Greatest Singer in Rock Era

[MikeVic]

Aretha Franklin greatest singer in rock era: poll - Yahoo! Canada News (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/centertainment_us_singers)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - She's already the Queen of Soul, but now Aretha Franklin has been named the greatest singer of the rock era in a poll conducted by Rolling Stone magazine.
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Franklin, 66, came in ahead of Ray Charles at No. 2, Elvis Presley at No. 3, Sam Cooke at No. 4 and John Lennon at No. 5, according to the magazine's survey of 179 musicians, producers, Rolling Stone editors, and other music-industry insiders.

The 100-strong list will be published on Friday, when Rolling Stone hits the newsstands with four different covers.

The issue includes testimonials from musicians. R&B singer Mary J. Blige, for example, writes that Franklin is "the reason why women want to sing." Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, who was No. 15 on the list, describes Presley's voice as "confident, insinuating and taking no prisoners."

Besides Franklin, the only other living people in the top 10 were Bob Dylan at No. 7 and Stevie Wonder at No. 9. Marvin Gaye was No. 6, Otis Redding No. 8, and James Brown No. 10.

Other notables included Paul McCartney at No. 11, one place ahead of his idol, Little Richard; and Mick Jagger at No. 16, also one ahead of a key influence, Tina Turner. Among the top 25, 50-year-old Michael Jackson was the youngest, coming in at No. 25.

Voters included Metallica frontman James Hetfield, folk singers David Crosby and Yusuf Islam, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, punk rock veteran Iggy Pop and English pop star James Blunt. They each submitted their top 20 choices, and an accounting firm tabulated the results.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Discuss?

[Logan]

I'll choose not to.

[KWhit]

Bob Dylan at number 7?!?!?!


HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAH!

[Apathetic Lurker]

Rolling Stone? pfft.. that explains everything

[Kodos]

Bob Dylan at number 7?!?!?!


HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAH!


I totally agree.

[SFL Cat]

Actually, I don't think you can qualify what Dylan does as singing...

[Honolulu_Blue]

I like Bob Dylan.

[KWhit]

I like Bob Dylan.

Fine. But he can't / doesn't sing.

AT ALL.

[SFL Cat]

Glad to see Bruce Springsteen isn't at the top of that list. I remember almost getting into a fistfight with someone when he was in his prime because I said "The Boss" was a Bob Dylan wannabe and couldn't sing to save his life.

[BYU 14]

Bob Dylan > then Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Robin Zander, Brad Delp, Roy Orbison.....WTF?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Fine. But he can't / doesn't sing.

AT ALL.

*shrug*

I think he can/does sing. In fact, I have many CDs and songs on my iPod as evidence of this fact.

I'm not sure what else you'd call it, but whatever you choose to call it, that's just a matter of semantics really.

[BrianD]

I'd love to see what kind of criteria they used. Dylan's music was very important, but I don't know how he even makes the list as a singer.

I'd question Aretha as well, but ever female singer I know credits Aretha as an inspiration. I guess I can see an argument for her.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Where's Danzig on this list?

Or that dude from "Queensryche"?

I remember every one going on and on about what a great singer the "Queensryche" guy was because he was classically trained or on opera singer or something like that. I really liked "Queensryche."

"Operation Mindcrime" was the bomb, yo. And "Silent Lucidity" was very gentle and moving.

[BYU 14]

Where's Danzig on this list?

Or that dude from "Queensryche"?

I remember every one going on and on about what a great singer the "Queensryche" guy was because he was classically trained or on opera singer or something like that. I really liked "Queensryche."

"Operation Mindcrime" was the bomb, yo. And "Silent Lucidity" was very gentle and moving.

Geoff Tate is an excellent singer as well.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Geoff Tate is an excellent singer as well.

That's his name! Thanks. He is, indeed, an excellent singer.

[Matthean]

In terms of Aretha Franklin, I'll agree there. She's the one pick I would make if I needed any female to sing a song. Her sub in for Pavarotti was just phenomenal. She had near no prep time for it and sang it at an octave lower than she normally does.

As for the rest of the list, whatever. A number of the rest don't even belong on there at all. Whitney Houston during her peak flat out smokes a number of people on the list, see her singing at the Super Bowl. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1QmeEdFOSc)

I do have a much harder time saying who would be the best male singer. The best isn't technically part of the rock era, Pavarotti. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VATmgtmR5o4) It's like he barely flinches to start the song, but builds it from there and by the end you are just left with that expression on his face.

Of course, any singer's list for me has to mention Patty Griffin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzGnPyn0kRU&feature=related). My word that bridge just kills me every time I hear it.

[Matthean]

Geoff Tate is an excellent singer as well.

Yep. It saddens me to try and think about how that band put out such a good album at their peak and then near instantly fell off the face of the music earth.

[QuikSand]

Tough call separating the technical skill of vocalizing, versus the overall package of being an entertainer primarily with the voice (and maybe with writing as well). How you respond to that implied split makes this a completely chaotic question to answer.

For pure singing ability, I'd be very comfortable with Sam Cooke on top of my own list.

[EagleFan]

In terms of Aretha Franklin, I'll agree there. She's the one pick I would make if I needed any female to sing a song. Her sub in for Pavarotti was just phenomenal. She had near no prep time for it and sang it at an octave lower than she normally does.

As for the rest of the list, whatever. A number of the rest don't even belong on there at all. Whitney Houston during her peak flat out smokes a number of people on the list, see her singing at the Super Bowl. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1QmeEdFOSc)

I do have a much harder time saying who would be the best male singer. The best isn't technically part of the rock era, Pavarotti. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VATmgtmR5o4) It's like he barely flinches to start the song, but builds it from there and by the end you are just left with that expression on his face.

Of course, any singer's list for me has to mention Patty Griffin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzGnPyn0kRU&feature=related). My word that bridge just kills me every time I hear it.

But the problem is, she isn't a rock singer.

[Matthean]

But the problem is, she isn't a rock singer.

Relook at that list. Neither are a number of the others as well. What they mean is of the rock-roll era, or pretty much what charts on Billboard.

[Qwikshot]

Freddie Mercury should be in the top 5.

[Crim]

Obligatory echo to the Dylan at 7 is redonculous comments.

Also a plus one to the Geoff Tate love.

Another I'd like to pimp, though would be Chris Cornell. If I were a rock singer, and could choose any voice to have, I'd go Chris Cornell, in a sqeaker over Steven Tyler.

Also, if this is a "singing" list, how is Lennon > McCartney? Did he get extra credit for deceasedness? Better lyricist, certainly. Better musician, debateable and I would not agree, but I could see the argument. But, John Lennon simply cannot seriously be considered a better singer than Paul McCartney. Am I crazy?

[Crim]

Oh and Freddie Mercury, yes of course he should be among the elite on that list. Too lazy to see where they actually have him, though.

[Kodos]

Geoff Keith is better than Bob Dylan.

[Autumn]

God knows how you would rank any sort of list, even if you could decide on exactly what you meant by "greatest singer". In Dylan's case, I think he is indeed an excellent singer (though he's had some horrible periods). People often get turned off by his sound though and don't notice his "chops". Also, I think a lot of people have heard him during some ridiculously bad performance and then decided that's what he always sounds like. I'm guessing that a lot of the voters on this poll are familiar with a large range of his work, and live work, and are therefore aware that he's damn good.

It's a hard thing to rate. If you were to rank singers based on their technical ability you'd probably come up with a list of people I couldn't stand listening to. If you rank by "entertainment" ability you'll get a lot of people who are rank amateurs in terms of technique. There are some people who are able to emote with their voice in a way that can knock you over, but they're not doing anything technically right.

[cartman]

Freddie Mercury should be in the top 5.

+1

Roy Orbison should be high on the list as well.

[GrantDawg]

Tough call separating the technical skill of vocalizing, versus the overall package of being an entertainer primarily with the voice (and maybe with writing as well). How you respond to that implied split makes this a completely chaotic question to answer.

For pure singing ability, I'd be very comfortable with Sam Cooke on top of my own list.

So, you're saying Billy Joel shouldn't be number one? Maybe two or three?

[QuikSand]

So, you're saying Billy Joel shouldn't be number one? Maybe two or three?

I'm saying you spelled your home town correctly. I can find you if I have to.

[GrantDawg]

I'm saying you spelled your home town correctly. I can find you if I have to.


Are you sure? :D

[stevew]

Meat Loaf got screwed on this.

[GrantDawg]

Meat Loaf got screwed on this.


No, no, NO! Don't ever say anything like this! Bad mental image. Very Very BAD!

[Groundhog]

Stevie Wonder would probably be my #1.

[GrantDawg]

(To actually comment on the thread and not continue to rile QS) This is a tough call. Are we talking best vocal range? Most distinctive? Most entertaining?

Probably the best singer in the Rock Era (and notice it says Era and not actually a Rock singer, because most on the list are not) would be a Opera tenor or Soprano. Im just not sure what they mean by "greatest."

Anyay, reading back, I'm basically agreeing with QS and Autmn. There needs to be a better way to quantify what is being asked.

[Lathum]

Sebastian Bach

[MikeVic]

http://livemusiciancentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/billy-joel-piano-man.jpg

[KWhit]

Good lord, he's a handsome man.

[stevew]

He might just be the lunatic you're looking for...