Who do you think is the best rock vocalist of all time?

[dank7oo]

It been a question perculating in my mind for a while, and I am curious to know what you all think (because i know there are tons of rock junkies on this site :)).

Lets do a top five.

My personal is:

1. Jeff Buckley (Solo)
2. Chris Cornell (Solo, Soundgarden, Audioslave)
3. Freddie Mercury (Queen)
4. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
5. Axl Rose (Guns 'N Roses)

Jason

[steelnink]

1-Mick Jagger
2-Ozzy
3-Kid Rock
4-Axl Rose
5-Paul Stanley/Gene Simmons

Paul and Gene made KISS, and without a doubt they stood the test of time.
Listen to ROCK N ROLL ALL NIGHT, or DETRIOT ROCK CITY, or even STRUTTER, and even now those tunes still stand alone.

Axl Rose helped form one of the biggest rock bands in history, add to the fact that Axl could change his voice on a dime, wrote some of the best rock songs, and was completely unstable, lol, he's gotta be in everyones top five.

Kid Rock- The fact he can growl out a rock song, rap about being a cowboy, and sing a counrty duet with Sherly Crow, and ALL of it sounds awesome, i think he'll be remebered.

Ozzy- From Black Sabbath to his solo career, he is one of the greatest singers of all time.[ He made Sabbath]...


Mick Jagger- He's the frontman for the greatest rock n roll band ever.NUFF SAID...

[pitviper10]

1. James Hetfeild
2. Brian Johnson
3. Axel Rose
4. Bon Jovi
5. Kid Rock

[JAdkins2451]

My choices, in no pirticular order..

1. Roger Waters/ David Gilmour- Pink Flyod
2.Brian Johnson- AC/DC
3. Tim Armstrong - Rancid
4.Robert Plant- Led Zepplin
5.Peter Doltrey- The Geuss Who

Jamie

[clint545]

Dax Riggs
Neil Fallon
Robert Plant
Mike Patton
John Garcia

[Asian Jon]

Robert Plant
John Fogerty
Jim Morrison
Jon Anderson
David Gilmour

[peterm15]

roger waters
jim morrisson
brian johnson
mick jager
tim and brody armstong ( tims from rancid and brody from the distillers.... i lover her voice, its sexy)

[JimmyDavid]

Freddy Mercury
Kurt Cobain
Axl Rose
Joe Cocker
Alanis Morisette (i don't even like her songs, but her voice is untouchable)

[Tim_Cranwill]

Best front man or best vocalist? Big difference.... HUGE! And "best" or "favorite"... lol, ok, now I'm just being difficult. :p

Ozzy is a horrible singer (technically and tonally - matter of opinion) but is a great front man. As are Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Tom Petty, Neil Young and a whole slew of "rock singers". But technical skill/talent isn't a huge factor in rock and roll. It is probably better to have a great front man in rock VS a great singer in rock. Then there is the tone of the voice. Some people freakin HATE Axl Rose's voice but they have to admit he is a very good singer. I like his voice in most songs. Then there's a guy like Bob Dylan LOL He's in a category all on his own. :D

Anyway, just a few ideas... :)

Favorite rock singers:

1. Elvis Costello - Elvis Costello and the Impostors – Too good!
2. Mike Patton - Faith No More (+ Mr Bungle) – Most underrated band of the 90’s!!!
3. Thom Yorke – Radiohead – Kind of depressing and mellow but a great band nonetheless.
4. Tom Waits - Tom Waits – One of the best writers and most unique voices out there!
5. John and Paul - The Beatles – You can’t beat The Beatles.

Best singers... in no particular order:

1. Elvis Costello – Crooning or rocking out, Elvis is just too good!
2. Freddy Mercury – Maybe the most versatile vocalist of the bunch.
3. Elvis Presley – Insane tone and clarity!
4. Micheal Jackson – Can't argue that one. He might be a freak, but he can sing the crap out of song!
5. Bon Jovi – Love him or hate him, this guy can WHAIL! I dare you to attempt a Bon Jovi song at a kareoke bar! LOL

The “Best” list is a tough one though…There are a LOT of very talented singers out there.

[The Gawd]

Maynard James Keenan, Jim Morrison, Roger Waters, Robert Plant, KUrt Cobain, plus many many more....
Al

[dank7oo]

Tim :D

Best menas best ... and best means best in your opinion :)

Jason

PS Lack of Buckley and Cornell fans ... its shocking I tell you ... shocking.

[JimmyDavid]

A agree with Tim, but i must also say that it's not just that simple. You can't say THIS guy is thecnically good and that OTHER is less. There are styles and sub-styles in music that account for a big difference in what is requested upon the singer.
I included both Freddy Mercury and Kurt in my list. Many people would say Freddy is superior. But if you think again, Freddy is a pop/soft-rock singer and Kurt is a grunge singer, within the genre i think Kurt's voice couln't be any better while Freddy would make a fool of himself trying to fit in there.

[spidergecko]

Kelly Clarkson
Ruben Studdard
Fantasia Barrino
Carrie Underwood
William Hung

[DragnDrop]

William Hung? William Hung?
YIKES! My poor eyes!! I saw that name in print again!! eewwwwwwww

:p

If you're going to vote the idol stars, then don't forget Clay and Kalan.
Personally, I'm still back in the Tom Jones, Beatles and other Golden Oldies Rock days.

[JimmyDavid]

I forgot: I have to include Bono in my list, also.

[corr]

First that came to mind was Freddy Mercury. If I were to choose 4 more, they'd be Mick Jagger, Bono, Paul McCartney, and Bon Scott (sorry Brian ;)).

[JimmyDavid]

It's strange that nobody really Picked THE KING, LOl. Elvis!!
He wouldn't be in my list because i am not a great fan, but hey...He's the king of rock.

[Ch3m1cal_x]

Bono
Kurt Cobain (very good looking ;) )
Freddy Mercury
Bon Jovi
James Hetfield

Thats in no specific order. Theres a lot more but im too tierd to keep on listing :)

[Paul McCleary]

Geoff Tate of Queensryche >>> he's got like a five-octave range. I especially like his stuff on the album 'EMPIRE' with songs like 'The Thin Line'...

[The Gawd]

chino moreno from deftones, jonathon davis from korn, jimi hendrix, Zach de la Rocha from rage against the machine, Layne Staley from alice in chains, its way to hard to pick 5 so hey i picked 5 more hahahahaha in no paticular order,

al

[Dave Barsalou]

wow big list but alot of the big ones are missing. Guess it's my age....at least i feel young.


Rob Halford?
Bruce Dickenson?
Paul Stanley has been mentioned.

NE rocker that can do Phantom is upper shelf.

Dave

oh yea Michael Hutchence, forgot

[galad]

1. Ted Nudgent
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Paul McCartney
4. Sass Jordan
5. everyone from the eagles. Sorry not verry good with names.

Ted Nudgents first couple of albums were absolutly amazing, snake skin cowboy being one of my favorites followed by cat scratch fever.

Jimi and his legendary guitar solos very few come up to par.

paul just speaks for himself who doesnt like the beatles

Sass has got to be one of the hottest women of rock, oh ya she can sing too lol

The eagles hotel california who does not love that classic

peace

ws

[dank7oo]

Jimi and his legendary guitar solos very few come up to par.
Vocalists :) LOL (jk jk) Jimi is awesome.

On another note (:D) ... songs I currently cant stop listening to (for fans of "modern" rock).
Jeff Buckley - Grace, Everybody Here Wants You, So Real, Dream Brother, Last Goodbye
Chris Cornell (solo) - Wave Goodbye, Sunshower
The Mars Volta - The Widow, Televators
Coldplay - The Scientist, Beautiful World
REM - Orange Crush, So. Central Rain, At My Most Beautiful, Nightswimming, Everybody Hurts, Losing My Religion

Jason

[snunior]

Coldplay
staind
ac/dc
3 doors down
slayer

[JimmyDavid]

Jimi and his legendary guitar solos very few come up to par.



ws

Gee...Thanks Galad. I really am a legend, huh?
Lol

But now, for real, A best-5 list is always unfair. So many stay out. I didn't read anybody's reply including Mark Knoffler, Klaus Meine(scorpions), Rod Stewart, Bruce Dickinson(Iron Maiden), Alice Cooper, David Coverdale(Whitesnake).... just to name a few.

Someone mentioned the Eagles, though, and i would like to ask if anyone has a clue about what the song "Hotel California" was about? Some say it's about Satan, others say other things. I never understood the meaning behind the lyrics...

[steelnink]

But now, for real, A best-5 list is always unfair. So many stay out. I didn't read anybody's reply including Mark Knoffler, Klaus Meine(scorpions), Rod Stewart, Bruce Dickinson(Iron Maiden), Alice Cooper, David Coverdale(Whitesnake).... just to name a few.

Whoa, someone is stuck in the 80's,lol.[jk].

I think "HOTEL CALIFORNIA", is about the different attitudes between lifestyes of the east coast to the west.
I could be wrong thou, never could stand that song.

Jimi Hendrix was, and always will be, the greatest guitar player of all time, but not sure if he would rank in too many peoples top 5 vocalist's.

[galad]

hotel california is about a bordelo , prostitutes being trapped in that life style and drugs.

but i could be wrong thats how i enturpret the song anyways.

Anouther awsome vocalist would have to be bob marley, but its not rock i know.

[pollywog]

How about this;
David Bowie
Freddie Mercury
Ronnie James Dio
Ian Anderson
David Byron

[Dragoon]

Here's my list of voices that thrill me...

Glenn Danzig
David Byron
Peter Steele

and...

Ville Valo!!! (HIM)
- if you haven't checked out this band, you're losing out! They are so universal in their appeal, its astonishing.


The ability to sing well technically and hit all the notes is OK and all...but without the ability to *touch* you and make you feel the song, a perfect voice is just nice background noise, IMO.
D.

[joey]

elliott smith

nick drake

peter gabriel

[rrrrr]

- David Coverdale of Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Coverdale-Page.
- Brad Delp from Boston
- Freddy Mercury. Any list without him cant be taken seriously.
- Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden). He's had classical training, and it shows.


Let's face it...as much as Jagger, Plant, Johnson etc are emotional favorites, none of them are really very good singers.

[chrisb]

This is a test but also my fav is Maynard J Keenan

[joey]

Elliott Smith
Jim Morrison
David Gilmore
David Bowie
Tom Waits
Nick Drake
Peter Gabriel

[cham_man]

My picks are:

Paul Rodgers
Russel Mael
Bruce Dickinson
David Bowie
Justin Hawkins

[wideopenwater]

These aren't necessarily my favorites - but daaaam these guys can wail.
In no particular order:

Geoff Tate - (Queensryche)
Rob Halford - (Judas Priest)
Bruce Dickinson - (Iron Maiden)
Chris Cornell
Freddie Mercury



Anyone can sound good in a studio recording...listen to their live cuts to see who's still in "key", how much power they have, and what their ranges are...THAT's what will separate them!

[bush_master87]

Morrissey(The Smiths)
Robert Smith(The Cure)
Mike Patton(Faith No More,mr.Bungle,Fantomas,Lovage,General Patton vs. executioners,Patton/Rhazel,Kaada/Patton,)
Buzz Osborne-The Melvins
Ian Curtis-Joy Division
Kurt Cobain-Nirvana
Jeremy Southern(The Dookie Suzuki,Bigfoot's Brother)