Lists are an inane waste of time and perhaps the most obvious piece of evidence that someone doesn’t have anything new to say, but I can’t help it — I love them. Rolling Stone, having recently downsized its format to better look exactly like Blender, just named their “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” and in response, I’m just dying to weigh in with my own thoughts.
Now when it comes to “all time,” Rolling Stone seems to have forgotten that the world was invented slightly before Elvis showed up on the Ed Sullivan Show. So since neither Frank Sinatra nor Enrico Caruso appear on Rolling Stone’s list, we’ll assume that what they meant was the greatest singers of the rock era.
Before we start, let’s acknowledge that this is pretty much an impossible task. Exactly how do you compare the instrument that Aretha Franklin was born with to the one that Bob Dylan has been lugging around for the past 50 years? How many points do you get for being an entertaining front man? Can I pop Roger Daltrey up a few slots for his mesmerizing microphone hurling?
Personally, I give a lot of points for showmanship, but in my mind singing is all about conveying emotion, which means that I’ll take Kurt Cobain’s gut-wrenching screams over Patti Labelle and Michael Bolton’s stale vocal acrobatics every day of the week.
Number 1 Reason That the Rolling Stone List Sucks: Uh, dudes — where the hell is Levi Stubbs? You know the amazing leader of the Four Tops, the one that was just all over the news! Stubbs should have been in the top 20 and whoever forgot that he existed needs to be immediately shot.
The List
1. Aretha Franklin
Aretha’s usually a consensus choice in these things, but despite the fact that she has a nuclear powered howitzer inside of her, she wouldn’t be number one on my list. She’s fantastic, but she never really surprises me. She just always sounds like Aretha, not that there’s much wrong with that. Points deducted for continually appearing in dresses that expose more up top than Dolly Parton does when she showers. Points added for once subbing on an opera tune for an ailing Luciano Pavarotti with no rehearsal.
2. Ray Charles
He’s the bomb, but he has to be faulted for some of the schmaltz that he somehow constantly seemed too fond of or at least was intent on putting up with to please a middle of the road audience. Listen to Charles’ “You Don’t Know Me” and you’ll hear both. Ray ripping up a heartbreaking vocal, while for some reason being backed up by singers straight out of the Perry Como orchestra.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Elvis is definitely No.1! Karen Carpenter didn't have a pretty voice...She had an amazing voice with a seamless range. Plus, she was a drummer.
Freddy Mercury was incredible. Too far down on the list!
Some criminally ignored vocalists:
Bruce Dickinson
James Labrie
Glen Danzig
Colin Hay
Chris Cornell
Chuck Shuldiner
Matt Barlow
King Diamond
Ian Campbell
2 - Britt
I agree, ridiculous not to have someone like Chris Cornell on a list like this. And given that Kurt Cobain was thought worthy of inclusion as a singer, Eddie Vedder should certainly be there as well. And of the recent crop of newcomers, why not a brilliant British soul diva like Leona Lewis - knocks spots off Mariah Carey.
A lot of people here seem to be here on the basis that they are someone's favourite artist - or that they wrote great songs, or fronted a great band - rather than for the actual quality of their singing. Musicbiz types seem to be just like the public voting on American Idol or The X Factor - they vote subjectively for those who mean something to them personally. Not necessarily for the greatest voices.
3 - Toshala
I agree. These lists DO seem to be put together by people picking their favs and not really keeping TRUE to the idea of the TITLE including the word "GREATEST". Certainly by NOT including Chris Cornell, the list is meaningless to me. His fans spoke and were heard with MTVs similar list............he was #12 there.....for RS to completely disinclude him on theirs proves to me their IDEA of such a list is simply not worthy.
4 - JC Mosquito
I think this list should itself be on the list of fave lists of all time - well,that's my opinion anyway.
5 - zingzing
maybe i missed nick cave. for his work in birthday party alone, he deserves at least a top 20 showing. and where's beefheart? and i'm the world's biggest bowie fan (at least in my house)--but even i scoff at putting him before van morrison. come on. that's just... insulting.
and the velvets as most overrated band? ha! that's crazy talk. maybe lou's voice is rather trying at times... (but you obviously haven't heard the blue mask if you say that it does nothing for you.)
the velvet's work from 66-70 is probably the most important run of albums made during the rock era. you can trace whole genres to little studio goofs. it wasn't particularly lou's voice that was so important, although his speak-sing style has certainly been aped endlessly since. it was the guitars, it was the subject matter, it was the knowing primitivism, it was the raw emotion, the volume, the constant shaking up of their sound, the acceptance of the avant garde, the lack of any boundaries. they were light-years ahead of anybody else at the time.
6 - Glen Boyd
Agree with you about Robin Zander, and would probably add Alice Cooper too. But you're just plain wrong about Dylan. Singing is about much more than tonal quality, and his phrasing is unmatched anywhere in music, save for maybe Sinatra (who I also agree with you about).
-Glen
7 - brad laidman
Per Dylan - he can still sing when he wants to - mostly talking about live performances where he doesn't seem to care much - Real Live, Dylan and the Dead, Bobfest
I'm not sure what to say about his much mocked grammy performance of Masters of War - it's unintelligable - but the statement plus the speech make it one of my favorite appearences anywhere by anyone.
8 - Aaron Jeter
I also think Dylan was way too high and Brian Wilson/ Elton John and Karen Carpenter were too low. Obivously it was greatest of rock era...how else could you exclude Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Some other notables missing are...Teddy Pendergrass, Barry White, Sade, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon and The BeeGees.
9 - warriorwoman
I agree with you, Brad. These lists are usually a waste of time and just a popularity contest.
Having said that, I'm appalled that my favorite vocalist didn't even make it. Chris Cornell is now 44 years old, but he STILL has a voice that can out perform a majority of the singers mentioned. His notable strengths are his stamina and range. Add to that the passion he puts into his singing and you have quite an accomplished vocalist. He's #1 on my list.
10 - Laura Faeth
Absolutely Robin Zander, the man of a thousand voices, should have been on the list. The guy could sing with his lips stapled together and a bag over his head and still sound beyond amazing.
11 - MC
I'm so glad to see Chris Cornell's name mentioned a few times here. When I read the Rolling Stone article, I couldn't believe the number of great singers who were not included. Most notably, Chris Cornell! The Rolling Stone has never been a publication which I've had any respect or regard for and ridiculous lists like this are the reason why!
12 - business
I don't know if this list is really really reliable, many people liked Elvis and up to now he is still living it. There are people here that for me are in the wrong spots. Maybe interchange it and I will surely agree. There are many also that I do not know. Maybe its because of my age, I only know few.
13 - Riki Rushing
I agree that lists are such a waste of time, but nonetheless peculiarly intriguing... like a car wreck you have to look at... and then it's a mess and you have to look away.
CHRIS CORNELL should have been included. Obvious!
Rolling Stone used to be such a better magazine.
What happened?
Too commercial...
Riki
14 - jodi
what about Sting?
15 - Jordan "Boss" Richardson
Scott Weiland > Kurt Cobain. Oh yeah, I went there.
16 - Rubin Tyree
Another left off the list .... Ian Gillan
17 - dugg
andre 3000, cee lo green, theres a couple modern guys who casn belt it out. i mean, rock aint dead, ya know?
18 - Muffy
OMG! You called Elvis "The greatest singer of all time" ROFL
19 - rroseselavy
Your picks for Elvis Costello, Aaron Neville, and David Lee Roth are spot on. I would also add Ann Wilson and Dionne Warwick(e). The list is a little sexist: Tom Waits but not the she-Waits, Rickie Lee Jones? I wouldn't have either, I'm just saying.
20 - rroseselavy
OMG, and I just remembered Emmylou Harris. How on earth did they manage to leave her off?
21 - Jim
Brian Wilson at #52 is an outright sin. Seriously, they put John Lennon and Bob Dylan in the top 10, and they put one of rock's most brilliant falsettos all the way at 52? Absolute rubbish.
22 - Lindsey
Lindsey Buckingham as usual. Underated fo everything. Brilliant Guitarist, Songwriter, Singer and Producer.
23 - Shaz (South Australia)
CHRIS CORNELL !
He's non existant on your list. Such an awesome legandary talent. From early days with Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, Audioslave to now a solo artist. big dissapointment to find Cornell absent from your list.
24 - Ruth
I agree with a previous poster regarding Emmy Lou Harris. Great voice. I would also add Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Mahilia Jackson, Eva Cassidy, Neil Diamond, Josh Groban, John Denver,Phil Collins, and Dan Fogelberg.
25 - zingzing
linda thompson.