Rolling Stone list of top singers

[Beebo]

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/

Something to get everyone arguing.
Some interesting entries. The top 10 seems to be heavily weighted towards soul singers.
Not sure how Lennon and McCartney make it into the top 20.

 

[ColinJ]

Not sure how Lennon and McCartney make it into the top 20.

Because... "what mattered most to [Rolling Stone voters] was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy"?

 

[mistyoptic]

Interesting. Many names new to me. I sense a Spotify evening approaching

 

[presta]

Double take: the title isn't Rolling Stone Lost Top of Finger

 

[stephec]

Interesting. Many names new to me. I sense a Spotify evening approaching

That's putting it mildly, I was just about to ask if anyone could honestly say that they'd heard of everyone on the list.

 

[Beebo]

Because... "what mattered most to [Rolling Stone voters] was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy"?

So not actually a singing competition.

 

[Beebo]

That's putting it mildly, I was just about to ask if anyone could honestly say that they'd heard of everyone on the list.

Their last list in 2008 was too white, stale and male. But I think they have gone a bit too far the other way with some artist who are less well known.

Having said that, the top 10 are hardly current artists. Beyoncé being the most current and she’s been around for over 20 years.

Another interesting point is the entire top 10 are Black artists.

 

[ColinJ]

So not actually a singing competition.

Correct!

"Before you start scrolling (and commenting), keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List. Talent is impressive; genius is transcendent. Sure, many of the people here were born with massive pipes, perfect pitch, and boundless range. Others have rougher, stranger, or more delicate instruments. As our write-up for the man who ended up at Number 112 notes, “Ozzy Osbourne doesn’t have what most people would call a good voice, but boy does he have a great one.” That could apply to more than a few people here."

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Freddie Mercury, the greatest ever, only at 14?

Karen carpenter, utterly brilliant, where is she?

George Michael at 62 is a joke as well and Bruce Springsteen is way too high at whatever position he is at,

I only looked at the top 80.

Load of tosh.

 

[DaveReading]

200 Rosalía
199 Glenn Danzig
198 Billie Eilish
197 Burna Boy
196 Paul Westerberg
195 Poly Styrene
194 Kelly Clarkson
193 Brandy
192 Anohni
191 Jung Kook
190 Frank Ocean
189 Joan Baez
188 Fela Kuti
187 Bonnie Raitt
186 Ofra Haza
185 Alicia Keys
184 Karen O
183 Solomon Burke
182 Jazmine Sullivan
181 Bob Seger
180 SZA
179 Martha Wash
178 Tabu Ley Rochereau
177 Patty Loveless
176 Iggy Pop
175 Lana Del Rey
174 Buddy Holly
173 Marianne Faithfull
172 Juan Gabriel
171 Odetta
170 Chris Stapleton
169 Sylvester
168 Debbie Harry
167 Marc Anthony
166 Morrissey
165 Ronnie James Dio
164 Sandy Denny
163 Bobby "Blue" Bland
162 Francoise Hardy
161 Brenda Lee
160 Mercedes Sosa
159 Mississippi John Hurt
158 Carrie Underwood
157 Robert Smith
156 George Strait
155 Corin Tucker
154 Dion
153 Mahlathini
152 Michael Stipe
151 Martha Reeves
150 Bryan Ferry
149 Wanda Jackson
148 Levon Helm
147 Barbra Streisand
146 Ruth Brown
145 PJ Harvey
144 Darlene Love
143 Luciano
142 Russell Thompkins Jr.
141 Christina Aguilera
140 Bono
139 Rocío Dúrcal
138 Merle Haggard
137 El DeBarge
136 Lauryn Hill
135 IU
134 Axl Rose
133 Neil Young
132 Loretta Lynn
131 Jeff Buckley
130 Courtney Love
129 Rob Halford
128 Florence Welch
127 Tammy Wynette
126 Donny Hathaway
125 Joe Strummer
124 Robert Johnson
123 Karen Carpenter
122 Donna Summer
121 Jackie Wilson
120 Charlie Rich
119 Barrington Levy
118 John Fogerty
117 Patti Smith
116 Chet Baker
115 Erykah Badu
114 Chrissie Hynde
113 La India
112 Ozzy Osbourne
111 Fiona Apple
110 The Weeknd
109 Roger Daltrey
108 Caetano Veloso
107 Lou Reed
106 Bill Withers
105 Eddie Vedder
104 Aaron Neville
103 Leonard Cohen
102 Taylor Swift
101 Gladys Knight
100 Elton John
99 Clyde McPhatter
98 Bob Marley
97 Usher
96 Chuck Berry
95 Vicente Fernández
94 Toots Hibbert
93 Stevie Nicks
92 Anita Baker
91 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
90 Gal Costa
89 Selena
88 Jimmie Rodgers
87 Diana Ross
86 Michael Jackson
85 Johnny Cash
84 Lata Mangeshkar
83 Amy Winehouse
82 Steve Perry
81 João Gilberto
80 Chris Cornell
79 Emmylou Harris
78 Janis Joplin
77 Bruce Springsteen
76 Wilson Pickett
75 D'Angelo
74 Patti LaBelle
73 Héctor Lavoe
72 Muddy Waters
71 Roy Orbison
70 Ronnie Spector
69 Youssou N'Dour
68 Rihanna
67 Dennis Brown
66 David Ruffin
65 Minnie Riperton
64 Björk
63 Robert Plant
62 George Michael
61 Umm Kulthum
60 Kate Bush
59 Howlin' Wolf
58 Lady Gaga
57 Brian Wilson
56 Barry White
55 Tina Turner
54 Willie Nelson
53 Miriam Makeba
52 Mick Jagger
51 Sade
50 Joni Mitchell
49 Rod Stewart
48 Toni Braxton
47 Linda Ronstadt
46 Mavis Staples
45 Ella Fitzgerald
44 James Brown
43 Ariana Grande
42 Teddy Pendergrass
41 Etta James
40 Aaliyah
39 Louis Armstrong
38 Curtis Mayfield
37 Van Morrison
36 Kurt Cobain
35 Dusty Springfield
34 Thom Yorke
33 Bessie Smith
32 David Bowie
31 Luther Vandross
30 Hank Williams
29 Chaka Khan
28 Mahalia Jackson
27 Dolly Parton
26 Paul McCartney
25 Mary J. Blige
24 George Jones
23 Smokey Robinson
22 Adele
21 Nina Simone
20 Marvin Gaye
19 Frank Sinatra
18 Celia Cruz
17 Elvis Presley
16 Prince
15 Bob Dylan
14 Freddie Mercury
13 Patsy Cline
12 John Lennon
11 Little Richard
10 Al Green
9 Otis Redding
8 Beyoncé
7 Stevie Wonder
6 Ray Charles
5 Mariah Carey
4 Billie Holiday
3 Sam Cooke
2 Whitney Houston
1 Aretha Franklin

 

[DaveReading]

200 Rosalía
199 Glenn Danzig
198 Billie Eilish
197 Burna Boy
196 Paul Westerberg
195 Poly Styrene
194 Kelly Clarkson
193 Brandy
192 Anohni
191 Jung Kook
190 Frank Ocean
189 Joan Baez
188 Fela Kuti
187 Bonnie Raitt
186 Ofra Haza
185 Alicia Keys
184 Karen O
183 Solomon Burke
182 Jazmine Sullivan
181 Bob Seger
180 SZA
179 Martha Wash
178 Tabu Ley Rochereau
177 Patty Loveless
176 Iggy Pop
175 Lana Del Rey
174 Buddy Holly
173 Marianne Faithfull
172 Juan Gabriel
171 Odetta
170 Chris Stapleton
169 Sylvester
168 Debbie Harry
167 Marc Anthony
166 Morrissey
165 Ronnie James Dio
164 Sandy Denny
163 Bobby "Blue" Bland
162 Francoise Hardy
161 Brenda Lee
160 Mercedes Sosa
159 Mississippi John Hurt
158 Carrie Underwood
157 Robert Smith
156 George Strait
155 Corin Tucker
154 Dion
153 Mahlathini
152 Michael Stipe
151 Martha Reeves
150 Bryan Ferry
149 Wanda Jackson
148 Levon Helm
147 Barbra Streisand
146 Ruth Brown
145 PJ Harvey
144 Darlene Love
143 Luciano
142 Russell Thompkins Jr.
141 Christina Aguilera
140 Bono
139 Rocío Dúrcal
138 Merle Haggard
137 El DeBarge
136 Lauryn Hill
135 IU
134 Axl Rose
133 Neil Young
132 Loretta Lynn
131 Jeff Buckley
130 Courtney Love
129 Rob Halford
128 Florence Welch
127 Tammy Wynette
126 Donny Hathaway
125 Joe Strummer
124 Robert Johnson
123 Karen Carpenter
122 Donna Summer
121 Jackie Wilson
120 Charlie Rich
119 Barrington Levy
118 John Fogerty
117 Patti Smith
116 Chet Baker
115 Erykah Badu
114 Chrissie Hynde
113 La India
112 Ozzy Osbourne
111 Fiona Apple
110 The Weeknd
109 Roger Daltrey
108 Caetano Veloso
107 Lou Reed
106 Bill Withers
105 Eddie Vedder
104 Aaron Neville
103 Leonard Cohen
102 Taylor Swift
101 Gladys Knight
100 Elton John
99 Clyde McPhatter
98 Bob Marley
97 Usher
96 Chuck Berry
95 Vicente Fernández
94 Toots Hibbert
93 Stevie Nicks
92 Anita Baker
91 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
90 Gal Costa
89 Selena
88 Jimmie Rodgers
87 Diana Ross
86 Michael Jackson
85 Johnny Cash
84 Lata Mangeshkar
83 Amy Winehouse
82 Steve Perry
81 João Gilberto
80 Chris Cornell
79 Emmylou Harris
78 Janis Joplin
77 Bruce Springsteen
76 Wilson Pickett
75 D'Angelo
74 Patti LaBelle
73 Héctor Lavoe
72 Muddy Waters
71 Roy Orbison
70 Ronnie Spector
69 Youssou N'Dour
68 Rihanna
67 Dennis Brown
66 David Ruffin
65 Minnie Riperton
64 Björk
63 Robert Plant
62 George Michael
61 Umm Kulthum
60 Kate Bush
59 Howlin' Wolf
58 Lady Gaga
57 Brian Wilson
56 Barry White
55 Tina Turner
54 Willie Nelson
53 Miriam Makeba
52 Mick Jagger
51 Sade
50 Joni Mitchell
49 Rod Stewart
48 Toni Braxton
47 Linda Ronstadt
46 Mavis Staples
45 Ella Fitzgerald
44 James Brown
43 Ariana Grande
42 Teddy Pendergrass
41 Etta James
40 Aaliyah
39 Louis Armstrong
38 Curtis Mayfield
37 Van Morrison
36 Kurt Cobain
35 Dusty Springfield
34 Thom Yorke
33 Bessie Smith
32 David Bowie
31 Luther Vandross
30 Hank Williams
29 Chaka Khan
28 Mahalia Jackson
27 Dolly Parton
26 Paul McCartney
25 Mary J. Blige
24 George Jones
23 Smokey Robinson
22 Adele
21 Nina Simone
20 Marvin Gaye
19 Frank Sinatra
18 Celia Cruz
17 Elvis Presley
16 Prince
15 Bob Dylan
14 Freddie Mercury
13 Patsy Cline
12 John Lennon
11 Little Richard
10 Al Green
9 Otis Redding
8 Beyoncé
7 Stevie Wonder
6 Ray Charles
5 Mariah Carey
4 Billie Holiday
3 Sam Cooke
2 Whitney Houston
1 Aretha Franklin

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I was scrolling and got down to c150 and paused to reflect that many of them couldn't hold a tune in a bucket

ETA
Top 50 am happier

 

[Cycleops]

Bob Dylan at 15 and Amy Winehouse at 83.


Lets face it there is never going to be any consensus with these lists.

 

[bluenotebob]

Thanks for putting up a readable list @DaveReading .. I struggled to work my way through it last night on the RS website

Glad that Sandy Denny hasn't been forgotten ... but where's Tim Buckley? .. he's still one of the best singers I've ever heard.

Also disappointed that Emmylou Harris is so low (79th).

I think John Lennon's appearance in the top 20 is a joke .. above Sinatra, Marvin Gaye and Adèle .. really ?

 

[DRM]

Ronnie James Dio at 165 with Mariah Carey at 5 WTAF!