Greatest VOICES
 

So...who do you think are the best (not neccesarily your favorite) singers based on their voice ONLY? You may not care for them, their style, or their music even (or you may:) )...but you think their voice is just mind-boggling. I can't think of everyone I'd like to include, but I'll get the ball rolling. I happen to be a big fan of those on my list:

David Bowie
Everly Brothers (always, but especially as they got older)
Steve Perry
Chris Cornell
Patsy Cline

(and I can't decide if I want to include Debbie Harry.....)

Stevie Nicks
Janis Joplin
Ella Fitzgerald
Billie Holiday
Barbra Streisand
Patti LaBelle
Gladys Knight
Cass Elliott
Ann Wilson
Liza Minnelli

Warren Zevon
Frank Sinatra
Dean Martin
Luciano Pavarotti
Elvis Presley
Barry Manilow
Steve Perry
Cat Stevens
Paul Simon
Roy Orbison

- Jake

Besides Stevie I think Linda Ronstadt has a beautiful voice. And I think Ozzy has a very unique voice.

Voices I love
 

Lindsey Buckingham
Stevie Nicks
Christine McVie
Steve Perry
Dolly Parton
Frank Sinatra
Justin Guarini
Michael W Smith
Amy Grant
Mariah Carey (BHH...Before Hip Hop :laugh: )
Celine Dion
Christina Aguilera
Tiffany Arbuckle (Plumb)
Kevin Max (DC Talk)
Michael Tait (DC Talk)

Bono!
Lindsey Buckingham
Deborah Harry
Christine McVie
Stevie Nicks
Ann Wilson
Gwen Stefani
Kelly Clarkson
Rob Thomas
Danny Kirwan
Johnny Rzeznik (sp)
Shirley Manson
Ozzy Osbourne
Steven Tyler
Peter Green
Mick Jagger
Dido
Chrissie Hynde
David Bowie
Bob Welch
Tom Petty
Elton John
Julian Casablancas
Terri Nunn
Amy Lee (even though I HATEHATEHATE Evanescance, she still has a great voice)
Pat Benatar
Grace Slick
Sarah McLachlan (not a fan, but she has a beautiful voice)
The lead singer from The Darkness... Justin Hawkins, I think.

Ok, I think that's all of 'em. lol. I listen to way too much music.

Hmm...
 

Freddie Mercury
Andi Deris (Helloween)
Bono
Paul McCartney
Seal
David Gilmour
Keith Urban
Tony Harnell (TNT)
James Labrie (Dream Theater)
Rob Halford (Judas F'N Priest)


I forgot to add a few:

Eddie Vedder
James Hetfield (Metallica)
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Brad Delp (Boston)

and of course Buckingham, Nicks & McVie!!!

MALES:
Roger Daltrey
Pete Townshend
Robert Plant
All of CSNY
Justin Hayward
Chris Isaak
Otis Redding
Carl Wilson (Beach Boys)

FEMALE:
Christine McVie
Grace Slick
Bonnie Raitt
Etta James
Cass Elliott
Aretha Franklin

I almost included Kelly Clarkson. I've like her voice since first hearing it.

- Jake

How could I forget Chris Isaak and Etta James?

- Jake

Some of my favorites:

Male

Jeff Buckley...His voice is absolutely transcedental!!! You hear the howl of a Robert Plant and a bluesy beauty of a Nina Simone. It's heartwrenching sometimes. IMO, he was BEYOND brilliant. So he tops the list :nod:

David Gilmour-His voice is so soothing, I literally feel hypnotized (Or I just fall asleep:laugh: )

Nat King Cole- Can't mess with the greats. His was simply beautiful.

Dave Matthews- Early on he had this endearing "hiccuppy" style kinda like Buddy Holly did...Now his voice has a mature gruffiness to it that I just find very sexy.

Eddie Vedder-Yes, I love the 'boring old monotone' that he has. A sensitivity creeps through...and girls dig that!

Freddie Mercury-Great voice...great showmanship!!

Female

Stevie Nicks-Need I say anything??

Annie Lennox- Love Love her voice. I always refer to it as laying on a bed and having a silk sheet flap and gently land on you one gentle touch at a time.

Ann Wilson-I'm not a fan of Heart, but the girl can belt out a tune.

Rickie Lee Jones-has such a sweet innocent 'funky' sound.

Billie Holiday-Absoluetly flawless!!

Karen Carpenter

Judy Garland

Stevie Nicks
Tina Turner
Bette Midler
David Bowie
Steve Perry (even though I'm not a Journey fan, his voice rocks)
Chrissie Hynde
Sheryl Crow
Bonnie Raitt
Lindsey Buckingham
Tom Petty
Judy Garland
Annie Lennox
Chris Isaak
Grace Slick
Roger Daltrey
Pat Benatar
Ann Wilson
Tracy Chapman
Debbie Harry

Males:

Frank Sinatra
Harry Conick, Jr.
Lindsey Buckingham
Steve Perry
Barry White
Elvis Presley
Michael Crawford
Luciano Pavoratti
Steven Tyler


Females:

Karen Carpenter
Whitney Houston
Celine Dion
Christine McVie
Deborah Harry
Ella Fitzgerald
Stevie Nicks
Ann Wilson
Grace Slick
Sinead O'Connor

Two great singing voices I always wished I had: Brian Setzer ("The Knife Feels Like Justice") & the lead singer from Frankie Goes to Hollywood ("Two Tribes").

Then again it would be fine to have Eddie LeVert's singing voice -- he of the O'Jays ("For the Love of Money," "Back Stabbers," "Love Train").

I also like whoever sang lead for the Cornelius Brothers ("It's Too Late to Fall in Love").

Hmmm... I forgot about Alison Krauss, Anthony Keidis, the lead singer from Kajagoogoo, Jack White and Carole King. Those are all great voices :nod:

Agreed!
 

I agree, her voice is beautiful!

Some I forgot (until I read ya'll's lists. LOL)

Keith Urban
Ronnie Milsap
Dido
David Gilmour

Why has nobody already listed RUFUS WAINWRIGHT ???

Blasphemy!

Male

Frank Sinatra
Nat King Cole
Elvis Presley
Roy Orbison
Paul McCartney
Art Garfunkel
Steve Winwood

Female

Christine McVie
Judy Garland
Barbra Streisand
Dusty Springfield
Aretha Franklin
Tina Turner
Whitney Houston

voices
 

Female:
Stevie
Grace Slick
Cass Elliot
Janis Joplin
Dido
Sarah McLachlan
Billie Holiday
Whitney Huston
Barbra Strisand
Judy Garland
Pat Benatar

Male:
Jim Morrison (sigh)
Robert Plant
Bruce Springstien (esp on song "I'm on Fire)
Phil Collins
Don Henley
The Beatles (collectively)
The Byrds (great harmonies)
Elton John
Tom Petty
Lead singer of Journey
Mick Jagger (not best voice, but very distinctive)

Oooh...great thread!!
 

Well...Stevie of course. She just has one of the most distinguishable voices ever.

I also enjoy:

Alison Krauss (so angelic)

Patty Loveless (I've really grown quite fond of her lately...such a powerful, perfectly clear voice)

Emmylou Harris

Johnny Cash

Patty Griffin

Gladys Night - Her voice is the proverbial "face of God" to me - so much passion

Roberta Flack - she can invoke more feeling in one note much less a phrase than just about anyone.

There are so many others, but those two are the closest thing to perfection in both feeling and academic quality I have ever seen.

Mark Lanegan
Eddie Vedder
Chris Cornell
Robert Plant
John Garcia (Kyuss, Unida)
Bon Scott

Kevn Kinney (drivin' n' cryin')
Tom Petty
Warren Zevon
Chris Goss (masters of reality)
Steve Earle
John Watts (fischer-z)
Lindsey Buckingham

girls:

Stevie Nicks
Joss Stone
Marianne Faithful

best voices
 

male: michael jackson--despite the mean-spirited comments that millions of americans utter about MJ every day, nobody can deny that his voice is unique and superb.

female: edith piaf--the great french singer. her exceptional, near-operatic voice is possibly the greatest of the 20th century (listen to the song "La vie en rose").

CRAP!!
 

I always leave people out.

George Michael
I agree with Michael Jackson too. Still one of the greatest entertainers ever.

The only name I can add is Sophie B Hawkins...other than that I agree with most all of the previous names posted...

except...(with the exception of Johnny Cash) all male country artists sound exactly the same to me...so I'm not a big fan of their voices...

Oh..and Julie Andrews..there's another name I'll add :D

Re: CRAP!!
 

Brrr, christy....
you make me shiver. They are the worst voices in history for me...:laugh:

I was almost going to say, "where's Emmylou Harris"!
I love her voice.
Joni Mitchell, can't remember having read that name here.

Gerald...
 

Well...at least we both have love for the Liddy Buck, eh? :)

:eek: :eek: :eek:
OMG, do you really mean that or are you just saying that in order to kiss my ass??? :laugh:
marianne faithfull is absolute greatness!
did you hear of the upcoming The Mystery Of Love with the Bad Seeds as her backup band?
PJ harvey, damon albarn (and of course) nick cave all took major parts in the recording and it's out next month I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Re: best voices
 

I can. :laugh:

Boy can dance, but boy can't sing that well. It's actually quite an annoying voice, IMO. :nod:

Marianne kicks major ass.

"The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" is one of my all-time favorite songs. ;)

Re: Re: best voices
 

I agree. Jacko's voice hurts my everything :nod:

:laugh:

Re: Re: Re: best voices
 

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

It hurts my two eardrums
It hurts my...everythang...
I am reeling
Ooh, boy just can't sing
Sometimes it was crappy
Sometimes it was just plain ****ty

Awesome choices! Ledgies have taste!:nod: :D :)


I can't believe there's another Barry Manilow fan here! (...or do you just think he has a good voice?)

Elvis
John Conlee
Michael McDonald
Tammy Wynette
Janis Joplin
George Jones
Allison Krauss
Lindsey Buckingham
Michael Jackson
Pat Benatar
Paul McCartney
David Alan Coe
Stevie Nicks
Merle Haggard
Paty Loveless
Johnny Paycheck
Steve Perry
Carol King
Tom Petty
Dvaid Lee Roth
Travis Tritt
Christine McVie
Johnny Cash
Robert... uh... the guy from Led Zeppelin
Bonnie Tyler
Lacy J. Dalton
Steven Tyler
Cher
Tanya Tucker
Don Williams

Yeah... just a small list there. I listen to too much music. :laugh:

ok...so if we are basing it on actual vocal talents and not just cuz their are your faves...stevie & tina are no where near the top and yes they are some of my fave performers. The chicks can not sing there way out of a paper bag most days! OK DON"T FREAK ON ME YET!!!!! HEar me out....

Yes they are great performers and in stevie's case song writers and they can add alot of harmonies and bring out raw emotions...but if given a set of scales ranging 8 octaves, chances are they can not hit half of them with out a real struggle. We actually had this discussion in one of my music classes a few years ago when a guy was asking why so many lousy vocalists are huge successes.

If you want actual vocal talent you need to go to the classical artists...opera singers, soft pop singers, foreign language artists.
Right now my faves are Josh Groban, Barbra, Ella, Kevyn Lettau (one of my old teachers) & Alicia Keys. Granted they are not the best of the best but they are my faves for vocal talents.

depends
 

Okay, I get what you are saying, BUT I can't STAND classical or opera, and for me I don't really care if the person can sing all 8 octaves, what makes a great voice for me is if it is emotional, clear and distinctive. I know people say Maraiah Carey and Christina Agularia have great voices, but for me I can't deal with them so I don't view them as "great". I left out one of my favorite singers Madonna because I KNOW she isn't really a great singer, but I enjoy her songs, but even I won't argue though that she has a great voice. Stevie on the other had (in my opinion) does have a great voice maybe not as great as it once was but in her younger years it was pretty good, it's not a Whitney Huston, but then again not many are.

Re: depends
 

That is so funny because while I totally agree with you that it is the emotion in the voice, I just somehow can't get over people with bad voices. I mean I have seen Madonna live where I cringed :laugh: but she still put on ONE HELL OF A SHOW :laugh: I think a good example is Lee Ann Rymes (sp.?) - she put out a few years ago a collection of "standards" including "The Rose" - her version was textbook perfect - she has an outstanding voice. But, she couldn't sing that song with any or at least the required emotion because she was only like 16 years old and had never experienced love that was like a razor leading the sould to bleed. I hope that made sense.

Re: Re: depends
 

Marlene Dietrich did not have the most pleasant voice either, but people loved to see her.

- Jake

voices
 

Makes complete sense, one of the reasons I am not a big fan of the "teen scene" I have troubles listening to people sing about stuff they can't possibly relate to. Kinda like watching American Idol and seeing the contestants sing songs that you KNOW they either don't get or don't feel. Of course I have to say in some ways it works for the listener too, my dad asked me why I loved FM all of a sudden (really got into them this past couple years) and I told him b/c I finally "get it." Before the songs were just nice melodies and now they carry a bit more meaning.

Lucky that you got to see Madonna live I have always wanted to.