Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
Male singers go:
1) Robert Plant and Freddie Mercury (RIP) (tied)
2) Roger Daltrey
3) Bruce Dickinson
4) Ronnie James Dio (may he RIP)
5) David Gilmour
6) Phil Collins
7) Don Henley
8 ) Dennis DeYoung
9) John Lennon (RIP)
10) Jon Anderson
Honorable mentions : Mark Knopfler, Lonesome Dave Peverett, Geddy Lee, Marvin Gaye, Al Green
Female singers:
1) Tina Turner (the Queen of Rock and Roll (not R&B as Beyonce proclaimed))
2) Christine McVie (shame she had to retire)
3) Linda Ronstadt (can't think of any other female singer who sang every genre thrown at her)
4) Ann Wilson
5) Chrissie Hynde
6) Stevie Nicks
7) Kate Bush
8) Sam Brown (UK female singer who can sing like no tomorrow and unknown to Americans (thankfully her work with David Gilmour and Pink Floyd exposed me to her))
9) Alicia Keys
10) Aretha Franklin
Honorable mentions : Annie Lennox, (though wasn't a fan but she did have a set of pipes) Whitney Houston (may she RIP)
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
1. Don Henley
2. Gary LeVox
3. Tony Harnell
4. Steve Perry
5. David Pack
6. Freddie Mercury
7. Rob Halford
8. Ronnie James Dio
9. Mike Matajevic
10. Paul McCartney
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
I've been meaning to bump this topic for a while, and I've finally got round to it. I must admit I struggle to make a proper ranking, but I'll do one based solely on my enjoyment of their voices. I'll start by naming my top three, which I am fairly sure of.
Robert Plant
Don Henley
David Gilmour
Plant and Henley, to me, are the two best rock singers. Their voices have such distinctive personalities and I can't quite bear to split them. I suppose I can say Robert is my favourite British vocalist and Don my favourite American vocalist! Time has perhaps been kinder to Don's golden throat than Robert's, but when I hear Robert's vocals on Celebration Day, I don't hear an old guy singing the Led Zeppelin catalogue, I hear the one and only Robert Plant (I hope that makes sense... what I'm getting at is that I think his voice remains unique and infused with genuine character, even if he's less spectacular than in his youth). Gilmour's inclusion is perhaps more controversial, but I love the way his voice sounds and the range of songs that he can sing. I love both his more aggressive voice used on angrier or more angsty songs like Time, Dogs or Welcome To The Machine as well as his softer, more wistful vocals on the likes of Wish You Were Here.
Beyond these three, I know Stevie Nicks would be fourth. Beyond that I'm not quite so sure.
Rest of top ten in approximate order:
Glenn Frey
Neil Young
James Taylor
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)
Peter Gabriel
Mark Knopfler
Honourable mentions:
Randy Meisner (my favourite backing/harmony vocalist, I love his voice, but he doesn't sing enough lead vocals to be in my top ten)
Bob Dylan (!)
Lindsey Buckingham
Ronnie van Zant (loved the attitude of his vocals, he was perfect for Skynyrd's sound too)
Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) (love his accent and how he can put emotion into seemingly random sets of words)
I'll admit Mark Knopfler is not a great singer technically, but I almost always enjoy listening to him. I can honestly say I could listen to nobody else except Knopfler singing for hours, and I'm not sure how many other vocalists I can say that of. Bob Dylan does not make my top ten, although I do think that the idea that he can't sing is a misconception. He doesn't have the most beautiful voice, no, but he certainly could sing (at least in his peak years!) I think his vocals on songs like One Of Us Must Know and You're A Big Girl are great, and his voice certainly suits a lot of his music, which is often very dry and in some cases quite sarcastic/bitter.
I notice some people in this thread have done separate lists for male and female vocalists, but I have to be honest and admit I'd struggle to do a Top 10 female singers - Stevie deserves her place in my overall top ten on merit, her voice is extremely special to me and there isn't another female singer who comes close for me. I do like Christine as well, but Stevie is queen as far as I'm concerned! The truth is I mostly listen to male singers. That's not to say there are women whose vocals I like even though they aren't members of Fleetwood Mac - honest! I like the vocals that Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris contribute to some of my Neil Young and Bob Dylan albums, for instance, and although it's just one song I love Clare Torry's Great Gig In The Sky vocal. I admire Joni Mitchell, but more as a songwriter than a singer.
It would perhaps be interesting for me to try and pick one particularly great vocal by all of the singers I listed, but I think I should leave that for another day.
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
I will revise my list again.
1. Glenn Frey
2. Mark Knopfler
3. John Lennon
4. Paul McCartney
5. Robert Plant
6. Mick Jagger
7. Phil Collins
8. Peter Gabriel
9. Randy Newman
10. Elton John/Bob Dylan (tie)
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
Some of my favorites are
1. Randy Meisner (unique in so many ways)
2. Don Henley(soulful and sexy)
3. Glenn Frey(He could sing the ingredients off a cereal box and sound good)
4. JD Souther(sexy)
5. Chad Robert Kroeger of Nickelback(Yummy)
5. Freddie Mercury(extraordinary)
6. Rod Stewart(love sexy rasp)
7. Marc Bolan of T Rex(sad and soulful)
8. George Straight( Need I say more, mmm)
9. Scott Stapp of Creed(Crystal clear tone)
10.Chris Robinson of Black Crows(raunchy sexy)
11.John Denver (Such a crystal clear voice)
12.Marvin Gaye(Pure sex)
13.James Taylor(Crystal clear)
14.Carly Simon (Clear and so well versed)
15.Stevie Nick(Raspy sex)
That's it for now..........:thud:
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
Thank you, JCL, for bumping this thread, and like RS1968, I'll leave the Eagles off my list.
These singers are in no particular order.
1. Darius Rucker
2. Roger Daltrey
3. Chris Cornell
4. Eddie Vedder
5. Johnny Mathis
6. Billie Holiday
7. Harry Connick, Jr.
8. Gibb brothers (Barry, Robin & Andy)
9. Waylon Jennings
10. Hank Williams (Sr., Jr. & III)
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
I thought I would revise my list from 2008.
If I don't ever listen to their music, can they be a favorite? I've done some deleting! I don't think I can list 10 of each that I consistently listen to!
My favorite male singers:
1. Don Henley
2. Glenn Frey
3. Jackson Browne
4. Bob Seger
5. Elton John
Favorite female singers:
1. Stevie Nicks
2. Nancy Wilson
3. Carly Simon
4. Linda Ronstadt
5. Carole King
6. Emmylou Harris
As far as most beautiful voices: guys haven't changed, but I find I think Nancy Wilson outdoes Martina McBride. Maybe it's because I prefer rock over country.
Male-Steve Perry (my husband and I have always debated over him and Dennis DeYoung and Steve always wins!)
Female-Nancy Wilson
How about sexiest voices:
Still the same! (yes, Bob! :wink:)
Male-Don Henley
Female-Stevie Nicks
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
After much thought, I can't go lower than 15 singers. I don't foresee many changes to this list. Even though there are 2 female singers on this list, I don't like many female voices. I prefer male singers who can have some grit to their voices.
1. Glenn Frey and Paul Rodgers (tie)
2. Christine Mcvie
3. Lindsey Buckingham
4. Don Henley
5. Stevie Nicks
6. Sammy Hagar
7. Bruce Dickinson
8. Stephen Stills
9. Elton John
10. Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant
11. Eric Clapton
12. Bob Seger
13. Jon Anderson
Honorable mentions:
James Hetfield
Geddy Lee
Robert Plant
Graham Nash
Neil Young
Joe Walsh
Steven Tyler
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
Just off the top of my head one frm each band;
1. Glenn Frey
2. Eugene Record (of the Chi Lites)
3. Joe Egan (of Stealers Wheel)
4. Barry Gibb
5. Marc Bolan
6. Robert Plant
7. Gram Parsons
8. Clarence white
9. Roger McGuinn
10. Jeff Hanna
All from the 70s as well
Re: Top 10 Favourite Singers
1.Axl Rose
2.Glenn Frey
3.Ronnie Van Zant
4.George Harrison.
5.Paul Mccartney
6.Eric Clapton
7.John Lennon
8.Don Henley
9.Joe Walsh
10.Izzy Stradlin