no roy orbison? WADDA THEY THINKIN?!

Posted by: Abelard at March 7, 2007 6:08 PM Freddy Mercury?
Posted by: martha at March 7, 2007 6:09 PM Sam Cooke.
Posted by: at March 7, 2007 6:27 PM No Ashcroft or Bono?

Worst list evs. Cobain top 10? Blow me where the pampers is.

Posted by: Stubbs at March 7, 2007 6:32 PM somehow freddie mercury was only 47.
also rufus wainwright was like 97. for comparison, chris cornell was 93.

Posted by: kevin at March 7, 2007 6:43 PM one woman in the top ten.
Posted by: frankie at March 7, 2007 7:01 PM Cobain? Please.

.. his nasally whining does not quallify for the top 10.

Posted by: JT at March 7, 2007 7:04 PM Stevie Nicks?
Posted by: Is this the airport, clark? at March 7, 2007 7:05 PM thom yorke anyone?

hmm.
Posted by: at March 7, 2007 7:09 PM why are there 9 dudes on this list?
Posted by: bee at March 7, 2007 7:11 PM No Meatloaf?

This list is a joke.
Posted by: Steve at March 7, 2007 7:13 PM Where is Roger Daltrey?!

?
Posted by: Ali at March 7, 2007 7:17 PM Replace Jeff Buckley with Dorothy Moore or P.P.

Arnold, and Kurt Cobain with Dusty Springfield, and you might be getting somewhere, I suppose.
Posted by: Michael Houghton at March 7, 2007 7:21 PM Freddie fucking Mercury.
Posted by: scotta at March 7, 2007 7:25 PM Where is Elliott Smith on there?

Posted by: Anonymous at March 7, 2007 7:31 PM Celine Dion Is the best singer in the world.
Posted by: C-Dion at March 7, 2007 7:31 PM Where's Scott Walker? Or is this the list of top 10 singers after Scott Walker?

I'd take Jesse Presley over Elvis any day.
Posted by: Bus Driver Stu at March 7, 2007 7:41 PM Bump Jeff Buckley up a few notches, drop Cobain, Jagger and Presley, add Cass Elliot, Freddie Mercury and Billy Joel..

.
and I heart Thom Yorke, but not for a top 10 of all time list.
Posted by: leoni at March 7, 2007 8:04 PM Chan Marshall of Cat Power.

..the most beautiful voice around in my book.

Posted by: CatPower at March 7, 2007 8:07 PM one female in the top ten singers is sort of ridiculous, especially since there are so many in the ten worst. nina simone, ella fitzgerald, bjork etc. - at least one of them should have been in the top ten over buckley or cobain.

there is still a great deal of sexism in mainstream rock journalism.
Posted by: peter at March 7, 2007 9:05 PM why the hate for elvis..

the guy could sing.
john fogerty over mick jagger.
Posted by: scotty at March 7, 2007 9:34 PM Yeah sorry, anyone showing contempt for Elvis being on a Top Ten Singers list should just stop.

You're being contrary on purpose, knock it off.
Posted by: Sean at March 7, 2007 9:52 PM ..

...

..Kurt Cobain?

I won't deny that his particular vocal sound added to the greatness of the melancholic out-of-it Nirvana. But i mean..

.. his singing was mumbling at a higher pitch and volume.

Posted by: Elliot at March 7, 2007 10:04 PM I have never been more upset by one of these lists.
Posted by: Tannis at March 7, 2007 10:07 PM Omg, that is a shit list. That list fucking blows.

Fire that editor!
Posted by: at March 7, 2007 10:56 PM Lists like this are intended solely to agitate me..

.and they work everytime. I'm happy to see Cobain in the top ten though.

Calling Mariah Carey one of the worst singers ever reeks of a shitty corporate magazine trying desperately to please the indie kids. Looks like they accomplished that. Yeah, she sucks, but she CAN sing.

Just like John Mayer sucks but he CAN play the guitar. They are both good with their instruments, they just use them for evil instead of good. And how in the fuck did Mick Jagger make the list?

Posted by: at March 7, 2007 11:23 PM 4. Rod Stewart (in the Faces)
5. Curtis Mayfield
Posted by: Bill at March 7, 2007 11:33 PM Posted by: BB at March 7, 2007 11:37 PM Posted by: munga at March 7, 2007 11:44 PM A little less well known, but where is Eva Cassidy?

That voice could shatter the coldest hearts of the most bitter of Stereogum editors...

And yes, where the FUCK is Sam Cooke?
Posted by: DH at March 8, 2007 12:04 AM rod stewart in top five-- you're right.
Posted by: chase at March 8, 2007 12:36 AM And here's number four for Sam Cooke.

In my book, he's got the most effective set of pipes I've ever heard. But that's in my book. Seriously, who among us could write a list that wouldn't make ninety five percent of the population scoff?

It's impossible. This whole making of lists - everyone has their lists - is ridiculous enough without reading them with the assuption that they actually mean anything. lets all make lists of our favorite singers and read them while eating slices of buntcake (i find bunt cake equally arbitrary because it never really seems to satisfy that need-for-cake-urge, but it wouldn't do in any other situation, either, right?

). And "greatest" is so ambiguous. I could try to write an All-Star list of singers, but it would be based on my speculations on popular opinion, or some sort of historical/gravitational equation which i'm not smart enough for (meaning, who first influenced who, etc).

so, for me, one through ten,(in order of ten down to one) singing voices that have the most intense effect on me, limited to people who sing predominantly in English, in order of how greatly the sound of the voice has affected my ambition to stay alive:
1. Sam Cooke
I want to read one hundred lists, of everyone's top ten. it's such a personal thing.

let's share.
Posted by: at March 8, 2007 3:50 AM When I think of best voices, I think of Sam Cooke and Smokey Robinson. I also think of Horton Barker, a traditional (anglo-american) ballad singer from recorded in the 40s--they didn't say well-known, best voices after all.

Elvis definitely had a good voice. It had range and subtlety (just listen to "Suspicious Minds"), but at the same time, calling it the best voice every is a bit ridicilous.
Posted by: at March 8, 2007 4:12 AM No Elliott Smith, Thom Yorke, Jarvis Cocker, Beth Gibbons, Emily Haines?

Fuck this list.
And as for the worst voices ever list: William Hung, Britney Spears, Joanna Newsom, Chad Kroeger, Scott Stapp, and the assholes from The Rapture and Cover Your Ears Say Oww
Posted by: at March 8, 2007 5:17 AM for the person who asked about elliott smith, he doesn't feature in the list!
if the list was for top 100 distinctive voices, it would have been ok.

but it was fucking GREATEST voices. kurt cobain does not have one of the greatest voices in music. that's a joke.

they need to decide what exactly they are compiling before they fuck it all up.
Posted by: stephen at March 8, 2007 5:18 AM thismust be a fucking joke. Kurt Cobain?

! John Lennon?!

WTF?!
Where is Geoff Tate?

Where is Chris Cornell? Where is Allison Krauss, or anyone from the top notch new country scene?
Those guys at the Q must have some serious hearing problems, besides not having any musical hearing at all.

..
Posted by: at March 8, 2007 5:22 AM Posted by: actually at March 8, 2007 6:43 AM Yeah this list does suck.

Even talking from a strictly Beatles perspective, Paul has a better voice than John, come now.
Posted by: Evan at March 8, 2007 7:18 AM Though I may catch shit, Bobby McFerrin needs to be on the list--dude can sing the shit outta some shit, yo!
Posted by: SamB at March 8, 2007 8:29 AM Steven Patrick Morrissey.

Posted by: Mike at March 8, 2007 8:31 AM I far as I am concerned the two greatest voices ever are Neko Case and Jim James. Also i would vote for Michael Stipe, Emily Haines and George Hunter.
Posted by: wayne at March 8, 2007 8:31 AM brian wilson?

Posted by: art at March 8, 2007 8:51 AM Elliott Smith? I never heard any range in that guy's voice.
Nix to Thom Yorke as well.

I think he's great, but can you imagine him singing over anything other than a Radiohead song? It'd sound terrible. He's the perfect singer for his band, but nothing more.

Let's see more love for Rod Stewart. Man, he used to be great.
Posted by: Bugs Meany at March 8, 2007 9:06 AM Why no Dave Matthews?

Just because he's not dead? Shit list for sure.
Posted by: Kegstand at March 8, 2007 9:25 AM I assume they left Dave Matthews off this list because he could not sing if his life depended on it.

The fact that Cobain, Jagger and Plant are on there and Neko Case, Sam Cooke, Roberta Flack and Morrissey are not, really makes me question this shithole of a list.
Posted by: kidgotham at March 8, 2007 9:38 AM Posted by: tocci at March 8, 2007 10:14 AM John Lennon??

? He had a horrible voice!!

!!!

Posted by: chris at March 8, 2007 10:36 AM Let me elaborate here. I love that this post reflects much of what I´ve been listening to lately. There have been numerous mentions to Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone and Al Green, all of which have been in pretty constant rotation on my iTunes as of late.

I´ve swapped the usual indie fare for soul. These guys all sing and write melodies that have affected me emotionally in a way that almost nothing else can. Especially when any of their songs are about unrequited love or being heartbroken.

When Al Green´s cover of How can You Mend a Broken Heart comes on, for example, I´m floored. I don´t get up from my bed and I can barely breathe. And I´m not even heartbroken or anything.

It just gets to me. Every time.
On a seperate note, thank God they included Marvin Gaye on this list.

What´s Going On is a perfect album. When he sings:
Who really cares, who is willing to try
That makes me want to bawl more than anything that any politician could ever say. It is still so amazingly relevant to this day.

Stereogum if you could write a post on its anniversary or whatever my respect for you as a blog will skyrocket. And I´m a pretty big fan.
Sorry to ramble.

To conclude, if any of you are disaffected by the indie scene currently, check out all of the singers mentioned above. They will remind you of why you listen with music to begin with.
Posted by: Evan at March 8, 2007 10:39 AM Now back to my usual armchair critic status.

Roy Orbison and George Jones are glaring omissions. So are almost all of the soul singers that we´ve been talking about. And yes there should be more women on this list.

It would be really cool if the lead singer from the group The Sundays were on this list somewhere. Or Elis Regina. Terrible list, but what are you going to do?

Posted by: Evan at March 8, 2007 10:44 AM iggy pop. there is no other.
Posted by: mikeky at March 8, 2007 11:00 AM yes!

Elis Regina! nobody ever talk about her, but I think she has the greatest female voice out of almost all of the bossa nova singers i've ever heard. (this is why i limited my list to people who sing in english, because it's just too complicated otherwise; too much to think about, too many people to consider) and i think someone up there was correcting my earlier mispelling of billie holiday's name.

yes. thank you. in my defense, it was the middle of the night .

. . and i'm also really happy to see so many mentions of chris cornell.

I just don't like soundgarden anymore, so he's not on my mind, but, in terms of greatest singing voices, yeah, fer sure, his voice (and his music aside) is pretty mind blowing.
Posted by: at March 8, 2007 11:05 AM the list is perfect as is. get over it.

Posted by: curt at March 8, 2007 11:40 AM win butler!
and morrissey gets 2 through 10.
Posted by: jb at March 8, 2007 11:50 AM im trying to decide which is more embarassing - the actual list or some of the suggestions being offered here.

as much as i love elliott smith, he really didn't have a great voice.
perry farrell? he goes on the worst voice list.

win butler? iggy pop? dave matthews?

thom yorke? jarvis cocker? MEATLOAF?

and may the flames of hell consume whoever says jeff buckley doesn't deserve to be on the list. flames of hell.
Posted by: annie onymous at March 8, 2007 11:59 AM i hate lists that are the best ANYTHING "OF ALL TIME!

"
Of all time?
So, nobody could sing until the 1920s?
Stupid - of course, they couldn't throw in singers from 1740 or 876.

So, simply call it best singers of the 1900 til now.
OF ALL TIME!
Posted by: richard at March 8, 2007 12:03 PM Whoever said Dave Matthews must be on crack.

I'd rather hear an elephant fart than listen to his voice. And what kind of name is Kegstand? What are you, 16 or something?

Are you related to Funnel and Ice Luge?
Posted by: john doe at March 8, 2007 12:13 PM WTF? This list is a joke.

Mick Jagger? Kurt Cobain? Elvis at #1?

!?!

?
I'd like to see The Chairman of the Board somewhere in the top 10, and I guess John Lennon's selection must have canceled out McCarney/Harrison. I'm guessing that the same logic goes for the omissions of Freddie Mercury and Axel Rose's screaching (canceled out by the selection of Robert Plant?

).
What about Roger Waters? Janis Joplin?

Bob Marley? Morrissey? Thom?

This list blows.
Posted by: MARLOW at March 8, 2007 12:33 PM why..

. i think they made a misprint. taylor hicks isn't up there.

of course they made a mistake. taylor hicks created the soul patrol. where would we be without the SOUL PATROL!

?!?

!?
Posted by: Ian G at March 8, 2007 12:44 PM Anyone who doesn't think Elivs deserves number one must not be a fan of music.

The man had the most powerful voice in Rock history, not even arguable. Watch this:
Posted by: Eddie O'Keefe at March 8, 2007 1:04 PM Posted by: Ian G at March 8, 2007 1:12 PM elvis sounds like shit in that video.
Posted by: annie onymous at March 8, 2007 1:33 PM Posted by: amy at March 8, 2007 1:51 PM the guy who says "We're Explosions in the Sky, thanks for coming" at the start of their shows.

Posted by: jb at March 8, 2007 2:16 PM There are some worthy names on that list, but any such list that doesn't include JOHNNY CASH cannot be taken very seriously.
Posted by: bounced at March 8, 2007 2:29 PM i'm still shocked that ella fitzgerald didn't make the list. really?

kurt cobain better than ella?
Posted by: ally at March 8, 2007 2:42 PM and the incredible EDDIE VEDDER!!

??
Posted by: angel at March 8, 2007 2:59 PM Ella Fitzgerald hands down.

Don't mind Elvis though. And Mariah Carey is a great singer! Of woeful songs.

Posted by: at March 8, 2007 3:05 PM Joni Mitchell is sorely missing.
Posted by: John at March 8, 2007 4:00 PM Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? Pandit Pran Nath?

I know that Q covers pop music, but it boggles that the "greatest" singers of "all time" doesn't include singers that are actually trained to sing, in a classical fashion, or even that many singers that naturally have the depth, range, nuance and power to be considered good at, really, anything.
Plant, Cobain, Jagger sing the same way all the time, with variations in technique only limited to dynamics.
Taste aside, Luciano Pavarotti is technically a better singer than all 10 of the above people.

These lists need to be more specific in their titling, as mentioned above and as mentioned before with previous lists.
For example: "Greatest Western Mainstream Pop Singers Since 1950."
Posted by: Wesley at March 8, 2007 5:34 PM Stop hatin' on ELVIS.

Posted by: Michele at March 8, 2007 7:44 PM Posted by: chopper at March 8, 2007 8:23 PM It seems like they went more for the most popular singers of all time rearranged to fit the editors' tastes than anything to do with true talent, which, to me, is more than just being able to sing well. A good vocal coach can bring out good singing, but I really think the mark of a good singer pretty much lies in every other aspect of the singing.
Posted by: magicseamonkey at March 8, 2007 8:56 PM H.

R. from bad brains.