Tuesday, March 06, 2007

100 Greatest Singers @ Q Magazine

RS pointed me over to the Independent who pointed me over to Q Magazine's list of the Best and Worst Singers Ever. Here's their Top Ten:

1. Elvis Presley
2. Aretha Franklin
3. Frank Sinatra
4. Otis Redding
5. John Lennon
6. Marvin Gaye
7. Kurt Cobain
8. Robert Plant
9. Mick Jagger
10. Jeff Buckley

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Top Ten Best Singers (no order)

David Ruffin
Bettye LaVette
Marvin Gaye
Aretha Franklin
Al Green
Loleatta Holloway
Frank Sinatra
Doris Day
Jack Jones
Jean DuShon

NF said...

A big "fuck yeah" on Al Green.

Anonymous said...

Picks for best singers

1. Aretha Franklin
2. Al Green
3. Mavis Staples
4. Frank Sinatra
5. Bettye LaVette
6. Fantasia Barrino
7. Tony Bennett
8. Jennifer Hudson
9. Marvin Gaye
10. Wilson Pickett

Anonymous said...

Bowie
Bono

JK said...

I think Maynard deserves some recognition. not top 10 by any means but he's up there.

NF said...

Agreed, the vocal work on "Ticks & Leeches" is unreal, and that track is just the tip of the iceberg for Maynard.

Anonymous said...

Aretha, Frank and Marvin make sense for a top ten. The others listed are questionable for that high a ranking.

Mick freaking Jagger? He wouldn't make my top 500. Kurt Cobain? Sheesh.

Anonymous said...

LMAO @ people putting American Idol winners on their lists. Oh, and John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Kurt Cobain, and ELVIS PRESLEY!?!?

Are they on crack?

None of them are great singers, but great entertainers. Where the hell is:

Michael Jackson
Stevie Wonder
Celeine Dion
Whitney Houston
Christina Aguilera

Hell, Steve Perry is a better singer than half the people in that top 10 list.

Anonymous said...

Yeah this list would appear to be based more on entertainers than pure singers. Orcourse this doesnt explain the fact that Michael Jackson isn't top of the list either way! Come on, is the only reason he's so low because he's had some bad press recently?

Anonymous said...

No, I think the reason Michael Jackson isn't on top 10 is because he isn't a great singer, and he is a child molester.

Anonymous said...

He may be a child molestor, but Michael Jackson is a damn good vocalist.

Yes, it was because of the bad press that Michael Jackson was at 51. Did anyone see the comment made on him? "Self Crowned King of Pop, Had His Troubles". It was all purely negative. Sad Q, very sad.

Oh, and leaving Mariah Carey out of the top 100 singers and putting her in top ten worst singers just shows stupidity right there.

Anonymous said...

1- Damon Albarn
2- Fredy Mercury
3- Ian Brown
4- Robert Smith
5- Brandon Flowers
6- Anthony Kiedis
7- Ray Davies
8- Gaz Coombes
9- John Lennon
10- Romeo Stodart

Anonymous said...

Where is Freddie Mercury? This is stupid.

Anonymous said...

I see Jeff was there but what about his old man Tim Buckley (IMO) a better singer. Elvis + J.Hudson? WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Freddie Mercury is the greatest vocalist.

Anonymous said...

OK. I'm gonna go ahead and be straightforward here. Whoever you are out there that said "Michael Jackson isn't a great singer, he is a child molester" please kill yourself right now. Seriously. Michael Jackson could and probably still can sing circles around everyone on that list. Yeah sure he's a disgusting human being, but Jesus you have to give credit where credit is due; the man can sing. It's closed-minded fucks like you that feed the corrupt and talentless music industry! Maybe the music on the radio today would actually be decent if people like you didn't refuse to buy/listen to music from certain artists just because you don't approve of their lifestyle. Hell, the Beatles did drugs, and look at the musical revolution they created! Some of the most talented bands out there are some of the least recognized because of this very reason. OK, sorry I'm venting and rambling, but seriously, don't sit here and say Michael Jackson isn't talented just because he's a creep.

Anonymous said...

Luciano Pavorrotti*
Stevie Wonder*
Steve Perry*
Michael Jackson*

top 4 are all equal just different styles

Freddie Mercury
Patti Labelle
Chaka Kahn
Aretha Franklin
Marvin Gaye
Otis Redding

Anonymous said...

where the hell is Mercury and Morrison! both Van and Jim! This List sucks.
Pavarotti?
Howlin' Wolf?
Dylan?
Gilmour?
Where's the Shitface who made this list? Kill HIM!

Anuj

Anonymous said...

Have any of you ever listened to Elvis? He defitnaly deserves his spot on #1. Heck, even if you go by pure numbers, Record sales, #1 hits, platinum/gold records etc. he is the best.

Now as far as the rest of the list goes, I defitnaly think Freddie Mercury should be up there, Michael Jackson is great too. I don't think Kurt Cobain should be up there or Sinatra.

Anonymous said...

Where's Freddie Mercury?

Albert Mond returns said...

I agree. putting "John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Kurt Cobain, and ELVIS PRESLEY" on there is complete bs. Then again, I think David Gilmour would look good on there.

Anonymous said...

top 10 singers (no order)

Frank Sinatra
Freddy Mercury
Axl Rose
Liam Gallagher
Anthony Kleidis
Steve Tyler
Michael Jackson
Kurt Cobain
Phil Lynott
Jimi Hendrix

Anonymous said...

NO ORDER
STEVEN TYLER
FREDDIE MERCURY
ARETHA FRANKLIN
ELVIS PRESLY
DAVID LEE ROTH
DEE DEE RAMONE
FRANK SINATRA
ROBERT PLANT
JOHN LENNON
JOE WALSH

Anonymous said...

This list needs some serious Freddie Mercury'ing, that's for sure

Anonymous said...

come on garth brooks willie nelson kenny rodgers should be up thier hbk6661.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

michael jackson easily the best + not guilty idiots

Anonymous said...

WHOA! LETS CAREEN THIS TO A HALT RIGHT NOW.

JOE! ELVIS DESERVES THE TOP 3, IF NOT THE TOP 2 BECAUSE OF HIS 3 OCTAVE ABILITY, HIS INFLUENCE ON JUST ABOUT EVERY GENRE HIS SUNG (WHICH IS ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS AROUND BACK THEN), FOR POPULARIZING ROCK AND ROLL TO THE EXTENT HE DID, FOR HIS MAJOR FAN BASE THAT EXISTS TO THIS DAY - 30 YEARS AFTER HE DIED, AND FOR THE FACT THAT HE'S INFLUENCED JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY WHO CAME AFTER HIM SOME HOW. DONT SHIT ON ELVIS!

KURT COBAIN DOESNT BELONG ON THIS LIST. HE WAS INFLUENTIAL TO BE SURE BUT ALTERNATIVE AND GRUNGE JUST HASNT BEEN THAT IMPORTANT IN THE GRAND HISTORY OF ROCK TO WARRANT KURT COBAIN BEING WORTHY OF A TOP 10 SPOT.

THE TOP 10-15 IN MY OPINION SHOULD BE:

1. ELVIS PRESLEY
2. ARETHA FRANKLIN
3. FRANK SINATRA
4. BOB DYLAN
5. RAY CHARLES/JAMES BROWN
6. JOHN LENNON/MARVIN GAYE
7. FREDDIE MERCURY
8. ROBERT PLANT
9. ELLA FITZGERALD/BILLIE HOLIDAY
10. SAM COOKE/OTIS REDDING

THIS IS MY TOP 10, WHICH IS REALLY A TOP 15 BECAUSE I DONT HONESTLY THINK YOU CAN LIMIT IT TO 10 AND SAY ANY 10 ARE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TEN IN ORDER.

IF I HAVE 2 AT THE SAME RANK ITS BECAUSE I COULDNT CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO BUT THEY DESERVE BEING ARGUED ABOUT IN TOP 10.

PAVAROTTI ISNT INCLUDED BEING THIS DEALS WITH POPULAR MUSIC AND IN ALL HONESTY, PAVAROTTI DOESNT SELL LIKE ELVIS AND THE BEATLES IN THE US.

EVERYONE ON MY LIST IS THERE BECAUSE OF 1) ABILITY AND 2) INFLUENCE.

IF YOU WERE GOING BY ABILITY ALONE THE LIST WOULD PROBABLY LOOK SIMILAR TO WHAT IT IS BUT ROY ORBISON WOULD DEFINITELY BE ON IT.

GrungeFan said...

Layne phuckin' Staley... Seriously, why do I not see him on any list anywhere?

Anonymous said...

hell yeah to the guy that said Layne Staley....he is one of the most underrated singers of all time!

oh and besides Kurt Cobain and Robert Plant, this list is bullshit!

RockFan said...

1.Elvis Presley

2-100:Everyone else