38. Elton John
When he avoids the Donald Duck outfits and his schmaltzier side he’s fantastic.
39. Jeff Buckley
Haunting and doomed.
40. Curtis Mayfield
His voice was high and beautiful, he was a great writer and artist, but would be lower on my list.
41. Chuck Berry
Did his emphatic best with what he had. Chuck defined rock and roll attitude. His early sides were sped up to make him sound younger. “Too Much Monkey Business” may have invented rap.
42. Joni Mitchell
I know everyone worships her, but she doesn’t do anything for me.
43. George Jones
This is what a sad drunk should sound like.
44. Bobby "Blue" Bland
I'm too ignorant to comment.
45. Kurt Cobain
I saw Nirvana at the Cow Palace in San Francisco and was just astonished at how this guy could push his larynx beyond overdrive. It was like seeing John Lennon sing “Twist and Shout” for an hour and a half straight and seemed physically impossible, and yet although he was as screwed up as anyone on the planet, when you heard him scream, it sounded like he understood all the pain in the world and was absorbing it all inside of him to make you feel better.
46. Patsy Cline
Simple and wonderful.
47. Jim Morrison
I’m actually proud that Rolling Stone has him up here this high. The fact that he could really sing has too often been totally obscured by his looks, legend, and often buffoonish drunken behavior, but he was an amazingly authoritative stage presence who could command your entire attention without doing anything but standing slumping over his microphone stand. He could croon and scream and is for my money the most credible white blues singer ever.
48. Buddy Holly
“True Love Ways” is the prettiest song ever.
49. Donny Hathaway
Did you know that was him singing the Maude theme song? Sadly, didn’t live long enough to see himself become the go-to guy for American Idol contestants everywhere. Deserves to be much higher and as a vocalist was every bit as good as Stevie Wonder.
50. Bonnie Raitt
I find myself oddly attracted to her despite her age. We could delete her from this and I wouldn't care.
51. Gladys Knight
Sorry, I was always more interested in the Pips.
52. Brian Wilson
Before he destroyed his voice with substances, his ventures to the high range of his voice were the most earthly sign of angelic innocence to visit our world.
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.