# Favorite Rock Singers



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

David Gilmore 
Sufjan Stevens


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I prefer lower vocals so I like Greg Rollie, Frank Zappa, Greg Allman, Greg Lake, Captain Beefheart, Peter Gabriel.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Tim Buckley
Robert Wyatt
Tom Waits
Kevin Ayers
Richard Sinclair
Rick (feedtime)
Jeff Buckley
Chris Cornell
Milton Nascimento
Caetano Veloso
Danzig
Freddie Mercury
Lisa Kekaula

(basically three of my favorite rock singers, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers and Richard Sinclair for a while were together in the same band)


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I'll add Paul Simon to my list.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Black Francis, Joe Strummer, Neil Young, Arthur Lee, Sally Timms, Robert Plant, David Byrne.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I'll second Phil's choice of Arthur Lee, and add Chrissie Hynde, Jack Bruce, Brandon Boyd, Steve Perry, and Christine McVie (a "perfect" voice ), among many others.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2018)

Strange Magic said:


> ...and Christine McVie (a "perfect" voice ), among many others.


............... :lol:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Perfect_(album)


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2018)

Rather than type out all 100 it's easier to just provide the link -

Rolling Stone - 100 Greatest Singers of All Time

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...gers-of-all-time-147019/mary-j-blige-4-35089/

Although I could effortlessly do without Mary J. Blige and my ranking of the 100 would be vastly different... and seriously - Bryan Ferry isn't on the list?


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

it must be said that the list made by Rolling stone is about all singers, not just rock singers. And I would definitely make a lot of different choices in my own list, since a lot of my favorite singers aren't rock singers.


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

I'd definitely have Joan Osborne near the top of my list. And Lowell George. Also agree with Gregg Allman and Jack Bruce.



norman bates said:


> Milton Nascimento
> Caetano Veloso


Interesting. I love both of these singers, but I've never really considered either of them a rock singer. I hear a noticeable difference between rock and MPB.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Bluecrab said:


> I'd definitely have Joan Osborne near the top of my list. And Lowell George. Also agree with Gregg Allman and Jack Bruce.
> 
> Interesting. I love both of these singers, but I've never really considered either of them a rock singer. I hear a noticeable difference between rock and MPB.


I think that MPB was part of rock music (and with other artists like Os Mutantes, certain albums of Gal Costa or Os Novos baianos just to mention three names this is even more clear). They were looking at the Beatles, they were using electric guitars (and they were contested for it) so I've always thought of them as part of the pop rock tradition (even if they played also acoustic music). Sure, their music is quite different from the Stooges, but still I think it could be considered part of the genre. After all even guys like Frank Zappa, the Radiohead (who produced albums like Kid A) or Faust are seen as rock musicians.
But I agree that something like this






It's not rock (but I love it in any case)


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

janis joplin - frankie valli and several others and the one starthrower stated allman. and his x wife shes good too and berton commings


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2018)

Categories eh? Who'd have em?

Anyhoo, singers...

Peter Hammill
John Wetton
Layne Staley
Beth Gibbons
Serj Tankian
Donald Fagen


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Freddie Mercury
Robert John Arthur Halford
Farrokh Bulsara
Barney Greenway


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2018)

David Bowie
Bryan Ferry
Paul Weller
Joe Strummer
Ian Hunter
Bob Dylan
Robert Plant
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Mick Jagger
Roger Daltrey
Bruce Springsteen
Ray Davies
Jon Anderson
Don Henley
Glen Frey
Neil Young
Steve Marriott
Mike Harrison (Spooky Tooth)
Dave Cousins (The Strawbs)
Rod Stewart
Steve Winwood
Harry Nilsson
Linda Ronstadt 
Roy Orbison


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Sydney Nova Scotia said:


> David Bowie
> Bryan Ferry
> Paul Weller
> Joe Strummer
> ...


BOB DYLAN................PLEASE he can't even carry his harmonica case...........


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Range-wise I'd say Freddie Mercury. I'm not the biggest Queen fan but the guy had some serious pipes! However, for sheer character in his voice I'd say Steve Marriot. I saw him at the Band on the Wall, in Manchester, back in the 80s and his voice was so soulful and vibrant. He also did Hallelujah I Love her So (and I just adore him singing that). Here's a rough recording of it from around that time that I found on youtube.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

ldiat said:


> BOB DYLAN................PLEASE he can't even carry his harmonica case...........


I think that Dylan with his nasal ugly little voice is a very expressive singer. That's what matters.
Same for Neil Young, I haven't mentioned him but I should have put him on my list. 
And I'm glad to see Steve Winwood (I forgot him).


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2018)

ldiat said:


> BOB DYLAN................PLEASE he can't even carry his harmonica case...........


I couldn't possibly explain it any better than this superb article entitled - "8 Voices of Bob Dylan" -

https://thedeletebin.com/2010/05/24/8-voices-of-bob-dylan/


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

This is a great thread. I intended to only put in a small handful of great vocalist, but I couldn't stop at just a few.
Here are some of the singers that I really like.

Men
1. Greg Lake (my favorite)
2. Marty Balin (Jefferson Airplane)
3. John Lennon (Have you heard of him?)
4. Greg Walker (of Santana fame)
5. Peter Wolf (outstanding J. Geils vocalist)





6. Burton Cummings (great voice of the Guess Who)
7. Roger Daltry (great voice of the Who)
8. Delbert McClinton (one of my less-known favorites)
9. Steve Winwood (smooth rock vocalist)
10. Robert Palmer (great vocalist and lead of one of the greatest videos of all-time)
11. Greg Allman (great blues voice)
12. Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus and solo fame)





13. Roger McGuinn (outstanding and under-rated vocalist of the Byrds)
14. Peter Gabriel (of Genesis and solo fame)
15. David Byrne (front man of Talking Heads)
16. Gary Brooker (of Procol Harum)





17. Leon Russel (great voice)

Women
1. Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)





2. Grace Slick (Have you heard of her?)
3. Mama Cass Elliot (she died way too early - what a voice)
4. Karen Carpenter (maybe pop-not rock, but her voice was angelic)


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2018)

Rach Man said:


> This is a great thread. I intended to only put in a small handful of great vocalist, but I couldn't stop at just a few.
> Here are some of the singers that I really like.
> 
> Men
> ...


Who's John Lennon?

Who's Grace Slick?

Who's Rach Man?



Otherwise... nice list - quite diverse and well-balanced although heavily reliant on obscure little-known vocalists that no one has ever heard of... -


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

Sydney Nova Scotia said:


> Otherwise... nice list - quite diverse and well-balanced although heavily reliant on obscure little-known vocalists that no one has ever heard of... -


True, but I thought that well-known vocalists would be well represented. I figured maybe someone could listen to a singer whom he/she has never listened to before.


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2018)

Rach Man said:


> True, but I thought that well-known vocalists would be well represented. I figured maybe someone could listen to a singer whom he/she has never listened to before.


My apologies for not having made it clearer that I was attempting to be humourous when I made the reference to "obscure little-known vocalists that no one has ever heard of..." - I thought that the emoticon after the sentence would have tipped off anyone that I was just kidding - I laughed at the comments in parenthesis in regards to Lennon and Slick and was referring to them as the "obscure little-known vocalists that no one has ever heard of …"

And a tip of the hat for adding fellow Canadian Burton Cummings to your list - :tiphat:


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

Sydney Nova Scotia said:


> My apologies for not having made it clearer that I was attempting to be humourous when I made the reference to "obscure little-known vocalists that no one has ever heard of..." - I thought that the emoticon after the sentence would have tipped off anyone that I was just kidding - I laughed at the comments in parenthesis in regards to Lennon and Slick and was referring to them as the "obscure little-known vocalists that no one has ever heard of …"
> 
> And a tip of the hat for adding fellow Canadian Burton Cummings to your list - :tiphat:


Duh *smacks my head* My bad, not yours.

As to Burton Cummings - what a great voice and he doesn't get praised enough. Plus he added a lot of class to the Guess Who.


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## Madiel (Apr 25, 2018)

Levon Helm
Rick Danko
Richard Manuel


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

St Vincent
Chrissie Hinde
Sara Bareilles
La Roux
Anna Ternheim
Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles)
Imogen Heap
Cyndi Lauper
Eva Milner (Hundreds)
Daniella Weinmann (Odd Beholder)
Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins)
Ellie Rowsell (Wolf Alice)


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## E Cristobal Poveda (Jul 12, 2017)

David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Harry Styles, Pink Floyd.
Sometimes a little Neil Young.

Does Bonnie Tyler count as rock?


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

Marianne Faithfull


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## Fredx2098 (Jun 24, 2018)

Stuart Smith of This Town Needs Guns:


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## Fredx2098 (Jun 24, 2018)

I love Steven Wilson's voice. This song and video are mind shattering as well. If you watch the video, tears are pretty much guaranteed.

I love everything about David Gilmour. I like Roger Waters' voice and bass playing also but he seems like a bit of a douche.


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## Crawford Glissadevil (Jul 23, 2018)

Robert Plant
Freddie Mercury
David Bowie
Jon Anderson
70's Ian Anderson 
Greg Lake
Ann Wilson
Neil Young
Jim Grey


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I should just say, on every rock album (and non rock too) I own and love from start to finish, I love everything about the album, including the vocals if it has some or any at all.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm also a massive Suede fan and love Brett Anderson's voice.


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## Robert Thomas (Dec 3, 2015)

Peter Hammill

He sings with great conviction and emotion. To such an extent that it sounds harsh at first. But if you give your self time to get used to it you can grow to like him, especially his early work. I still have problems listening to him live on some of the you tube clips I have seen, but on his studio albums he is my favourite singer of rock music.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Ladies:

Aretha Franklin, Sandy Denny, Bessie Smith, Laura Nyro, Katrina Leskanich, Janis Joplin.

Gents:

Steve Winwood, Tom Waits, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison, Howlin' Wolf, Mark Farner.

Mark Farner never gets enough credit - despite playing in a hard-rock band he had one of the best White Soul voices around.


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2018)

Robert Thomas said:


> Peter Hammill
> 
> He sings with great conviction and emotion. To such an extent that it sounds harsh at first. But if you give your self time to get used to it you can grow to like him, especially his early work. I still have problems listening to him live on some of the you tube clips I have seen, but on his studio albums he is my favourite singer of rock music.


Have you seen him in concert? I saw VDGG on the Still Life tour.


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2018)

elgars ghost said:


> Mark Farner never gets enough credit - despite playing in a hard-rock band he had one of the best White Soul voices around.


Allow me to second that motion and introduce the following into evidence -

"We're An American Band" - 




"The Loco-Motion" - 




"Some Kind of Wonderful" -


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Love Sandy Denny, but she wasn't a rock vocalist.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

starthrower said:


> Love Sandy Denny, but she wasn't a rock vocalist.


True enough - I was being a bit too general, I suppose.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

To clarify, the OP states "Favorite" singers, not singers you think are great or good. So *favorites* in no particular order:

- Roger Daltry (I do believe he had one of the GREATEST R&R voices of all time).
- Freddy Mercury
- Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies)
- Bob Dylan (in his later years. I DO like that gravely texture. Perfect example of my "clarification" above. I would never claim he had a "good" voice. I just like it)
- Leonard Cohen
- Leon Russell
- Matt Berninger (The National)
- Tom Waits
- Adele
- Ray LaMontagne
- Caro Emerald
- Mark Knopfler
- Guy Garvey (Elbow)
- Isaac Hayes
- Barry White (how can you NOT love that voice)
- Brandon Flowers (The Killers)
- Mark Sandman (Morphine)
- Roger Waters

I may have missed a few.

V


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I'm happy to see Tom Waits mentioned a few times in this thread, I love him. I own Blood Money and Alice, but have listened to all of his albums at least once. Those two stood out to me at first, but I want to give Real Gone and Swordfishtrombones another try.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Swordfishtrombones is a great one. I'm also a fan of Mule Variations (I have every one of his studio albums and many live). And of course, the three fantastic albums I never tire of "Closing Time," "Heart of Saturday Night," and "Nighthawks at the Diner."

V


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Varick said:


> Swordfishtrombones is a great one. I'm also a fan of Mule Variations (I have every one of his studio albums and many live). And of course, the three fantastic albums I never tire of "Closing Time," "Heart of Saturday Night," and "Nighthawks at the Diner."
> 
> V


I'm not as big of a fan of the early material, it's a bit too straightforward for me in a way I don't enjoy. Mule Variations has one track I don't enjoy, and that's "Cold Water"; I dislike how the harmonies don't line up well, and how "messy" it sounds. He does that on "Last Leaf" from the album "Bad As Me" as well. I think Rain Dogs is solid, but too long; I never want to finish it. With Frank's Wild Years, I don't like the dissonant vocals on "Temptation", I think that ruins what is an otherwise really interesting tune. Earth Died Screaming from Bone Machine suffers the same issue with un-aligned vocal harmonies. I really don't enjoy when he does that.

Then any album from before he met is wife I find a bit too traditional, even when his voice changed.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I'll add Thom Yorke. When he's on, I love it!


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

John Wetton
Peter Hammill
Francesco Di Giacomo (from Italian prog band, Banco)
Annie Haslam
Ian Anderson

Demetrio Stratos - Egyptian born, to Greek parents. Formed prog band AreA in Italy.

He studied ethnomusicology, vocal extensions, Asian music chant, compared musicology, the problem of ethnic vocality, psychoanalysis, the relationship between spoken language and the psyche, the limits of the spoken language. *He was able to reach 7,000 Hz, and to perform diplophony, triplophony, and also quadrophony. Daniel Charles has described him as the person who decimated monody by the demultiplication of the acoustic spectrum. His vocal abilities were explored and documented.*

Stratos died in New York City Memorial Hospital on June 13, 1979 at the age of thirty-four. His self-proclaimed mission was to free vocal expression from what he considered to be the slavery of language and classical lyrical melody. He considered the exploration of vocal potential as a tool of psychological and political liberation. His studies and recognition of the voice as musical instrument carried this ethos to the edge of human vocal ability. His work is considered by many critics and vocalists as important in the progression of experimental and novel vocal techniques.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Simon Moon said:


> John Wetton
> Peter Hammill
> Francesco Di Giacomo (from Italian prog band, Banco)
> Annie Haslam
> ...


Area is probably my favorite prog/jazzrock italian band, and Stratos was a good singer but personally I find him a bit overrated as a singer. At least considering those experiments on his solo albums like Cantare la voce, that are really more experiments than something with a musical value. The only piece I can think right now when he's trying experimental things and that I like is probably "Return from workuta". 
While I'm a big fan of Giuni Russo, who was considered in italy by many persons the female counterpart of Stratos. Her album "Energie" (largely composed by Franco Battiato) is one of the best italian pop albums.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

I always thought that Chrissie Hinde more talks and sings
I'll go for kate Bush for the gals 
And Jimmy Barnes for the Guys (he shoulda been out front of AC/DC post Bon)


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## Hugo9000 (Aug 6, 2018)

Ann Wilson
David Coverdale
Jack Bruce
Elvis Presley
Grace Slick
Shirley Temple
Jimi Hendrix
Dion DiMucci
John Fogerty
Little Richard


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Ray Collins


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