Singer with the best vocals?

This is supposed to be different from the other thread asking whats your favorite muscians. I'm asking what singer (either solo or from a band) do you think has the best vocals? For me I would say Freddie Mercury from Queen was one of if not the best singers to ever live. Celine Dion and Sharon En Del (sp?) from Within Temptation are also very good.

Anyone?

Oh. I wouldn't say Céline Dion got nice vocals, she sounds really stretched to me... Whatever that means. :P Only my opinion tho. :)

Without thinking much about it, let's say Jeff Buckley..:love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGuV18oHw18

And Roy Orbison, he's got the smoothest voice ever! You can't resist him...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE9AwR0awVQ

I'll think about it..

Do you mean "technically most proficient" or "the voice I personally like the most"? A lot of my favourite vocalists don't technically have the best voices (one of my favourite vocalists has this tendency to go off into a high-pitched, off-key nasal whine when he gets emotional), but there's just something individual about them that I love. A lot of technically excellent singers leave me cold, because I find their voices not particularly individual.

Singers I love who do also strike me as being jaw-droppingly technically proficient include Aretha Franklin, Kate Bush, Alison Moyet.

From all the bands I've listened to, I've picked out four singers that sound great to me and have amazing vocals. Freddie Mercury from Queen was great. Amy Lee from Evanescence is amazing, one of my all time favorite female singers. Matt Bellamy from Muse is also great. Some people think he can't sing, but really, he has one of the most unique voices ever (or at least I think so). Last is Florence Welch from Florence + the Machine who is brilliant and now one of my absolute favorite singers.

Oh, and Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin.

I guess I'm mostly asking who you personally like vocalwise.

Hmm, well for male singers no names are coming to me right now as having amazing vocals. I'll have to think about that more. :hmm:

As for female singers, there are lots. Maybe it's just a preference, but I believe girls in general are better singers. They have sweeter, softer, sexier, etc voices. Here are some personal favs and/or those I know are famous for/associated with having incredible vocals:

Celine Dion
Martina McBride (she's been called the "Celine Dion of country music")
Carrie Underwood
Mariah Carey
Sarah McLachlan
Faith Hill
Shania Twain

I'd go with Freddy Mercury

Leona Lewis ... Hands down, has got the best voice I have heard in years

But, if I was looking at the best vocal in a band, I would of said Hayley Williams from Paramore. Love her

BTW, don't get me wrong. I don't dislike male singers or only listen to female singers. I actually probably listen to male artists more. I just don't typically listen because of vocals and it tends to be more rock. I find girls aren't as good with rock, different type of voice required. :shrug:

I'm still trying to come up with some good male vocalists...two I really like (they have more "girly voices") are Keith Urban and Brad Paisley

I like Carrie Underwood, I wouldn't say she's got the best vocals, but her voice is powerful.

Also, I like Vitas. He's awesome.

The lead singer from SR-71 was cool too, although I'm not sure he's singing anymore. :cool:

I like Carrie Underwood, I wouldn't say she's got the best vocals, but her voice is powerful.

Well, she's won the best female vocalist award for the past 4 years! :p Personally I think she actually sounds better live than on album. :tu:

This shouldn't come as much of a suprise however, considering she got her start by winning American Idol, which required her to consistently perform live and have good vocals. But this is a mark of a truly great singer, in my opinion. Nowdays too many really can't sing, they just doctor em up in studio to sound good. A perfect example would be Taylor Swift. I like her on radio but she sounds awful live.

She would never win an award for vocals, if it were up to me. She wins awards because he songs are popular, not because she can sing well.

Of course, even the worst professional singers are probably a heck of a lot better than the average person :lol:

Hmm, well for male singers no names are coming to me right now as having amazing vocals. I'll have to think about that more. :hmm:

As for female singers, there are lots. Maybe it's just a preference, but I believe girls in general are better singers. They have sweeter, softer, sexier, etc voices. Here are some personal favs and/or those I know are famous for/associated with having incredible vocals:

Celine Dion
Martina McBride (she's been called the "Celine Dion of country music")
Carrie Underwood
Mariah Carey
Sarah McLachlan
Faith Hill
Shania Twain
All of these singers have good voices. Mariah Carey used to in my opinion, until she started whining while she sings :lol:. I'm sorry but that kind of ruined it for me. Her older stuff was good though.

As for general...

Martika (from Kids incorporated fame) has an incredible voice...
Whitney Houston... still does to a point, but back in the 80's and early 90's, her voice was just incredible...
Michael Jackson had a good voice as well, and he was talented.
Steve Perry (Journey) -- has one heck of a voice himself... just listening to some of the songs he fronted gives me chills.

I think it also depends on genre. You cant really compare the voice of a pop artist to that of a metal artist.

Rock: Matt Bellamy of Muse, Stephen Christian of Anberlin and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin
Alternative: Thom Yorke of Radiohead
Metal: Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil, Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy
Other: Andreas Bergh of Deathstars
Pop: So computerised, cant tell

lcbaseball22
I find girls aren't as good with rock, different type of voice required.
Hmmm there are plenty of amazing females in rock.

Of course, even the worst professional singers are probably a heck of a lot better than the average person :lol:
:lol: I'd beg to differ in a few cases :scared: There's an Australian pop duo called The Veronicas. Anybody who has ever seen them live (I was reviewing the band they were supporting) knows they are just... painful. And I'm not just saying that. Their parents work for a record label... it all makes sense once you know that.

I think it also depends on genre. You cant really compare the voice of a pop artist to that of a metal artist.

Not all pop artists lip synch and its really unfair to assume something like that. Especially older popstars didn't lip synch. And why does vocals along with a supposedly"computerised" sound necessarily make them a bad singer? People like Micheal Jackson and Barbra Striesand are very good vocalist.

Besides how can you hear a good voice clearly with heavy instrument playing? Which is the case for alot of metal. I'm not saying its bad music by the way. Though its not particularly my thing.

I think this is pretty subjective, but for me the peoples I love to listen to over and over again are pretty varied.

For guys:

I love James Hetfield from Metallica- something about his voice is so amazing to me :p

Mark McGrath from Sugar Ray. Wow his voice is super sexy to me. I could listen to him all day, seriously.

Jason Mraz, I love him. Love, love him. Plus he is good live, which is always really nice.

I am going to have to get back to you on girls, I have to think about them a lot because there are so many I love :lol:

You guys really picked alot of good ones. I usually prefer female singers over guy singers. Something about there voice is so amazing. I also think some of the best singers come from rock (especially Classic Rock) and Adult Pop. Theres also really good Country singers.

You guys really picked alot of good ones. I usually prefer female singers over guy singers. Something about there voice is so amazing. I also think some of the best singers come from rock (especially Classic Rock) and Adult Pop. Theres also really good Country singers.
Seconded there xFluerDelacourx. It seems as if a lot of really good singers come from rock (especially Classic Rock) and Adult Pop. From the looks of things, those kinds of songs require more emotion and range to a point.

Not all pop artists lip synch and its really unfair to assume something like that. Especially older popstars didn't lip synch. And why does vocals along with a supposedly"computerised" sound necessarily make them a bad singer? People like Micheal Jackson and Barbra Striesand are very good vocalist.
That was just an example. I could have said metal/hip hop, rnb/jazz or anything. You cant compare any genres to each other because vocal styles are so different.
And by computerised I mean the voices are so terribly altered on CD there's not really anything left of the artist's original voice. I like some industrial music which has altered vocals but that's part of the art. I feel like pop music lies most of the time (note I'm not saying ALL) because there's no suggestion that the voices are anything but natural and I can prove it. All you need is to hear an artist live and compare them to the CD version. I'll find an example later. Also, I'm not saying this happens with all artists, I know some pop artists genuinely have good voices but I think the ratio of good vs bad is much greater leaning in the 'bad' direction in pop than in other genres.

Besides how can you hear a good voice clearly with heavy instrument playing? Which is the case for alot of metal. I'm not saying its bad music by the way. Though its not particularly my thing.
At least it's the real voice and anybody who's listened to metal knows the instruments don't distort the voice and there's no trouble in distinguishing sounds. I've been a metal fan for a decade and haven't yet found an artist whose voice I haven't heard over the instruments.

In fairness, even in pop, I'm not sure why a band or a record label would choose to hire a singer who can't sing. I know there are cases of nepotism (like the Australian band you mentioned, Hysteria), celebs from other fields who decide they want to play at being a pop star (e.g. Paris Hilton), or "singers" who are hired for their looks/image, rather than their voice (you're probably all far too young to remember Milli Vanilli, a "band" of French (?) male models, who turned out not to be singing on their records at all!). On the whole, though, there are so many aspiring pop stars out there for labels to choose from, that if their main aim is to sign someone sexy, it's still probably far easier to sign a sexy person who can sing than to sign one who can't (and then have to use a raft of technological treatments to make it sound like they can). But maybe I'm just being incredibly naive here?

I would agree, though, that being able to cut it in live performance is a more essential requirement in rock than pop, so there are fewer places for bad singers to hide.

Also, some genres (e.g. punk and, to an extent, folk) require vocalists who are not "good" singers in the traditional or mainstream sense. So I totally agree, Hysteria, that the "best" vocals becomes a meaningless concept when you're comparing one genre to another.

Maybe it's just a preference, but I believe girls in general are better singers. They have sweeter, softer, sexier, etc voices.

Yes, for men. Women listen to music too though.

I like Martin Gore's (of Depeche Mode) vibrato immensely. I love Bjork's vocals, because they're amazingly imaginative and non-conventional, it's an exciting experience listening to her.

Yes, for men. Women listen to music too though.

Of course. But that's not what I meant.

Though ironically every guy I know is reluctant to admit he listens to female artists and wouldn't be caught dead singing a woman's song.

I don't get it. Perhaps it's cause the majority of songs by female artists are about men and so guys think it makes them seem gay. :hmm:

Personally I have no problem singing songs such as "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain or "She's In Love with the Boy" by Trisha Yearwood :lol: They're great songs :p I dunno, It's hard to say, but it's unbelievable how insecure guys are about their sexuality and all :whistle:


Oh, so I looked through my iPod and came up with some more male vocalists...some personal favs:

Darius Rucker (lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish)
John Rzeznik (lead singer of Goo Goo Dolls)
Cody Collins (lead singer of Lonestar)

In fairness, even in pop, I'm not sure why a band or a record label would choose to hire a singer who can't sing. I know there are cases of nepotism (like the Australian band you mentioned, Hysteria), celebs from other fields who decide they want to play at being a pop star (e.g. Paris Hilton), or "singers" who are hired for their looks/image, rather than their voice (you're probably all far too young to remember Milli Vanilli, a "band" of French (?) male models, who turned out not to be singing on their records at all!). On the whole, though, there are so many aspiring pop stars out there for labels to choose from, that if their main aim is to sign someone sexy, it's still probably far easier to sign a sexy person who can sing than to sign one who can't (and then have to use a raft of technological treatments to make it sound like they can). But maybe I'm just being incredibly naive here?

I would agree, though, that being able to cut it in live performance is a more essential requirement in rock than pop, so there are fewer places for bad singers to hide.

Also, some genres (e.g. punk and, to an extent, folk) require vocalists who are not "good" singers in the traditional or mainstream sense. So I totally agree, Hysteria, that the "best" vocals becomes a meaningless concept when you're comparing one genre to another.

That's pretty much what I was trying (and failing) to say. I'm not really trying to put down pop music, but it's unfair to compare singing abilities/styles across genres because, like you said, different genres want different things. A mainstream pop singer wouldn't work singing in a metal band just like a metal singer probably wouldn't be so good at rnb.

But I stand by my point that there are many pop singers (and probably in other genres, I only really get exposure to pop thanks to my sister) who just cannot sing at all, and get by on computer manipulation and you only really find this out if you have the misfortune of hearing them sing live.

lcbaseball22
Though ironically every guy I know is reluctant to admit he listens to female artists and wouldn't be caught dead singing a woman's song.
I think that too depends on genre. There are a few great metal bands with female singers (Arch Enemy, Lacuna Coil etc) and most of their following are male. I'm not a fan of labeling music, but when it comes to fans and vocals, genre is very relevant.

That's pretty much what I was trying (and failing) to say.

No, you didn't fail to say it - I got your point (which is why I said "I totally agree, Hysteria")

Anyway, I've just remembered, I haven't yet said who my favourite singers are (only ones I think are technically good). Strangely enough, my absolute favourite singers tend to be blokes and none of them are probably "good" singers in any empirical sense.

My number one favourite is David Sylvian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Q7N6QLYxc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h-OgYyE0AA

I used to absolutely hate his voice 30 years ago, but it's really grown on me (and it has also got technically much better over the years) and, besides which, his voice is now so tied up with the emotions his songs generate in me and the times in my life I associate his music with, I can't be objective about it.

Then there's Jim Irvin and Tim Whelan of Furniture. (Irvin is technically the better singer, but I prefer Whelan's voice)
Irvin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JeEXP717T0&feature=related
Whelan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXkK39lp-do

OK, I'll shut up and go away now, as I've said far too much on this thread.

I have no idea who would be the "best" vocalists considering who's, as Hysteria put it, "technically most proficient" because i don't really care about the singers technical ability.

I'll start with metal vocalists:

Corvus
He is a vocalist of the finnish black metal Horna. It might sound pretty horrible for most of you but i absolutely love Corvus' vocals. I love vocalists who sing like their life depended on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7U4EJOwP38

Wrath
Vocalist of another one of my favourite black metal bands, Enochian Crescent (they are from Finland too). He has a very distinctive singing style, which i enjoy thoroughly. Also, an awesome live performer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgDJi1v7UGI (doesn't really do him justice, but the best quality live clip i found)

Albert Witchfinder
Yet another finnish band, this time doom metal though. Really diverse voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgKSeA8YoZk

Aaand non metal vocalists:

Johnny Cash
Well, everyone knows who Mr. Cash is. One of the coolest voices in the history of mankind. And an awesome man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgja26eNeY

Tom Waits
Another one for the category of the coolest voices of mankind (also all-around cool guy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GugzLSbOQE

Jónsi Birgisson
Singer of Sigur Rós, really varied and beautiful voice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFOvdSCOfpk

Paula Vesala
Singer of the finnish band PMMP. They have 2 singers but i like Paula's voice more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7E3jsATXO4 (Paula is the blond haired one)

Reetaleena
Singer of the band Husky Rescue. Has a really beautiful and calming voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sMSIDOmJos

And now i will stop or i'll be listing my favourite vocalists all night.

I got two more to add... Cher and Peter Cetera. They don't have the greatest range in terms of vocalization, but their voices blend well :).

Another good one...

Kenny Loggins -- again not the best vocal range wise, but he still has an incredible voice :). (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rOiwhBbooo)

Freddie Mercury is my favorite. It's amazing that he's so talented at singing but he never had formal vocal lessons. That just makes him seem even greater in my eyes.

Michael Jackson is obviously on the list of the greatest singers of all time. Mariah Carey has a great voice but I'm not the biggest fan of her songs. :whistle: Ella Fitzgerald is incredibly talented, too.

Hmm, for vocals, I'd have to say Freddie Mercury. His range was fantastic. Robert Plant's second for me, but he doesn't have quite the range that Freddy did.

Peter Gabriel
Phil Collins
Robert Plant, 1973, where I feel he was at the peak in his vocals.
Paul Rodgers
Freddie Mercury (c'mon, who else could sing Killer Queen?)
Jon Anderson
Benoit David
John Wetton
Elvis Presley
Steve Perry
Rod Stewart
Sebastian BachElton John
Don Henley
Stevie Nicks
Jackson Browne
Trevor Horn
Jim Morrison
Roger Daltrey
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Paul Carrack( listen to "The Living Years' by Mike and the Mechanics)
Meat Loaf
Greg Lake
Simon Collins............

I could go on, i swear i could! but, the site would crash. I'll be honest- just one? It's too hard a decision to make.

Peter Gabriel
Phil Collins
Robert Plant, 1973, where I feel he was at the peak in his vocals.
Paul Rodgers
Freddie Mercury (c'mon, who else could sing Killer Queen?)
Jon Anderson
Benoit David
John Wetton
Elvis Presley
Steve Perry
Rod Stewart
Sebastian BachElton John
Don Henley
Stevie Nicks
Jackson Browne
Trevor Horn
Jim Morrison
Roger Daltrey
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Paul Carrack( listen to "The Living Years' by Mike and the Mechanics)
Meat Loaf
Greg Lake
Simon Collins............

I could go on, i swear i could! but, the site would crash. I'll be honest- just one? It's too hard a decision to make.


Oh, I'm glad you mentioned Greg Lake and John Wetton. King Crimson's best stuff, in my opinion, was when they were the vocalists (1969-70, and 1973-74 respectively, I think).

Freddie Mercury is my favorite. It's amazing that he's so talented at singing but he never had formal vocal lessons. That just makes him seem even greater in my eyes.

Hmm, I don't know who this is...what band?


Michael Jackson is obviously on the list of the greatest singers of all time. Mariah Carey has a great voice but I'm not the biggest fan of her songs.

Obviously? :huh: Err, no...he sounded like a pre-pubescent boy :lol: Agree on Mariah Carey, incredible voice but not a fan of her music. :shrug:

Hmm, I don't know who this is...what band?


Freddie Mercury was the leadsinger of Queen, one of the most succesful 1980s bands.

Ahh, in that case, I say no to that as well. :p

I hate Queen, can't stand their sound. And I don't get why everyone seems to love that stupid Bohemian Rhapsody song :relax:

^ But this is about singer with the best vocals. It's pretty hard to dispute that Freddie Mercury didn't have an amazing voice. What are your reasons for thinking he didn't?

Oh, I'm glad you mentioned Greg Lake and John Wetton. King Crimson's best stuff, in my opinion, was when they were the vocalists (1969-70, and 1973-74 respectively, I think).

oh my. i thought i was the only one on this board who liked 'em! :lol: its a shock, really.

And I don't get why everyone seems to love that stupid Bohemian Rhapsody song :relax:

it's because of waynes world, in the car, when they pop in the tape with the song. i personally do not like that song at all, since it overplayed on the radio here....

Obviously? :huh: Err, no...he sounded like a pre-pubescent boy :lol:

But that's what sets him apart. Not everyone is going to sing in the same pitch or else music would be interesting. What people like about him is that he can go to such high pitches that most men cannot reach.

Ahh, in that case, I say no to that as well. :p

I hate Queen, can't stand their sound. And I don't get why everyone seems to love that stupid Bohemian Rhapsody song :relax:

Freddie Mercury is considered one of the greatest singers of all time. Even if I didn't like Queen, I wouldn't think differently. His talent is unprecedented and, as I said, it's even more astounding given that he had no vocal lessons.

Can't argue with Freddie Mercury being one of the best there ever was - I always loved Queen and his voice is amazing.

Annie Lennox is another whose voice astounds me. It's so different and seems to adapt in many ways.

Christina Aguilera's voice is another one I love, again because it seems to do many different things - I think she is incredible.

Male singers I love generally all have a very rough, almost gravelly sound. Jason Wade, Chad Kroeger, and the lead singer of the Kings of Leon whose name has escaped me! :lol:

Annie Lennox is another whose voice astounds me. It's so different and seems to adapt in many ways.

I love her voice, too.

I can take Queen or leave them, but I can't dispute that Freddie Mercury was a brilliantly talented singer.

Posted by KeepItDark
Rod Stewart

:tu: Definitely not a fan of his records (except maybe some of the early stuff with the Jeff Beck Group), but I once accidentally saw him live and he was gobsmackingly good.

Well, perhaps I need to listen to a few more Queen songs to be sure, but I think I've heard more than enough of that God awful music for a lifetime and obviously his voice didn't make a good impression. :relax: He's just another flamboyant guy with a high voice...not my thing :p

Then again, there are very few male singers I think are good vocalists and/or that I listen to because they sound good. Well, let me clarify. Guys like Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, etc...I like listening to them because of their unique sound, wouldn't really call them good "vocalists" Another guy I like (though it's mostly women who are crazy about him) is Josh Turner, country singer with a really deep voice :lol:

Well, perhaps I need to listen to a few more Queen songs to be sure, but I think I've heard more than enough of that God awful music for a lifetime and obviously his voice didn't make a good impression. :relax: He's just another flamboyant guy with a high voice...not my thing :p

I don't mean to make assumptions but would it be fair to say you don't know a lot about Queen? They're not for everybody but I challenge anyone to come up with a convincing argument as to why Freddie Mercury doesn't have a good voice. Not liking something doesn't mean it isn't good. I dislike Beyonce but acknowledge she has a good voice.

Hmm, I don't know who this is...what band?
Originally Posted by Beatifically
Michael Jackson is obviously on the list of the greatest singers of all time. Mariah Carey has a great voice but I'm not the biggest fan of her songs
Obviously? :huh: Err, no...he sounded like a pre-pubescent boy :lol: Agree on Mariah Carey, incredible voice but not a fan of her music. :shrug:

On MJ belongiing on the list - definitely:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvjy6MQr6fE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxLKf1YxYUc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFQzRBarU6Q

Agree on Mariah, though.

Cyndi Lauper: four-octave range and perfect pitch

Though ironically every guy I know is reluctant to admit he listens to female artists and wouldn't be caught dead singing a woman's song.


Really? How odd.

Freddie Mercury is my favorite. It's amazing that he's so talented at singing but he never had formal vocal lessons. That just makes him seem even greater in my eyes.

Freddy was a good singer but an outstanding performer.

Michael Jackson is obviously on the list of the greatest singers of all time.

Above average talent, brilliant performer who was greatly assisted by Quincy Jones.

I hate Queen, can't stand their sound. And I don't get why everyone seems to love that stupid Bohemian Rhapsody song :relax:

You're way to young to remember but when it came out the production of the song and the film-clip were revolutionary and just blew everyone away.

It's a little known fact that a cassette left in a car long enough will eventually turn into Queen's Greatest Hits.

I couldn't and still can't stand Queen, either. And at 43 I'm old enough to have experienced the release of "Bohemian Rhapsody" - one of the prime examples why I don't like Queen. I'm so not into that art rock thing.

I respect Freddie Mercury as a talented singer. He's just never touched me emotionally.

Another singer I personally liked a lot back in the 80s was Ronnie James Dio during his days with Rainbow and Dio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5asOv9Fh5gk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3VgV31vmUE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhA-XXExobc

Another singer I personally liked a lot back in the 80s was Ronnie James Dio during his days with Rainbow and Dio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5asOv9Fh5gk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3VgV31vmUE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhA-XXExobc

:tu: I forgot about him. one of my faves!

:tu: I forgot about him. one of my faves!

He had such a beautiful voice. So soft and warm in the ballads and so powerful in the rock songs. I saw him live twice in the late 80s/early 90. With Stargazer and Heaven and Hell he put every fire siren to shame :) He's still on stage at 65, you can watch the clips on youtube. His voice has gone deeper but still pretty impressive.

He had such a beautiful voice. So soft and warm in the ballads and so powerful in the rock songs. I saw him live twice in the late 80s/early 90. With Stargazer and Heaven and Hell he put every fire siren to shame :) He's still on stage at 65, you can watch the clips on youtube. His voice has gone deeper but still pretty impressive.

to be that old, and still be onstage, is a....(trying to come up with the right words) great thing (only thing that has popped into my mind). i could have sworn he was in his 50s. ive seen the stuff on youtube, though some of the audio stinks, his voice is still kickin' ***.

I was wrong, actually, he's 67, I just looked it up: Born July 10, 1942 (age 67). (Wikipedia).
Yes, he's amazing. For me the best hard rock singer on the planet. As demonstrated by this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvjQkd5FuYY

How could I have forgotten Yanka Rupkina of Trio Bulgarka?

Can I add Klaus Meine, frontman of the Scorpions, here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_lMNufI3hA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57CzNqgm8Fc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBjjPa25-Fw

how could i forget Klaus! oh goodness- i love the scorpions....

To think they told this man he would never sing again and he should look for a career change in 1981. Go figure ... listen to him in "Send Me an Angel".

I thought of another male vocalist- Rob Thomas

Perhaps not the best, but a great distinctive rock voice and he was/is the lead singer of one of my fav bands from the 90's, Matchbox 20 :cool:

In recent years he has also gone solo and done very well, scoring a couple #1 hits and some other top 10's. This is an acoustic of his last #1-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igxBjFpkUXA&NR=1 - Rob has said that the song is in reference to his wife's auto-immune disease, aww


Oh, and I just heard this chick Leona Lewis perform on America's Got Talent the other night. My God, her voice is incredible! :wow: Apparently she's a big star in the UK who's gained wordlwide fame, but I hadn't heard of her. I don't care for her music, but I can't deny she has talent

Oh, and did I mention she is damn sexy too? :drool: Anyways, here is the performance I saw- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LrsXRg7ZM8

I find it so funny though how when she sings you would think she is American but then you hear her talk and it is uh...a British accent :err:

But yeah, def have to add Leona Lewis to my previous list:



Celine Dion
Martina McBride (she's been called the "Celine Dion of country music")
Carrie Underwood
Mariah Carey
Sarah McLachlan
Faith Hill
Shania Twain

Another country singer with an amazing voice is Trisha Yearwood, tend to forget her, she's overshadowed by her husband- Garth Brooks ;)

I have another country singer to add. I heard her on the radio yesterday and I can't believe I forgot to mention her before. She's not one of my favorites, but Alison Krauss has undeniably some of the best vocals. I'm really surprised nobody else has mentioned her yet either.

I mean, she's only one of the most awarded female vocalists of all time! :p For some reason her voice gives me chills, but it's angelic. Actually, her voice is like TOO feminine and soft and sweet...if that makes any sense and/or is possible :lol: :whistle: Uh, just listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjsjZWlRVvo

She's perhaps more well known for her duets, such as Whiskey Lullaby with Brad Paisley and for her collaborative work with Robert Plant.

How could I have forgotten Yanka Rupkina of Trio Bulgarka?

Thank you for saying this! I may be biased, but I think authentic Bulgarian folklore sounds astonishing in itself, and Rupkina's voice just shatters your world when you hear it performed by her.

Needless to say, my favourite female vocals are Bjork's :D

My favourite female vocalists are Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil and Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy. Angela is often mistaken for a male in terms of her singing voice. She really is unique. It's nice to see people breaking those boundaries once in a while.

Beyonce. Although I strongly dislike her, her songs too, she's got an awesome voice. :wow: I've heard her live performing Single Ladies, low-quality song but she still sounded great. :tu: (No, I'm not saying that the ones in my sig pic have higher quality songs(although I enjoy them more), but for Beyonce a song like Single Ladies is ridiculus to me :lol:)

Beyonce. Although I strongly dislike her, her songs too, she's got an awesome voice. :wow: I've heard her live performing Single Ladies, low-quality song but she still sounded great. :tu: (No, I'm not saying that the ones in my sig pic have higher quality songs(although I enjoy them more), but for Beyonce a song like Single Ladies is ridiculus to me :lol:)

I mostly agree with this. I don't dislike her at all...but I don't care for much of her music. She does have an incredible voice however. :tu:

One song I actually really like of Beyonce's is "Halo"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70AgyIEnBRE But as for that "Single Ladies" song you mentioned, I completely agree. I posted this on a different thread concerning the vid for that song and the Kanye incident at the VMA's


I had no clue what video Kanye was referring to as "one of the best videos of all time" so I looked it up. It wasn't the one I expected-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVEGfH4s5g

Are you kidding me? :err: I mean it's sexy, but def not a good music vid, let alone song. Other than 3 chicks dancing like strippers it's pretty bland. And I find the song awfully annoying. I really like Beyonce's song Halo, and assumed that was the vid referred to. If it had been then I could see making a case for it, but this one is vexing and too simple to deserve such a title. And Taylor Swift's vid had relevance at least.

And yes, I'm a country music fan but I'm not crazy about Swift like some of my buddies. She doesn't have the best vocals and I don't care for some of her songs but I think there is no denying her vid for You Belong With Me is unique, creative, and very deserving of VMA award :tu:

BTW, I don't mean to bash Beyonce. She's actually a real class act, with how she saved the VMA's giving up her speech so Taylor could finish and all and I have a lot of respect for her unlike someone else *coughKaynecough* Plus I think that Beyonce has a better voice, way better. But I assumed Kayne was referring to Halo, which is such an incredible song. As you can imagine I was quite shocked to find out the song in question was actually THIS. I'm sorry but between Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) and You Belong With Me, Taylor's vid is far superior. :shrug:


Oh, another Beyonce song I don't mind listening to from time to time is "If I Were A Boy" but this one tends to get to me. I usually tear up when I think of all the women who are mistreated by other guys. Plus, it's just something about the way she sings it that evokes emotion.

I loved this article in a British newspaper today:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/6654834/Jedward-if-Bob-Dylan-went-on-the-X-Factor.html

My favourite bits:

Popular music is not about singing, and never was. If you insist on only hearing the most technically accomplished vocalists, go to the opera. Popular music is about the delivery of a song, with character and authority [...] It is about authenticity, the complete ownership of the lyric.

One song I actually really like of Beyonce's is "Halo"- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70AgyIEnBRE

Link doesn't work - it says I have to log in or something. Anyway, I believe Beyonce has awesome vocals, but is wasting her time performing songs like Single Ladies and Beautiful Liar feat. Shakira while her voice deserves somethign better - like Halo, which is indeed great:tu:, and the same goes with her video-clips. I don't really appreciate them, maybe for their lack of creativity, you know, just Beyonce and two girls dancing lamely (see Single Ladies and Sweet Dreams video-clips, personally I found them a bit dull while she could have done something more creatitive to raise the video's AND song's quality too).


I posted this on a different thread concerning the vid for that song and the Kanye incident at the VMA's


I found Kanye West's burst out unacceptable, ok, Beyonce's video might be better, but that doesn't justify what he did? After all what is he - a lawyer? xD (no offence Kanye West's fans! :) Just posting my opinion!) But I guess I wouldn't care so much if it was just for that vid, but he embarassed Taylor Swift while she took her very first award, and interupted her speech only to say that Beyonce should have won. After all, Taylor Swift deserved the award best, at least the You Belong With Me vid had a "plot". The "plot" in Beyonce's vid included her and two other girls dancing and that IMO automatically decreases the vid's quality and shows lack of creativity. While the Taylor Swift vid was kinda moving.

Needless to say, my favourite female vocals are Bjork's

Even tho I dislike her(I found her songs creepy xD), she has indeed awesome vocals. :) I love Amy Lee's from Evanescense vocals, and Taylor Swift's. The girl singing live sounds exactly as she does in the CD! :wow:

Popular music is not about singing, and never was. If you insist on only hearing the most technically accomplished vocalists, go to the opera. Popular music is about the delivery of a song, with character and authority [...] It is about authenticity, the complete ownership of the lyric.

True. Also, nowadays, vocals are not so popular with the audience - a song to gain popularity need to be catchy, with great rhyme and lyrics that either are emotional and pass a message, or that make people cheerful and happy. Of course I don't really respect artists who can't sing at all (see Katy Perry), but a singer doesn't need to have e.g.Mariah Carey's flawless vocals to have lots of fans.

__________________________________________________ ____________

P.S.:Guys, hear those and compare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC06CMBQLM0 (this from 0:15)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpKJ03z-haQ (this from the start)

First, it's Beyonce's Halo. The it's Kelly Clarkson's Already Gone. If you hear carefully, they start in those two songs is similar. Same with the rest of the songs. (Personally, I liked Kelly Clarkson's video-clip and song best, but whatev).

Now hear this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35s1UUkgnDY

Who do you think copied? Or do you believe no one copied? I hear people saying that Kelly Clarkson copied, but dunno.

True. Nowadays, vocals are not so popular with the audience - a song to gain popularity need to be catchy, with great rhyme and lyrics that either are emotional and pass a message, or that make people cheerful and happy.

That may be true, as well, but what the article was suggesting was, not that vocals aren't important, but that what is important about vocals is not the technical quality of the singing, but how well the singer's personality comes out on the singing and how sincerely they seem to believe in the lyrics they are singing.

That may be true, as well, but what the article was suggesting was, not that vocals aren't important, but that what is important about vocals is not the technical quality of the singing, but how well the singer's personality comes out on the singing and how sincerely they seem to believe in the lyrics they are singing.

I know, I was just stating something else too xD

I know, I was just stating something else too xD

Ah, I see. :) Sorry about that. Yes, good point.

That may be true, as well, but what the article was suggesting was, not that vocals aren't important, but that what is important about vocals is not the technical quality of the singing, but how well the singer's personality comes out on the singing and how sincerely they seem to believe in the lyrics they are singing.

I agree with this. Many of the singers I like take on personas when they perform (Marilyn Manson, Andreas from Deathstars are probably the two who do it to the biggest extreme of the artists I listen to) and I enjoy seeing them perform live because of the message their personas give out. Their lyrics wouldn't mean half as much (to me) if it wasn't their characters who were saying it. Having said that, if you want to go this route, you still need a good voice.
Even without performing as a 'character' I think most of the time the best live performances are ones in which the musicians do let out their personalities (it would explain (partially) why Britney Spears' Australian tour has been slammed so hard :rolleyes:)

Now I'm sure there's a ton I'm leaving off or simply forgot about

*Sam Cooke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqzv1ZS6uZs&feature=related

*Jeff Buckley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owiDfo9z6SQ&feature=related

*Dion DiMucci
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c49klxPex-k

*Freddie Mercury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRt2jX1kaYo&feature=related

Jim Morrison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgPaqi7Dpdg

*Mike Matijevic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR-5ZStR8r4

Tim Buckley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9JC1tNQUjU

Jackie Wilson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2W8cvVDEVg

Freddie Mercury, Matthew Bellamy, Roger Taylor (of Queen), and i do enjoy Caleb Followill.

Sharon from Within Temptation is one of my favorites. I've been seeing her live every year for the past five years, never gets old.

Freddy mercury - no explanation needed.

Claire Torry - She sings the Great Gig in the Sky for Pink Floyd at one of their live shows. Unbelievable.

Hayley Williams from Paramore. For some reason hearing her live gives me goosebumps and this tingly feeling in my stomach everytime.

Billie Joe Armstrong from Green day - I think he has a very different and special voice, one of the best i've heard for a modern punk rock band. Maybe it's also because it's my favorite band that anything he does is good for me.

The guy from Seether, I dont know the name. When he sings Rise Above This in the studio, it's amazing the way he controls his voice from singing softly and tuned to screaming his lungs off.

I think there's many more that inspire me but this is all I could come up with right now!

Kerry Ellis immediately comes to mind, she's got an amazing voice. Unfortunately, she's not very well known outside of West End musical theater, though she is currently working on an album (with help from Brian May).

I've seen her multiple times live, and she constantly blew me away. Especially last summer she had a few concerts for the "Great British Songbook," where she sang a wide variety of stuff, all composed by British musicians. From Andrew Lloyd Webber to Queen, and about everything in between, she was fantastic!

Craig Owens is, in my humble opinion, the best vocalist to EVER set foot on the world. He can sing in live shows/concerts and still sound amazing which is extremely rare nowadays. He is just overall amazing and seems like a great person(not what the thread is about but he is always very thankful for people coming to his shows.) I was in complete shock when he got kicked out of the band Chiodos and I do not think that they'll be anything without him.

Here's some of his songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGE5YwrwoaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAG88K7MDaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjKB35q2oHo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MWpPyfFAI




Anthony Green is another amazing vocalist. He has a high range of vocals which most people do not realize. I love how different his voice is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhLm4JgXd5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ycX1S6jzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSqisRDBsOA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIPH5qpbgro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJALPNdJsHU


And one song of them singing together in a band called The Sound Of Animals Fighting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7dl1EJ5XmE

I think one of the best all time singers is a lady called Sandy Denny. She sang in a number of bands throughout the 60's and 70's and was best known for being a folk rock singer. She was also the only person ever to duet with Led Zepplin.

The reason I think she's amazing is that she can just do everything. She has a vunerable, soft, beautiful tone to her voice but she can crank it up to fill the room with emotion and strength. When she sings, she embodies the character in the song and her phrasing is always spot on- as is her timing and incredible sense of pitch. She uses ornamentation such as melisma, vibrato and trills effectively and appropriately- without making it sound cheesy. It's so unusual for a singer to embody all of these traits and use them so well. So many of today's artists are just showing off and thus use ornamentation and vocal quality inappropriately- a bit of a "hey, look what I can do!" rather than "if I use this here then this will capture the emotion of this and portray the feeling of this" etc etc.

She was a really special and underrated singer (unfortunately she died early on in her life, in the late 70's I believe).

If anyone is interested her vocals can be found at these links:

"Crazy Man Michael" by Fairport Convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ksWNvFbME

"Matty Groves" again by Fairport Convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1it7BP5PckI&feature=related

There are plenty more ... :)

Sinéad.

a few of mine: Freddie Mercury (Queen), PJ Harvey, Paul Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Dwayne Maguire (Darkest Era)

Ronnie James Dio. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYlDltwm-JY)

Paul McCartney...Freddie Mercury...Matt Bellamy...Adam Lambert [yes]...oh, DEFINITELY Joni Mitchell. And I personally am madly in love with John Lennon's voice...mmmm.

The lead singer from a band called Scar Symmetry, Leona Lewis has excellent vocals as well. Of course, there are more singers who have good vocals but those are the two that pop into my head first. :D

Vocalist for Australian bands Birds of Tokyo and Karnivool, Ian Kenny. He's so diverse and can really cut it live. I wouldn't say he's the 'best ever' but he's extremely talented and a great performer.

The guy from Seether, I dont know the name. When he sings Rise Above This in the studio, it's amazing the way he controls his voice from singing softly and tuned to screaming his lungs off.

Shaun Morgan, I think he's great too. :) I saw him live and he sang Broken by himself with only an acoustic, it was beautiful.

I'd say: Bjork, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Stevie Nicks, Beth Gibbons (Portishead), Adam Lambert, Joss Stone, Peter Gabriel, and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave).

Female Voices:
- Mariah Carey (that woman has an incredible range)
- Amanda Palmer (she sounds even more powerful live than recorded)
- Carrie Underwood
- Whitney Houston
- Christina Aguilera
- Leona Lewis
- Beyonce (not a fan of her music, but she has an AMAZING voice)

Male Voices:
-Freddie Mercury
- Paul McCartney
- John Lennon
- Jason Webley (I am in love with his voice!)
- Louis Armstrong (some may disagree, but I LOVE the raspiness)

Amy Lee is a wonderful female singer. I would definitely have to put her up there for consideration. Others would have to be artists like Beyonce, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Leona Lewis ... Hands down, has got the best voice I have heard in years


I agree - Leona Lewis has an amazing voice.

If not Leona then Whitney Houston in her heyday.

Shaun Morgan, I think he's great too. :) I saw him live and he sang Broken by himself with only an acoustic, it was beautiful.

I'd say: Bjork, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Stevie Nicks, Beth Gibbons (Portishead), Adam Lambert, Joss Stone, Peter Gabriel, and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave).

I love shaun Morgan's voice; I've never heard anyone else like him.
Chris Cornell is epic too :D

Well these would have to be my personal favorites:

Male Vocalists:

1. Matt Bellamy - He gives me chills. And seriously, on songs like "Plug In Baby" and "New Born" I about die listening to him. Just trying to imitate his style is seriously challenging! I tried to sing "Plug In Baby" on Guitar Hero 5, and I failed epically at trying to sing as high as him! And plus he always sounds fantastic live.

2. Freddie Mercury - This one is a given. I know he's been mentioned like three billion times in this thread, but his voice is just too amazing to leave off my list.

3. Jared Leto of '30 Seconds to Mars' - I LOVE his voice! I can't say I've listened to enough 30 Seconds to Mars to say I'm a huge fan of the band, but hasn't anyone heard "Kings and Queens"!? The last line of the song is just breathtaking the way he sings it. Such control on a note that could sound extremely awful.

Female Vocalists:

1. Hayley Williams of 'Paramore' - I could listen to her voice all day! The way she sings just tells you that she is so into the song. Whenever I listen to a Paramore song it's like a music video is forming into my head because of Hayley's awesome vocals and the lyrics. And like 95% of the time she sounds just perfect live!

2. Christina Perri - Incase you don't quite know who she is, Christina Perri became famous because of her song "Jar of Hearts" that was featured on "So You Think You Can Dance". She may not technically be an amazing vocalist, but when I first heard this song it gave me such chills! It sounds like she's putting out her whole heart and soul into this one song. And she doesn't have one of those voices that can get high-pitched and slightly annoying; she has more of an alto voice.

3. Florence Welch of 'Florence + the Machine' - Just beautiful. If you haven't listened to her, please go out and do so now! And this is off topic, but I adore her hair! It fits her personality perfectly! :p

But besides my favorite singers, probably one of the best vocalists technically I've heard is Lea Michele. She's on 'Glee", so it may not seem so, but she's got one of those Celine Dion-esque voices. It seems when she's singing that she puts everything she's got into each song. (Ex. "Don't Rain On My Parade") I personally wish I could sing as well as her. The only complaint I would have about her voice is that when she hits those jaw-dropping high notes she tends to become a bit loud. :)

Two words,
Freddie Mercury...

On the males I'm going with Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Billy Joel.

Females: Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, and Sierra Kusterbeck.

Steve Perry of Journey hands down!

Kelli Ali from Sneaker Pimps

Sultry, sexy and vampish.

Amy Lee of Evanescence
Sharon Den Adel from Within Temptation
Tori Amos
Sarah Brightman
Maynard James Keenan from Tool/A Perfect Circle
Freddie Mercury
John Lennon
Paul McCartney

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Adele definitely has some powerful vocals, she's one of those artists who absolutely shines singing live, as if the sheer power of her voice can't quite be captured in a recording. Stunning voice. Hayley Williams from Paramore has such a strong voice as well, and it's great to see somebody with such a powerful vocal singing rock kind of music not just ballads :) I think there's this idea that you can only have a great voice if you warble out a sad song. And Freddie Mercury doesn't need much explaining! :)

Adele definitely has some powerful vocals, she's one of those artists who absolutely shines singing live, as if the sheer power of her voice can't quite be captured in a recording. Stunning voice. Hayley Williams from Paramore has such a strong voice as well, and it's great to see somebody with such a powerful vocal singing rock kind of music not just ballads :) I think there's this idea that you can only have a great voice if you warble out a sad song. And Freddie Mercury doesn't need much explaining! :)

I don't know about including Hayley Williams. She's very hit and miss live.

I don't know about including Hayley Williams. She's very hit and miss live.

I don't know about in concert, I haven't seen them live and only glimpsed bits on TV that I can't really remember, but I have a really nice live acoustic track on my ipod, a cover of the Kaiser Chief's song "Love's Not a Competition" which I think shows her strengths well :) I suppose with being a rock act there's a lot of energy and jumping about, so sometimes that isn't the best platform to show off great vocals.

Oh wow, I was just gonna say Haley Williams.. never seen her live though.
I don't think there's any one singer out there that blows my doors off, but among my favorites:

Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil. She has an amazing versatile voice, good range. Her pitch was shaking on one CD (Comalies) but otherwise dead on on others.

Peter Steele of Type O Negative had the deepest male rock vocal I've heard, the dude was built like a neanderthal, except he was 6'8"! Great voice. Unfortunately, he died about a year ago.

I liked Amy Lee's voice on Evanscence's first CD, but she got annoying on the second.

Mary Fahl has a most unqiue, deep, operatic voice.. I like her work in October Project.

I seem to prefer female voices, overall, but I'm really tired of the cookie-cutter, gospel-esque soul singing that permeates through American Idol. It's not original or creative or even emotive anymore, it's just technique.

SopophorousBean that's kind of my point. Hit and miss. Everyone has 'off' days but whenever I've seen her live (I'm a music photographer, not a fan so I kinda feel I can be objective) she's been not so good. Maybe the Australian climate doesn't sit well for her? :lol: I don't know. I'd never say she wasn't a good singer, she must be, but being able to perform well consistently is important when judgining anyone being the 'best' at something. Just my opinion.

Grymmditch I'd agree about Cristina Scabbia. She's wonderful. Too bad she's brought down (IMO) by the other singer in LC.

Hmm..Let's go with A.J. Mclean from the Backstreet Boys with best vocals :D He also has his own solo album/career on top of still being apart of the group. But yes, most definitely best vocals IMO. :D

charlie chapman - "i gotta million of em" or was it jesse chapman one of those dudes.

hmm scratch that i think harpo has the best vocals :D

hmm scratch that i think harpo has the best vocals :D

Singers I think have very good voices but don't necessarily enjoy their music:

Beyonce
Leona Lewis
Mariah Carey
Phil Collins (I hate the guy's music but got to admit he's got a cracking voice on him)

People whose voices may not be "the best" but who I really enjoy listening to:

Stevie Nicks, who has one of the most distinctive female voices still making music today and is an amazing songwriter to boot
Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam) the range and power this guy has is phenomenal, as well as the emotion he puts into every note
Rhett Miller (formerly of Old 97s) I just think his voice has such a lovely sound to it, I could listen to him sing all day.

Mika, that dude's got an incredible range. Amazing.

Adele, her voice is just awesome, I don't know how else to describe it.

Florence Welch of 'Florence + the Machine' - Just beautiful. If you haven't listened to her, please go out and do so now!

She was the first person on my mind when I saw this topic - I mean, her voice can evoke some serious chills in me, it is just incredible.

I agree about Freddie Mercury...his voice is so pure and perfect, also Billy Joel, and Paul McCartney, same thing. Those three I feel like could sing anything and do it perfectly.

Beyonce...yeah definitely. I don't like her or her music but she has a really great voice. Also Adele, whose music I really don't like--I think her voice is amazing.

Stephen Christian is the lead singer of one of my favourite bands, Anberlin. His voice is incredible, it sends chills up my spine!

Damian McGinty of the Irish group Celtic Thunder. His voice is vastly mature beyond his years (he's only 18) but even at age 14 he sounds incredible. He is also one of the rare singers who know how to perform and emote, rather than simply singing and hitting the right notes.

The same applies to Darren Criss. Especially when he gets into using his falsetto, which is pretty well developed. He's fantastic as far as I'm concerned.

I go with Serj Tankian form System of a Down and Mikael from opeth they are great, have such a various tonality and energy in their vocals I get always driven away by them!

I find it hard to see past Freddie Mercury - even 20 years after his death. I caught a documentary about Queen at the weekend and the clips from LiveAid still send shivers down my spine. I have a very clear memory of sitting in my parents front room whilst they were on stage and just watching in awe!

On very different levels I would nominate both Adele and Enya in the female category.

For me they are...

Charice (She just perfectly hits the highest of notes)

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/67258044.png

Connie Talbot (she's very young but she sings perfectly)

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/40493117.png

Some of my favorite vocalists are Wesley Blaylock of Deas Vail, Aaron Marsh of Copeland(defunct), Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons, Adele, Nate Ruess of fun., Stehpen Christian of Anberlin, Matt Bellamy of Muse, Leighton Antelman of Lydia....and that's all I can think of right now.

^Matt Bellamy's vocals are amazing. That falsetto. :D

I go with Serj Tankian form System of a Down

On very different levels I would nominate both Adele and Enya in the female category.

These two are seconded. Oh, and has anyone named the singer in Evanescence yet? I'd choose her too.

Florence Welch
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Florence_and_the_Machine.jpg/220px-Florence_and_the_Machine.jpg

Lacey Mosley
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Flyleafsf002.jpg/220px-Flyleafsf002.jpg

Freddie Mercury
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Freddie_Mercury_performing_in_New_Haven,_CT,_Novem ber_1978.jpg/220px-Freddie_Mercury_performing_in_New_Haven,_CT,_Novem ber_1978.jpg

Michael Jackson
http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/artists/304x304/michael-jackson.jpg

Lady Gaga
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/44847353/Lady+Gaga+Jay+Leno.png

Annie Lennox
Aretha Franklin

Annie Lennox
Aretha Franklin
:agree: She has one good voice.

Adele has a good voice as well. She literally put shivers up and down my spine when I first heard her sing on the radio.

Freddie Mercury is good too. He had one heck of a voice, gives me the shivers too. Man had a gift.

:agree: She has one good voice.

Adele has a good voice as well. She literally put shivers up and down my spine when I first heard her sing on the radio.

Freddie Mercury is good too. He had one heck of a voice, gives me the shivers too. Man had a gift.

I agree...when you hear a voice like that it just makes you shiver, it's so good.

David Draiman
John Bush
Rob Halford
Chris Cornell

Adele has an amazing voice. Not to be stereotypical, but I honestly thought she was black when I first heard her. She has that "gospel-y" type voice that those black gospel singers have.

Corey Taylor from Slipknot has an amazing voice too. Ivan Moody from Five Finger Death Punch is pretty amazing too.