I wouldn’t want to try to rank them, but my personal favorites would also include Coverdale, Gramm, Plant, and Mercury (great picks), along with Steve Perry, Ann Wilson, Brad Delp, Sharon den Adel, Tom Kiefer, and Geoff Tate. Not claiming “best” here, mind, just my personal faves.
01. Robert Plant 02. Paul Rodgers 03. David Byron 04. Lou Gramm 05. Steve Perry 06. Ronnie James Dio 07. James Dewar 08. Glenn Hughes 09. Ian Gillan 10. Phil Lynott
Great video. Of course Freddie would have to be on my personal list as well, with the one and only Elvis, Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Brian Wilson, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Elton John, Joni Mitchell... To name a few:) Take care and keep up the great work!
Thanks for the nod to Glenn Hughes! Great singer...damn fine bass player, too. Trapeze's "You Are the Music, We're Just the Band" album is still, to me, a monster recording! (Also dug your BURN T-shirt...)
Great list Barry. Great to see Lou Gramm and Janis Joplin on your list. Some others for me are Jim Morrison, Paul Stanley, David Bowie, Rob Halford & Kate Bush.
1. Ian Gillan 2. Glenn Hughes 3. Paul Rodgers 4. David Byron 5. Joni Mitchell 6. David Surkamp 7. Bruce Dickinson 8. Ronnie James Dio 9. Natalie Merchant 10. Freddie Mercury
I would have included Steve Marriott (Small Faces, Humble and packet of Three) and also Linda Ronstadt for her rock vocals on songs like Tumbling dice - by god that pair had an amazing set of pipes.
God mode is (for the ensemble voices he brings together from his head): Brian Wilson (is a freak of nature) ... after that: 1- Freddy Mercury 2- Ian Gillan 3- Robert Plant 4- Roger Daltry 5- Paul McCartney 6- Janis Joplin 7- Elton John 8- Chris Cornell 9- Bruce Springsteen 10- Ian Anderson * honorable mentions: Graham Nash, Dallas Green, Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson, Peter Grabriel, Steve Perry, Dennis Deyoung, Steven Tyler, Meatloaf, Eddie Vedder
My personal favourites - Paul Rodgers, Ian Gillan, David Coverdale, Freddie Mercury, Lou Gramm, Robert Plant, Ann Wilson, Glenn Hughes, Steve Marriott, Ronnie James Dio, Danny Bowes, Jay Buchanan, Phil Lynott. Thumbs up for mention of “Only My Soul” Great track.
My respect for you has gone up in droves although I must admit I'm a big fan of your videos - I have always had Paul Rodgers, Steve Walsh, Steve Perry, Steve Hogarth and Ronnie James as my 5 favorite male rock singers. You had three of them in your list and 2 in your top 3. To complete the top 10, let's add Steve Stills, Jon Stevens, Justin Hayward, Robin Zander and Dennis De Young. A hidden gem is AINT IT ALL AMUSING by ELF featuring RONNIE JAMES DIO. Its up there with STARGAZER and any number of the STEVE WALSH classics where his voice send you into orbit. I'm not a fan of any FOREIGNER music apart from the only album LG never appeared on UNUSUAL HEAT. Massive fan of LOU'S solo albums and ANGEL WITH A DIRTY FACE to me his most powerful vocal performance. Thanks for doing this video.
This is a great topic of discussion and so many good choices. Here is my top 10: 1. Freddie Mercury-Queen (No one better than Freddie) 2. Peter Steele-Type O Negative (Unbelievable voice and his deep bass notes couldn't be duplicated by anyone) 3. Ronnie James Dio-Dio/Black Sabbath/Rainbow/Elf (What else can you say about Ronnie. Fantastic voice) 4. Geddy Lee-Rush (Yes I am biased as Rush is my favorite band but Geddy's voice was top notch from start to finish) 5. Bruce Dickinson-Iron Maiden (The Air Raid Siren can still belt it out) 6. Jon Anderson-Yes (His voice is amazing with such a high register) 7. Robert Plant-Led Zeppelin (Cant say anything about rock music without Plant. He brought a swagger to rock and blues) 8. Ozzy Osbourne-Black Sabbath (One of the godfathers of metal. His voice of doom still rings out even today) 9. Jeff Lynne-Electric Light Orchestra (Jeff has a smooth voice that glides over ELO's tracks) 10. Dennis DeYoung-Styx (For me the voice of Styx. His power was felt throughout the band)
Great article. Most of my favourite singers are listed in your top 10, if not quite in the same order. Paul Rodgers is my no.1, but the likes of Lou Gramm, Freddie Mercury and Ronnie James Dio and Robert Plant would make up the remaining top 5. Given you've listed the wonderful Lou Gramm as your no. 1 and talked about how great those Foreigner albums are, how about an album ranking of the Foreigner studio albums. I would certainly want to see and hear your views. Thank you for your channel.
Well done! I was pleasantly surprised to see Lou Gramm’s position on the list. I first saw him perform in 1978 with Foreigner. It was an outstanding performance. As for the list, you did an exceptional job including so many different styles of singers. What are your thoughts on Eric Clapton? His voice is unmistakable and quite remarkable.
Once again a great video with some very good vocalists. I would have to include Steve Perry form Journey in my top 10 - yes, Don't Stop Believin' has been played to death, but man, can he sing! I would also have Bon Scott - maybe not the best vocalist, but a very unique voice, and his albums with AC/DC have to be some of the best rock albums of all time.
A good list . Here's some that I would definitely consider ( in their prime years , before age took it's toll ) : Joe Cocker David Bowie John Lennon Paul McCartney Ian Anderson Rod Stewart Wilson Pickett Roger Daltrey Van Morrison Elton John Tina Turner Jim Morrison Linda Ronstadt Steve Winwood Glen Tillbrook Annie Haslam to name a few .
My American heart is delighted by your nod to Steve Walsh. Kansas had a top singer, and a top guitarist in Kerry Livgren. The band was both prog and crowd pleasing, conveying the expanses of their home state, in the American Great Plains.
Nice to see Little Richard and Janis on your list at the outset Barry. That set a serious tone for a great list. You argue your choices very well as usual and it's a great list. I'd really struggle to get it down to ten, but I'd have Daltrey in there and Plant at number one. Never really got Freddie but a hell of a showman.
1) Steve Hogarth - more emotive than any singer I've ever heard 2) Roger Daltrey 3) Lowell George 4) Terry Kath 5) Freddie Mercury 6) Ian Gillan 7) Tori Amos 8) Sandy Denny 9) Peter Gabriel 10) Brad Delp
A few surprises in the top spots. Nice to see! I was expecting a Beatle, Elvis or Peter Gabriel perhaps. Good to see support of great singers who people don't talk enough about!
The list is very well put together. Most of the singers would appear on my list too. I would definitely include Bruce Dickinson and Phil Lynott in it. It's a pity Coverdale lost a great part of his voice some years ago, but he had a great bluesy voice!.
New subscriber. Great list! I've heard the isolated vocal of Steve Walsh on "Carry on Wayward Son". It's insanely great - pure full voice that goes on & on.👍
Feel sorry for geddy lee. He usually makes best bassist lists though! I would have added Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson and Roger Daltrey. Possibly Ozzy. Great job!
It's hard to do a list like this as it is subjective of course. However, I would have to include Paul McCartney on any list of great rock singers. From Helter Skelter, I'm Down and Little Richard's Long Tall Sally to Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby and For No One, its hard to find anyone who can match him. Plus, the end of Hey Jude and Maybe I'm Amazed, and so many others. Paul McCartney should be on this list.
Any list without Steve Perry, Ann Wilson and Linda Ronstadt is nit accurate. Everyone has their favorites but these three were the best musically speaking.
Loved this one mate. Watching though, does make me feel a little like Eric Morecambe; you're picking the right singers, but not necessarily in the right order. 😉 For me Steve Marriott is a glaring omission.
Can't argue with those choices! One singer who doesn't get acknowledged enough is Perry Farrell. An electrifying, truly one-of-a-kind subversive rock n' roll shaman. He always gives a hair-raising delivery oozing with decadence, subversiveness and intelligence.
1. Bob Catley 2. Steve Walsh 3. John Lawton 4. Ian Gillan 5. Jeff Lynne 6. Paul Manzi 7. Burke Shelley 8. Andrew Latimer 9. Chris Thompson 10. Gary Brooker (No particular order)
When you got to #1 and you were describing this singers attributes, I thought you had gone off the deep end. That is, until you mentioned his perm and his work in Foreigner. Up until then, I thought you had said Lou Reed.
Great list. These things are always difficult and based firmly in opinion but I would have included Bon Scott just for Bad Boy Boogie from the If You Want Blood album. Would you count Brian Wilson as rock?
Mate, mate mate. Totally agree with most picks, especially Coverdale, Dio and Plant. But mate, where was Barnesy ffs. Nobody could scream like Jimmy, either in Chisel or Solo. I’ll sit down now.
For me, any list should include Rod Stewart, Elvis, Jagger, Bowie and maybe also Bon Scott. Whatever their technical limitations (some more than others), they build vocals in as part of a song (Memory Motel anyone? I could go on ... and on ...) and bear innumerable repeat listenings.
Replace Janis with Ann Wilson. I'd put Dio in the Metal category to make room for Steve Marriott, and swap David Coverdale for Roger Daltrey. I guess we'll have to place Paul McCartney and Steve Perry in the Pop category.
No bad entries on this list. Not like my personal list, of course, but you named 10 very solid voices here. On my list, Plant and Freddie will always be on my top 5. Also Peter Gabriel and David Bowie for me. As for my fifth choice...very difficult to pick, but Janis is hard not to mention.
Greg Lake, John Wetton, David Bowie, Jon Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Daryl Hall so many... Oh, and “a cockerel on benzedrine” made me do a spit take...
You rightly point out the list in the vid was hard-rock-biased (David Byron and surely Graham Bonnet could be added; as to Halford, presumably the ranking excludes metal as a separate genre); leaving whole areas of rock uncovered. I am astonished not to see Rod Stewart on it, along with the ones you mentioned. Some singers who weren't screaming sirens could also find a place - Lennon, McCartney, Chris Rea, Roger Hodgson, Jeff Buckley. All in all, ten places aren't remotely enough, so many are sadly omitted.
About 9:49( talking about Freddie Mercury)...."borrowed a spate of costumes from the Village People"...ROFLMAO....well played sir! This Kansas fan thanks you for recognizing Steve Walsh Add: Ann Wilson ( Heart) Brad Delp( Boston)
Walsh is #1 on my list, followed by: Paul Stanley, Don Barnes, Rob Halford, Alice Cooper, Bryan Adams, Jimi Jamison, David Lee Roth, Joe Lynn Turner, Lou Gramm.
Your list is very good, and I really appreciate the fact that you included Little Richard and David Coverdale. Little Richard singing Bama Lama Bama Loo is one of the all-time great vocal performances in my book. I'm not so sure about Steve Walsh being on that list, but that's a personal preference thing, I guess. Lou Gramm is a fantastic singer, but Foreigner doesn't quite do it for me as a band. So I think Ian Gillan should be number one, though that is neither here nor there. The rest of your choices are spot on, though personally I would replace some of them with the following: Bob Seger Ann Wilson Burton Cummings Elton John John Fogerty Justin Hayward Ozzy Osbourne Rod Stewart Jack Bruce Linda Ronstadt Chris Cornell Bryan Ferry Greg Lake John Kay Gregg Allman Kate Bush Bono Sting Michael Stipe Jon Anderson Carly Simon Neil Finn David Bowie Peter Gabriel Jim Morrison Actually, I'm probably looking at a top 50, aren't I? 😀
Freddie is #1. That's all I have. You have a right to be wrong... I can't name another singer/ songwriter who can touch his genius! With that said... good video ;)
FREDDIE was terrible after the first 5 aibums. NEWS OF THE WORLD any anything after that were just awful. He was brilliant early on, especially on QUEEN i and ii.
Thank you so much for putting the forever imho underrated Steve Welsh of Kansas on your list so high! I'm biased because I actually saw them in concert and it was just great. It was an outdoor show under the stars which so fit their sound. No only regret was, to quote my father, "not being able to get right with the world" due to taking my daughters and their friends to see a good show for once. No puff puff pass for me that night 😶🌫️😶🌫️😔😶🌫️😶🌫️ It was still a great show!
Agree with just about all but i would add Bob Seger as a great singer that gets overlooked. Shame on the Moon is a great example of how well he sings. If I Were a Carpenter another example but of him singing with that rocky side of his voice.
Here's a list: 10. Robert Plant 9. James LaBrie 8. Bruce Dickinson 7. Annie Haslam, hope I got the spelling right 6. Phil Collins 5. Jon Anderson 4. Ronnie James Dio 3. Elton John 2. Klaus Meine 1. Freddie Mercury
I've been looking forward to this count down. Pretty much what I expected from "Best vocalists", where tastes are wide and varied. With me choosing, I would have included, not only those with technical merit, but those that have given great depths of personal emotion. Coverdale, yes, Dio yes, Plant ,yes, Gillan, yes. But there are also those that are held in high esteem for just one or two sons that meant bucket loads to me. Lemmy, The chase is better than the catch and Orgasmatron. Then there's Noddy with his full on deafening tones in Mama, where all crazy now, and squeeze me pleeze me. Til Lindermam of Rammstein, has a very deep, yet powerfully emotive delivery that alters from song to song, Sonne is one that hold a foreboding to tell a dark tale, and Mutter from the same album in which Til portrays a character full of menace and vengeance at having been done wrong in the past. Lastly for me I have Kyo from Dir en grey of Japan. There are no words I can use to do justice to this guys singing. Just take a look and listen for yourselves. Don't stick to one song, but try several, and hopefully you'll experience his range.
Little Richard was the great Otis Redding's hero. Otis actually got his start as Little Richard - Little Richard's management got the notion of having the real Richard touring the world and playing the big cities while a knock off band also billed as Little Richard and the Upsetters played the hick towns. Mojo Magazine, of course, voted Tutti Frutti the #1 record that changed history. It's impossible not to feel that thrill up your spine when Richard lets loose.
Your description of Freddie Mercury as, "strutting about like a cockrel on benzedrine, surveying his territories"... brilliant
Hehe...y'all said "cock."
“It’s not like Led Zeppelin to borrow anything from anybody else” 😂 I see what you did there.
Droll...
Zeppelin borrowed almost their whole career
Led Zeppelin didn't borrow anything, like all great artists they stole. Borrowing is for amateurs.
All the British groups in the 60's and 70's borrowed from others
I got to see Brad Delp, Steve Perry, Rob Halford, Jon Anderson, Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickenson, Geoff Tate, and David Lee Roth in their prime!❤
I wouldn’t want to try to rank them, but my personal favorites would also include Coverdale, Gramm, Plant, and Mercury (great picks), along with Steve Perry, Ann Wilson, Brad Delp, Sharon den Adel, Tom Kiefer, and Geoff Tate. Not claiming “best” here, mind, just my personal faves.
Great Channel!I was so glad you included Lou Gramm and at the top of you're list.Fabulous voice!
Burton Cummings of the Guess Who is a vastly underrated vocalist.
Noddy Holder doesn’t get enough credit for his rock voice. He sounds fantastic!
And some money from Noel Gallagher...
Hugely underrated. Noddy's voice was made for rock and roll. He's a legend as far as I'm concerned. Great bloke too.
01. Robert Plant
02. Paul Rodgers
03. David Byron
04. Lou Gramm
05. Steve Perry
06. Ronnie James Dio
07. James Dewar
08. Glenn Hughes
09. Ian Gillan
10. Phil Lynott
Great video. Of course Freddie would have to be on my personal list as well, with the one and only Elvis, Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Brian Wilson, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Elton John, Joni Mitchell... To name a few:) Take care and keep up the great work!
Thanks for the nod to Glenn Hughes! Great singer...damn fine bass player, too. Trapeze's "You Are the Music, We're Just the Band" album is still, to me, a monster recording! (Also dug your BURN T-shirt...)
Lennon & McCartney, Steve Marriott, Chris Cornell
So many greats, so few spaces. Just wanted to give a shout out to Burton Cummings of The Guess Who. Underrated and thrilling.
I realize Joplin is loved by millions, but imho I always preferred Ann Wilson as my First lady of rock! Her voice still sounded great into her 70's.
Great list Barry. Great to see Lou Gramm and Janis Joplin on your list. Some others for me are Jim Morrison, Paul Stanley, David Bowie, Rob Halford & Kate Bush.
1. Ian Gillan
2. Glenn Hughes
3. Paul Rodgers
4. David Byron
5. Joni Mitchell
6. David Surkamp
7. Bruce Dickinson
8. Ronnie James Dio
9. Natalie Merchant
10. Freddie Mercury
Awesome list! Great to see Steve Walsh and Lou Gramm included!!
Great list!
Nice to have seen Chris Cornell get an honorable mention. Not sure it will go down well in the Robert Plant camp, coming behind Coverdale !
I would have included Steve Marriott (Small Faces, Humble and packet of Three) and also Linda Ronstadt for her rock vocals on songs like Tumbling dice - by god that pair had an amazing set of pipes.
God mode is (for the ensemble voices he brings together from his head): Brian Wilson (is a freak of nature) ... after that:
1- Freddy Mercury
2- Ian Gillan
3- Robert Plant
4- Roger Daltry
5- Paul McCartney
6- Janis Joplin
7- Elton John
8- Chris Cornell
9- Bruce Springsteen
10- Ian Anderson
* honorable mentions: Graham Nash, Dallas Green, Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson, Peter Grabriel, Steve Perry, Dennis Deyoung, Steven Tyler, Meatloaf, Eddie Vedder
Great to see Paul Rodgers on your list mate. He sang wonderfully on my album VOICES IN THE WIND.
Great list and superb video.
I have to say for me, Dio and Mercury are completely untouchable in a list like this, but each to his own :)
My personal favourites - Paul Rodgers, Ian Gillan, David Coverdale, Freddie Mercury, Lou Gramm, Robert Plant, Ann Wilson, Glenn Hughes, Steve Marriott, Ronnie James Dio, Danny Bowes, Jay Buchanan, Phil Lynott. Thumbs up for mention of “Only My Soul” Great track.
Ann Wilson is a good add
Thank you mentioning Ann Wilson.
Just checking in to make sure Paul Rodgers was on the list. Good job. Carry on.
My favourite singer was my father a trained opera singer with a captivating power combined with subtlety. Rock on dad wherever you are!
My respect for you has gone up in droves although I must admit I'm a big fan of your videos - I have always had Paul Rodgers, Steve Walsh, Steve Perry, Steve Hogarth and Ronnie James as my 5 favorite male rock singers. You had three of them in your list and 2 in your top 3. To complete the top 10, let's add Steve Stills, Jon Stevens, Justin Hayward, Robin Zander and Dennis De Young. A hidden gem is AINT IT ALL AMUSING by ELF featuring RONNIE JAMES DIO. Its up there with STARGAZER and any number of the STEVE WALSH classics where his voice send you into orbit. I'm not a fan of any FOREIGNER music apart from the only album LG never appeared on UNUSUAL HEAT. Massive fan of LOU'S solo albums and ANGEL WITH A DIRTY FACE to me his most powerful vocal performance. Thanks for doing this video.
This is a great topic of discussion and so many good choices. Here is my top 10:
1. Freddie Mercury-Queen (No one better than Freddie)
2. Peter Steele-Type O Negative (Unbelievable voice and his deep bass notes couldn't be duplicated by anyone)
3. Ronnie James Dio-Dio/Black Sabbath/Rainbow/Elf (What else can you say about Ronnie. Fantastic voice)
4. Geddy Lee-Rush (Yes I am biased as Rush is my favorite band but Geddy's voice was top notch from start to finish)
5. Bruce Dickinson-Iron Maiden (The Air Raid Siren can still belt it out)
6. Jon Anderson-Yes (His voice is amazing with such a high register)
7. Robert Plant-Led Zeppelin (Cant say anything about rock music without Plant. He brought a swagger to rock and blues)
8. Ozzy Osbourne-Black Sabbath (One of the godfathers of metal. His voice of doom still rings out even today)
9. Jeff Lynne-Electric Light Orchestra (Jeff has a smooth voice that glides over ELO's tracks)
10. Dennis DeYoung-Styx (For me the voice of Styx. His power was felt throughout the band)
Chris Cornell did not make the list? He's #1 for a lot of folks. Tone. Power. Range. The man had it all.
He’s nowhere near the best. I like his music but sorry way out of this league
🤣
Great article. Most of my favourite singers are listed in your top 10, if not quite in the same order. Paul Rodgers is my no.1, but the likes of Lou Gramm, Freddie Mercury and Ronnie James Dio and Robert Plant would make up the remaining top 5.
Given you've listed the wonderful Lou Gramm as your no. 1 and talked about how great those Foreigner albums are, how about an album ranking of the Foreigner studio albums. I would certainly want to see and hear your views. Thank you for your channel.
No steve marriott or noddy holder?
Well done! I was pleasantly surprised to see Lou Gramm’s position on the list. I first saw him perform in 1978 with Foreigner. It was an outstanding performance.
As for the list, you did an exceptional job including so many different styles of singers. What are your thoughts on Eric Clapton? His voice is unmistakable and quite remarkable.
Once again a great video with some very good vocalists. I would have to include Steve Perry form Journey in my top 10 - yes, Don't Stop Believin' has been played to death, but man, can he sing! I would also have Bon Scott - maybe not the best vocalist, but a very unique voice, and his albums with AC/DC have to be some of the best rock albums of all time.
You had me at STEVE PERRY but totally lost me at ACDC. Sorry.
Pretty good list I think, but John Lennon would be in there somewhere for me
A good list .
Here's some that I would definitely consider ( in their prime years , before age took it's toll ) :
Joe Cocker
David Bowie
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Ian Anderson
Rod Stewart
Wilson Pickett
Roger Daltrey
Van Morrison
Elton John
Tina Turner
Jim Morrison
Linda Ronstadt
Steve Winwood
Glen Tillbrook
Annie Haslam
to name a few .
Tillbrook-nice!
@@82706527 Yes , he was a great singer .
My American heart is delighted by your nod to Steve Walsh. Kansas had a top singer, and a top guitarist in Kerry Livgren. The band was both prog and crowd pleasing, conveying the expanses of their home state, in the American Great Plains.
I remember a Sandy Denny interview from the early 70s, she said she was seriously winded after The Battle of Evermore.
“It’s not like Led Zeppelin to borrow anything from somebody else”
😐
Yes... my little joke
@@classicalbum and beautifully deadpan it was too!
interesting choices...although my top ten would have to include Eric Burden and John Lennon...
Rod Stewart, Paul Rodgers,Plant,Gillan,Daryl Hall,Joe L Turner,Bon Scott,Ann Wilson,Sharon den Adel,Graham Bonnet.
Okay; how are Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson, Geoff Tate and Steve Perry NOT on this list?!?
Excellent
Seriously, no Rob Halford from Judas Priest
Nice to see Little Richard and Janis on your list at the outset Barry. That set a serious tone for a great list. You argue your choices very well as usual and it's a great list. I'd really struggle to get it down to ten, but I'd have Daltrey in there and Plant at number one. Never really got Freddie but a hell of a showman.
Glad you enjoyed it
Greg Lake,John Wetton,Dennis de Young,Jan Anderson,Bobby Kimball,Peter Cetera,Peter Hammill,Chris Thompson,Tony Martin etc...
1) Steve Hogarth - more emotive than any singer I've ever heard
2) Roger Daltrey
3) Lowell George
4) Terry Kath
5) Freddie Mercury
6) Ian Gillan
7) Tori Amos
8) Sandy Denny
9) Peter Gabriel
10) Brad Delp
I love Ian Paice's drumming as well. I think that he added a lot to Deep Purple's music.
where's Steve Perry? Greg Lake? Jon Anderson? Peter Gabriel?
Good list, i would also include Steve Marriot, Steve Tyler & Chris Cornell.
Great list! Lou Gramm and Paul Rodgers are amazing. There are so many other great singers, this list is pretty much all my favorites.
Great vocal sounds, for me anyway... Steve Marriott in Humble Pie, Steve Winwood in Traffic, of course Mick Jagger and, dare I say it? Joe Cocker.
Balls to the wall rock vocal... ua-cam.com/video/-gWqrP30YXQ/v-deo.html
A few surprises in the top spots. Nice to see! I was expecting a Beatle, Elvis or Peter Gabriel perhaps. Good to see support of great singers who people don't talk enough about!
The list is very well put together. Most of the singers would appear on my list too. I would definitely include Bruce Dickinson and Phil Lynott in it.
It's a pity Coverdale lost a great part of his voice some years ago, but he had a great bluesy voice!.
New subscriber. Great list! I've heard the isolated vocal of Steve Walsh on "Carry on Wayward Son". It's insanely great - pure full voice that goes on & on.👍
Thanks for the sub!
Feel sorry for geddy lee. He usually makes best bassist lists though! I would have added Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson and Roger Daltrey. Possibly Ozzy. Great job!
There are so Many to choose from! But one that sticks out for me Is Dio, his loss Is one that actually affected me
It's hard to do a list like this as it is subjective of course. However, I would have to include Paul McCartney on any list of great rock singers. From Helter Skelter, I'm Down and Little Richard's Long Tall Sally to Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby and For No One, its hard to find anyone who can match him. Plus, the end of Hey Jude and Maybe I'm Amazed, and so many others. Paul McCartney should be on this list.
Steve Marriot and Noddy Holder any day of the week in my opinion!
A few more to add Robin Zander, Rob Halford, Brad Delp, Meat Loaf.
Chris Cornell, Floor Jansen, Tina Turner, Ann Wilson, David Bowie, Steve Winwood, Peter Gabriel, Layne Staley...
what no Ann Wilson
Rob Halford, Blackie Lawless, and Jim Morrison are my faves
Any list without Steve Perry, Ann Wilson and Linda Ronstadt is nit accurate. Everyone has their favorites but these three were the best musically speaking.
Loved this one mate.
Watching though, does make me feel a little like Eric Morecambe; you're picking the right singers, but not necessarily in the right order. 😉
For me Steve Marriott is a glaring omission.
Dio for power and Halford for his range sit at the top for me. Also a special mention for Dan McCafferty (Nazareth) for his unique vocals.
MISS MISERY - so powerful.
My Top
1 Robert Plant
2 Ian Gillan
3 Ronnie James Dio
4 Bruce Dickinson
A wonderful video as always but I was surprised Chris Cornell didn't make your list.
"Look out all you 'Rock n Rolllers' ... BOWIE ... of course. Steve Marriot was also very good, imo. Today .. Damian Wilson .. superb
Can't argue with those choices! One singer who doesn't get acknowledged enough is Perry Farrell. An electrifying, truly one-of-a-kind subversive rock n' roll shaman. He always gives a hair-raising delivery oozing with decadence, subversiveness and intelligence.
1. Bob Catley
2. Steve Walsh
3. John Lawton
4. Ian Gillan
5. Jeff Lynne
6. Paul Manzi
7. Burke Shelley
8. Andrew Latimer
9. Chris Thompson
10. Gary Brooker
(No particular order)
When you got to #1 and you were describing this singers attributes, I thought you had gone off the deep end. That is, until you mentioned his perm and his work in Foreigner. Up until then, I thought you had said Lou Reed.
Ian Gillian❤ & Pat Benatar
Lou Gramm at No 1. I never saw that coming. I love LG's voice. His solo work is some of my favourite stuff.
Can I ask you whether you like the song ANGEL WITH A DIRTY FACE. I love it.
@@michaelperkins6747 I do indeed. From Long Hard Look. Excellent cover of Tin soldier on there too.
I have to give a shout out to David Byron (Uriah Heep) and John Lawton (Lucifer's Friend).
Great list. These things are always difficult and based firmly in opinion but I would have included Bon Scott just for Bad Boy Boogie from the If You Want Blood album. Would you count Brian Wilson as rock?
Honourable mentions surely must go to Terry Reid and Steve Marriot?...
Mate, mate mate. Totally agree with most picks, especially Coverdale, Dio and Plant. But mate, where was Barnesy ffs. Nobody could scream like Jimmy, either in Chisel or Solo. I’ll sit down now.
For me, any list should include Rod Stewart, Elvis, Jagger, Bowie and maybe also Bon Scott. Whatever their technical limitations (some more than others), they build vocals in as part of a song (Memory Motel anyone? I could go on ... and on ...) and bear innumerable repeat listenings.
Replace Janis with Ann Wilson. I'd put Dio in the Metal category to make room for Steve Marriott, and swap David Coverdale for Roger Daltrey. I guess we'll have to place Paul McCartney and Steve Perry in the Pop category.
No bad entries on this list. Not like my personal list, of course, but you named 10 very solid voices here.
On my list, Plant and Freddie will always be on my top 5. Also Peter Gabriel and David Bowie for me.
As for my fifth choice...very difficult to pick, but Janis is hard not to mention.
Greg Lake, John Wetton, David Bowie, Jon Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Daryl Hall so many... Oh, and “a cockerel on benzedrine” made me do a spit take...
You rightly point out the list in the vid was hard-rock-biased (David Byron and surely Graham Bonnet could be added; as to Halford, presumably the ranking excludes metal as a separate genre); leaving whole areas of rock uncovered. I am astonished not to see Rod Stewart on it, along with the ones you mentioned. Some singers who weren't screaming sirens could also find a place - Lennon, McCartney, Chris Rea, Roger Hodgson, Jeff Buckley. All in all, ten places aren't remotely enough, so many are sadly omitted.
I think Little Richard was ahead of his time in that his vocals were too powerful for contemporaneous sound recording technology.
The original rocker
This is an excellent list and I too, would have gone Gramm then Walsh. That guy from Disturbed is really good also. No Steve Perry though?
Roger Daltry should have made this list as well as the late Meat Loaf.
About 9:49( talking about Freddie Mercury)...."borrowed a spate of costumes from the Village People"...ROFLMAO....well played sir!
This Kansas fan thanks you for recognizing Steve Walsh
Add: Ann Wilson ( Heart)
Brad Delp( Boston)
Steve Walsh was incredible
Walsh is #1 on my list, followed by: Paul Stanley, Don Barnes, Rob Halford, Alice Cooper, Bryan Adams, Jimi Jamison, David Lee Roth, Joe Lynn Turner, Lou Gramm.
Great show. You're a Kansas fan.....🇺🇸❤
Some more Kansas content coming soon
Daryl Hall should be in the top 20. What an amazing voice.
You forgot Jim Morrison, Brad Delp, Steve Perry, Roger Daltrey, Ozzy. Why is Plant, #1, so low?
Your list is very good, and I really appreciate the fact that you included Little Richard and David Coverdale. Little Richard singing Bama Lama Bama Loo is one of the all-time great vocal performances in my book. I'm not so sure about Steve Walsh being on that list, but that's a personal preference thing, I guess. Lou Gramm is a fantastic singer, but Foreigner doesn't quite do it for me as a band. So I think Ian Gillan should be number one, though that is neither here nor there. The rest of your choices are spot on, though personally I would replace some of them with the following:
Bob Seger
Ann Wilson
Burton Cummings
Elton John
John Fogerty
Justin Hayward
Ozzy Osbourne
Rod Stewart
Jack Bruce
Linda Ronstadt
Chris Cornell
Bryan Ferry
Greg Lake
John Kay
Gregg Allman
Kate Bush
Bono
Sting
Michael Stipe
Jon Anderson
Carly Simon
Neil Finn
David Bowie
Peter Gabriel
Jim Morrison
Actually, I'm probably looking at a top 50, aren't I? 😀
Suggestion: Top 10 Rock Singers Who Really Can’t Sing, But I Love Their Voice, Anyway. (Alice, Eno, Ian Hunter, you go...)
Freddie is #1. That's all I have.
You have a right to be wrong... I can't name another singer/ songwriter who can touch his genius!
With that said... good video ;)
FREDDIE was terrible after the first 5 aibums. NEWS OF THE WORLD any anything after that were just awful. He was brilliant early on, especially on QUEEN i and ii.
Interesting list.
Have you heard any Tim Finn whether in Split Enz or solo?
Nobody else has mentioned Meatloaf. Fantastic voice.😊
Saw him live many years ago
Steve Marriot?
kansas are a band i know next to nothing of. Shall be investigating further. thank you.
Thank you so much for putting the forever imho underrated Steve Welsh of Kansas on your list so high!
I'm biased because I actually saw them in concert and it was just great. It was an outdoor show under the stars which so fit their sound. No only regret was, to quote my father, "not being able to get right with the world" due to taking my daughters and their friends to see a good show for once.
No puff puff pass for me that night
😶🌫️😶🌫️😔😶🌫️😶🌫️
It was still a great show!
Agree with just about all but i would add Bob Seger as a great singer that gets overlooked. Shame on the Moon is a great example of how well he sings. If I Were a Carpenter another example but of him singing with that rocky side of his voice.
Here's a list:
10. Robert Plant
9. James LaBrie
8. Bruce Dickinson
7. Annie Haslam, hope I got the spelling right
6. Phil Collins
5. Jon Anderson
4. Ronnie James Dio
3. Elton John
2. Klaus Meine
1. Freddie Mercury
I've been looking forward to this count down. Pretty much what I expected from "Best vocalists", where tastes are wide and varied. With me choosing, I would have included, not only those with technical merit, but those that have given great depths of personal emotion. Coverdale, yes, Dio yes, Plant ,yes, Gillan, yes. But there are also those that are held in high esteem for just one or two sons that meant bucket loads to me. Lemmy, The chase is better than the catch and Orgasmatron. Then there's Noddy with his full on deafening tones in Mama, where all crazy now, and squeeze me pleeze me. Til Lindermam of Rammstein, has a very deep, yet powerfully emotive delivery that alters from song to song, Sonne is one that hold a foreboding to tell a dark tale, and Mutter from the same album in which Til portrays a character full of menace and vengeance at having been done wrong in the past. Lastly for me I have Kyo from Dir en grey of Japan. There are no words I can use to do justice to this guys singing. Just take a look and listen for yourselves. Don't stick to one song, but try several, and hopefully you'll experience his range.
Little Richard was the great Otis Redding's hero. Otis actually got his start as Little Richard - Little Richard's management got the notion of having the real Richard touring the world and playing the big cities while a knock off band also billed as Little Richard and the Upsetters played the hick towns. Mojo Magazine, of course, voted Tutti Frutti the #1 record that changed history. It's impossible not to feel that thrill up your spine when Richard lets loose.