Ten Favorite Vocalists

[pg1067]

In no particular order:

Rik Emmett
Ann Wilson
Pat Benatar
Geoff Tate
Ronnie James Dio
Rob Halford
Jon Anderson
Ray Alder
James Labrie
Bruce Dickinson

Honorable mention:  Phil Mogg, Phil Collins, Celine Dion

[jingle.boy]

Oh boy ... only 10?  I'm going with a combo of quality AND quantity (ie, disqualifying vocalists who've only fronted 3-4 albums - ala Matt Smith, Michael Eriksen).

Robert Plant
James Labrie (up to DT12)
Floor Jansen
Steve Perry
Russell Allen
Damian Wilson
Jorn Lande
Rik Emmett (homer pick)
Tommy Karevik
Ted Leonard

That seems about right.

[lonestar]

Oh boy ... only 10?  I'm going with a combo of quality AND quantity (ie, disqualifying vocalists who've only fronted 3-4 albums - ala Matt Smith, Michael Eriksen).

Robert Plant
James Labrie (up to DT12)
Floor Jansen
Steve Perry
Russell Allen
Damian Wilson
Jorn Lande
Rik Emmett (homer pick)
Tommy Karevik
Ted Leonard

That seems about right.

Karevik is a good call, forgot about Damian, gonna go edit my list to add him. It was hard to leave Rik off for me, but he was a firm #11.

[Stadler]

Freddie Mercury
Bono
Ann Wilson
Johnette Napolitano
Gene Simmons (it says "FAVORITE", not BEST; I love his voice, like on "Plaster Caster" or "She's So European")
Paul Rogers
David Coverdale (not when he screams, but when he sings, like on "Starkers In Tokyo")
Anneke
John Wetton (or Jon Anderson; it's a close call)
Greg Lake



No, no Bruce Dickinson; number one FRONT MAN, but not pure vocals.

[Dream Team]

Russ
Rob
Ann
Bruce
Ronny
Elvis
Babs

Not sure beyond those 7.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Russ Parrish
Rob Zombie
Annthony Kiedis
Bruce Springsteen
Ronny Milsap
Elvis Costello
Babs Gonzalez

Not sure beyond those 7.

Good list. 

[Stadler]

Russ Parrish
Rob Zombie
Annthony Kiedis
Bruce Springsteen
Ronny Milsap
Elvis Costello
Babs Gonzalez

Not sure beyond those 7.

Good list. 

Ronnie Milsap.  That's excellent.   

We do need clarity, though, since not all of those are "one name worthy"; Russ Parrish or Russ(ell) Allen?  Rob Thomas, Halford, or Zombie?

[jingle.boy]

Isn't the Haken singer named Russ something.

Side-note... I notice NO ONE has mentioned him in 3 pages.

[HOF]

Isn't the Haken singer named Russ something.

Side-note... I notice NO ONE has mentioned him in 3 pages.

Ross Jennings. I’m not even sure if Haken fans like his voice.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I'm a Haken fan, and his voice is ok, but I'm definitely more about the instrumentation than the vocals for them. 

Russ Parrish
Rob Zombie
Annthony Kiedis
Bruce Springsteen
Ronny Milsap
Elvis Costello
Babs Gonzalez

Not sure beyond those 7.

Good list. 

Ronnie Milsap.  That's excellent.   

We do need clarity, though, since not all of those are "one name worthy"; Russ Parrish or Russ(ell) Allen?  Rob Thomas, Halford, or Zombie?

Haha, Rob Thomas would have been a good one too.  Actually, Matchbox 20 is a bit unfairly derided in music snob communities, there are some good tunes on Mad Season in particular, "Bent" was always a favorite.  I also considered Russ Ballard, Anderson, and Taff, but even though Parrish isn't a vocalist as far as I know, I had to put one outright joke in there. 

[pg1067]

Russ Parrish
Rob Zombie
Annthony Kiedis
Bruce Springsteen
Ronny Milsap
Elvis Costello
Babs Gonzalez

Not sure beyond those 7.

Good list. 

I assumed Ann Hathaway.  She was unexpectedly good in Les Mis.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Christina Aguilera
Phil Anselmo
Mariah Carey
Brad Delp
Lzzy Hale
James Hetfield
James LaBrie
Amy Lee
Freddie Mercury
Brent Smith

[LCArenas]

I'm only including vocalists whose songs are mainly sung in English. In no particular order:
James LaBrie
Ray Alder
Michael Kiske
Lee Douglas
Chris Cornell
Mariah Carey
Freddie Mercury
Mikael Akerfeldt
Mike Patton
Ronnie James Dio

Fuck it, 10 places are clearly not enough. It's impossible to me to reply to this thread without mentioning
Robert Plant
Myles Kennedy
Anneke van Giersbergen
Björn Strid
Maynard James Keenan
Russell Allen
Lianne La Havas
Daniel Gildenlow
Rob Halford
Whitney Houston
Saint Saviour
James Hetfield

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Good to see Lee Douglas getting mentioned.  Her dynamic with Vincent is really quite special. 

[Stadler]

Christina Aguilera
Phil Anselmo
Mariah Carey
Brad Delp
Lzzy Hale
James Hetfield
James LaBrie
Amy Lee
Freddie Mercury
Brent Smith

I forgot Brad Delp on mine.  And Ben Orr from the Cars; WOEFULLY underrated as a singer.

[LCArenas]

Good to see Lee Douglas getting mentioned.  Her dynamic with Vincent is really quite special.

Severely underrated artist, though I can see why (She hasn't done much solo projects and isn't even the main singer of Anathema) but still... Her voice is absolutely unique. Really shows how you don't necessarily need a huge vocal range to stand out in a song.

[frogprog]

In no particular order:
Rik Emmett
Ged
Paul Rodgers
Mariusz Duda
David Gilmour
Sir Paul
Tommy Shaw
Mike Patton
Steve Perry
Chris Cornell

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Still living?

1-9: Roy Khan
10: Russell Allen

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Still living?

1-9: Roy Khan
10: Russell Allen

9:  Roy Khan in Star One?
8:  Roy Khan in Avantasia?
7:  Roy Khan in Crest of Darkness?
6:  Roy Khan in Victory?
5:  Roy Khan in Seven Spires?
4:  Roy Khan in Epica?
3:  Roy Khan in Kamelot?
2:  Roy Khan in Conception?
1:  Roy Khan singing in the shower?

[TheCountOfNYC]

Christina Aguilera
Phil Anselmo
Mariah Carey
Brad Delp
Lzzy Hale
James Hetfield
James LaBrie
Amy Lee
Freddie Mercury
Brent Smith

I forgot Brad Delp on mine.  And Ben Orr from the Cars; WOEFULLY underrated as a singer.

Brad Delp is probably my favorite male singer of all time.

[Dream Team]

Russ Parrish
Rob Zombie
Annthony Kiedis
Bruce Springsteen
Ronny Milsap
Elvis Costello
Babs Gonzalez

Not sure beyond those 7.

Good list. 

   Nice. But it’s all the obvious ones.

[pg1067]

Russ Parrish
Rob Zombie
Annthony Kiedis
Bruce Springsteen
Ronny Milsap
Elvis Costello
Babs Gonzalez

Not sure beyond those 7.

Good list. 

   Nice. But it’s all the obvious ones.

Who's Russ?  I googled "singer named russ," and this was the first result:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_(rapper)

There are a lot of "Robs" and at least two "Bruces" who could be obvious.

I'm guessing "Ronny" was meant to be "Ronnie," as in Dio (otherwise, Ronny Milsap would probably be the obvious one).

And "Babs"?

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I suspect he meant Allen, Halford, Wilson, Dickinson, Dio, and Presley.   

[gazinwales]

Glenn Hughes
Tarja Turunen
Tomi Joutsen
Jorn
Dio
John West
Michael Stanne
Ann Wilson
Rob Halford
Rob Dickinson

[Stadler]

I suspect he meant Allen, Halford, Wilson, Dickinson, Dio, and Presley.

The problem is, not all of those are "obvious".  Russell Allen isn't on my top 50 vocalist lists.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

But he is for a lot of DT fans.  Is there a vocalist that's more obvious in any of those slots?

[Stadler]

But he is for a lot of DT fans.  Is there a vocalist that's more obvious in any of those slots?

Well, that's just it; obvious for who?  For me "Russ" alone would be Russ Ballard, from Argent, and who wrote like six songs for my favorite artists (Kiss, Ace Frehley and Rainbow have all done songs by him).

[DTwwbwMP]

1. Freddie Mercury











NO ONE ELSE MATTERS!

[LithoJazzoSphere]

But he is for a lot of DT fans.  Is there a vocalist that's more obvious in any of those slots?

Well, that's just it; obvious for who?  For me "Russ" alone would be Russ Ballard, from Argent, and who wrote like six songs for my favorite artists (Kiss, Ace Frehley and Rainbow have all done songs by him).

I suppose if you're primarily a classic rock fan it might be less obvious.  But Symphony X is an objectively closer artist in style to DT than Argent is, and Russ has not only toured and performed with DT, but was in a band with Portnoy, so there are pretty strong connections. 

[jingle.boy]

Rob Dickinson

Brother of Bruce?

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Joe Lynn Turner
Paul Rodgers
Roy Orbison
Sammy Hagar
Steve Perry
Pat DiNizio
Graham Bonnet
Sheryl Crow
Donnie Vie
Brad Delp

[Stadler]

Rob Dickinson

Brother of Bruce?

Nephew Cousin, I think.

[TAC]

Rob Dickinson

Brother of Bruce?

NephewCousin, I think.

I heard he sounds a lot like Bruce Halford.

[KevShmev]

I suspect he meant Allen, Halford, Wilson, Dickinson, Dio, and Presley.

The problem is, not all of those are "obvious".  Russell Allen isn't on my top 50 vocalist lists.

I hear ya. I could probably go 100 deep into a favorite singers list before getting to Allen, and even then not sure he'd made the next 100.  He is not in any band that I actively listen to, ever.

[svisser]

1. Stu Block (Iced Earth, Into Eternity)
2. Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle)
3. Sammy Hagar (Van Halen)
4. Lizzy Hale (Halestorm)
5.Ronnie James Dio (Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow)
6. Brian Johnson (AC/DC)
7. Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave)
8. Bruce Dickenson (Iron Maiden)
9. Blaze Bailey (Iron Maiden, Blaze Bailey)
10. James Labrie (Dream Theater)

And yes, Blaze is on my list. He was not the best fit for Maiden, but man can that guy sing. Also, his live version of Clansman he did a few years back is my fav version of that song. Killer vocalist.