Greatest Female Singer of Rock Era?

[CrimsonFox]

I think Shirley Mansen from Garbage has a great rock voice too and she can launch into really really solid notes. Maybe not as versatile as others but still really good.

[CrimsonFox]

And if we're talking Fleetwood Mac I've always loved Christie McVie's voice. Not a "big voice" singer, but she has a wonderful unique sound. And she blended with Lindsay Buckingham so well!

[Sweed]

Hadn't seen this thread until it was bumped today. Just looking at the thread title and before ever opening it Ann Wilson is the first name that came to mind.

Listening to her sing is like watching Ted Williams hit. It is simply the best.

[britrock88]

There's something "bad" about the way Chrissie Hynde sings that makes me really enjoy how she sounds. (Singing out of her throat, maybe?)

And Joni has an impressive range and clear voice, but I honestly think she's more outstanding as a lyricist/songwriter. Go look up some of the tunings she used to play songs on Hejira.

[britrock88]

All this talk about Ann Wilson finally motivated to get the sisters straight once and for all.

Ann's a fine choice for greatest female rock vocalist, too. But MAN, Nancy has aged well.

[Abe Sargent]

I mentioned her in a minor post a the time but Jill Scott has matured into a major voice now. For proof I submit:

My favorite song of hers:




Here's a recent song of hers with a simialr soulful feelshe also writes most of her songs)




But this is my favorite vocal performance, of hersm as the chorus of this grammy winning rap song. This shows off her voice differently: (fast forward to about 2:30 if you want ot focus on just her)




EDIT: And here is is killing He Loves Me, a cover done live, so you can hear her voice undoctored. Just wow. I think she could easily make it as the best voice to debut in this millennium.

[CrimsonFox]

Two others that are an absolute must for this list: Sinead O Connor and Tori Amos.

Sinead I think would win it all.

Also Delores O' Riardon from The Cranberries deserves a nod.

[Grover]

Heard this on the radio for the first time today. I was pretty blown away.

[EagleFan]

Sinead O'Connor? CF now needs to turn in his man card.

[Grover]

and to be fair, I don't care how old Nancy Wilson is, I'd still wreck it.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Sinead O'Connor? CF now needs to turn in his man card.

Or just his straight card...

[thesloppy]

Ann Wilson is the person who popped into my head when I saw the thread title as well. Slightly obscured by the fact that their music fucking sucked, Karen Carpenter had one hell of a set of pipes. Dionne Warwick could absolutely murder it, back in the day.

[britrock88]

Yes to Dionne Warwick.

I also love Carole King's voice -- nasal, raspy, emotive -- it combines into something unique.

[britrock88]

And wow, that rendition of "Love Reign O'er Me" sounds more like the Who than the Who have sounded for some time now.

[britrock88]

And wow, a music video from 1964?!

[britrock88]

Oh, Linda Ronstadt could really boom it:

[JAG]

Originally Posted by britrock88

And wow, that rendition of "Love Reign O'er Me" sounds more like the Who than the Who have sounded for some time now.

Yeah, that was good stuff, thanks for sharing.

[Kodos]

My vote still goes to Ann Wilson.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Kodos

My vote still goes to Ann Wilson.

Yes...she's on a different planet compared to these others. Not to mention, some of these being considered rock singers?

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Or just his straight card...

pffff like we aren't subjected to your wusstastic songlist all the time.

[Julio Riddols]

I'd go with Brittany Howard.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by rowech

Yes...she's on a different planet compared to these others. Not to mention, some of these being considered rock singers?

Title is of the rock era and nothing saying specifically a female rock singer. If non-rock singers are involved, Aretha wins. She was asked to sub in for Pavarotti on a last minute's notice and to do so live for the Grammy's.

Not mentioned, Florence Welch.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by britrock88

And wow, that rendition of "Love Reign O'er Me" sounds more like the Who than the Who have sounded for some time now.

Which was exactly why I posted it four years ago in this thread. I heard the song live.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by rowech

Yes...she's on a different planet compared to these others. Not to mention, some of these being considered rock singers?

i was going to say same thing. Since when is soul, r&b, jazz or blues singer consider rock singers? The rock era has been going on for over 55 years but not every singer should be considered a rock singer.

[thesloppy]

I suppose it all depends on whether you put the emphasis on "era", or "rock" and how you define rock and roll. Does anything pre-1965 really qualify as modern 'rock'? I figured if they hit the pop charts, that's good enough for me. Aretha Franklin has 17 Billboard top 100 hits. Not R&B hits, but "rock" hits. Dionne Warwick had 34 (!). Personally, I can't qualify anything written by Burt Bacharach as soul. Is "Always Something There to Remind Me" soul when it's sung by Dionne Warwick, but rock when it's sung by Naked Eyes? I went with Quik's assessment.

For what it's worth, I'm using the term "rock era" in the most common way -- to describe a pretty wide range of rock, pop, country, soul and other music that has been widely commercially released during the period from the 1950s until today.

The point of the limitation was not to exclude country or non-rock music, but rather to try to avoid comparisons between Stevie Nicks and operatic singers, or other performers who are engaging in a wholly different sort of medium. And, it's probably sensible to remove people from before the advent of popualr recordings -- since it's tough to compare by any means.

[BYU 14]

Number 1 for true rock singers for me is still Ann Wilson as it was when this thread started, but since we are going back to the early 60's I have to throw out Ronnie Spector.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Sinead O'Connor? CF now needs to turn in his man card.

Said in a thread pretty much devoted to Heart?

[ntndeacon]

Kate Bush has some pipes as well...

[ntndeacon]

[http://youtu.be/-1pMMIe4hb4

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Autumn

Said in a thread pretty much devoted to Heart?

Heart put out some shitty records in the '80's, but when they started out they were a kick-ass band. Their first two records are classics.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Heart put out some shitty records in the '80's, but when they started out they were a kick-ass band. Their first two records are classics.

And Sinead put out a lot of great albums. I personally don't care, I listen to what I think is good. My amusement is just in the idea that listening to Sinead makes you turn in your man card but Heart doesn't. No matter how classic, Heart does not earn you a man card.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Autumn

And Sinead put out a lot of great albums. I personally don't care, I listen to what I think is good. My amusement is just in the idea that listening to Sinead makes you turn in your man card but Heart doesn't. No matter how classic, Heart does not earn you a man card.

Hey, no argument from me. I also think Sinead's first two records are pretty awesome.

[RendeR]

The difference Being Sinead's music isn't Rock, its at best alternative and for the most part Punk.

She's had veery few true "rock" songs.

[sabotai]

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Autumn

And Sinead put out a lot of great albums. I personally don't care, I listen to what I think is good. My amusement is just in the idea that listening to Sinead makes you turn in your man card but Heart doesn't. No matter how classic, Heart does not earn you a man card.

Wilson and O'Connor both have fantastic voices and if you want my man card you will have to ask my wife for it.

[Blackadar]

Pat Benatar - best voice in rock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFEc0mNql3Y

And if anyone happens to think that it's somehow "enhanced", here's Pat almost 30 years later doing an acoustical version (1:39, hits the same damn notes that she did in 1980).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysGs7...eature=related

Or a 2001 live rock version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw5P9...eature=related

[cuervo72]

Joplin's voice has always bothered me.

Never mind that she's representative of those damned baby boomers.

[Draft Dodger]

Yeah, Joplin always felt a bit over the top to me - like the Aguileras and the Careys of today who feel they need this crazy multi-octave run at the end of every line.

[3ric]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

As long as we're talking pure voices I think i need to throw out a vote for KD Lang, a beautiful voice with an amazing amount of soul.

Still going with Annie Lennox as my first choice for #1 female rock singer (8 years later), but as pure voices go, I agree with Suicane that few can beat Kathy Dawn Lang.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

Yeah, Joplin always felt a bit over the top to me - like the Aguileras and the Careys of today who feel they need this crazy multi-octave run at the end of every line.

Agreed

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Autumn

And Sinead put out a lot of great albums. I personally don't care, I listen to what I think is good. My amusement is just in the idea that listening to Sinead makes you turn in your man card but Heart doesn't. No matter how classic, Heart does not earn you a man card.

Word. I love a lot of Sinead's stuff. "Lion and The Cobra" is one of my all time favorite albums.

I love all kinds of chick music. I've been to multiple Lilith Faires or would it be Liliths Faire, like attorneys general? I've always preferred female vocalists.

Then again, I've also seen Queens Ryche, Judas Priest, Rage Against The Machine and Ozzy Osbourne live, and had a great time, so I'm a bit all over the map.

I like music, but's never been my definining thing. I just sort of like what I like. Heck, a lot of the music I end up buying nowadays I hear on commercials.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Heck, a lot of the music I end up buying nowadays I hear on commercials.

Damn. You're old.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by RendeR

The difference Being Sinead's music isn't Rock, its at best alternative and for the most part Punk.

She's had veery few true "rock" songs.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Autumn

And Sinead put out a lot of great albums. I personally don't care, I listen to what I think is good. My amusement is just in the idea that listening to Sinead makes you turn in your man card but Heart doesn't. No matter how classic, Heart does not earn you a man card.

But autumn....This...



I mean....This....SOOOO this....

[CrimsonFox]

Nothing more manly...

[weegeebored]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

That stretch from the :40 to :50 mark is...well...let me put it this way: I thought someone was beating my cat. I couldn't listen beyond that.

[DougW]

Aretha Franklin isn't getting the proper amount of respect in this thread.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by DougW

Aretha Franklin isn't getting the proper amount of respect in this thread.

I don't consider Aretha part of the "Rock Era". However, she's queen of the Soul Era.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by DougW

Aretha Franklin isn't getting the proper amount of respect in this thread.

Totally different genre.

[Matthean]

I'll defend Sinead far beyond what many will, but her voice is far from powerful. It stands out mostly due to how distinct it is.

Saying that, I love this song so much and it my be my favorite from her. It's an old Irish song sung over the beat from "Funky Drummer."



Here's a version with nothing but her singing and it's just amazing.