Greatest Rock Vocalist-Nominations Thread

Lonesome Dave Peverett. He didn't have the greatest singing range, but he sang with emotion beyond compare.

Greg Lake.
Ian Gillan. (Deep Purple, Jesus Christ Superstar)
Brad Delp. (Boston)
David Byron. (Uriah Heep)

Ian Gilian (good call, Ferret)
Paul Rodgers
Freddie Mercury (btw Diana, this is the winner, right here...guaranteed)

gillan was also incredible on black sabbath's 'born again' album, particularly on the title track and "trashed".

for me, it's:

freddie mercury
robert plant
van morrison
bruce dickinson

Joe Strummer
Peter Gabriel
Phil Collins
Chrissie Hynde

More love for Ian Gillan.
Graham Bonnet - incredible power and range.
Janis Joplin is my top pick.

good call for janis.

she deserves it for "ball and chain" at monterey alone.

Janis for sure.

Plus Elvis, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Aretha.

Weird Al.

Second Roger Daltrey.

Plus:
John Lydon (you can argue his quality, but he gets the emotion and mood across fantastically)
Grace Slick
Steve Winwood
Jello Biafra (see Lydon)

eta:
Dave Vanian (the Damned)
Siouxsie Sioux
Annie Lennox

Robert Plant
Rob Halford
Ray Charles (not really in the category, but why not).

Freddie Mercury - hands down. No one compares to him.

Bruce Dickinson's a distant second.

A second for Joe Strummer and Chrissie Hynde.

Joni Mitchell
Annie Lennox
Eddie Vedder
Kristoffer Rygg
Peter Gabriel
Greg Lake

I know there are more but I just can't think of them.

Elvis.



(Presley)



Okay, other than Elvis:

Anne and Nancy Wilson, the sisters who sing in the band Heart.
Linda Ronstadt, though she's mostly not rock.

Janis - likewise, she's "blues, not rock" though I suppose the genres overlap plenty enough to qualify (thinking of blues/rock instrumentals from Allman Brothers, SRV, as well as Led Zep and other '60's rockers stealing from older blues players).

Leukman said:

Weird Al.

Click to expand...

I really like his performance of "You're Pitiful" as opposed to that guy who sang "You're Beautiful." Al has a quite strong voice.

ETA: Stop the presses, I don't know how I skipped over this one:

Shadow_Ferret said:

Brad Delp. (Boston)

Click to expand...

benbradley said:

Anne and Nancy Wilson, the sisters who sing in the band Heart.

Click to expand...

Hell yeah.

Done. We have the winner.

Ronnie James Dio
Ian Gillan

I'll second Matt Bellamy for Diana, because I'm turning in to her pet.

Vocals are easy* so I've never really thought about who my favourite vocalists are. I'm going to puzzle over this for a while and if I can think of anyone else I'll ETA. Hmmm...





*This is a joke! Don't throw things at me nooooooooo

david bowie

Burton Bell - Fear Factory: greatest range, dynamic ability from choir voice to deal metal growl, and anything that ever appeared on an album sounded exactly the same live. Hands down the best vocalist i've ever seen.

Sebastian Bach - Skid Row: laugh now, but anyone that can go from glam metal vocals to Broadway knows how to sing, and sing well.

Freddy Mercury. Everyone else gets to sit in the audience tearing up their acceptance speeches while Freddie graciously says all the nominees are winners.

Ian Gillan, Roger Daltry ... great singers too.

Peter Gabriel is awesome, the combination of his slight rasp and the emotive quality of his songwriting is second to none.

David Bowie is the chameleon. Brilliant singer.

Robert Plant would be on my list if he didn't sing flat all the time.

When it comes to the gals, nobody can top Janis Joplin for pure blues infused power.

Anne Wilson of Heart has an incredible set of pipes.

But Annie Lennox is the one lady who blows me away every time she sings a note.

David Black (Jay and the Americans)
Roy Orbison
Cass Elliott (Mamas & Papas)
Denny Doherty (also Mamas & Papas)
Burton Cummings (Guess Who)