter, the best voice ever. If I have to choose a male singer as well, it would be Freddy Mercury ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/53 "2026-01-27T16:16:07Z")
Adding a couple I didn’t see mentioned: Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) and Mary Fahl (October Project) ---
**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:** [January 27, 2026, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/54 "2026-01-27T16:17:22Z")
A friend in Italy sent this link to us the other day. I had never heard the song, although I consider myself a Croce fan, and it was just so perfect for this moment in time, I needed to share it with you guys. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xoZv6L6iW7w/maxresdefault.jpg "Which Way Are You Going") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZv6L6iW7w) ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/55 "2026-01-27T16:29:19Z")
Glenn Campbell ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/56 "2026-01-27T17:18:31Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Layne Staley He would be my choice as well. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/57 "2026-01-27T18:51:37Z")
Howard Kaylan. I’ve always felt his performances for Frank Zappa displayed nearly operatic virtuosity, and was very pleasantly surprised to recently see (in print) Ian Underwood say the same. ---
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/58 "2026-01-27T20:41:57Z")
Sarah Brightman. I woke up to “Time to Say Goodbye” on my radio alarm, her duet with Andrea Bocelli, and it blew me away. I own six of her albums. And, of course, she was the original Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera.” ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/59 "2026-01-27T23:28:06Z")
Oh yes, she’s amazing. I’ve seen her in concert several times, she always blows me away. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063/60 "2026-01-27T23:38:33Z")
Neither are technically good singers (hello, punk) but I always go back to Jason Cruz (Strung Out) and Chris Cresswell (The Flatliners). They both just make my brain so happy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-singer/1027063.md?page=4)