Favorite Singers

[VelvetGuru9]

We all know how good Freddie Mercury was and what great range he had, but who are your favorite singers.

1) The great Ian Gillan of Deep Purple. The man's voice is like velvet, and on the live version of Strange Kind of Woman he does a duet with Ritchie Blackmore and at one point it's hard to decipher vocalist from guitarist. He also is on the original Jesus Christ Superstar (brown cover) album and his vocal range on that disc will blow you away.

2) Chris Cornell's (Soundgarden & Audioslave) voice is like an iceberg. It's icy cool and when he lets it out there's so much more power to it that you just sit there open-mouthed and say "WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?"

3) Eddie Vedder, is there anyone but Aretha Franklin who sings with such emotion and makes you feel that you're a part of the song? IMO, only two who do it consistently.

4) Aretha Franklin - See #3

[JKLantern]

Some of my favorite singers include Roger Daltrey of the Who, Paul Rodgers of Free, Bad Company, and Queen+, Bob Seger, and Jack Bruce of Cream.

[Amora's_best_friend]

OOoooh, so many I love!

1) Bjork- Her voice is actually amazing. Her trademark "growl" is so hard to do, and the way she just melodiously screams is a wonder to all. (She is also my favourite musician aswell, her song writing ability is amazing, but we're only talking about singing here)

2) Cerys Matthews of Catatonia. Her voice is just so raspy and sexy. Her welsh accent makes all her songs so much more fun too.

3) Shirely Manson of Garbage. Her voice isn't actually that amazing, in comparison to other female rock/pop singers. Still, it just feels so much more personal, like its familiar. I love her as a person too, she does tonnes of charity work (like Peta and stuff) and she's best friends with loads of fun people.

4) P!nk. Her voice is unique, and I love the spunkyness of it.

5) Regina Spektor. I love. Just listen to it, and you'll love it.

Others I can't be bothered writing about:

Alanis Morissette
Amy Macdonald (has a funnily deep voice)
Bat For Lashes
Beverly Knight
Christina Aguilera (although I only like her during her "Stripped" period, with crazy dreadlockes)
Dido
Eva Cassidy
Gwen Stefani
Jewel
Kate Bush
Kelly Rowland
Natasha Bedingfield (I love)
Paolo Nutini (funny)
Jake Shears (sings falsatto a bit too much, but still he's funny)
Shakira
Mutya Beuna (of Sugababes fame. I love her mole / lip ring, and her name is so beautiful)

Yeah, I mostly like female voices...

[Pashmina]

^^ My list roughly. I removed the ones that I don't think are that good.

1) Bjork - Nothing can beat her to me. She is the definition of musical ability in my world.

Joanna Newsom
Courtney Love
Madonna
Gerard Way
Fiona Apple
Patrick Wolf
Jared Leto
Alison Goldfrapp
Siouxsie Sioux
Deborah Harry
M.I.A
Shirely Manson
P!nk
Regina Spektor
Alanis Morissette
Bat For Lashes
Christina Aguilera
Eva Cassidy
Darren Hayes
Tori Amos
Gwen Stefani
Shakira
Mutya Buena
Amy Winehouse

I prefer the female voice in general. Only select male voices actually do anything for me.

[readyeddy?]

I"m not an expert on voices but I know what I like:

Robert Plant

Roy Orbison

Del Shannon

Folks who's singing voices are a bit off kilter but sound good once you get comfortable with them:

Ozzy Osbourne, his voice is perfect for the type of music he performs.

Neil Young, his voice sounded very weird to me but once I got used to it, he became one of my favorites.

Bob Dylan, I know lots of people struggle with his voice, but I think it makes his music seem even more interesting.

I'll have to think a little longer about my favorite female singers.

[DisturbedChild]

David Draiman of Disturbed. His vocals are angry and make covers like land of confusion stronger by comparison to the original.

[theanalogkid]

Robert Plant. Best frontman Ever. I also like Gedy's voice, which seems to be the reason most people don't like Rush. I also liked Karen Carpenter and Olivia Newton John.

[charlesx]

I like people who create a sound - that when you hear them, you know who is doing the singing. Naturally, these are the same folks who get imitated over and over again. Many of my favorites have already been listed, but here goes (listing only the guys for right now.)

Freddie Mercury (Queen and solo)
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
John Lennon (Beatles and solo)
Dennis DeYoung (STYX)
Bonn Scott (AC/DC)
Bono (U2)
David Lee Roth (in the early VH days only)
Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath and solo, prefer solo)
David Bowie (early days, before Tin Machine)

[ShellShock]

Scott Weiland and Freddy Mercury

[dj_sha]

In no paticular order:

Robert Plant (who easily beats Freddie Mercury as the greatest rock singer ever)
Robert Daughtry
Joni Mitchell (an amazingly beautiful voice, no one can touch her in covers)
Neil Young
Bob Dylan (you don't have to have an amazing voice to sing well), Cedric from The Mars Volta
Jack White (lots of energy and emotion in his voice, a real blues man)
Prince
John Lennon
Lou Reed (another unique musical voice, his deadpan is the best)

There's plenty more, but if I tried to list them all I wouldn't get anything else done. :)

[readyeddy?]

I can't believe I didn't mention Gregg Allman, who's got a great blues voice.

Female singers, here's some voices I like:

1. Karen Carpenter, what a tragic loss.
2. Maria Muldaur
3. Carly Simon
4. Linda Ronstadt
5. Emmylou Harris
6. Lorena Mckennit
7. Rita Coolidge
8. Grace Slick (It was a struggle, but I forgive her for "We Built this City on Rock and Roll". Ugh, I threw up a little in my mouth just for typing the title of that song. That's the musical equivalent of Rob Liefeld.)
9. Sarah McLaughlin
10. K.T. Tunstall
11. K.D. Laing
12. Leann Rimes
13. Kate Bush
14. Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blond)
15. Tori Amos
16. Allison Krause

Holy mackeral. I hadn't realised that I liked so many. They easier for me to dredge out of my memory banks then the guys were.

[VelvetGuru9]

To me there's only been one female singer who has been able to sing rock and roll like it was meant to be sung; Janis Joplin. That's not to say that other women don't sing great, it's just that Janis was in a class by herself. I think Aretha Franklin was a much better singer, but Aretha's the Queen of Soul...not rock and Roll. Chrissie Hynde comes closest to Janice as a singer of pure Rock and Roll. Pat Benatar was way too polished to be in their class.

And then there's the ladies whose voices drive me wild. I posted a lot of these in the Rock Wars #32, but here they are again for those that don't make it in there:

Kristin Hersh - originally with the Throwing Muses I love her sense of of the world around her

Hope Sandoval - The first I heard of her was when she did Fade into You with Mazzy Starr - a favorite chanteuse of mine

Beth Gibbons/Portishead - her voice is like a warm bath, just relaxes you and puts you at ease

Skye Edwards/Morcheeba - she came from the same "trip-hop" mold as Portishead but her CD last year shows how far she's come

Lucinda Williams - When I bought the CD for Car Wheels on a Gravel Road I knew I was in for something different. Her songs are as human as anything I've ever heard.

Margo Timmins/Cowboy Junkies - Pulp Fiction...'nuff said!

Nico - Velvet Underground's other female. I've heard plenty of people say she couldn't sing, but her voice was quietly heavy and sexy, just like this next lady.

Nina Simone - There's no one like Nina to get busy to.

Julie London - Jazz standards and all I can say is listen to Cry Me A River.

Billie Holiday - Lady really does sing the blues

[Iron Ham]

Serj Tankian, of System of a Down.

[Red_Skull_XIII]

Robert Plant, Ronnie Van Zant, Gregg Allman, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ann Wilson. Also Danny Joe Brown (RIP) had quite the cords on him. ;)

[HartAttack]

Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Fight and Halford
Paul Stanley of KISS (Gene who?, Paul is KISS)
and my number one all Time favorite

Geoff Tate of Queensryche. Just listen to Operation: Mindcrime

[VelvetGuru9]

Geoff Tate of Queensryche. Just listen to Operation: Mindcrime
I saw Queensryche last night. vocally the man still has it going on! Silent Lucidity sent chills down my spine.

[bagman04]

1- Johnny Cash
2- Kurt Cobain
3- Freddy Mercury
4- James Brown
5- Jack White
6- Hank Williams Sr.
7- Anthony Kiedis
8- Little Richard
9- Ol' Dirty Bastard
10- Matisyahu (beat boxing)

Honerable Mention- Noel Gallagher, Buddy Holly, Till Linderman, Method Man, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson (back when he was in Jackson 5), Thurston Moore

[Hatut Zeraze]

Lucinda Williams - When I bought the CD for Car Wheels on a Gravel Road I knew I was in for something different. Her songs are as human as anything I've ever heard.



....and sorry to be the lowest common denominator, but I have to say that Lucinda Williams' voice is atomically sexy.

To me, anyway.

[MattPetersen]

1) Ella Fitzgerald - I love her! She was just such a talented woman and her voice was wonderful!

2) Cyndi Lauper - Yeah Don't laugh..I like her! And believe it or not this woman can hit so many notes its crazy!!! She really can sing!!

[Stuart_Rex]

Chris Cornell

Paul Rodgers

Danko Jones

Mark Lanegan

[HappyTrain]

Oderus Urungus

David Gilmour

Maynard

[hail_eris]

Let's see - female vocalists:

Liz Fraser of Cocteau Twins (heard here in "Song to the Siren" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mUmdR69nbM))

Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance (heard here performing "Sanvean," one of her solo pieces (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xpkRj99FH0))

Neko Case (okay, I trot her out for just about everything, but I have never heard a crowd awed into the kind of silence that this woman's voice inspires - heard here in one of her early tracks, "Furnace Room Lullaby" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nBt_e9tzdQ))

Toni Halliday of Curve (heard here in "Chinese Burn" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s0qbqZeoIk), which Buffy fans might recognize from the episode in season three where Faith begins her downward spiral - if you listen to the lyrics, they're a great spoiler for the direction that the season would take)

Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees (heard here in "Israel," (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsN2qBmLd_c) an early track, when the band was much closer to their punk roots)

Monica Richards of Strange Boutique (heard here in her current band, Faith and the Muse, with one of their standout tracks, "Sparks" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66nbrgnnuI))

[EmperorNorton]

Female vocalists:

Nina Hagen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH1CqFY66yM&mode=related&search=)

Nico (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB-4lxDwyYI)

Amanda Palmer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N0sBo1cfNU)

Tarja Turunen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4TW-CuizsA)



Neko Case (okay, I trot her out for just about everything, but I have never heard a crowd awed into the kind of silence that this woman's voice inspires - heard here in one of her early tracks, "Furnace Room Lullaby" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nBt_e9tzdQ))
I know I'm awfully mainstream in this, but I can't get over that Norah Jones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFF8zwPlVzY) made me fall in love with her when I saw her in concert.
Not sure if Neko could do the same.

[lensnart]

Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, from Sleater Kinney are easily my top two after that it is a mish mash that includes: Buck 65, Kurt Cobain, Iggy Pop, Robert Smith, Liam Gallagher, ODB, Tori Amos, Pharell and Aimee Mann.

[Pashmina]

Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees (heard here in "Israel," (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsN2qBmLd_c) an early track, when the band was much closer to their punk roots)

:knockedou

*looks at his own avatar*

[Darkone_Rises]

William "CorpseGrinder" Fisher
Cannibal Corpse

[Frontman]

Robert Plant. Best frontman Ever.

Well, next to me. ;)

My favorites are in no particular order:

Dennis DeYoung. Without him, Styx is a local town fest band at best. His vocal talent is incredible.

Natalie Merchant. Soulful and excellent voice.

Meatloaf. Power rock and excellent range.

Love to hear her sing, Celine Dion.

Dean Martin. Ain't that a kick in the head.

Nat King Cole. Unforgettable.

Michael Crawford. Dude, Phantom of the Opera Rocks!

Johnny Cash. Incredible talent; an entire library of hits, then an entire library of songs he covered. I love his version of "Cat's in the Cradle," "Hurt," and "Personal Jesus."

Chris Irvine, AKA Chris Jericho AKA Moongoose McQueen. That's the type of rock and metal I like. I can understand the lyrics and just fun songs.

Prince. Loved his 80's stuff.

Billy Joel. So many songs of his are just awesome. (And when you get to be 2nd row left center for a concert, he leaves an impression.)

And of course, none of them come close to:


ELVIS AARON PRESLEY. Before anyone did anything, Elvis did everything. TCB!

[neutralmarkhot]

eris, i'll see your liz fraser and raise you a paula fraser, of Tarnation and then on her own.

also,

sam cooke and henry rollins.

also, rose melberg of the softies and a bunch of other twee pop bands.

[spacedye]

Steven Wilson

Joanna Newsom

Mikael Akerfeldt

Ozzy

Devin Townsend

Regina Spektor

[Pashmina]

William "CorpseGrinder" Fisher
Cannibal Corpse

:confused:

Each to his own. I guess I like odd vocalists too, but Cannibal Corpse is just so..

*goes to listen to Cannibal Corpse to check it's who he's thinking of*

Yep.

It's just that.. there's no voice in the roars. I can't hear anything.

[Darkone_Rises]

:confused:

Each to his own. I guess I like odd vocalists too, but Cannibal Corpse is just so..

*goes to listen to Cannibal Corpse to check it's who he's thinking of*

Yep.

It's just that.. there's no voice in the roars. I can't hear anything.

It was actually a joke. As a metal head and as a member of a Death Metal band I understand all too well what your saying. I know that no one outside the Genre gives our music any regard as an artform, I was simply making a comment too see what you'd say.

Thanks for proving me right.

Oh and I forgot my :)

[spacedye]

Growling takes a lot of getting used to. I can attest to that. I used to hate death metal and the like because I couldn't stand the vocals.

Basically what made me get over it is that I stopped listening to the voice as, well, a voice. Treat it as another instrument and consider why it sounds like that. What is it trying to add to the music?

[Darkone_Rises]

Growling takes a lot of getting used to. I can attest to that. I used to hate death metal and the like because I couldn't stand the vocals.

Basically what made me get over it is that I stopped listening to the voice as, well, a voice. Treat it as another instrument and consider why it sounds like that. What is it trying to add to the music?

Why thank you.......

I'll tell you this, If you want to try Death Metal or get a taste without totally killing your ears or speakers try these guys

Dead On Impact (http://www.myspace.com/deadonimpactmd)

[Darkseid Sr.]

Ryan Clark - Demon Hunter

Bruce Fitzhugh- Living Sacrifice

Bob Dylan

Sonny Sandoval - P.O.D

Mac Powell - Third Day

Just to name a few...

[JKLantern]

Rod Evans of Deep Purple and Captain Beyond. Not just for the voice, but also for the air of mystery. He fell off the face of the Earth more completely than Syd Barrett did.

[Frontman]

OK, time to laugh it up at Frontman.

For Christmas, I always buy a new CD or two. I am a total Christmas junkie when it comes to Christmas songs.

This year, I picked up two CD's of quite possibly one of the very best singers ever.

Julie Andrews.

Yes, Sound of Music. THAT Julie Andrews.

FIVE OCTIVE RANGE. FIVE!!!

Try covering that Kelly Clarkson!

;)

[HappyTrain]

OK, time to laugh it up at Frontman.

For Christmas, I always buy a new CD or two. I am a total Christmas junkie when it comes to Christmas songs.

This year, I picked up two CD's of quite possibly one of the very best singers ever.

Julie Andrews.

Yes, Sound of Music. THAT Julie Andrews.

FIVE OCTIVE RANGE. FIVE!!!

Try covering that Kelly Clarkson!

;)
I believe a well placed lol is in order here:


:p LOL:p

[Frontman]

I believe a well placed lol is in order here:


:p LOL:p

Dude, I said she can sing. I didn't say I wanted to sleep with her.

[Amora's_best_friend]

Tegan and Sara = win.

[Darkseid Sr.]

Tegan and Sara = win.

Didn't see that one comin'

[MrFurious87]

i know that i am pretty young, but my favorite singer is system of a down frontman serj tankian and rammstein's frontman till lindeman.

[dngergrrl]

I can respect everyone's opinion, because my list goes:

1) Jon Bon Jovi (I've loved him since I was 7)

2) Josh Groban

3) Michael Buble

4) Darren Hayes - lead singer of the former Savage Garden

[dngergrrl]

As an adendum:

5) Chad Kroeger (Nickelback)

[Milo Garret]

1) Tom Gabel- Against Me!

2) Chris Cheney- The Living End

3) Brian Setzer- everything

There's more, but they stand out right now.

[Pashmina]

4) Darren Hayes - lead singer of the former Savage Garden

Darren Hayes is great. Have you got any of his Solo albums?

[Frontman]

Here's a name you won't recognize, gang.

Mike Eldred. He does more Broadway type stuff. Here he is with Dennis DeYoung peforming music from Dennis' "Hunchback of Notre Dame" musical:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=w4zO1vceZkE

and

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EHMhk_96sXk

He's the younger of the two men, in the leather jacket.

I'm looking forward to seeing this musical this year. Dennis has it for a limited run in Chicago.

[splashy66]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned Bruce Dickinson yet.

Hansi Kursch from Blind Guardian

Anders Friden from In Flames

[krazydragon23]

Here's a few of my favorites

1) Fleetwood Mac

2)Tom Petty

3) Alice Cooper

[MrFurious87]

i know that i am pretty young, but my favorite singer is system of a down frontman serj tankian and rammstein's frontman till lindeman.

A few of my other favorite singers are David Draiman of Disturbed, Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stonesour, Wayne Static of Static-X, Rob Zombie and Jonathan Davis of Korn.

[Darkseid Sr.]

1. Mac Powell - Third Day

2. Ryan Clark - Demon Hunter

3. Sonny Sandoval - P.O.D

4. Spencer Chamberlain - Underoath

5. Andrew Schwab - Project 86

[krazydragon23]

Here's a few of my favorites

1) Fleetwood Mac

2)Tom Petty

3) Alice Cooper
Also forgot to say Ted Nuggent.

[invincible.ironman]

Connor Oberst.

[doctor_x]

Mariah Carey
Anita Baker
Ann Wilson[Heart]
Joan Hoag[Iona]
David Bowie
David Gilmour[Pink Floyd]
Dave Pack[Ambrosia]
Steve Walsh[Kansas]
Steve Winwood
Trevor Rabin[Yes]
Crosby Stills & Nash

[Igor69]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned Bruce Dickinson yet.


that was the first thought i had when i opened this thread and scrolled down to the bottom of the first page!


IRON MAIDEN!!

[Time Consumer]

Claudio Sanchez (Coheed and Cambria)is definately a god

this is him doing The Running Free acoustic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b52OSsqVMUM

[Charaxes]

In no particular order:

1) Burton Bell from Fear Factory
2) Matt Barlow from Iced Earth
3) Chris Cornell from Soundgarden
4) Amy Lee from Evansence
5) Hansi Kursch from Blind Guardian
6) Colin Hay from Men at Work, and his solo career
7) Tyler Connolly from Theory of a Deadman
8) Shaun Morgan from Seether
9) Gary Jules
10) Lou Reed

[h2raider]

maria brink of in this moment
david draiman of disturbed
corey taylor of slipknot