Name 25 of your favorite singers of all time

[mvd]

I'll give a range for mine. This is judging on vocals only, but I also love the music of the ones on my list:

Elvis
Aretha Franklin
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
Patsy Cline
Mary Weiss
Susanna Hoffs
Paul Simon
Merle Haggard
Brandi Carlile
Stevie Nicks
Annie Lennox
Brian Wilson
Courtney Love
Michael Stipe
Bono
Luther Vandross
Andrea Corr
Frank Sinatra
Billie Holiday
Michelle Branch
Nina Gordon
Natalie Maines
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Deborah Harry

[SteppingRazor]

1. Here's 16. I could think of a lot more, but... eh... brain hurts:

Elvis
Bob Dylan (yes, he has a great voice! So there!)
John Lennon
OTIS FREAKING REDDING
Aretha Franklin
Janis Joplin
Freddy Mercury
Chris Cornell
Robert Plant
Sam Cooke
Lou Reed
Roy Orbison
Eddie Vedder
Fiona Apple
Tori Amos
Johnny Cash

[mvd]

3. Glad to see another Tori fan

She has a new album coming.. but is it a concept album? It looks like it.

[SteppingRazor]

4. Last album of hers I have is Boys for Pele...

so I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a fan. I was big into her for a while, and I really value the emotive qualities of a singer's voice more than the raw talent (hence my inclusion of Dylan, Joplin, etc.), and she's got emotive quality in spades.

[mvd]

5. Dylan's voice is refreshing

I like it. I like Tori the most without the electronica.

An underrated new pop/R&B one is Bonnie McKee. And Toni Braxton, Diana Ross, and Amy Winehouse are very good.

There are more, but that's enough for now. :hi:

[mvd]

11. Another one not conventional but lovable IMO is..

Alanis. Alanis is an acquired taste, but I sure can feel her music.

[LibraLiz1973]

29. Tori's American Doll Posse

http://www.toriamos.com/
(With a song preview)

[mvd]

30. Those previews sound good

Different for her. Good to hear her moving forward.

[LibraLiz1973]

32. I love me some Tori. She rocks

[mvd]

2. Here are some I thought of that I could have chosen

Dusty Springfield for sure!
Alicia Keys
A.C. Newman
Eddie Vedder
Wynonna Judd
Roy Orbison
Dwight Yoakam
Marvin Gaye
Dwight Yoakam
Vince Gill
Loretta Lynn
Allison Pierce (of the Pierces)
Janis Joplin!
Rosemary Clooney


And more..

[MilesColtrane]

6. Some I liked instantly, others grew on me...

Bob Marley
Nancy Wilson (jazz singer)
Nancy Wilson (Heart)
Sheila Jordan
Robert Plant
Jon Anderson
Billy Holiday
Johnny Hartman
Chaka Khan
Donald Fagen
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Stevie Wonder
Hank Williams Sr.
George Jones
Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays)
Maurice White
James Brown
Greg Allman
Bonnie Raitt
Kate Bush
Peter Gabriel
Nat King Cole
Louis Armstrong
Robert Smith

[mvd]

7. Definitely some there I could add to my list

Hank Sr., Harriet Wheeler, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong..

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

8. MEAT LOAF!!!!! WRITE IT DOWN! MEAT LOAF!!!!!

On edit: This was posted by my sister, using my computer. Although I don't disagree with her, I just wanted to let you know SHE said it, not me!!! :rofl:

[MAGICBULLET]

9. my tops and there are so many more

David Ruffin
Nina Simone
Bill Withers
Marva Whitney
Freddie Mercury
Sinead O'Connor
Gregory Isaacs
Mark Hollis - Talk Talk lead singer
Billie Holiday
Wilson Pickett
Bono
Ella Fitzgerald
Barrington Levy
Joe Strummer
Loleatta Holloway
Aretha Franklin
Chris Cornell - Soundgarden, among others
Sam Cooke
Bobby Byrd
Al Green
Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears
Marvin Gaye
Bobby Bland
Prince
John Lennon
Curtis Mayfield

[mvd]

10. Sam Cooke is great, as are..

Sinead O'Connor and Ella Fitzgerald. Sinead is 90s pop rock - some newer pop/rock voices I like that I haven't mentioned are The Veronicas, Avril, Leslie Mills, Jag Star's Sarah Lewis, Barenaked Ladies' singers, etc.

[mvd]

12. I can't bother to list every singer I love..

but I wanted to put in a few from alt-country: Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, and Kasey Chambers.

[HughBeaumont]

13. Mine -

Mike Patton
Isaac Hayes
Frank Sinatra
Marvin Gaye
Lisa Gerrard
Nat King Cole
Johnny Mathis
Colin Blunstone
Bruce Dickinson
Gladys Knight
David Ruffin
Freddie Mercury
Roberta Flack
Elton John
Mark Hollis
Enya
Maddy Prior
Iggy Pop
Brian Wilson
Carl Wilson
Jello Biafra
Edward Ka-Spell
Tanita Tikaram
Morten Harket
Brendan Perry

[idgiehkt]

14. I'll give it a go

Ann Wilson
Kat Bjelland
Desmond Dekker
Jimmy Cliff
Stevie Nicks
PJ Harvey
Bjork
Joan Osbourne
Janis Joplin
Shakira
Christina Aguilera
Bob Marley
Marcia Griffiths
Theo Kogan
John Popper
Kurt Cobain
Eddie Vedder
Chris Cornell
Natalie Merchant
Ani DiFranco
Fiona Apple
Neil Young
Rasha
Mick Jagger
Debbie Harry

[ghostsofgiants]

15. I don't have the patience to go beyond 10, but here they are (with videos so you can hear them)

Elliott Smith (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH8-lQ9CeyI)
Dallas Green (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btjhdHX8pMo / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60mkNo1Ap5Q)
Thom Yorke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrZTNhW44-o)
Andrea Zollo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l198pVjx9ys)
Cedric Bixler Zavala (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPeSbITit5U)
Dennis Lyxzen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syJ-aE6JF5E)
Guy Picciotto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgI1OPcJxG8)
Karen O (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seTfykK50qI)
Adam Turla (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9joocA-Fws)
Claudio Sanchez (For the sole reason that THAT voice should not be coming out of THAT man, haha. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y96koKa2PSE)

[nytemare]

16. OK

Billie Holliday
Sarah McLachlan
Freddie Mercury
Sarah Brightman
Annie Lennox
Peter Gabriel
Elton John
Aretha Franklin
Joni Mitchell
Nikka Costa
Bonnie Raitt
Sheila Chandra
Kate Bush
Sheryl Crow
Chris Martin
Roger Waters
David Bowie
Roger Daltrey
Sia Furler
India Arie
Jill Scott
Anthony Hamilton
Esthero
Natalie Merchant
Sophie Barker

[Alexander]

17. Freddie Mercury. That's my list.

I don't care what anyone says, that dude had damn near a 4-octave vocal range and could sing literally any style of music.

To me, that makes him better than just about any singer anyone else could come up with.

[Left Is Write]

18. I don't think I can do 25.

Dean Martin

Frank Sinatra
Raul Malo
Chris Isaak
Don Williams
Elvis Presley
Morgan Crowley
Brad Delp
Bryan Ferry

I also have to give kudos to Johnny Cash and Rob Halford for their respective genres. No one, and I mean NO ONE, sings metal like Rob Halford.

[mark414]

19. oy this is hard

Sam Cooke
Mick Jagger
Chuck D
Joe Strummer
Al Green
Marvin Gaye
Sly Stone
Van Morrison
Hank Williams Sr.
Elvis Costello
Stevie Wonder
James Brown
Johnny Cash
Woody Guthrie
Nina Simone
Joey Ramone
Blondie
Q-Tip
John Fogerty
Dave Davies
Morrissey
Bob Dylan
Desmond Dekker
Etta James
Buddy Holly

though a wholly incomplete list...

[mvd]

20. Oh, I forgot Mick

Not many could do down and dirty rock like him.. the new Kings Of Leon seems a little modeled on this.

[Debbi801]

21. Mine...

Kirsty MacColl
Bruce Springsteen
Meatloaf
Alanis Morrisette
Frank Sinatra
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Jim Croce
Paul Simon
Sarah McLachlan

[mvd]

23. I would add Bruce, Jim, and Sarah to the..

ones I mentioned. This is fun, but I really do have to sign off.

[grace0418]

24. I should've read everyone's list before I wrote mine.

I forgot Kirsty (RIP) and Paul Simon.

[grace0418]

22. In no particular order, and I'm probably forgetting some:

Neil Finn (well, that's in order, he's always number one with me) of solo work and Crowded House and Split Enz and Finn Brothers
Stevie Wonder
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
Morrissey
Ella Fitzgerald
Harriet Wheeler (the Sundays)
James Taylor
Fred Astaire
Patsy Cline
Jonathan Richman
Sufjan Stevens
Ben Folds
Paul Weller
Glen Tillbrook (Squeeze)
Billie Holiday
N'Dea Davenport (Brand New Heavies)
David Bowie
Elliot Smith
Dave Wakeling (General Public, English Beat)
Erin McKeown
Frank Reader (Trash Can Sinatras)
Michael Jackson
Rufus Wainwright
John & John from They Might Be Giants (love em both)

[mvd]

25. Now I know why I didn't make my list definitive

James Taylor would certainly be on it! I am a Neil Finn fan, and good list in general.

[grace0418]

26. I've already seen four or five I forgot!

But thanks. Yeah, for me Neil is the no-brainer.

[LibraLiz1973]

27. 25

Stevie Nicks
Bono
Elvis
Tori Amos
Lyndsey Buckingham
Aimee Mann
Layne Staley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INQQwwdQ5oU
Chrissy Hynde
Michael Hutchence
James Taylor
Harry Connick Jr.
Frank Sinatra
Martha Davis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6dFU-pN9zM
Shirley Manson
Terri Nunn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzWMJ3khfm4
Don Henley
Carly Simon
Lenny Kravitz
Bruce Springsteen
Jon Bon Jovi
Morrissey
Deborah Harry
Ann Wilson
Ben Folds
Chris Cornell

[mvd]

28. Good to see Aimee Mann and Shirley Manson listed

They might make my definitive list. Can't tell how many on your list would make it, but this is another good list. :thumbsup:

[Dr Fate]

31. hell Yeah- Mary Weiss is GEAR!!! Have ya heard her brand new LP??

It's pretty darn good, actually.

Wouldnt it be great if today's girl-teen idols were as tough and cool as she was?

I love a lot of those voices on your list- Elvis, Hag & Brian Wilson are also my all-time faves...

I'd add George Jones to that list.

[mvd]

35. Yes, but only samples

Her voice might have lost some range, but it's still strong! And the music sounds like it's more modern than Amy Winehouse, surprisingly. I'll be buying her CD. :hi:

[RFKHumphreyObama]

33. Great list MVD. And here's mine in no particular order and with some exceptions

1. Don McLean
2. Luke Kelly and the Dubliners
3. Emmylou Harris
4. Billy Joel
5. Michael Jackson
6. Ronan Keating
7. Taylor Dane
8. Elvis Presley
9. Nat King Cole
10. Enya
11. Steve Nicks
12. Deborah Harry
13. Josh Groban
14. John Denver
15. John Lennon
16. Belinda Carlisle
17. Simon and Garfunkel
18. Paul Robeson
19. Sarah Brightman
20. Michael Crawford
21. Cristy Lane
22. The Neville Brothers
23. Johnny Cash
24. Bruce Springsteen
25. Peter Cetera/Chicago

[mvd]

36. Thanks, socialdemocrat1981!

You have a good list yourself! The Neville Brothers are very underrated. Aaron Neville has an angelic voice, and he's also a Young And The Restless fan, which means he might appear on the soap I watch again. Enya's voice is also underrated - I'd also mention Loreena McKennitt. And Emmylou Harris is certainly one of my faves.

I forgot to mention Pink when giving my pop choices. A thread in the Lounge reminded me.

[ForrestGump]

34. May have missed some of my favorites here...

Elvis Presley
The Beatles (also separate, especially John and Paul)
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Ray Charles
James Brown
Johnny Cash
Jackie Wilson
Wilson Pickett
Three Dog Night
Roy Orbison
Elton John
Jimmy Buffett
Stevie Ray Vaughan (mostly as a guitarist)
Eric Clapton (ditto)
Stevie Wonder
Aretha Franklin
Tom Jones
The Temptations
Michael Jackson (best as a dancer, though)
Joe Cocker
The Beach Boys
Paul Simon
The Doors (Jim Morrison)
Bruce Springsteen
Billy Joel
Queen

And more...my list's heavy on the old guard and almost entirely male.