Best Singers and Vocalists of All Time
1. Frank Sinatra - Widely considered to be one of the best vocalists of all time is Frank Sinatra. He enjoyed a 60 year long career that lasted from 1935 to 1995. There is no doubt in my mind that Frank Sinatra is by far the best singer or vocalist of all time.
2. Chris Cornell - This seem a little high for Chris Cornell? Try listening to any of his work from Audioslave, Soundgarden, or even Temple of the Dog and you will completely understand why he is ranked so high on this list of best singers of all time.
3. Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash has to be one of the best baritone voices to ever make it big and this is why he took the number 3 spot on the list of best vocalists ever. With songs like "I Walk the Line," "Ring of Fire," "Folsom Prison Blues," and many more, it is obvious as to why he deserves this ranking.
4. Freddie Mercury - This singer was not only a great singer, but he was also an excellent pianist. If Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, did not die at an early age of 45 from AIDS complications he could have been considered to be one of the greatest singers to ever live.
5. Aretha Franklin - This Memphis, Tennessee star was born with the heart to sing. With her most famous song being "Respect," Aretha Franklin is without a doubt one of the best singers of all time. She was even listed at number one on the Rolling Stone Greatest Singers of All Time list.
6. Elvis Presley - Being one of the front men for rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley also had one of the best voices in the genre too. It is easy to see why he is such a great singer with his songs such as "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," and "All Shook Up."
7. John Lennon - There is no list of music that is complete that doesn't have a Beatles member in it. Though he may not be one of the most technically sound vocalists, his voice is still one of the best. He puts so much heart into his voice that it is impossible to sound bad.
8. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston is Aretha Franklin's godchild. That has to count for something. Another thing that counts is that she has had some of the best albums put out in the recent years. She won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1994. Her song, "I Will Always Love You," has become a classic and will be remembered for years to come.
9. Steve Perry - Since beginning his career in 1977, the front man for Journey has never looked back. Steve Perry has become a great singer over his career. Songs like "Wheel in the Sky" and "Don't Stop Believin' " have given him the recognition that he deserves as one of the greatest singers of all time.
10. Brad Delp - Brad Delp was not only the lead singer for, the band, Boston, he was also the lead guitarist. It is a shame that he died in 2007 because he was what made the band famous. Delp was known for his extremely high range and his great showmanship.
Published by Nick Mayer
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10 Comments
Post a CommentJohnny Cash had a very limited vocal range. Whitney Houston is a great choice. A list like this is definitely a matter of opinion and personal choice, there were, and are, so many great singers who is to say which ones are the best? Christine McVie of fleetwood mac has a great voice, better than Stevie Nicks. Pat Benatar was a trained opera singer with a range few could match.
I must say that Freddie Mercury is the best singer, interpreter, showman ever!! Whether he was popular or not. Other great singers you missed were Steve Perry!!!! Paul Rodgers and Steven Tyler. Steve Perry is at the least the second best with his range!
You gotta be kidding Frank Sinatra!!!! the best singer of all time ? he was a crooner there are loads of singers better than him Frankie Valli who he (Frank Sinatra) thought was wonderful and even copied his songs!!and for 1 Elvis could knock spots off him for crying out loud the guy was in the Matt Monroe Andy Williams style all crooners none of them could reach notes like Roy Orbison, Elvis, Frankie Valli, and dare I say it Mario Lanzer come on for cryng out loud, Frank Sinatra the best ????? you gotta be kidding or are you just deaf ?
Oh, and I forgot to comment on your remark that it was Delp who made Boston famous. Although I loved Delp as a vocalist, while certainly being one of the three components which "made Boston famous," the other two crucial ingredients of their fame had to be the unique guitar technique and sound of the guitar of Scholz, along with his deft songwriting. In fact, the guitar sound probably should get the nod, even if slightly, as being the main cause of their fame.
While I agree with some of your picks, I really reply only to correct your remark that Delp was also the lead guitarist of Boston. He was not. Rather, Tom Scholz had that role and was also the main songwriter and producer of the band's albums.
It's Elvis by a mile , he had far and away the greatest vocal range of any popular singer and presented his songs with a passion no other had.
Freddie Mercury IS one of the best of all time - even though he died at 45.
I'm not claiming to be an expert. I am simply stating my opinions on the subject.
Without any disrespect, you can't simply trot of a list of the 'all time greatest singers' without knowledge of singing and the incredible variety of styles across times and continents. This is a fanlist, nothing more. Have you heard of Ofra Haza, Leontyne Price, Juan Diego Florez, Lorez Alexandria, Carmen McRae, the many Castrati and Bel Canto Romantics whose reputations have lived on for centuries when recordings have never been available? Are you listing the greatest interpreters or technicians? Why must you include a Beatle? Because they wrote great songs? Irving Berlin was a great composer who was severely limited as a performer, as can often happen. Leonard Cohen writes great, great words with barely any ability to sing them. It's interesting to read your list, but please don't claim to be an expert musicologist; very few on Earth have the knowledge to list the greatest recorded singers, let alone those of 'all time', where we're obviously at a loss.
Impressive list!