Who has the best voice in modern music?

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My vote would go for Jon Thor Birgisson. Thom Yorke at a close second...

Care to add any?

mr p Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven (http://www.angelfire.com/indie/tinymixtapes)

― mr p, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Before I can answer the question, I need to know what you mean by "modern music", let alone "best voice".

― Sean, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Keiji Haino!

― Kodanshi, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Luke Haines.

― Andy, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

sorry, modern was such a general word. I guess more rock oriented, or even just any type of popular music.

― , Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

also, best voice aesthetically.

― mr p, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tom Verlaine.

― Andrew Norman, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Mikey Vessel from David Devant/Carfax has an amazing voice. When he's not being a greasy indiekid, Neil Hannon's voice is pretty impressive too, especially for such a wee man. Also, Anthony Reynolds does have the voice of an angel (albeit a miserable angel who drinks loads of red wine)

I find Luke Haines' voice slightly irritating sometimes, when he's really doing that whispery thing.

― jamesmichaelward@yahoo.co.uk, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm not even a Tool fan, but James Maynard Keenan or whatever his name is can freggin sing.

― Brock Kappers, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Snoop Dogg.

― Ian, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think the Scott Walker school of British indie singing had its moments but ended up an expressive dead end. The post-Buckley high- voice brigade have hit a cul-de-sac even faster. I find voices very very interesting and a key source of enjoyment in music but I'm not very much concerned with how they sing as opposed to what they sing - or rather, I'm interested in 'the voice' as the join between the How and the What. A good voice is a tool that fits its task. I don't much like Liz Frazer, in other words.

If we're strictly talking about indie pop, then the most enjoyable vocals (by this criterion) I've heard this year have been on the album by Clearlake: Jason Pegg's stoic mournfulness is so extreme as to be nearly ridiculous, but it gives the songs the exact rainy character they need.

― Tom, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I have either never heard or totally disagree with everyone mentioned so far.

― Sean, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My vote goes to Craig Wedren of Shudder to Think. Not only does he have a great range but he also enunciates his words, unlike Thom Yorke who I can rarely understand.

― Philippe, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tom -- the above goes some way in explaining your liking the Clientele, as well. I can't imagine Alasdair's voice (assuming that's his natural singing style) fitting very well with anything else, but in that context it's perfection.

Voices that have pleased me over the past couple days: Julie Doiron, Calvin Johnson, Wanda de Sah, Sue Tompkins, Edith Frost, Dean Wareham, and Stephin Merritt. I remember once making a big list of all the voices I've ever really liked, so I'll have to spend some time looking for that.

― Nitsuh, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Robert Wyatt

― loop, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Enunciation is boring and distracting, usually.

― Melissa W, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Milton Nascimento always gets my vote. This may seem strange, but the ill-looking bloke out of Stereo MCs has such a perfect pop music voice. I don't even like the band that much, but he's so effortless in his delivery. For entirely different reasons I've always adored Kim Gordon's voice.

― Daniel, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Anyway, I like Thom Yorke, Björk, Kristin Hersh, Kate Wright, Jón Thór Birgisson, Mimi Parker, Valerie Trebeljahr, Teresa Salgueiro, Chan Marshall, Dani Siciliano, PJ Harvey, Ade Blackburn, Stuart Staples, Elvis Costello, Fiona Apple, Alison Goldfrapp, Beth Gibbons, Margaret Fiedler, Kim Gordon...something like that.

― Melissa W, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mark Hollis is the only name that springs immediately to mind, but dammit, I KNOW there are others...

― Clarke B., Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Why is my mind a complete blank? If the question is "who was the best vocalist of all time?", it would be easier, probably. (my answer: Sarah Vaughan). I may have to go home and look at my record collection.

― Sean, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Locust.

― Andy, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Martin Tielli of the Rheostatics at #1, definitely, for versatility. As far as best voice of our generation, k.d.lang, even when she's doing duff material.

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Locust! Wonderful band. Vulcan rock at its finest.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I like some of kd lang, but really she's just Linda Ronstadt with better taste.

― Sean, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kate Bush?

― Mr Noodles, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My favourites would be Thom Yorke,Bjork and Laetitia from Stereolab (for completely different reasons to the first two,obviously).

― Damian, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elisabeth Fraser

― Mike Hanle y, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Chris Barnes. Seth Putnam.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Martin Tielli for sure...lisa gerrard?

― marsky, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nate Dogg. I can think of plenty more, but this is THE ONE that comes to mind right now.

― David Raposa, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Julie Doiron, Calvin Johnson, Wanda de Sah, Sue Tompkins, Edith Frost, Dean Wareham, and Stephin Merritt

Mos def on the Stephin Merrit. I've never liked a baratone as much as i enjoy his voice. Plus his really demented love songs fit his style real well

― Brock Kappers, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ever since Lord Worm left Cryptopsy whenever he did, it HAS to be Nate Dogg. "When you need a hit, you make the call..."

― Kris, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kurt Wagner has the 2nd best, everybody else on earth including tracheotomy patients is tied for 1st. Seriously, I like the guy in the White Stripes alot, as well as Christina Aguilera.

― dave q, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

jill scott

― mike taylor, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

nana mouskouri

― Geoff, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i'll have to think about this, but Ian is on the money with Snoop for sure. I like Harrison Crumps voice too

― gareth, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Liam Gallagher. Every time. He went through a rough patch between spring '98 and summer 2000, which makes the live album a complete waste of time, but when I saw them in June he was back on top form. Total rock'n'roll.

Er, and if anyone's got a spare ticket for either of the London shows, can you drop me a line?!

― Andrew Williams, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nick Cave, John Cale, Iggy Pop.

― Dave225, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I second Liam Gallagher.

― dave q, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kristin Hersh.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Maynard from Tool is pretty excellent, as are Sebastian Bach and Pat Benatar. If Mariah Carey hadn't ruined her voice (and if she ever sang palatable music), she'd be up there.

Singers who are often overlooked but are excellent: Rachelle Ferrell, Toni Braxton, the lead singer from Incubus, Martin Gore, Jill Scott, Alicia Keyes, AJ Backstreet, R. Kelly (shame about the music, though), Christina Aguilera (when she decides to sing the melody). Celine Dion also has her moments, but her music tends to be pretty unbearable.

Singers who are overhyped and always have been: Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesies, Mary J. Blige, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Nick Backstreet, Justin "Chia Head" Timberlake, J. Lo, Fiona Apple, Macy Gray.

MCs with great voices: DMX, Ja Rule, Q-Tip, Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Posdnus, Method Man, ODB, Ludacris, Slick Rick, Jay-Z.

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

agreed re: slick rick, but i just don't think Jay-Z has a great voice at all. The Blueprint is a big favourite of mine, and i think he is very very good, but i don't think his voice is anything out of the ordinary

― gareth, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I would ditto the Stephin Merrit, and I would also say, though I'm not sure if this fits the "modern" rule or not, but for some reason, I love Malcom Mooney's voice, from Can. Especially on Yoo Doo Right. weird. ;)

― Emily, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ok not popular choice I guess but that guy from Gomez has a distinctive and brilliant voice. In fact Gomez have a totally original sound but seem to take alot of flak for being white. Very under-rated band IMO.

― Ronan, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Naomi Yang.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Voices that 'fit': Kim Deal. Jarvis. Rivers Cuomo. Travis from the D- Plan. Steve Mason, perhaps. Britt Daniel of Spoon (right, Daver?). Chan Marshall (based on a single song, I might add). Ade Blackburn on "Distortions". Will Oldham on "You have cum in your hair and your dick is hanging out". A Robot ( on "The Light 3000", "Pulk/Pull", some Kraftwerk, but not on "Fitter/Happier", just about everything else.)

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I like Gomez too. They were the only band I've seen in years here in SF where people in the audience were actually dancing. It's usually just stand around and act bored.

― Sean, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

david mcalmont, luther vandross (if only, as planned, he'd sung on painted from memory instead of e.c.), johnny gill, prince, al green, scott walker, johnny cash, stephin merritt, uh, um, most of my favorite vocalists are dead, actually.

― fred solinger, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mark E Smith.

― Billy Dods, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ian Dury or Roots Manuva.

― Turnipfish, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Me.

Seriously though, Nate Dogg is the shit, I'll second/third/fourth him. Stephin Merritt sounds like a dying animal to me. R. Kelly has a fantastic voice, probably the best in pop-R&B but he has such terrible songs most of the time that it doesn't make a difference - when he has a great song though, watch out. The end of Fiesta? The can-you-feel-this-shit part - that's something. What about Jarvis or Sarah Cracknell?

― Ally, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

man, am i the only one who thinks nate dogg has single-handedly ruined about half of the dre-related stuff for the past 8 years or so? he sounds like someone untrained trying to sound like 'smoove' r&b.

roots manuva is a great choice for hip-hop; i rarely understand what the hell he's saying, but i love the way he says it. gotta love vast aire of cann ox, dose of anticon, elephant man, capleton...

as for 'rock'/'pop', jacqui ham of dial (reminds me of pj harvey before she started sucking enough to appear on jay frigging leno) and michael morley of the dead c (although he hasn't sung a word in 6 years on record). greg weeks. and jandek. 4-ever.

― your null fame, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

he sounds like someone untrained trying to sound like 'smoove' r&b.

EXACTLY. but to me, that's a good thing.

― fred solinger, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, I mentioned Jarvis. Perhaps his affectations are effecting his popularity among posters.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Lucinda Williams' cracked-china grin.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Richard Buckner can do some neat things with his husky voice. And I find Tjinder Singh addictive.

― bnw, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Britt Daniel! Mitch, you're swell.

I'd go so far as to say JC from *NSYNC has some good pipes.

But, of course, it's really all about Snizoop.

― David Raposa, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mactalk is my personal choice (Steven Hawkings' voice), that's how I'll remember 'the voice' at the turn of the millenium.

― K-reg, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Dude, Nate Dogg is great because of his slight lack of polish. Sometimes that's good.

― Ally, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

gotta second Prince here. he's nuts and hasn't released a good album in five years (direct arguments elsewhere, please), but DAMN he has a fine voice.

― M. Matos, Thursday, 4 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't have a favorite, but lately I've had the main singer of Gus Gus's voice stuck in my head (Siggi Kjartansson?). His vocals are cold, but also reassuring and calm, and I can't think of anyone that has quite the same style. I'll second Brandon Boyd from Incubus. I never liked Sarah Cracknell's voice very much for the same reason that I'm sure a lot of people like it: too thin. But I like Janet Jackson because her voice is thin. Weird.

― palpable, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Marc Heal of Cubanate fame, Trent Reznor, Sarah Cracknell, Britney Spears, the Slipknot bloke. Best voice ever: Anne Briggs.

― DavidM, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Aaliyah ,Chan Marshall,Jason Pierce,Beyonce , Liam Gallagher,Beth Gibbons , Jarvis Cocker , bjork,Hope Sandoval ,Thom Yorke , Shirley Manson, William and Jim Reid ,Horace Andy, Missy Elliot,Kim Gordon , r kelly ,Lauryn Hill , PJ Harvey ,Tori Amos,Sheryl Crow ,Neil Young (but he probably doesn't count as 'modern' ..)

i like those people's voices (for completely different reasons)..but that doesn't mean that i necessarily like what they're doing with them it depends really ... e.g.: i love bjork's voice on 'hunter' but i can't stand her voice on 'cocoon' .. I love Tori Amos' voice but most of the time i can't take her emoting . I think R Kelly is probably one of the best singers around ,but that doesn't make me listen to his music ... Jeff Buckley was a great singer for sure , but i find it very hard to listen to him. it's very hard to describe voices , someone once said Bobby Gillespie's voice sounded like 'evaporated milk' and that's the most appropriate describtion of a voice i've ever heard .I can't remember who said it , but he/she certainly nailed it :-)

has anyone else ever noticed that most singers look very similar to how they sound ?

― marie, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

can't you people just pick one?

― Mike Hanle y, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ok Mike: Bjork.

― stevo, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Thom Yorke is excellent, but he'd definitely been underachieving over the past couple of years. Oh well. Maynard has a great instrument, but his melodies can be repetitious. As far as female vocalists go, Sarah Maclaclan and Fiona Apple are tops. Also, I saw Leann Grimes on TV the other night and her voice was sounding great, much better than her records, very full sounding like Thelma Houston or Chaka Khan. She's lookin' pretty hot, now that she's learned her hard lesson to stay covered up.

On the screaming teenage girls front, Taylor Hayes (of Hanson) has honest-to-goodness pipes, a thousand times stronger than any boy band members'.

I'm also very impressed by Ben Folds, Frank Black, Fran Healy (from Travis), and Cave In's Stephen Brodsky. But as for actually answering the titular question...as far as power, range, and sheer ability go, Chris Cornell is simply unmatched.

― Jack Redelfs, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Most versatile/most impressive control - Mike Patton.

Sexiest - Hope Sandoval or Lou Barlow.

Best deliberate use of quirk - Rivers Cuomo or Jonathan Richman. Will admit Britney's success due to same, but it begins to grate - also, is it live or is it Memorex? That makes a difference when talking about "best" methinks.

Best pairing - Martin Gore/Dave Gahan - both are lessened without the other.

Best to fall asleep to - David Sylvian (when he isn't screeching that is), or the guy from Talk Talk whose name I'm having a mental block on and won't bother to Google cause you'll all know who I mean anyway.

Most distinctive - Robert Smith.

Most difficult to let pass without *some* comment - Thom Yorke.

Favourite due to material - Neil Finn.

Best for conveying anger - Sinead O'Connor.

Best disco voice - Phillip Bailey.

Best rap voice - Busta Rhymes.

There's more but I'm hungry...

― Kim, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Rob Halford, the metal god, has the best voice.

― Bubba, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three months pass...

Oh my my my...no no no. ok...well i would have to so third brandon boyd of incubus he cant half sing live aswell..hahah saw him last night oh what a voice..hmm..yess....

― letti, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Q:By definition, wouldn't it be Bono Vox?
A:No.

― Dave225, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Jenny Toomey has a fabulous voice. Claudia Gonson's too.

― electric sound of jim, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mary Fahl of October Project

― Joe, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I like Gomez too. They were the only band I've seen in years here in SF where people in the audience were actually dancing.

Another Grateful Dead replacement, then. ;-)

What is *with* this canonization of that Incubus fucker? Good voice my ass.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This is a rather tricky question as there are so many, but to list a few that come to mind right now: Scott Walker as his voice is just so 'big' Neil Hannon - pretty impressive for such a tiny little fella and he seems to have a massive range Sam Cooke - I just love it Billie Holiday for all the emotion in her voice, and because it's so unusual and gravelly That's all I can think of right now but most of the ones already mentioned are pretty damn good as well.

― Grace Jarvis, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't argue too much with your choices, Grace, but obv. you and I have different ideas about what constitutes "modern". ;)

― Sean Carruthers, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What is *with* this canonization of that Incubus fucker? Good voice my ass.

He's got an extremely clear tone, a well- supported sound, a fairly wide range, and some amount of flexibility in his singing. In many ways his voice is a smoother version of Maynard James Keenan's.

― Dan Perry, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bjork. When she sang with the Sugarcubes. Now she just makes academic muzak. Same goes for Radiohead/Yorke.

― helenfordsdale, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Fran Healy can carry a tune.

― felicity, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

In many ways his voice is a smoother version of Maynard James Keenan's.

This might well explain my disdain -- Maynard smoothed out would be a terribly uninteresting concept.

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Dave Aguilar. Whatever happened to him?

― dave q, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ten years pass...

arthur lee
hendrix
jeffrey lee pierce
lee hazlewood
scott walker

― nostormo, Thursday, 3 January 2013 19:50 (twelve years ago)

danny brown

― sleepingbag, Thursday, 3 January 2013 19:51 (twelve years ago)

sam cooke
willie nelson
paddy mcaloon

― mizzell, Thursday, 3 January 2013 20:02 (twelve years ago)

Peter Hammill

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 3 January 2013 20:07 (twelve years ago)

luke kelly

― let's bitch about our stupid, annoying co-ilxors (darraghmac), Friday, 4 January 2013 02:04 (twelve years ago)

mr p Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven (http://www.angelfire.com/indie/tinymixtapes)

― buzza, Friday, 4 January 2013 02:10 (twelve years ago)

guy from alt-j sounds like adam sandler doing an impression of devendra banhart holla

― finally rich, fun-packed, fulfilling (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 4 January 2013 02:12 (twelve years ago)

geoff cromford

― things that are jokes pretty much (Nilmar Honorato da Silva), Friday, 4 January 2013 02:13 (twelve years ago)

dave perkins

― things that are jokes pretty much (Nilmar Honorato da Silva), Friday, 4 January 2013 02:13 (twelve years ago)

kev hazell

― things that are jokes pretty much (Nilmar Honorato da Silva), Friday, 4 January 2013 02:13 (twelve years ago)

barry tomlinson

― things that are jokes pretty much (Nilmar Honorato da Silva), Friday, 4 January 2013 02:13 (twelve years ago)

Interpreting 'modern' as 'still alive if possibly retired,' my top 10:

Mark Hollis
Dagmar Krause
Paul Buchanan
Scott Walker
Robert Wyatt
Donald Fagen
Daryl Hall
Stevie Nicks
Robyn Hitchcock
Kevin Ayers

― ~farben~ (Jon Lewis), Friday, 4 January 2013 16:36 (twelve years ago)

No newer people? Aloe Blacc, Sia and John Legend.

― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Italo Night at Some Gay Club (Mount Cleaners), Friday, 4 January 2013 17:21 (twelve years ago)

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