@KevSchmev, I think you mixed up my #3 & #4 and gave them the last name of #3.
I tried to like JLB for a long time. He's best on
Awake, and then on
Elements of Persuasion and some of his work with Ayreon. Lots of talent, but just not a vocal timbre that generally appeals to me.
Mercury is amazing, and on my honorable mentions list.
I want to post more extensive writeups for each later, but I don't have time to fix all the formatting right now, so here's the basic list, and a sample writeup for my top favorite singer, since she's only on my list, but won me a roulette round.
25: Cammie Gilbert (Oceans of Slumber)
24: Susan Tedeschi (Tedeschi Trucks Band)
23: Jorn Lande (Ark)
22: Jonas Renkse (Katatonia)
21: Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering)20: Ruth Moody (The Wailin' Jennys)
19: Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust)
18: Steve Shannon (Idle Cure)
17: Sheila Chandra (Monsoon)
16: Matt Barlow (Iced Earth)
15: Tomi Joutsen (Amorphis)
14: Heike Langhans (Draconian)
13: Nienke de Jong (Autumn)
12: Fiora
11: Daniel Tompkins (TesseracT)
10: Julianne Regan (All About Eve)
9: Sara Gazarek
8: Chelsea Wolfe
7: Tinna Karlsdotter (All Ends)
6: Christian Alvestam (Scar Symmetry)
5: Dan Swano (Nightingale)
4: Aleksandra Djelmas (Destiny Potato)
3: Judith Rijnveld (Kingfisher Sky)
2: Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)1: Marjan Welman (Autumn)
Honorable mentions - Aleksandra Radosavljevic, Beth Hart, Bob Carlisle, Brooke Fraser, Charlotte Wessels, Damian Wilson, Dave Gahan, Devin Townsend, Emma Ruth Rundle, Floor Jansen, Francesa Battistelli, Freddie Mercury, Heather Findlay, Johanna DePierre, Kate Havnevik, Katharine McPhee, Klaus Meine, Manda Ophuis, Marissa Nadler, Peter Steele, Rick Florian, Russell Allen, Sade, Sarah McLachlan, Speed Strid, Warrel Dane
1: Marjan WelmanBands - Autumn, Vetrar Draugurinn, Demiurg, others
Guest appearances - Ayreon, Demons & Wizards, Blind Guardian, others
From - the Netherlands
Other song highlights - Autumn "Liquid Under Film Noir", Vetrar Draugurinn "Reynisfjara", Demiurg "Cold Skin"
The only band to have two separate vocalists on my list, both were perfect for their eras. Marjan has one of the most pure and elegant voices I've ever heard. There isn't a particular trick or gimmick that she relies on, her voice just sounds perfect and effortless over anything she sings over, whether it's proggy atmospheric rock, doom metal, backing up power metal legends, or somehow not sounding out of place on a Swedish death metal album. Her voice is just that versatile, like a super-Anneke, who she was inspired by, and missed touring with by two years.
Listening:Autumn - "Phantom Limb"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAI0GOJ9-QYIn Action:Autumn - "The Heart Demands"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBTI2reG3wMBonus cuts:Her rendition with Arjen Anthony Lucassen of the iconic "Valley of the Queens" from Ayreon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrrUgPqOLvcMarjan's rawer live version of a Nienke-Autumn era classic shortly after joining the band.
Autumn - "Satellites"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBnIS1TjuJ4Even better live a dozen years later in her other main band.
Vetrar Draugurinn - "The Observer"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPHudZibgGU