Vocalists

[secret love]

In my humble opinion, the best sounding vocalist in this band is Stephanie Lynn Nicks.

Yet she refuses to record her honeyed voice with LJMC.

Anyone, Lindsey, Chris, got Sheryl Crow's phone number? If she was going to replace Christine, surely she's good enough to replace Stevie. Besides, Chris is an alto. Sheryl and Stevie are both contraltos the last time I checked. And despite what someone on here claims, Stevie has a bigger range than three notes and Sheryl most definitely does too.

[jbrownsjr]

In my humble opinion, the best sounding vocalist in this band is Stephanie Lynn Nicks.

Yet she refuses to record her honeyed voice with LJMC.

Anyone, Lindsey, Chris, got Sheryl Crow's phone number? If she was going to replace Christine, surely she's good enough to replace Stevie. Besides, Chris is an alto. Sheryl and Stevie are both contraltos the last time I checked. And despite what someone on here claims, Stevie has a bigger range than three notes and Sheryl most definitely does too.

I disagree. I think LB has the best voice. Stevie's tone quality is like nails on a chalkboard (sometimes). And Christine is very shaky at times which shakes her off pitch. LB is hoarse at times, but he sounds great live.

As for Stevie's range. Listening to her sing some of her songs is heartbreaking. Dreams is an easy example where she takes no risk whatsoever. I cringed during SOTM. She did great on GDW.

Christine was near perfect on Songbird one night, then the next very shaky.

LB for all my FMac & BuckVie shows was pretty solid. He was off pitch on Red Sun and it drove me crazy because he never corrected during the chorus. These guys act like they're old or something. lol

[aleuzzi]

At this point, they're all uneven--each having good and awful moments.

However, Stevie consistently has volume (that's something) and is pretty predictable in her delivery. That doesn't mean I always like what I'm hearing from her.

Lindsey also has volume but he hasn't sung terrifically live in a long, long time. Much of the magic of his dry tenor has faded.

Christine live is a dice throw. Sometimes she sounds great, as she did on Little Lies from the Musicares event. Other times--egads.

................

In the studio there is no question that Christine's voice reproduces the most effectively. I'm sure she (as the others) gets help from autotune but whatever studio gadgetry is used hasn't diminished or altered her incredibly distinctive tone. Unlike LB or SN, her studio performances sound almost identical to her Rumours-era voice. I challenge anyone who would defy this.

[FuzzyPlum]

Random list of best Fleetwood Mac vocalists in their heyday...

Stevie Nicks
Peter Green
Dave Walker
Bekka Bramlett
Lindsey Buckingham
Christine McVie
Bob Welch
Dave Mason
Jeremy Spencer
Billy Burnette

(based on 10 seconds of thinking time)


Cheers

[secondhandchain]

Honey? Hardly! More like nose honey as in NASAL! Let's face it all of their voices have seen better days.

[aleuzzi]

Random list of best Fleetwood Mac vocalists in their heyday...

Stevie Nicks
Peter Green
Dave Walker
Bekka Bramlett
Lindsey Buckingham
Christine McVie
Bob Welch
Dave Mason
Jeremy Spencer
Billy Burnette

(based on 10 seconds of thinking time)


Cheers

10 seconds of my thinking time:

Christine McVie
Stevie Nicks
Peter Green
Lindsey Buckingham
Bekka Bramlett
Danny Kirwan
Bob Welch
Jeremy Spencer
Billy Burnette
Dave Walker
Dave Mason

[jbrownsjr]

10 seconds of my thinking time:

Christine McVie
Stevie Nicks
Peter Green
Lindsey Buckingham
Bekka Bramlett
Danny Kirwan
Bob Welch
Jeremy Spencer
Billy Burnette
Dave Walker
Dave Mason

I love the way you think. But I don't think Stevie and Christine are the strongest singers. They are my favs... They've both written beautiful works.. but the best?

Bekka, Dave and Jeremy were extremely strong singers.

[FuzzyPlum]

10 seconds of my thinking time:

Christine McVie
Stevie Nicks
Peter Green
Lindsey Buckingham
Bekka Bramlett
Danny Kirwan
Bob Welch
Jeremy Spencer
Billy Burnette
Dave Walker
Dave Mason

Love Danny but I wouldn't say his singing voice is anything to write home about. Its pretty in a simple way...but he sang like he looked... a 12 year old boy.


I love the way you think. But I don't think Stevie and Christine are the strongest singers. They are my favs... They've both written beautiful works.. but the best?

Bekka, Dave and Jeremy were extremely strong singers.

Yes, having reflected for more than 10 seconds I'd say Jeremy could be a bit higher on my list. He does have a good voice. He probably doesn't get enough credit as so much of his singing isn't his natural singing voice but parodying others. He was very versatile and sounded good in whatever style he sang.

Back in the day Stevie's voice was incredible. Now it sounds like a rock grinder. Love Chris, obviously but I'd concede though her voice was silky and sexy all in all it was still quite ordinary.

[aleuzzi]

Love Chris, obviously but I'd concede though her voice was silky and sexy all in all it was still quite ordinary.

That's the thing--I find Christine's voice to be one of the most unusual voices in rock. Admittedly, her attack is traditional, even unadventurous. But the texture and expressiveness is so unique. One time, my sister heard me blasting "Friend" on my stereo. She said, "Her voice is so weird: she sounds like someone singing alone at night in the wind."

[aleuzzi]

I love the way you think. But I don't think Stevie and Christine are the strongest singers. They are my favs... They've both written beautiful works.. but the best?

Bekka, Dave and Jeremy were extremely strong singers.

The original post was about the "best" singers, which I'm reading as different than "strong" or "weak." If we're going on vocal strength, Dave Walker, Bekka Bramlett, Dave Mason, and Lindsey are pretty much the top of my list.

Christine is among the least strong vocalists in the group: she needs a mic, doesn't always project. But her voice is truly distinctive. Two notes and you know it's her. Same with Stevie--in an entirely different way. What's more, Christine is able to get maximum expressiveness out of a limited range. Compare that to Dave Walker or Bekka Bramlett--both great belters but whose vocal palettes are restricted to one or two colors.

Danny is a weak but pleasant singer with a lovely little voice that fits well in the context of his own songs. Bob Welch was nasal but so sophisticated in his sense of phrasing and timing. Many of the Mac singers have one thing in common: they accomplished a lot despite their limitations.

[SteveMacD]

Peter Green
Bekka Bramlett
Dave Walker
Danny Kirwan/Jeremy Spencer/Lindsey Buckingham (tie, pretty interchangeable)
Billy Burnette
Christine McVie
Dave Mason (brilliant moments, but too inconsistent)
Stevie Nicks (ditto, and not great in over 30 years)
Rick Vito (but who pays attention to his singing???)
Bob Welch (amazing on the paranormal songs, meh on the bubblegum)

[SteveMacD]

Peter Green was THE best vocalist, and it’s not even close. He had the range, the power, and the brutal honesty that none of the others ever matched. He could even harmonize well (The Same Way, Like Crying), which could have been interesting if he had lasted.

That’s not commentary about a favorite era. I actually prefer what Mick, John, and Christine (who would have eventually been asked to join the band even if Peter had stayed) became, which wouldn’t have happened without Bob Welch, and wouldn’t have reached its potential without Buckingham Nicks.

[jbrownsjr]

Gonna give Stevie honorable mention on John Stewart's Gold. Her voice puts that song in a new hemisphere.

She, Christine and LB are great as harmony singers.

(A tad off topic.. but needed to say it. )

[aleuzzi]

Gonna give Stevie honorable mention on John Stewart's Gold. Her voice puts that song in a new hemisphere.

She, Christine and LB are great as harmony singers.

(A tad off topic.. but needed to say it. )

Absolutely. And her voice on that Kenny Loggins song. Sweet Love? So good. She was at her peak from 1977-84.

[jbrownsjr]

Peter Green
Bekka Bramlett
Dave Walker
Danny Kirwan/Jeremy Spencer/Lindsey Buckingham (tie, pretty interchangeable)
Billy Burnette
Christine McVie
Dave Mason (brilliant moments, but too inconsistent)
Stevie Nicks (ditto, and not great in over 30 years)
Rick Vito (but who pays attention to his singing???)
Bob Welch (amazing on the paranormal songs, meh on the bubblegum)


I love this list. I might argue Peter Bekka Jeremy Dave.. (splitting hairs now) But I thought as a lead with what Jeremy did as a singer and entertainer he had the craft really mastered. I can see why Mick loved him.

[StevieandChris]

At this point, they're all uneven--each having good and awful moments.

However, Stevie consistently has volume (that's something) and is pretty predictable in her delivery. That doesn't mean I always like what I'm hearing from her.

Lindsey also has volume but he hasn't sung terrifically live in a long, long time. Much of the magic of his dry tenor has faded.

Christine live is a dice throw. Sometimes she sounds great, as she did on Little Lies from the Musicares event. Other times--egads.



I have only seen FM or Stevie solo perform since the late 2000s...2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016. I think Stevie sounded the best in 2014 and 2016. I think the one song she should retire is If Anyone Falls. It sounds terrible live.

I think the sound at the venue plays a major role too. I saw Christine and Lindsey at the Beacon last year. Christine was very difficult to understand. The two people I was with do not know her songs as well as I do and they could not understand a lot of her lyrics.