Bands that don't really have a "lead" singer

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Inspired by this thread, I want to name some:

1. Beatles
2. Beach Boys

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The Golden Palominos obviously owns this one.

some indies that qualify:

Sleater-Kinney
Enon
Saturday Looks Good To Me

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

McFly
Busted

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Sloan owns

― Taxi Dancing in the Soft Prison (Ben Boyer), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I would think Corrin Tucker qualifies as the lead singer of Sleater-Kinney. I mean, she doesn't sing lead on ALL the songs, but she does on a pretty good majority.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Jefferson Airplane
Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young)
Sonic Youth
Swell Maps
Raincoats
Upsetters

― sexyDancer, Monday, 20 September 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

3ds
driveby truckers (sorta)
pink floyd (sorta, for a while)
alpha
mission of burma?

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

all boy bands

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

FLEETWOOD MAC

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I think you would have to define a band without a lead singer as a band where sungs are often sung in unison by two or more people. Otherwise you're just going to get a list of bands that have more than one singer, which is going to be a fucking long list. So by my definition, Beach Boys count but Beatles don't.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i dont like that definition.

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

beasties

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Monkees

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

X-post
I assumed that Corin Tucker does only the banshee bits, which account for no more than 60% of, say, The Hot Rock, but I guess it might be her singing in some softer moments, too.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

but the beach boys sing in harmony not unison. Ha.

― Justin Farrar (Justin Farrar), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

for example - the rolling stones CLEARLY do not fit, even though keith has his share of songs that he sings. but the beatles should definitely fit, since lennon/mccartney split lead vox pretty evenly, along with the odd george/ringo lead.

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

"Who is _____'s lead singer?" If you can't just answer one person, that bands counts for this thread. ie, even though Mike Mills might sing very occasionally for REM, everyone knows Michael Stipe is the lead singer.

x-post

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

the dB's?

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Husker Du. A pox on those freaks who used to make tapes of Warehouse and skip the Grant Hart songs!

Fugazi.

The Band.

Uncle Tupelo.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

x-post to dleone: Right, and asking "Who is the Beatles' lead singer" would be monumentally stupid, ergo they qualify.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

haha then let's include ac/dc, van halen, etc.

xxxps

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

The shadows when they aren't working with cliff

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

the band is a good example, pleasant plains.

also, my bloody valentine? i feel like kevin and b(e/i)linda split the vocals a LOT.

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

mookieproof likes loopholes

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

New Pornographers

― JC-L (JC-L), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

ooh ooh! the travelling wilburys!

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Parliament/Funkadelic

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

grateful dead

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

ABBA

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

The Alan Parsons Project

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha, then there's Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics...

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Destiny's Child, TLC, En Vogue, etc etc.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Silkworm splits it up pretty evenly, esp. on more recent albums.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

also mission of burma definitely should be on the list

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

KRAFTWERK.

― everything, Monday, 20 September 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Big & Rich

― frankE (frankE), Monday, 20 September 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

destiny's child... ehhh... i dunno.

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Spice Girls

― frankE (frankE), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

animal collective

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

The Eagles
Faust
Free Design
The Meters

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

boyz II men
abc
bbd

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:05 (twenty-one years ago)

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Yo La Tengo

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know about Animal Collective's recording process, but they sure seemed to have a lead singer when I saw them play live.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

the byrds

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

fair enough - i wasnt sure about AC

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Eagles have tons of harmonies (treacly, syrupy harmonies) but I'd say Don Henley qualifies as the lead singer over the Glen dude.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

amon duul II

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:09 (twenty-one years ago)

oneida

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

but they sure seemed to have a lead singer when I saw them play live.

That was Panda Bear, right?

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Re: Eagles, I don't know, for their hits, I'd say it's about even - plus songs w/Joe Walsh or Timothy Schmidt.

Actually, I just looked on AMG, and on Greatest Hits Vol 1, the run down was Frey: 5, Henley: 4 and Schmidt: 1.

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:12 (twenty-one years ago)

What are you talking about? Schmidt was still playing with Poco when Greatest Hits I was released.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

jaymc, I don't know.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Gomez

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

rezillos
belle and sebastian, post-1997
boredoms
acid mothers temple

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

wire

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

tortoise

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

do they have a singer at all?

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

exactly.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

/pedant

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Electronica should be off limits for the purposes of this question. I mean, do the Chemical Bros have a lead singer? Is it Beth Orton?

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean Meisner. I've gone to great pains to forget everything I know about the Eagles.

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

the polyphonic spree (who are, of course, the anti-tortoise)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

os mutantes

(xpost: i call BS on polyphonic spree)

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

BS?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah - tim delaughter is TOTALLY their lead singer

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

what about the choir of voices singing the same thing he's singing in unison?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Bananarama

The Swingin' Medallions

Mocedades

Free Design

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 20 September 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Buzzcocks
Blink-182

― roberton, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Posies

― Phil Dennison (Phil D.), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 01:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Big Star, on #1 Record only.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 02:42 (twenty-one years ago)

WU-TANG

― Symplistic (shmuel), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 04:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The Ventures

― jim wentworth (wench), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 04:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Fall.

C'mon, M.E.S. can't sing.

― Sasha (sgh), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 05:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, these bands have lead singers:

Swell Maps - Nikki Sudden
Faust - Jean-Herve Peron
Kraftwerk - Ralf Hutter
Wire - Colin Newman

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

lewis and gilbert sing a fair amount...

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

lewis and gilbert sing a fair amount

does bruce gilbert sing - ie lead-sing - any wire songs? i saw them recently and he never went near a mic. but i can't be sure with the older stuff. i certainly don't hear a voice that sounds like his, but maybe i'm just not picking up a subtlety.

lewis sang/sings most of his own texts, but those are certainly in the minority. looking at the recorded evidence, i don't really think one can deny that colin newman was the lead singer.

― grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Sugar Ray- (contrary to popular opinion Mark McGrath sings on

― Dim DelaL, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Bruce Gilbert contributes the vocal to "The Other Window" but other than that, nothing that I know of. Lewis and Gilbert actually wrote most of Wire's lyrics (early on at least) but Graham Lewis didn't sing anything until "Sand In My Joints" and, thereafter, only two or three tracks per album.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

moby grape

― cameron, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Oooooooohh, I wish I'd thought of Moby Grape!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

alright, fair enough - i stand corrected on wire...

― peter smith (plsmith), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Buffalo Springfield (tho Richie Furay did sing more leads than anyone else)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Fairport Convention (any era when Sandy Denny wasn't in the band)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Queen

― cw28 (cw28), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Queen

HOW DID QUEEN NOT HAVE A LEAD SINGER? queen define the CONCEPT of lead singer!

god damn, i'm in an angry mood today :)

― grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 21 September 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Alan Parsons Project

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

libertines (well, after second thought, they do have a lead singer since pete's been kicked out...).

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

the go-betweens
teenage fanclub

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Lucky Bishops

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 21 September 2004 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

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