[Music] Rolling Stone 200 best singers of all time

[LennyTee]

No Frank Zappa, no Captain Beefheart, no Jerry Garcia and even worse, no Lee Perry. All a matter of taste and mood.

It is a bit odd.
Charlotte Church, voice of an angel.
Cher Lloyd, multi million selling artist.
Mina (Keith) Caputo, hardcore band to soft stuff, now back as hardcore.
I dare say Rihanna and Whitney Houston are better but I don't listen to them.
Plus the end result is Johnny Cash.

 

[Frutos]

John Lennon (#12) a better singer than Freddie Mercury (#14)?

Only for people without ears.

 

[Swansman]

Is there a big scrollable single page list available anywhere anybody know?

1 Aretha Franklin

2 Whitney Houston

3 Sam Cooke

4 Billie Holiday

5 Mariah Carey

6 Ray Charles

7 Stevie Wonder

8 Beyoncé

9 Otis Redding

10 Al Green

11 Little Richard

12 John Lennon

13 Patsy Cline

14 Freddie Mercury

15 Bob Dylan

16 Prince

17 Elvis Presley

18 Celia Cruz

19 Frank Sinatra

20 Marvin Gaye

21 Nina Simone

22 Adele

23 Smokey Robinson

24 George Jones

25 Mary J. Blige

26 Paul McCartney

27 Dolly Parton

28 Mahalia Jackson

29 Chaka Khan

30 Hank Williams

31 Luther Vandross

32 David Bowie

33 Bessie Smith

34 Thom Yorke

35 Dusty Springfield

36 Kurt Cobain

37 Van Morrison

38 Curtis Mayfield

39 Louis Armstrong

40 Aaliyah

41 Etta James

42 Teddy Pendergrass

43 Ariana Grande

44 James Brown

45 Ella Fitzgerald

46 Mavis Staples

47 Linda Ronstadt

48 Toni Braxton

49 Rod Stewart

50 Joni Mitchell

51 Sade

52 Mick Jagger

53 Miriam Makeba

54 Willie Nelson

55 Tina Turner

56 Barry White

57 Brian Wilson

58 Lady Gaga

59 Howlin’ Wolf

60 Kate Bush

61 Umm Kulthum

62 George Michael

63 Robert Plant

64 Björk

65 Minnie Riperton

66 David Ruffin

67 Dennis Brown

68 Rihanna

69 Youssou N’Dour

70 Ronnie Spector

71 Roy Orbison

72 Muddy Waters

73 Héctor Lavoe

74 Patti LaBelle

75 D’Angelo

76 Wilson Pickett

77 Bruce Springsteen

78 Janis Joplin

79 Emmylou Harris

80 Chris Cornell

81 João Gilberto

82 Steve Perry

83 Amy Winehouse

84 Lata Mangeshkar

85 Johnny Cash

86 Michael Jackson

87 Diana Ross

88 Jimmie Rodgers

89 Selena

90 Gal Costa

91 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

92 Anita Baker

93 Stevie Nicks

94 Toots Hibbert

95 Vicente Fernández

96 Chuck Berry

97 Usher

98 Bob Marley

99 Clyde McPhatter

100 Elton John

101 Gladys Knight

102 Taylor Swift

103 Leonard Cohen

104 Aaron Neville

105 Eddie Vedder

106 Bill Withers

107 Lou Reed

108 Caetano Veloso

109 Roger Daltrey

110 The Weeknd

111 Fiona Apple

112 Ozzy Osbourne

113 La India

114 Chrissie Hynde

115 Patti Smith

116 Chet Baker

117 Patti Smith

118 John Fogerty

119 Barrington Levy

120 Charlie Rich

121 Jackie Wilson

122 Donna Summer

123 Karen Carpenter

124 Robert Johnson

125 Joe Strummer

126 Donny Hathaway

127 Tammy Wynette

128 Florence Welch

129 Rob Halford

130 Courtney Love

131 Jeff Buckley

132 Loretta Lynn

133 Neil Young

134 Axl Rose

135 IU

136 Lauryn Hill

137 El DeBarge

138 Merle Haggard

139 Rocío Dúrcal

140 Bono

141 Christina Aguilera

142 Russell Thompkins Jr.

143 Luciano

144 Darlene Love

145 PJ Harvey

146 Ruth Brown

147 Barbra Streisand

148 Levon Helm

149 Wanda Jackson

150 Bryan Fery

151 Martha Reeves

152 Michael Stipe

153 Mahlathini

154 Dion

155 Robert Smith

156 George Straight

157 Robert Smith

158 Carrie Underwood

159 Mississippi John Hurt

160 Mercedes Sosa

161 Brenda Lee

162 Françoise Hardy

163 Bobby 'Blue' Bland

164 Sandy Denny

165 Ronnie James Dio

166 Morrissey

167 Marc Anthony

168 Debbie Harry

169 Sylvester

170 Chris Stapleton

171 Odetta

172 Juan Gabriel

173 Marianne Faithfull

174 Buddy Holly

175 Lana Del Ray

176 Iggy Pop

177 Patty Loveless

178 Tabu Ley Rochereau

179 Martha Wash

180 SZA

181 Bob Seger

182 Jazmine Sullivan

183 Solomon Burke

184 Karen O

185 Alicia Keys

186 Ofra Haza

187 Bonnie Raitt

188 Fela Kuti

189 Joan Baez

190 Frank Ocean

191 Jung Kook

192 Anohni

193 Brandy

194 Kelly Clarkson

195 Poly Styrene

196 Paul Westerberg

197 Burna Boy

198 Billie Eilish

199 Glenn Danzig

200 Rosalía

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

In no particular order but I'd like to think fairly diverse my top 5:

Bruce Dickinson
Ronnie James Dio
Chester Bennington
Dolores O' Riordan
Nat King Cole

In any such assessment you need to make the distinction between pure singing ability and the ability to hold and work an audience. On that score Freddie Mercury ticks both boxes big time.

Oh, go on then. Top five you say? I'll be scrupulously fair and not just list the ones I have been listening to just in the last five years....I'll respect my yoof tastes a bit...

Peter Hammill (Vandergraff Generator)
Donald Fagan (Steely Dan)
Brian Wilson (Beach Boys)
Joe Casey (Protomartyr)
Tobi O'Kandi (O Children)

Sorry, no, though. Five? Can't do it.

Dusty Springfield
Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Roger Chapman (Family)
Peter Gabriel (Genesis)
Julie London
Kennedy Ashlyn (the artist known as SRSQ)
Lester Bullock (the artist known as Dillinger)
Steffen Keth (De/Vision)

I have to stop now or I will be here till I have 100. And then I still won't stop

 

[herecomesaregular]

I love Neil Young but he wouldn't be in my Top 200 as a vocalist. And no Terry Reid ? Criminal.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

John Lennon (#12) a better singer than Freddie Mercury (#14)?

Only for people without ears.

Lennon could sound like he actually believed what he was singing.
Of course, if I wanted somebody to help me find my lost bicycle there's clearly only one man for the job.

 

[Swansman]

So in summary, somewhere around 150 of the 200 best singers of all time were born in English speaking countries (with perhaps 130, not counted, being from the US or Britain) while the two countries China and India (together 36% of the global population) has managed to produce 0 (or maybe 1 or 2 if I've missed someone) of the 200 best singers. Says all you need to know about the list...

 

[LennyTee]

1 Aretha Franklin

2 Whitney Houston

3 Sam Cooke

4 Billie Holiday

5 Mariah Carey

6 Ray Charles

7 Stevie Wonder

8 Beyoncé

9 Otis Redding

10 Al Green

11 Little Richard

12 John Lennon

13 Patsy Cline

14 Freddie Mercury

15 Bob Dylan

16 Prince

17 Elvis Presley

18 Celia Cruz

19 Frank Sinatra

20 Marvin Gaye

21 Nina Simone

22 Adele

23 Smokey Robinson

24 George Jones

25 Mary J. Blige

26 Paul McCartney

27 Dolly Parton

28 Mahalia Jackson

29 Chaka Khan

30 Hank Williams

31 Luther Vandross

32 David Bowie

33 Bessie Smith

34 Thom Yorke

35 Dusty Springfield

36 Kurt Cobain

37 Van Morrison

38 Curtis Mayfield

39 Louis Armstrong

40 Aaliyah

41 Etta James

42 Teddy Pendergrass

43 Ariana Grande

44 James Brown

45 Ella Fitzgerald

46 Mavis Staples

47 Linda Ronstadt

48 Toni Braxton

49 Rod Stewart

50 Joni Mitchell

51 Sade

52 Mick Jagger

53 Miriam Makeba

54 Willie Nelson

55 Tina Turner

56 Barry White

57 Brian Wilson

58 Lady Gaga

59 Howlin’ Wolf

60 Kate Bush

61 Umm Kulthum

62 George Michael

63 Robert Plant

64 Björk

65 Minnie Riperton

66 David Ruffin

67 Dennis Brown

68 Rihanna

69 Youssou N’Dour

70 Ronnie Spector

71 Roy Orbison

72 Muddy Waters

73 Héctor Lavoe

74 Patti LaBelle

75 D’Angelo

76 Wilson Pickett

77 Bruce Springsteen

78 Janis Joplin

79 Emmylou Harris

80 Chris Cornell

81 João Gilberto

82 Steve Perry

83 Amy Winehouse

84 Lata Mangeshkar

85 Johnny Cash

86 Michael Jackson

87 Diana Ross

88 Jimmie Rodgers

89 Selena

90 Gal Costa

91 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

92 Anita Baker

93 Stevie Nicks

94 Toots Hibbert

95 Vicente Fernández

96 Chuck Berry

97 Usher

98 Bob Marley

99 Clyde McPhatter

100 Elton John

101 Gladys Knight

102 Taylor Swift

103 Leonard Cohen

104 Aaron Neville

105 Eddie Vedder

106 Bill Withers

107 Lou Reed

108 Caetano Veloso

109 Roger Daltrey

110 The Weeknd

111 Fiona Apple

112 Ozzy Osbourne

113 La India

114 Chrissie Hynde

115 Patti Smith

116 Chet Baker

117 Patti Smith

118 John Fogerty

119 Barrington Levy

120 Charlie Rich

121 Jackie Wilson

122 Donna Summer

123 Karen Carpenter

124 Robert Johnson

125 Joe Strummer

126 Donny Hathaway

127 Tammy Wynette

128 Florence Welch

129 Rob Halford

130 Courtney Love

131 Jeff Buckley

132 Loretta Lynn

133 Neil Young

134 Axl Rose

135 IU

136 Lauryn Hill

137 El DeBarge

138 Merle Haggard

139 Rocío Dúrcal

140 Bono

141 Christina Aguilera

142 Russell Thompkins Jr.

143 Luciano

144 Darlene Love

145 PJ Harvey

146 Ruth Brown

147 Barbra Streisand

148 Levon Helm

149 Wanda Jackson

150 Bryan Fery

151 Martha Reeves

152 Michael Stipe

153 Mahlathini

154 Dion

155 Robert Smith

156 George Straight

157 Robert Smith

158 Carrie Underwood

159 Mississippi John Hurt

160 Mercedes Sosa

161 Brenda Lee

162 Françoise Hardy

163 Bobby 'Blue' Bland

164 Sandy Denny

165 Ronnie James Dio

166 Morrissey

167 Marc Anthony

168 Debbie Harry

169 Sylvester

170 Chris Stapleton

171 Odetta

172 Juan Gabriel

173 Marianne Faithfull

174 Buddy Holly

175 Lana Del Ray

176 Iggy Pop

177 Patty Loveless

178 Tabu Ley Rochereau

179 Martha Wash

180 SZA

181 Bob Seger

182 Jazmine Sullivan

183 Solomon Burke

184 Karen O

185 Alicia Keys

186 Ofra Haza

187 Bonnie Raitt

188 Fela Kuti

189 Joan Baez

190 Frank Ocean

191 Jung Kook

192 Anohni

193 Brandy

194 Kelly Clarkson

195 Poly Styrene

196 Paul Westerberg

197 Burna Boy

198 Billie Eilish

199 Glenn Danzig

200 Rosalía

Lost me at number 3. Is Danzig really 199? He's f***ing shocking.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

So in summary, somewhere around 150 of the 200 best singers of all time were born in English speaking countries (with perhaps 130, not counted, being from the US or Britain) while the two countries China and India (together 36% of the global population) has managed to produce 0 (or maybe 1 or 2 if I've missed someone) of the 200 best singers. Says all you need to know about the list...

I can't be bothered to look through the list, are Agnetha or Anni-Frid there?

 

[Swansman]

I can't be bothered to look through the list, are Agnetha or Anni-Frid there?

I've just scimmed through it looking for weird exotic names, but no I don't think they're on it.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I've just scimmed through it looking for weird exotic names, but no I don't think they're on it.

f***ing outrageous

 

[Swansman]

f***ing outrageous

Dunno about that... I really dont like ABBA.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Dunno about that... I really dont like ABBA.

Well that's a shame.
I thought they might be on there to fill out the non-US quota, since even the mindless berks at Rolling Stone must have heard of them.
Edit: you and Stato and Psychobilly should form a club for people willfully missing out on enjoyable music

 

[Swansman]

Well that's a shame.
I thought they might be on there to fill out the non-US quota, since even the mindless berks at Rolling Stone must have heard of them.
Edit: you and Stato and Psychobilly should form a club for people willfully missing out on enjoyable music

Seems they went with Björk as the Nordic filler... no complaints about that.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

I like Bjork esp with The Sugarcubes, However if they are putting a list of best singers, she’s in at 60 something and Karen Carpenter is at about 120. Puzzling

 

[Stato]

Well that's a shame.
I thought they might be on there to fill out the non-US quota, since even the mindless berks at Rolling Stone must have heard of them.
Edit: you and Stato and Psychobilly should form a club for people willfully missing out on enjoyable music

I know that I own something by everyone in the top fifty, would estimate that I have something by over 95 of the top hundred and probably about 170-180 of the whole list. Are you missing out as much as me?

 

[Pavilionaire]

In America, they have their soul singers.

Here, we have . . . .

Oh, well played!

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I know that I own something by everyone in the top fifty, would estimate that I have something by over 95 of the top hundred and probably about 170-180 of the whole list. Are you missing out as much as me?

Sorry I don't have time to come up with a witty response, I've set aside the rest of this evening to listen to Imagine another 3 times.
I'm hoping to reach 1000 listens by the end of the month.

 

[Lenny Rider]

1 Aretha Franklin

2 Whitney Houston

3 Sam Cooke

4 Billie Holiday

5 Mariah Carey

6 Ray Charles

7 Stevie Wonder

8 Beyoncé

9 Otis Redding

10 Al Green

11 Little Richard

12 John Lennon

13 Patsy Cline

14 Freddie Mercury

15 Bob Dylan

16 Prince

17 Elvis Presley

18 Celia Cruz

19 Frank Sinatra

20 Marvin Gaye

21 Nina Simone

22 Adele

23 Smokey Robinson

24 George Jones

25 Mary J. Blige

26 Paul McCartney

27 Dolly Parton

28 Mahalia Jackson

29 Chaka Khan

30 Hank Williams

31 Luther Vandross

32 David Bowie

33 Bessie Smith

34 Thom Yorke

35 Dusty Springfield

36 Kurt Cobain

37 Van Morrison

38 Curtis Mayfield

39 Louis Armstrong

40 Aaliyah

41 Etta James

42 Teddy Pendergrass

43 Ariana Grande

44 James Brown

45 Ella Fitzgerald

46 Mavis Staples

47 Linda Ronstadt

48 Toni Braxton

49 Rod Stewart

50 Joni Mitchell

51 Sade

52 Mick Jagger

53 Miriam Makeba

54 Willie Nelson

55 Tina Turner

56 Barry White

57 Brian Wilson

58 Lady Gaga

59 Howlin’ Wolf

60 Kate Bush

61 Umm Kulthum

62 George Michael

63 Robert Plant

64 Björk

65 Minnie Riperton

66 David Ruffin

67 Dennis Brown

68 Rihanna

69 Youssou N’Dour

70 Ronnie Spector

71 Roy Orbison

72 Muddy Waters

73 Héctor Lavoe

74 Patti LaBelle

75 D’Angelo

76 Wilson Pickett

77 Bruce Springsteen

78 Janis Joplin

79 Emmylou Harris

80 Chris Cornell

81 João Gilberto

82 Steve Perry

83 Amy Winehouse

84 Lata Mangeshkar

85 Johnny Cash

86 Michael Jackson

87 Diana Ross

88 Jimmie Rodgers

89 Selena

90 Gal Costa

91 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

92 Anita Baker

93 Stevie Nicks

94 Toots Hibbert

95 Vicente Fernández

96 Chuck Berry

97 Usher

98 Bob Marley

99 Clyde McPhatter

100 Elton John

101 Gladys Knight

102 Taylor Swift

103 Leonard Cohen

104 Aaron Neville

105 Eddie Vedder

106 Bill Withers

107 Lou Reed

108 Caetano Veloso

109 Roger Daltrey

110 The Weeknd

111 Fiona Apple

112 Ozzy Osbourne

113 La India

114 Chrissie Hynde

115 Patti Smith

116 Chet Baker

117 Patti Smith

118 John Fogerty

119 Barrington Levy

120 Charlie Rich

121 Jackie Wilson

122 Donna Summer

123 Karen Carpenter

124 Robert Johnson

125 Joe Strummer

126 Donny Hathaway

127 Tammy Wynette

128 Florence Welch

129 Rob Halford

130 Courtney Love

131 Jeff Buckley

132 Loretta Lynn

133 Neil Young

134 Axl Rose

135 IU

136 Lauryn Hill

137 El DeBarge

138 Merle Haggard

139 Rocío Dúrcal

140 Bono

141 Christina Aguilera

142 Russell Thompkins Jr.

143 Luciano

144 Darlene Love

145 PJ Harvey

146 Ruth Brown

147 Barbra Streisand

148 Levon Helm

149 Wanda Jackson

150 Bryan Fery

151 Martha Reeves

152 Michael Stipe

153 Mahlathini

154 Dion

155 Robert Smith

156 George Straight

157 Robert Smith

158 Carrie Underwood

159 Mississippi John Hurt

160 Mercedes Sosa

161 Brenda Lee

162 Françoise Hardy

163 Bobby 'Blue' Bland

164 Sandy Denny

165 Ronnie James Dio

166 Morrissey

167 Marc Anthony

168 Debbie Harry

169 Sylvester

170 Chris Stapleton

171 Odetta

172 Juan Gabriel

173 Marianne Faithfull

174 Buddy Holly

175 Lana Del Ray

176 Iggy Pop

177 Patty Loveless

178 Tabu Ley Rochereau

179 Martha Wash

180 SZA

181 Bob Seger

182 Jazmine Sullivan

183 Solomon Burke

184 Karen O

185 Alicia Keys

186 Ofra Haza

187 Bonnie Raitt

188 Fela Kuti

189 Joan Baez

190 Frank Ocean

191 Jung Kook

192 Anohni

193 Brandy

194 Kelly Clarkson

195 Poly Styrene

196 Paul Westerberg

197 Burna Boy

198 Billie Eilish

199 Glenn Danzig

200 Rosalía

No Tom Jones?

 

[LennyTee]

No Tom Jones?

I could Google it, but who is Sam Cooke?