The Top 6 Rock and Roll Male Voices
Words Alfredo Torres
Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 12:40 am
What’s up dudes,
So the other night I was listening to Steely Dan’s Peg, you know, just jamming out and I started thinking not about the incredible lyrics or faultless musicianship. This time, I started to focus on the voice of Steely Dan, Donald Fagan. If you take some time and listen to how his voice falls right in with the instruments, becoming one of them, you can understand why the band is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and why they are loved and respected by members of all genres of music. This of course got the thought train going and it inevitably ends with the best male vocals of the rock and roll era. So to get the debate going, here is my list of the top 6 male voices.
- Elvis Presley: Not only could his voice be velvet smooth or rough and rugged, but he really had soul. He reached audience but Black and White. The respect he had for gospel and soul could be heard in his early work. There are stories that as a young child, Elvis would sneak into black churches and listen to gospel. He would risk getting found out and beaten just so hear could hear those angelic voices. What a voice.
- Peter Murphy: The voice that started Goth. As the lead singer of Bauhas, the group which charted the dark masterpiece, ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead” he gave all the social outcast a voice. All you need to do is listen to the song “Cuts You Up” and tell me his voice doesn’t sent shivers.
- Jeff Buckley: A voice that was taken away too soon. He had a vocal range greater than Mariah Carey and used every bit of it on his only full album Grace. His version of “Hallelujah” sets the standard for all modern singers to follow.
- Chris Cornell: The most underrated singer on this list. Just listen to anything by Soundgarden, Audioslave or any of his solo stuff and tell me that he doesn’t deserve to be on this list.
- Robert Plant: I don’t know if I would have put his name on this list before seeing him at Bonnaroo last year, but once you hear that voice live, there is no doubt that belongs here. Extra props for being an Englishman who has vocally mastered two forms of American music. Bluegrass and Blues.
- Bryan Ferry: The Lead Singer of Roxy Music. One simple word…..Amazing
You’re up people. Who do you think should be on this list?
The Silver Fox
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ABOUT THE WRITER
For over 7 years, Alfredo Torres helped spread joy, laughter and music over the local airwaves. Getting his start as a regular on the Mike and Bob show, he took his talents to his own, "Alfredo Torres Debacale," before moving on to 100.5 Max FM's Locals Lounges where he featured the most talented local rock bands in the Hampton Roads area. He went on to host a successful video blog for Port Folio Weekly and currently is featured on Bob's Boneyard, a podcast staring himself along with Bob Fresh and Manny Fresh formally of the Mike and Bob show and Torres vs Zombies, a zombie survival podcast. He has been there, done that and has the T-shirt to prove it, even if the T-shirt doesn't fit anymore. Widely respected for his quick wit, knowledge of music and zombies, and a passion for local artist, The Silver Fox doesn't follow the politically correct path.
Other posts by Alfredo Torres.
Other posts by Alfredo Torres.
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First off, when I saw this title I said, “Yo, The Silver Fox better have Jeff Buckley on this list or we’re gonna have to fight!” And it’s a good thing you did because I’m a little dude.
So anyway… This is really good list. I don’t go so much for the technical side of singing as much as the emotions that are conveyed and I can’t say that Fagan or Elvis have ever really blipped on my radar, but Bono, Robert Smith and Elvis Costello often do. And Mike Patton, but that’s a different list in general.
You took me a little off guard on this. Let me get back to you with a real list.
prince, bono, michael stipe.
u2 and REM were able to get so big without imploding or descending completely into parody, and a lot of it has to do with amazing voices that can support colossal pretension and ambition.
and prince is prince, so there.
i would throw scott walker into the ring, but he hasn’t been making music you could strictly call “rock n’ roll” in quite awhile, but the walker brothers discography is still around and he’s still working, albeit on the terrence malick timeline.
mike patton’s a good pick, too.
glad you threw brian ferry in there.
as long as we’re bringing up buckley’s “hallelujah”, how about leonard cohen?
1. Freddie Mercury. Freddie Mercury. Freddie Mercury. Its blasphemy to not mention “The Great Prentender” on this list. His range, both vocally and stylistically, is unmatched by any singer of his time or since. The only thing that may have rivaled his unreal magnetism as too one of the best frontmen of all time, was the incredible WEAPON of a voice he projected, microphone septor in hand, both LIVE and on every recording he touched.
May I Present the Following Evidence to the Court : “Somebody to Love”, “The Show Must Go On” and though perhaps trite to mention… “Bohemian Rhapsody”
2. Jeff Buckley. Couldn’t agree with you more. So sad Grace was his only real offering. One listen to Live at Sin-e secures this incredible voice a spot on this list… Its just a guy and his Telecaster, and its hauntingly good. His old man Tim wasn’t too shabby either.
May I Present the Following Evidence to the Court : “So Real”, “Last Goodbye”, and yes, “Hallelujah”
3. John Lennon. Granted he may have not had as large a range as a Robert Plant or even arguably a Mick Jagger, but his voice always so complimented the song and melody he was lending it to. Lucky for him, those songs and melodies were some of the best ever written.
May I Present the Following Evidence to the Court : “Twist and Shout”, “Isolation”, “Across the Universe”
4. Bono.
May I Present the Following Evidence to the Court : “One”, “All I Want Is You”, and about the last two minutes of “With or Without You”
5. Elvis Costello.
May I Present the Following Evidence to the Court : “Welcome to the Working Week”, “Radio, Radio”, “Shipbuilding”
6. Rufus Wainwright.
May I Present the Following Evidence to the Court : “Vicious World”, “In a Graveyard”, and his version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Honorable Mentions :
Matthew Caws (Nada Surf)
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
Steve Perry (Journey)
Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
Butch Walker
Jackson Browne
Richard Ashcroft
Kelly Jones (Stereophonics)
Alex Dezen (The Damnwells)
FUCK!!! How Could I forget Prince!!??!!
kind of inspiring to see elvis costello get so much love here. that’s kind of rock n’ roll because his vocal mastery seems so flawed and personal and attainable. sure, we can’t all sing as well as costello, but we all think we can, and we all have a costello impersonation up our sleeves. did you ever see that doctor katz where the comic/patient talked about wanting to do a one man show about his boring life but have costello come on to do a song about losing his laundry ticket?
funny, too, that costello seems to love singing but be as insecure about his voice as the rest of us schlubs. i read an interview once where he got off into a tangent about how much he admired tremendous soul and gospel vocalists. he ended up saying how he didn’t care much for the actual musical catalog of luther vandross, but would kill to have a vocal instrument like that. i think that’s a pretty keen, common sentiment. luther vandross: shitty catalog, great voice.
thom yorke has a great voice, but i would put it into a subcategory (call this one “the bowies”) of guys with limited ranges who make heavenly compositions with what they got.
and now that we got lennon in there, i have to say that roger daltrey is an amazing vocal talent, even if his finest moments have been co-opted by the CSIs.
never a queen fanatic, but mercury can sing like nobodie’s business.
how do we feel about jay hawkins, by the way?
also, i’ll be the jerk who admits that i love hearing damon albarn singing in any context.
and here comes my oh fuck moment:
roy orbison.
I almost snapped until I saw George mention Orbison. GOAT.
First thank you guys for all the conversation on this topic. It’s good to see people debating something like this being as no matter where we fall in any of our beliefs, we all love music. So that being said….
Elvis Costello: I love his early work. Any of his stuff with the Attractions is included in my top 10 all time favorites, but I dont know if I would put in in the top 10. Top 15 def, but top 10, not sure.
Roy Orbison: Probably top 5 voices of the sixties. Talk about a voice that is smooth and emotional.
Roger Daltrey: The Who is another top 10 band for me, and Daltrey might be top 5 frontman, check that, is top 5 frontman but I dont think top 10 rock n roll voices of all time, but it is damn up there.
I have to admit that I dont know enough Rufus Wainright or Mike Patton to comment on where they should be on the list, though I do love the stuff that I do know of Patton, but most of that is kind of that early spoken/rap kind of vocals ala Epic.
and the one voice that we could all agree on, Jeff Buckley, I dont think that anyone making this list could have left him off this list.
Now here is where I start getting the hate…are you ready?……I don’t think Prince belongs anywhere near the top 25 maybe even 50 top voices. Just cant see it. Not with names like you guys have mentioned and some that havent even been mentioned especially with some of the voices from metal. Voices like Rob Halford or Bruce Dickerson could and should be brought into the conversation, but the truth is I dont know how much you indie guys know about metal, (No offense).
Metal singers in general get slighted on lists like this. Dickenson, Halford, Geoff Tate, David Coverdale, the list goes on…
I have to agree, I might have to do a metal list just to show them some love, after all, I was there.
That’s right, I’m going to have to agree with Torres again… Prince is an amazing and important artist and truly one of my favorites of all time. However, while his voice is instantly recognizable, distinct and often lovely, it’s not the same thing as being a great singer. He’s great at everything else and his voice gets the job done on many levels, but he’s not up to par with the great singers. Prince does what he does and he does it better than anyone. He’s one of the greatest artists of all time, but it’s not because of his voice. Sorry, George.
And Roy Orbison… Definitely one of the greatest.
Jerome, your setting a bad example for all the indie set if you keep agreeing with me. You should know better than to agree with a mainstream, conservative, old guy like me.
That being said, I love the ting tings….lol
Top metal singers is a tough list. Top 5? Hmmm….
1. Geoff Tate – Never really dug Queensryche, but his voice is amazing.
2. Rob Halford
3. Bruce Dickinson
4. Ronnie James Dio
5. Phil Anselmo – yeah, not pretty, but every song he sings is a punch in the mouth!
Honorable mentions to Hetfield and Mustaine – again, not pretty, but great energy and rage is conveyed by both – the base of metal.
This, of course, depends on where you draw the “metal” line… where does a guy like Paul Rogers fall?
Er, that was Paul Rodgers… as in Free, Bad Company, ect.
Paul Rodgers would be classic rock or just straight rock and roll. Neither Free or Bad Company are metal bands. Don’t wnat to get too much into a top five metal singers, just want to keep this list to top vocals.
Geoff Tate however, I think could be in a top 50 vocals list.
There are so many great voices being brought up here! With the same feeling that Jerome already stated, I do agree with him and Alfredo that Prince should be left off. The first name that popped into my head from this title was Freddie Mercury and was glad to see Jarrett mention that one. The only singer I feel strongly about that hasn’t been mentioned yet is Ed Kawalczyk of Live.
Are we talking about the greatest VOICES or the greatest SINGERS? I think there’s a difference. Somebody like Dylan for example, who’s voice is undeniably recognizable, and to some people’s audio palette, amazing… though CERTAINLY not looked upon as GREAT by any classical or traditional means.
That’s really the big reason behind a lot of my picks, Someone like Costello or Prince can deliver a line with such swagger, or tongue-n-cheek inflection, or piss and vinegar intensity that their octave range is an after thought.
Technicality? Maybe.
prince has an amazing falsetto and gets a lot of points for distinctiveness from me.
its not because of his singing that he’s a favorite, but i do love his singing.
I’m too drunk to cite anyone’s voice as being awesome right now… however; Prince is awesome, but this is best Rock and Roll voices. He don’t belong here damn it. It’d be like if I started mentioning my favorite cut of steak and someone popped in and said mashed potatoes. Delicious, to be sure, but this was an orange during an apple discussion.
Bono, I feel as though due to genetics alone I should be hanging on the guy’s dick, but truth be told, I get sick of hearing him. I mean, New Year’s Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, hell yea, but start getting into The Sweetest Thing, and I want to plant a Doc Marten in his teeth.
And Torres, if you didn’t mention Robert Plant, you might as well have cut out two decades worth of rock vox. Just worthless.