Rolling Stone's List of the 100 Greatest Singers

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/24161972Let'er rip.[/url]. Rob Thomas on Annie Lennox is my favorite howler:

I also have to be superficial for a moment and point out that she is this unbelievably hot chick — and she has stayed hot to this day.

what

Rob Thomas is hilarious

Jerry Lee@67. Dude could sing half these cats right off the table.

only a third, according to rolling stone

Dion just doesn't sing as good as Lou Reed, Eric Burden, and Paul Rodgers. That is why he has to be lower on the list.

Bob Dylan showing up before Stevie Wonder = I don't scroll through the rest of this list.

Bono is an awful, pretentious writer.

ssidoti | November 13, 2008 3:56 PM EST
I guess John Lennon and Paul McCartney split the votes, which is the only reason I can think of as to why one or the other isn't number 1. Stupid list.

Dion just doesn't sing as good as Lou Reed, Eric Burden, and Paul Rodgers. That is why he has to be lower on the list.

Dion rules!

Full list:

100 Mary J. Blige
99 Steven Tyler
98 Stevie Nicks
97 Joe Cocker
96 B.B. King
95 Patti LaBelle
94 Karen Carpenter
93 Annie Lennox
92 Morrissey
91 Levon Helm
90 The Everly Brothers
89 Solomon Burke
88 Willie Nelson
87 Don Henley
86 Art Garfunkel
85 Sam Moore
84 Darlene Love
83 Patti Smith
82 Tom Waits
81 John Lee Hooker
80 Frankie Valli
79 Mariah Carey
78 Sly Stone
77 Merle Haggard
76 Steve Perry
75 Iggy Pop
74 James Taylor
73 Dolly Parton
72 John Fogerty
71 Toots Hibbert
70 Gregg Allman
69 Ronnie Spector
68 Wilson Pickett
67 Jerry Lee Lewis
66 Thom Yorke
65 David Ruffin
64 Axl Rose
63 Dion
62 Lou Reed
61 Roger Daltrey
60 Björk
59 Rod Stewart
58 Christina Aguilera
57 Eric Bourdon
56 Mavis Staples
55 Paul Rodgers
54 Luther Vandross
53 Muddy Waters
52 Brian Wilson
51 Gladys Knight
50 Bonnie Raitt
49 Donny Hathaway
48 Buddy Holly
47 Jim Morrison
46 Patsy Cline
45 Kurt Cobain
44 Bobby "Blue" Bland
43 George Jones
42 Joni Mitchell
41 Chuck Berry
40 Curtis Mayfield
39 Jeff Buckley
38 Elton John
37 Neil Young
36 Bruce Springsteen
35 Dusty Sprinfield
34 Whitney Houston
33 Steve Winwood
32 Bono
31 Howlin' Wolf
30 Prince
29 Nina Simone
28 Janis Joplin
27 Hank Williams
26 Jackie Wilson
25 Michael Jackson
24 Van Morrison
23 David Bowie
22 Etta James
21 Johnny Cash
20 Smokey Robinson
19 Bob Marley
18 Freddie Mercury
17 Tina Turner
16 Mick Jagger
15 Robert Plant
14 Al Green
13 Roy Orbison
12 Little Richard
11 Paul McCartney
10 James Brown
09 Stevie Wonder
08 Otis Redding
07 Bob Dylan
06 Marvin Gaye
05 John Lennon
04 Sam Cooke
03 Elvis Presley
02 Ray Charles
01 Aretha Franklin

Rolling Stone has spoken. Mariah Carey's technique is better than kd Lang's.

I can't decide which is more annoying: that Freddie Mercury is on the list at all, or that he's at number 18.

58 Christina Aguilera

I shoulda stopped reading after the Iggy thing about James Brown.

James Taylor before Willie Nelson.

As for the Band, I'd go with Richard Manuel (who isn't on the list) before Levon.

You know, the world's continuing shafting of Chaka Khan is pushing me towards the day of purification.

^^^^ I want to get that on a t-shirt.

As for the Band, I'd go with Richard Manuel (who isn't on the list) before Levon.
This is correct.

Rolling Stone releases stupid rock-centric list? No way.

focusing on the positive, mary j's write-up of aretha is excellent.

christina aguilera is the most insufferable singer of this generation

Kate Perry says no.

focusing on the positive, mary j's write-up of aretha is excellent.

― lex pretend, Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:45 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark

http://www.geocities.com/woofboy_movie/pict/eve.jpg

at least katy perry doesn't really try and sing. when xtina kicks into full I HAVE A GREAT VOICE mode and does like 5-min runs i literally want to become http://depletedcranium.com/Unabomber1.jpg

my hate of xtina and her awful singing technique has been fleshed out many times on ilm

I'm not crazy about melisma-go-go either but I reckon Xtina's scored more hits than misses, and it's not like she invented the style or even took it further than anybody else, really.

the xtina holler is a wonderful, wonderful thing

I'm really just trying not to respond to the bullshit that placed two blokes out of the Beatles and Bob freakin Dylan as better singers than Smokey Robinson.

Rolling Stone has spoken. Mariah Carey's technique is better than kd Lang's.

― james k polk, Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:30 PM (21 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I think the comparison is kind of silly (and of course RS is going to privilege Carey over Lang), but it does get at something that's too often unremarked upon, which is that k.d. lang is a really fantastic singer. I'm not even a huge fan -- apart from a few singles like "Constant Craving" and "If I Were You" -- but I'm always impressed whenever I hear her voice.

But then you read some of the comments and realise that whoever compiled that list ain't so bad after all.

You know, the world's continuing shafting of Chaka Khan is pushing me towards the day of purification.

OTM.

I think the comparison is kind of silly (and of course RS is going to privilege Carey over Lang)

I was just trying to express my annoyance that lang didn't make the list at all even though she is famous enough. She is the best singer of any style I've ever seen in person.

I can't decide which is more annoying: that Freddie Mercury is on the list at all, or that he's at number 18.

― Sara Sara Sara, Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:34 PM (46 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

the fuck is wrong with you???

Bono is an awful, pretentious writer.

did your copy of this week's Duh Aficionado come before everyone else's?
anyway, it's a dumb list, who cares. it's more irrelevant than offensive, really.

No Michael McDonald, no Mel Torme, no Dean Martin. gtfo.

the fuck is wrong with you???

Mercury always sounded to me like a dinner-theater-musical reject who really wants the part, but is substituting his own inflated self-image for actually working towards being a decent singer.

He is a fantastic singer with incredible range. One only need to listen to others try to cover Queen songs in order to appreciate his talent. I'm not even a fan of 'rock' but man what a singer.

BILLIE HOLIDAY?!?!?!?!?!?!1/1?!?!?!/1/1/!

I hope the absence of jazz/American songbook singers was deliberate. Anyway, Sam Cooke is the greatest singer of all time. And any "greatest singers" list without Aaron Neville, Beth Gibbons, Liz Fraser, Margo Timmins and that guy from the Bee-Gees is seriously flawed.

The black singers from the boomer era who normally occupy slots 9-24 on a RS list get interspersed evenly throughout the top 50. That's sort of interesting. What's the most WFT thing on here for you? For me, Paul Rodgers. A few slots above Don Henley. It's like arguing that Lee Majors is just that much better actor than Paul Michael Glaser.

I can't decide which is more annoying: that Freddie Mercury is on the list at all, or that he's at number 18.

― Sara Sara Sara, Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:34 PM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i have no idea what that means. of course he should be on the list, and he should be much much higher.

Seriously though, it astonishes me that Billie Holiday isn't in the top 5, let alone that NONE of the voters put her anywhere on their lists.

should Freddie Mercury be higher or lower than Montserrat Caballe?

yeah freddie totes belongs here. dude has a fantastic voice and no fooling

i would rather lindsey buckingham be on the list than stevie

lou reed being on this list is ridiculous

guys like Dylan and Reed make sense if you look at this list as "greatest rock vocalists" but of course it's snappier for them to call it "greatest singers"

tru

ugh

should Freddie Mercury be higher or lower than Waxl Rose?

25 Michael Jackson
24 Van Morrison

how could they not revise this list with this staring them right in the face?

Why is Art Garfunkel on this list.

Michael Jackson is #1.. I don't give a fuck.

Christina Aguilera should not be there, but I do love her performance on "Genie In A Bottle." If she were a one-hit-wonder I might agree with her inclusion.. but that's a huge "might."

i would rather lindsey buckingham be on the list than stevie

He's a better singer, so that would make sense.

No Cornell, no credibility.

Why is Art Garfunkel on this list.

no Boz Scaggs no credibility

no Billy Joel = paradigm shift for RS

glad mariah is in there but aguilera (good voice to good songs ratio not very impressive) shouldnt be.

but it's still pretty weird they put Mariah Carey on the list and then let her lose to Iggy

As for the Band, I'd go with Richard Manuel (who isn't on the list) before Levon.
This is correct.

I'd go with Richard Manuel AND Rick Danko before Levon.

39 Jeff Buckley

They seek Tim here, they seek Tim there...

Dear Rolling Stone,

We're not THINKING, are we?

Missing someone, AREN'T we?

http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/gotoit/frank%20sinatra.jpg

92 Morrissey

Oh my Lord!

82 Tom Waits + 53 Muddy Waters + 31 Howlin' Wolf = CAPTAIN BEEFHEART (not featured)

I've not heard anything by 19 of these people (highest being either Hank Williams - at least don't think i've ever heard a full song by him - or Howlin' Wolf)

AND WHERE THE FUCK IS KATE BUSH

They got that one right at least

What BS. No Sinatra? No Billie Holiday? No Louis Armstrong, who practically invented pop singing as we know it?
I love Chuck Berry and all, but what is he doing on THIS list (and ahead of Jerry Lee, at that)? His singing was his least distinguishable feature.
And John Lennon at #5, with Van Morrison way down at #24. C'mon.
I could have put another half dozen soul singers on there. And where are the gospel singers (not the crossover stuff, but the real deal)?
This could very well be the worst list RS has ever come up with.

I don't know much about legit gospel, but Dorothy Love Coates mops the floor with half of these clowns.

^^^^^^
What he said.

Apparently there are no good singers outside the UK and USA, except for Björk?

Who isn't even a good singer

Who is this "Eric Bourdon"?

Björk just barely beat out Roger Daltrey. Now that's funny.

It seems to me that RS is going for the greatest singers of the rock era (as opposed to rock singers), thus excluding pre-rock like Sinatra, Dino (who would crack my top 5), Billie, etc. At least, that's what I'm guessing.

Country definitely gets a shaft here. The first country singer (excluding I-can-sing-anything-and-sound-awesome dudes like Ray and Elvis) is Cash at 21. He's cool and all, but my personal top 10 would have George Jones and Lefty Frizzell rubbing shoulders with Ray, Aretha, Cooke, etc.

Another oddity is how Brits like Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers get a nod, but Steve Marriott doesn't.

Hell, I'd also rank James Carr above most of these folks.

Oh well.

It seems a bit silly to have Hank Williams in there and not Billie.

anyway, Diamanda Galas, chaps.

And Scott Walker of course but then not many people know him in his homeland.

19 Bob Marley

Not bad for the 3rd best singer in the Wailers

Only Jamaican entry as well, quelle surprise.

It seems to me that RS is going for the greatest singers of the rock era (as opposed to rock singers), thus excluding pre-rock like Sinatra, Dino (who would crack my top 5), Billie, etc. At least, that's what I'm guessing.

Yeah, this would make sense, except that they included Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, and John Lee Hooker on the list.

Only Jamaican entry as well, quelle surprise.
No, they have Toots on there. But he should be in the top 10, IMO.

They might have started before it, but Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker belong in the rock era, whereas Hank was dead

But Sinatra and Dino had big hits in the rock era too!

Also, except maybe for Björk, I don't see any pop singers at all on the list.

That's not what I mean though, after all Muddy and John Lee didn't exactly have a lot of hits

x-post

Yeah, I'm just guessing that's what they're thinking.

Why do you think those pre-rock blues singers belong to the rock era then? Because they became popular in the rock era? But Sinatra and Dino were popular then too. Because they influenced rockers? So did Sinatra, Dino, Billie Holiday, etc.

The primary purpose of this list is to flatter its readers.

did it work?

25 | Michael Jackson by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy
25 | Michael Jackson by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy
25 | Michael Jackson by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy

Danko>Helm>Manuel

Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy>Scott Walker

Manuel>Danko>>>>>>>Helm

Björk just barely beat out Roger Daltrey. Now that's funny.

No it isn't.

did your copy of this week's Duh Aficionado come before everyone else's?

― Kevin Keller, Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:11 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Rolling Stone's List Of The 100 Greatest Zingers

Manuel is obv a 'better' singer, but I'll take Helm's voice any day. I could see how it might not be a Britishes' style.

What's Britishness got to do with it?

Well, Manuel was really Andrew Sachs...

maybe it's just the low-ebb of fashion, but Liz Fraser and/or Micheal Stipe warrant some recognition for the co-creation the mysterious post-linguistic blurbletone.

Stipe maybe, if he'd kept doing it. Everything that was interesting about his singing vanished around Lifes Rich Pageant and Document.

But shit, fuckin' David Thomas should be on there.

What's Britishness got to do with it?

Helm is the most American of the voices (literally)

Obviously, but not much historical evidence of Britishers being resistant to American voices

xp, to be fair, that's not my joke

I know he doesn't fit in their scope but, no Mr. Five By Five, no credibility.

Bobby Bland at No. 44 = fuk this

Jeez, given some of the other choices, I'm (pleasantly) shocked he's on there at all.

Update!

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/

look, I know these things are subjective, but ranking Adele above Mahalia Jackson is just mathematically impossible

I skipped to the end, but the one that made me laugh was Bob Dylan #15/Freddie Mercury #14.

At least have the decency to rank Nina Simone above Bob Dylan, you cowards!

Tim Buckley doesn't even show up as a mention in his son's entry.

look, I know these things are subjective, but ranking Adele above Mahalia Jackson is just mathematically impossible

― c u (crüt), Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:51 PM

idk why this tickled me so much, but thank you for posting. it's been a while since i laughed liquid into my sinuses.

https://www.justjared.com/2023/01/02/celine-dion-trends-after-rolling-stone-leaves-her-off-of-200-greatest-singers-of-all-time-list/?=morehere

Once it was discovered that Celine Dion was not on the list, fans immediately began demanding answers on Twitter. Other blatant omissions as cited by fans include Cher, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross, Jennifer Hudson, and so many other talented artists.

Streisand is on the list!

she should have been on there twice!

I think it's a fairly interesting/diverse list, fwiw (if you ignore the rankings). There are a few artists on the "cool" side of things (Corin Tucker, Courtney Love...) whom I might have preferred to see switched out with others (e.g., Neko Case, Natalie Merchant); but that's showbiz.

Goddamn do I hate Rolling Stone’s mobile website!!!

Bob Dylan showing up before Stevie Wonder = I don't scroll through the rest of this list.

Obviously the whole list is dumb for lots of reasons but ... is there any question that Dylan is a vastly more influential singer than Stevie? I love Stevie's singing and I'm glad he's ranked high, but pretty much everyone ranked above him had a huge and discernible impact on HOW people sing. Not sure that's true of Stevie. I'd actually move both JB and Little Richard ahead of him.

Are you serious?

Let's just say that Stevie Wonder bent Dylan to his will on his "Blowin' in the Wind" cover.

Of course! He's a great singer and great interpreter. I've just never thought of him as an innovator the way everyone else in the top 10 is.

Though looking at it I'd also bump Lennon down and pair him with McCartney, seems weird to separate them.

This list is pretty garbage-y even by the standards of Rolling Stone listicles. I'm not gonna go back and look again, but I believe they included Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford but omitted Bruce Dickinson? Also, they stuck to "conventional"/"pretty" singing, so no representatives of harsh death metal-style vocals or even truly unhinged punk/hardcore screamers — I mean, where is H.R.? And did Tom Waits make the list, or were Louis Armstrong and Howlin' Wolf enough?

Streisand is on the list!

Ha ha ha!

Other blatant omissions as cited by fans include Cher, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross

Also, Stevie Wonder (#7) is ranked higher than Dylan (#15)… did the above complaint refer to an earlier version(?)

I went back to the intro for their criteria:

In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.

So now I understand why Freddie Mercury is ahead of Dylan...Seriously, if you follow that through, Dylan can't be lower than, I don't know, third or fourth. But, as always, if they're going 100% on who their panel voted for, and not reshuffling the results, then you get what you get. But if they are using the votes as just a starting point, and constructing the list from there, then #15 for Dylan is silly or ridiculous or something in that neighborhood.

Grace Slick a notable omission from my pov... even given the above criteria, I think she's equally or more deserving of a spot than a few of the modern artists on the list.

Agree that she'd be a good choice. Is Courtney Love on there? I hear a direct line from "White Rabbit" to Courtney Love (with lots of stops in between, of course).

Slick was a big influence on Corin Tucker (who’s on the list); Sleater-Kinney used to cover “White Rabbit” regularly.

Courtney is on there, yes

Honestly, on a list of "best singers," I think they confuse the issue somewhat by listing "the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy" as criteria (besides which, "the breadth of their musical legacy" and "influence" are pretty much the same, no?). You veer closer to just a list of the greatest artists ever, irrespective of voice. I say Dylan should be much higher according to their own criteria; strictly speaking, if it is indeed a list of greatest singers, then technical proficiency should probably be part of the equation, and then you have to balance Dylan's originality and expressiveness with the fact that he isn't, by historical standards, a "good" singer. In which case, putting him lower's fine. But it seems to me they're calling the list one thing and setting up criteria that point to something else, and a result it's a mish-mash.

"as a result"

are you trying to tell me this 2023 rolling stone listicle isn't logically sound?

I've given it careful consideration and that's the conclusion I've arrived at.

I'm not sure what to do next.

Yeah, they say in the intro – Before you start scrolling (and commenting), keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List. But it feels like those criteria are intentionally slippery...

We need three separate rankings - one for best intrinsic vocal equipment, one for best training, one for most expressive.

Dylan sketched out the criteria in 1965: "I'm just as good a singer as Caruso. You have to listen closely, but I hit all those notes, and I can hold my breath three times as long if I wanted to." I hope they considered ability to hold one's breath.

David Caruso, a 9 year old he'd recently befriended

Lol

https://i.imgur.com/KBoSUzW.jpg

omg i legit thought that was a picture of Jimmy Somerville and was scratching my head trying to figure out why it says "Caruso Sings" for a minute

when Caruso sings
I hear violence

Dylan shouldn't be on this list. That's the criteria for great singing

Your lifetime commitment to erasing any and all traces of "Bob Dylan" may fall short.

The best singers ≠ the most commercially or critically successful singers.

I know you can say this about "bands" "artists" "LPs" etc. but it seems particularly true of singers.

Good point.

I haven't been able to look through the list (impossible to scroll through on my phone for some reason) but the first five singers that came to mind when I considered who my favourites were - Linda Jones, Betty Hutton, Zabelle Panosian, Charles Trenet, Robert Wyatt - are almost certainly not on there.

Anthony Kiedis should be #1, he taught Americans that it's ok to sing through your nose

Rolling Stone's Top 200 Horniest Singers

What about Dave Mustaine, who invented singing without ever unclenching your teeth?

Since all versions of the RS website are maddeningly formatted, here is the full list for reference:

200. Rosalía
199. Glenn Danzig
198. Billie Eilish
197. Burna Boy
196. Paul Westerberg
195. Poly Styrene
194. Kelly Clarkson
193. Brandy
192. Anohni
191. Jung Kook

190. Frank Ocean
189. Joan Baez
188. Fela Kuti
187. Bonnie Raitt
186. Ofra Haza
185. Alicia Keys
184. Karen O
183. Solomon Burke
182. Jazmine Sullivan
181. Bob Seger

180. SZA
179. Martha Wash
178. Tabu Ley Rochereau
177. Patty Loveless
176. Iggy Pop
175. Lana Del Rey
174. Buddy Holly
173. Marianne Faithfull
172. Juan Gabriel
171. Odetta

170. Chris Stapleton
169. Sylvester
168. Debbie Harry
167. Marc Anthony
166. Morrissey
165. Ronnie James Dio
164. Sandy Denny
163. Bobby “Blue” Bland
162. Françoise Hardy
161. Brenda Lee

160. Mercedes Sosa
159. Mississippi John Hurt
158. Carrie Underwood
157. Robert Smith
156. George Strait
155. Corin Tucker
154. Dion
153. Mahlathini
152. Michael Stipe
151. Martha Reeves

150. Bryan Ferry
149. Wanda Jackson
148. Levon Helm
147. Barbra Streisand
146. Ruth Brown
145. PJ Harvey
144. Darlene Love
143. Luciano
142. Russell Thompkins Jr.
141. Christina Aguilera

140. Bono
139. Rocío Dúrcal
138. Merle Haggard
137. El DeBarge
136. Lauryn Hill
135. IU
134. Axl Rose
133. Neil Young
132. Loretta Lynn
131. Jeff Buckley

130. Courtney Love
129. Rob Halford
128. Florence Welch
127. Tammy Wynette
126. Donny Hathaway
125. Joe Strummer
124. Robert Johnson
123. Karen Carpenter
122. Donna Summer
121. Jackie Wilson

120. Charlie Rich
119. Barrington Levy
118. John Fogerty
117. Patti Smith
116. Chet Baker
115. Erykah Badu
114. Chrissie Hynde
113. La India
112. Ozzy Osbourne
111. Fiona Apple

110. The Weeknd
109. Roger Daltrey
108. Caetano Veloso
107. Lou Reed
106. Bill Withers
105. Eddie Vedder
104. Aaron Neville
103. Leonard Cohen
102. Taylor Swift
101. Gladys Knight

100. Elton John
99. Clyde McPhatter
98. Bob Marley
97. Usher
96. Chuck Berry
95. Vincente Fernández
94. Toots Hibbert
93. Stevie Nicks
92. Anita Baker
91. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

90. Gal Costa
89. Selena
88. Jimmie Rodgers
87. Diana Ross
86. Michael Jackson
85. Johnny Cash
84. Lata Mangeshkar
83. Amy Winehouse
82. Steve Perry
81. João Gilberto

80. Chris Cornell
79. Emmylou Harris
78. Janis Joplin
77. Bruce Springsteen
76. Wilson Pickett
75. D’Angelo
74. Patti LaBelle
73. Héctor Lavoe
72. Muddy Waters
71. Roy Orbison

70. Ronnie Spector
69. Youssou N’Dour
68. Rihanna
67. Dennis Brown
66. David Ruffin
65. Minnie Riperton
64. Björk
63. Robert Plant
62. George Michael
61. Umm Kulthum

60. Kate Bush
59. Howlin’ Wolf
58. Lady Gaga
57. Brian Wilson
56. Barry White
55. Tina Turner
54. Willie Nelson
53. Miriam Makeba
52. Mick Jagger
51. Sade

50. Joni Mitchell
49. Rod Stewart
48. Toni Braxton
47. Linda Ronstadt
46. Mavis Staples
45. Ella Fitzgerald
44. James Brown
43. Ariana Grande
42. Teddy Pendergrass
41. Etta James

40. Aaliyah
39. Louis Armstrong
38. Curtis Mayfield
37. Van Morrison
36. Kurt Cobain
35. Dusty Springfield
34. Thom Yorke
33. Bessie Smith
32. David Bowie
31. Luther Vandross

30. Hank Williams
29. Chaka Khan
28. Mahalia Jackson
27. Dolly Parton
26. Paul McCartney
25. Mary J. Blige
24. George Jones
23. Smokey Robinson
22. Adele
21. Nina Simone

20. Marvin Gaye
19. Frank Sinatra
18. Celia Cruz
17. Elvis Presley
16. Prince
15. Bob Dylan
14. Freddie Mercury
13. Patsy Cline
12. John Lennon
11. Little Richard

10. Al Green
9. Otis Redding
8. Beyoncé
7. Stevie Wonder
6. Ray Charles
5. Mariah Carey
4. Billie Holiday
3. Sam Cooke
2. Whitney Houston
1. Aretha Franklin

oops sorry tried to hide that behind spoiler tag, not sure what i did wrong

double oops and the last ten got cut off from my cut and paste.

200. Rosalía
199. Glenn Danzig
198. Billie Eilish
197. Burna Boy
196. Paul Westerberg
195. Poly Styrene
194. Kelly Clarkson
193. Brandy
192. Anohni
191. Jung Kook

Will credit that guy from Passenger for inventing the Poor Wickle Sad Puppy Voice, if we are judging by amount of influence on today's singers then he's the king.

Robert Johnson on the list and Blind Willie Johnson not on the list is the most stupid thing I've seen so far, but it's only been a minute.

Lists are so dumb

Top seven reasons why lists are so dumb...

let's make a list of the worst lists

and the worst Liszts

DAMMIT

xpost

Listomania!

Everyone on this list is a great singer. They are all going to do very well for themselves.

lists are only fun if they prompt discussion, that's the entire purpose of them, not just the cataloguing.

lists that seem to exist only to troll, for the creator to do their "ain't I a stinker?" grin when someone gets upset about a ranking and respond with a smug defense...are the worst.

and those lists come from

I don't know if I'd level that accusation at Rolling Stone in particular--strikes me that their desire to please everybody is more responsible for the mish-mash than trying to provoke.

just speaking in generalities.

I am glad that, at least, this list has united us all in absolutely hating Rolling Stone's unusable CMS that freezes any browsers you can throw at the site's way.

what happy circumstance that 99% of the greatest ever singers choose to sing in english.

it's God's language

God didn't say "Και εγένετο φως", he said "let there be light!"

bless

The % non-English singers looks higher than that(?) I actually thought it was unexpectedly inclusive in that regard (for an RS list).

Yeah, they did better than I thought they would on that score. I mean, there's an argument to be made for putting Celia Cruz right behind Aretha Franklin, and Vicente Fernandez was a fucking titan. La India and Rocio Durcal were pleasant surprises. (Where's Elis Regina, though?)

I'd absolutely make that argument.

i just opened the list to make sure that jung kook was on it and lo and behold, there he was

This list made me wonder if there's a thread for artists you appreciate, like, or love in spite of their singing. From this list I'd include:

Paul Westerberg
Frank Ocean
Corin Tucker
Joe Strummer
later Lou Reed
Diana Ross
Amy Winehouse
sometimes Thom Yorke
Smokey Robinson

Also I wonder if singers like Joni Mitchell and Elton John lost points on this list for not taking care of their voices in later years, essentially ruining their instruments.

trying to stay neutral here so-

praise: hey they included sandy denny! rad!

criticism:

166. Morrissey

did Bernard Sumner make the top ten or

XPs Elton's entry claims he only got better after the surgery!

Elton's huskier voice suited the poppier material he did later fairly nicely, as opposed to the reedier, rock 'n roll voice of his younger days.

but lord did he have to rely on his backup singers live when he did the old material after that surgery. even 30 years ago.

You don't think Smokey Robinson has a great voice, halfway?

I'm not sure I agree with your general point, either...You either connect with a voice or you don't. I know Dylan and Westerberg and Neil Young aren't great singers in a technical sense, but it wouldn't be accurate to say I love their singing in spite of their voices. Those voices are everything--whatever they are, they're the very thing I'm connecting with.

How is Amy Winehouse on list of people you enjoy despite their singing?

Her singing is the whole allure, like, yes, she had incredible production on both LPs, but her voice and singing style is what elevated Back to Black above much of the glut of retro revivalism.

Can't imagine liking her in spite of her defining quality

^otm

I liked her songwriting but found her singing contrived, put on...but not enough to make me dislike the songs!
I find Smokey unemotional as a singer, Al Green among others does a similar thing a lot better. He also gave many of his best songs to other acts, the songs he saved for the Miracles tended to be samey if you listen to several in a row.

Count me among those who prefers Joni's ruined voice

No one seems inclined to argue against the placement of Aretha.

no Gregg Allman is weird, considering some of the replacement level vocalists who are on the list. John Lennon above a lot of those immediately behind him is mystifying. Beth Gibbons deserves a place. Willie Nelson way down at 54 is criminal imo.

How in the hell is John Lydon not on there? I'd put him in like the top 20 most influential rock singers ever.

Well, he couldn't sing, for one.

thinking about this list for more than 10 seconds at a time gives me a headache!

I find Smokey unemotional as a singer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMA2pDXZGOI

thinking about this list for more than 10 seconds at a time gives me a headache!
^OTM!

thinking about this list thread for more than 10 seconds at a time gives me a headache!

Well, he couldn't sing, for one.

Ppl have weird ideas about what "singing" is. He's a fantastic singer and led two of the most important bands of the era.

He's brilliant and an innovator, but I would argue that his vocalizations don't really amount to "singing" as that term is commonly understood. I remember his even saying, maybe in the early 80s, that he couldn't sing.

TS: (S)he has a great set of pipes but they are only a singer therefore not a real musician who knows what they are doing vs. Can't sing can't act, can dance a little but has a way with words that's undeniable.

I only say people "can't sing" if they're actually off-key, can't carry a tune. Lydon, Dylan, Neil Young, those guys are always on key, or at least in relative pitch to the key. Sid Vicious couldn't sing, e.g.

otm

I only say people "can't sing" if they're actually off-key, can't carry a tune. Lydon, Dylan, Neil Young, those guys are always on key, or at least in relative pitch to the key. Sid Vicious couldn't sing, e.g.

Agree. Which brings me back to wondering where Tom Waits and Lemmy are.

I think there's room to argue "singers" and "vocalists" are two different definitions, otherwise I'd be decrying Ken Nordine missing the top 10

Yeah, I won't compare what Dionne Warwick does compared to what John Lydon does, though I'd love to hear her sing "Death Disco" with a bossa nova lilt.

Ditto Lydon's "Don't Make Me Over"

Lydon's "Message to Michael" wouldn't be so different.

Aretha covering "(This is Not a) Love Song"

Well, he couldn't sing, for one.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Tuesday, January 3, 2023 1:40 PM bookmarkflaglink

he seemed to learn on how Masked Singer last year.

*how on

Will credit that guy from Passenger for inventing the Poor Wickle Sad Puppy Voice, if we are judging by amount of influence on today's singers then he's the king.

irl lol xD

thumbs down for the list from Gene Simmons

https://www.tmz.com/2023/01/05/kiss-gene-simmons-rolling-stone-200-greatest-singers-list-snubbed-snub/

while others like Celine Dion, Cher and even KISS were left off

even KISS!

stanley will surely place highly on rolling stone's 200 best between song banterers of all-time

anybody here drinking some tequilaaaaaaaaa

actually his banter is now lip synced too

Holy shit, lol: https://variety.com/2023/music/news/celine-dion-protest-rolling-stone-greatest-singers-of-all-time-list-1235480933/

TIL Madonna is Canadian

"Part of a fan club called The Redheads on Facebook, around 15 dedicated Celine soldiers rode over six hours from Montreal to New York City...Meanwhile, across the street at the New York Public Library, was a larger political protest denouncing the Jan. 6 insurrection."

The juxtaposition here seems to say something important about the world right now, but I'm not sure exactly what.

what a bunch of fucking losers.

like I wouldn't exactly 'understand' if someone protested outside the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, protesting a band/performer that was snubbed, but it'd at least make more sense, as it's an actual accolade people aspire to.

picketing a fucking LISTICLE?

To which I'd add: even though famous books have been written to the contrary, Celine Dion really isn't all that good.

Maybe the list only had room for one “Dion”!

I'm getting a few other Dionne Warwick fans together and we're heading to New York.

Better yet, go to Cleveland!

Dionne Warwick not making the list invalidates the whole list for me. The whole list! (not kidding)

Also, no Nilsson?

Glad to see Russell Thompkins there, but would have liked Philippé Wynne (sp?) as well.

Is Dio on the list?

Anybody here
Seen my old friend Ronnie?
Can you tell me where he’s gone?

lol

Late on this but three things I thot at a glance: no Candi Staton ffs, no Neil Diamond ffs, and Sandy Denny is disgracefully low. Imma picket the Rolling Stone offices.