# Your top 5 metal vocalists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588 "2013-12-17T19:30:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/1 "2013-12-17T19:30:05Z")
Companion thread to go with the top 5 metal guitarists thread. I don’t have a very musical ear, so I’m unable to judge things like vocal range and technique, and end up liking or disliking vocalists based on ‘feel’. It’d be nice what people who can judge technique and talent think of them. Here are mine, to kick things off, in no particular order. - James Hetfield - Metallica got me into metal. I started with what most fans consider a sell out album, their eponymous ‘black’ album, but it got me listening to the rest of their stuff and metal in general. And Hetfield’s delivery was a big part of what I liked about the black album. - Bruce Dickinson - The ‘feel’ thing again, although I suppose he’s also actually a really good vocalist too. His version of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath? Yeah, that’s how an impressionable young teenager looking for usernames in the days of character limits on usernames comes up with something as weird as ‘bldysabba’ - Rob Halford - The first song I heard by Halford was ‘The Wizard’ on the Nativity in Black tribute album(the same one with Bruce Dickinson singing SBS. God did I wear that tape out). I went hunting(metal was tough to come by in India before the internet took off), found a friend who had Metalworks 2, and Rob Halford screamed his way into this top 5 list. That live performance of Victim of changes? Man. - Dio - My favourite Dio song is Heaven and Hell from when he was with Sabbath. - Chuck Schuldiner - This may be an odd choice. I suppose I don’t really like him so much for his vocals as his song writing, but I love Symbolic and Sound of Perseverance so much that it’s hard to leave him out. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/2 "2013-12-17T21:11:00Z")
In alpha order… \*\* Ronnie James Dio Ian Gillan Rob Halford Paul Rodgers Steven Tyler \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/3 "2013-12-17T21:55:22Z")
The only two that immediately come to mind are: Pepper Keenan - Corrosion of Conformity Maynard James Keenan - Tool I like these guys too: Ozzy Dio Bruce Dickinson Grudging respect for: Axl Rose In my opinion, astorian’s list is not all that metal. Paul Rodgers is my favorite male vocalist of all time though! ---
**Author:** ![bunyupp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@bunyupp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunyupp)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/4 "2013-12-18T00:19:15Z")
Nick Holmes of “Paradise Lost” [Erased](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjQtMioX6z4) ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/5 "2013-12-18T02:55:07Z")
I’m not a big fan of metal, but I think Myles Kennedy did a good job on Slash’s ‘Apocalyptic Love’. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/6 "2013-12-18T03:01:25Z")
Ozzy wins this by a country mile in my opinion. I think Ozzy has THE perfect metal rock voice. Ian Gillan was great in the day. Paul Rogers isn’t really metal, IMHO. I think Bon Scott should get honourable mention too. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/7 "2013-12-18T03:03:12Z")
[Max Cavalera on Roots from Sepultura.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsR3PUdNrNk) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/8 "2013-12-18T03:37:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [Max Cavalera on Roots from Sepultura.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsR3PUdNrNk) I hope this is a fucking joke. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/9 "2013-12-18T04:21:42Z")
Varg Vikernes? Heh. While I’m leaning more on his post-metal work, [K. Rygg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFCOd1wjrWg) has a fine voice, as does his fellow contributor to Arcturus, [ICS Vortex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQZ5kgIdu4M). ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/10 "2013-12-18T04:30:55Z")
Maybe not strictly metal but to me Chris Cornell definitely ranks up there as one of the greatest male vocalists. There are singers that have a unique voice, those that have virtuoso or technical singing ability but a kind of generic sounding voice, and then there are those that are both technically talented and have a unique voice of which Chris Cornell would be an example. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/11 "2013-12-18T05:19:14Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Ozzy wins this by a country mile in my opinion. I think Ozzy has THE perfect metal rock voice. Yep, young Ozzy with Sabbath is the perfect melodic metal voice for me. Sweet, not too nasal, full, but still primal. I submit “War Pigs” and “Fairies Wear Boots” as my cite. > [@](#): > > I think Bon Scott should get honourable mention too. Bon Scott is perfection of the other extreme. An on-key buzz saw. Those are my #1 and #2. Lemmy, Robert Plant and Ian Gillian round out my favorites in no certain order. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/12 "2013-12-18T06:00:35Z")
How about Doug Pinnick of King’s X? They were my OTHER favorite band for a few years, and then kinda sorta went off the rails. They also skated on the edge of Christian music for some time, until something was revealed that I had never suspected (and even if I had, it wouldn’t have mattered) and that’s that Pinnick is gay. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/13 "2013-12-18T14:07:15Z")
Are we counting Glenn Danzig as metal? If so, he makes it on my list. Linking to the [Map of Metal](http://mapofmetal.com/#/home) in hopes that we find all of the possible candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/14 "2013-12-18T15:42:23Z")
1. Geoff Tate, Queensrÿche. Amazing range and power. 2. Ian Gillian, Deep Purple. Best screamer. 3. Bruce Dickenson, Iron Maiden. 4. Dio, various. Big voice little body. 5. M. Shadows, Avenged Sevenfold. Great mix of screams and melodic singing. ---
**Author:** ![RussellAhmed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@RussellAhmed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RussellAhmed)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/15 "2013-12-21T14:37:00Z")
I do think that top 5 metal vocalists are… Ronnie James Dio Ian Gillan Rob Halford Paul Rodgers Steven Tyler which [instrumentals](http://customadebeats.com) do you like to play…??? ---
**Author:** ![GovernmentMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GovernmentMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GovernmentMan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/16 "2013-12-21T15:08:09Z")
I don’t even listen to metal but I know most of these people are from bands that aren’t metal. Steven Tyler? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/17 "2013-12-21T16:17:50Z")
1. Mikael Åkerfeldt 2. Mikael Åkerfeldt 3. Ronnie James Dio 4. Geoff Tate 5. Mikael Åkerfeldt Honorable mention: Hmm, [need I say it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opeth)? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/18 "2013-12-21T19:05:57Z")
Graham Bonnet [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/voK4jVYogLs/hqdefault.jpg "1979 - Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone - Official Video Clip") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voK4jVYogLs) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSBDlsTyT60) maybe this is how Dylan should have done it, in any case Bonnet hits and holds the notes way better. Bon Scott - AC/DC. You just cannot fail to rock to this - oh, and Angus does a half way reasonable job too [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uelFpaLNYNU/maxresdefault.jpg "AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie - Original ( Bon Scott version )") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelFpaLNYNU) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8tvNA5MtV7c/hqdefault.jpg "AC/DC - Rocker") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tvNA5MtV7c) ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/19 "2013-12-22T04:15:51Z")
Rob Halford - Priest Ronnie James - Dio Bruce Dickerson - Maiden Jeff Scott Soto - Malmsteen Blackie Lawless - Wasp ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/20 "2013-12-22T04:20:08Z")
Rob Halford - Priest Ronnie James - Dio Bruce Dickenson - Maiden Jeff Scott Soto - Malmsteen Blackie Lawless - Wasp [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588.md?page=2)