10 greatest vocalists

[asadoyayunta]

Ella Fitzgerald
Ethel Mermann
Aretha Franklin
Timi Yuro
Dusty Springfield
Dolly Parton
Debbie Harry
Kate Bush
Mary J Blige
Beyonce

Guy singers don't really do it for me

 

[lukewhoitis]

This isn't neccesarily who I like the most just who I think have the best voices:

Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston
Edith Piaf
Sarah Vaughan
Ella Fitzgerald
Patti Labelle
Aretha Franklin
Nina Simone
Janis Joplin
Anita Baker

Honourable mentions: Celine Dion, Shirley Bassey, Christina Aguilera

Guys:
Al Green
Freddie Mercury
Nat King Cole
Steve Tyler
Frank Sinatra
Elvis Presley
Stevie Wonder
Michael Jackson when he was young
Prince
Marvin Gaye

Honourable mentions: Josh Groban, Steve Perry

 

[hylas]

off the top of my head, more or less unedited:

pure genius:
nina simone
björk
feist
aretha franklin
janis joplin
dusty springfield
lauryn hill
skin (skunk anansie)
edith piaf
joanna newsom

wasting their fantastic voices on mediocre/bad material:
martina topley-bird
joss stone
melanie c
anastacia

cant stand them, despite technically good singing:
mariah carey
celine dion
beyoncé

have done the most with what little nature has given them:
nico
marianne faithfull
karen o
janet jackson
carla bruni
jane birkin

 

[AnalblasT]

Aretha Franklin

Mike Matejevic
Michael Kiske

 

[RestlessDevil]

1. Reba McEntire
2. Trisha Yearwood
3. LeAnn Rimes
4. Wynonna
5. Martina McBride
6. Lorrie Morgan
7. Anastacia
8. Whitney Houston*
9. Mariah Carey *
10. Shelby Lynne*

*Mariah, Whitney and Shelby in their heyday, and not in their current vocal shape.

 

[wundersteve]

Linda Ronstadt
Barbra Streisand
Whitney Houston
Nana Mouskouri
Mariah Carey
Edith Piaf
k.d. lang
Celine Dion

Those women above are all belters.

For women with a more restrained style I would include:

Olivia Newton-John
Dionne Warwick
Anne Murray
Karen Carpenter
Dolly Parton

 

[hubbellgardner]

Barbra Streisand Bryan Ferry
Linda Eder David Gates
Celine Dion Frank Sinatra
Cleo Laine Michael Ball
Jo Stafford Josh Groban
Dusty Springfield Michael Buble
KD Lang Dick Haymes
Sarah Vaughan John Barrowman
Patti LaBelle David Bowie
Jane Oliver Tom Jones

 

[hubbellgardner]

Barbra Streisand
Linda Eder
Celine Dion
Cleo Laine
Jo Stafford
Dusty Springfield
KD Lang
Sarah Vaughan
Patti LaBelle
Jane Oliver

Bryan Ferry
David Gates
Frank Sinatra
Michael Ball
Josh Groban
Michael Buble
Dick Haymes
John Barrowman
David Bowie
Tom Jones

 

[matt1980111]

Here's my list of some of my favorite females (of course there's more so it was hard to pick just ten):

Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston
Celine Dion
Christina Aguilera
Leona Lewis
Patti LaBelle
Martina McBride
LeeAnn Rhimes
Eva Cassidy
Gladys Knight

Here's the guys:
Luther Vandross
Micheal Jackson
Steve Perry
Clay Aiken
Brian McKnight
Billy Porter
Ejay Day
Elliot Yamin
Jason Mraz
Tevin Campbell

 

[ShihTzuTylenol]

have done the most with what little nature has given them:
nico
marianne faithfull
karen o
janet jackson
carla bruni
jane birkin

Amy Lee
Alison Krauss
Stevie Nicks
Pat Benatar
Patty Loveless
Cher
Vanessa Carlton
Shania Twain
Ann Wilson
Johnette Napolitano

Honorable Mentions: Billy Holiday, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Amy Winehouse

Robert Plant
Elton John
Chris Robinson
Layne Staley
Don Henley
Lou Gramm
George Strait
Meatloaf
Steve Perry
Dan Fogelberg

HonMen: Bon Scott, Michael Stipe and Chris Cornell

 

[bokan800]

Male:

10. Al Green
9. Luther Vandross
8. Michael Jackson
7. Bono
6. David Bowie
5. Prince
4. Little Richard
3. Roy Orbison
2. Robert Plant
1. Freddie Mercury

Female:

10. Beyonce
9. Grace Slick
8. Celine Dion
7. Mariah Carey
6. Ann Wilson
5. Etta James
4. Janis Joplin
3. Christina Aguilera
2. Whitney Houston
1. Aretha Franklin

 

[Shanefull]

Linda Eder is a goddess with her voice. Clay Aiken is a god. Now imagine the 2 of them doing a Duet to "Crying". Its coming on Clay's CD (Tried & True) on June 1st.

 

[arpeggi]

Just a few favorites in no particular order (except Thom who is clearly the best):

Thom Yorke
Guy Garvey (Elbow)
Jonas Bjerre (Mew)
Nick Cave
Antony Hegarty
Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
Polly Jean Harvey
Erykah Badu
Fiona Apple
Nina Persson (The Cardigans)

a few more:
John Fogerty
Vanessa Briscoe (Pylon)
Chrissie Hynde
David Byrne
Ian Curtis
Carol King
Jonsi (Sigur Ros)
Delores O'Riordan
Natalie Merchant
Sade

 

[Jayden]

I'm stunned that Miss Jan Terri is on nobodys list.

 

[cornholio]

all right, this will be a seriously subjective list. Those are the singers, that "do it for me".

Females:
1. Skin (Skunk Anansie)
2. PJ Harvey
3. Lauryn Hill
4. Nikka Costa
5. Nina Simone
6. Björk

Males:
1. Ben Harper
2. Eddie Vedder
3. Thom Yorke
4. Cedric Bixler Zavala
5. Chris Cornell
6. John Frusciante
7. Robert Plant
8. Xavier Naidoo

 

[gargth2u]

Female
1. Sarah Vaughan
2. Barbra Streisand
3. k d lang
4. Linda Ronstadt
5. Shirley Bassey
6. Yma Sumac
7. Jennifer Holiday
8. Patti LaBelle
9. Dusty Springfield
10. Cyndi Lauper

Male
1. Jimmy Sommerville
2. Tom Jones
3. Al Jarreau
4. Meatloaf
5. Pavarotti
6. Johnny Mathis
7. Michael Buble
8. Aaron Neville
9. Mel Thorme
10. Barry White

 

[Gussss]

My top 10 have all been mentioned with the exception of Chaka Khan. I think she has a phenomenal voice.

 

[QuinnRider]

Celine Dion [by far, even today]
Alison Krauss
Barbra Streisand
Patti Labelle
Cyndi Lauper
Sarah Brightman
Tina Turner
Dolly Parton
Ann Wilson
Patsy Cline
[honorable mentions, Mama Cass Elliot, Whitney Houston in her hayday and Tina Turner!]


male

Andrea Boccelli [Duet with Celine, I died]
Josh Groban [Duet with Celine, I died]
Bert McCracken
Billie Joe Armstrong
Johnny Cash
Frank Sinatra [Duet with Celine, I died]
Elvis [Duet with Celine, I died]
Lead Singer of Depeche Mode, forget his name, damn!
Rufus Weignwright [totally spelled wrong]
Luciano Pavaraotti [Duet with Celine, I died]

 

[ShihTzuTylenol]

LoL...at these lists anyways

don't laugh! we all can't be as cultured and polished as thou (obviously) art!

[summoning a curse; please stand-by]
May your dog poop on the carpet and your sockless toes find it's fresh warmth!

 

[gaz1978]

Dont listen to enough female artists to comment.

Male:

Sam Cooke
Marvin Gaye
Don Henley
Al Green
Johnny Cash
Freddie Mercury
Bruce Springsteen
John Fogerty

and recent artists like James Mercer (The Shins), Antony and the Johnsons, Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses).