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Favorite and Least Favorite Vocalists


Mona

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Who are your favorite and least favorite vocalists?

My favorites, numbered but in no particular order:

1. Freddie Mercury (Queen)

2. Jeff Buckley

3. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin...duh.)

4. Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra)

5. Brendan Benson (The Raconteurs)

6. Brandon Boyd (Incubus)

7. Ed Roland (Collective Soul)

8. Joni Mitchell

9. Scott Wieland (Stone Temple Pilots)

10. Peter Gabriel

My least favorites, also numbered but in no particular order:

1. Liam Gallagher (Oasis)

2. Bob Dylan

3. Justin Hawkins (the Darkness)

4. Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)

5. Tom Petty

6. Stevie Nicks

7. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones)

8. Geddy Lee (Rush)

9. Billy Corrigan (The Smashing Pumpkins)

10. The lead singer of the Offspring.

Now, before some of you get mad about my least favorite list, don't worry. I don't like their voices, that doesn't mean I don't like their music or respect them as artists. Really, the Smashing Pumpkins and Stevie Nicks are the only ones on the second list that I don't like to listen to ever. As for the rest of them, I respect Bob Dylan as a musician and a songwriter, I just don't like his voice; The Rolling Stones are awesome, I'm just not a fan of Mick's vocals; Rush is amazing, but Geddy Lee sounds like he's been sucking on a helium balloon. As for Tom Petty, I absolutely love, love, love him, but you are deaf if you think he's actually got a good singing voice. So, it isn't about hating the singers' music, just not liking their voices as vocalists.

Also, your favorites don't have to all be excellent like Jeff Buckley. It doesn't matter how technically good their singing is, or how great a range they have. I mean, if you love Bob Dylan's voice, then say so! If you don't think Freddie Mercury was all that great of a vocalist, then go ahead and put him in your least favorites.

How about you all? Who are your favorite and least favorite vocalists?

Edited by Mona
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My favorite vocalist is probably Jack Bruce. I adore his voice -- Spoonful and Sunshine are shining examples of his incredible singing. My mom said Dan Auerbach reminds her of Jack Bruce, and I actually agree. I love his voice, too. My favorite female vocalist, well, I'm not sure, but I do adore Etta James.

I also really love Janis, Jeff Buckley, Mr. Benson (<3), Susan Tedeschi, Regina Spektor, Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney, and Chan Marshall. Eric Burdon gets an honorable mention.

In terms of vocalists I despise, it's gotta be Geddy Lee. He's the reason I will never enjoy listening to Rush. And Joanna Newsom makes me want to break her harp over her head (Becca, I'm sorry...). That's about it for real musicians... haha... though I do hate the vocals of any of those pop-punk bands. :blink:

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My favorite vocalist is probably Jack Bruce. I adore his voice -- Spoonful and Sunshine are shining examples of his incredible singing. My mom said Dan Auerbach reminds her of Jack Bruce, and I actually agree. I love his voice, too. My favorite female vocalist, well, I'm not sure, but I do adore Etta James.

I also really love Janis, Jeff Buckley, Mr. Benson (<3), Susan Tedeschi, Regina Spektor, Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney, and Chan Marshall. Eric Burdon gets an honorable mention.

In terms of vocalists I despise, it's gotta be Geddy Lee. He's the reason I will never enjoy listening to Rush. And Joanna Newsom makes me want to break her harp over her head (Becca, I'm sorry...). That's about it for real musicians... haha... though I do hate the vocals of any of those pop-punk bands. :blink:

Yeah, I purposely left all the pop stars out. *gags* Even though I really can't stand most of them, and even when they sound decent it's probably because of a computer anyway. :rolleyes:

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Favorite:

Robert Plant

Ronnie James Dio

Ian Astbury

Ronnie Van Zant

Chris Cornell

Rob Halford

Geddy Lee (Temples of Syrinx, Analog Kid, c'mon!)

Maynard James Keenan

Jon Anderson

Peter Steele

Least:

Whoever that clown is that sings "Flirtin' With Disaster" for Molly Hatchett

Axl Rose

Bob Dylan

Perry Farrell

Bruce Dickinson

Billy Corgan

Bret Michaels

Jim Morrison (sorry everyone, I've just never liked the way he sounded.)

Serj Tankian

Steve Perry

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No order....

Favorites

John lennon

Robert

Jim Morrison

Roger Daltrey

Aretha Franklin

Joe Strummer

Dean Martin

Elvis Costello

Perry Farrel

Doug Pinnick

Ian Astbury

Sia Furler

Mark Lauer

Lisa Gerrard

Not to fond of

Bob Dylan

Bruce Springsteen

Paul Rodgers

Mick Jagger

Bob Seger

Meatloaf

Sammy Hagar

Mariah Carey

Vince Neil

Alvin

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Favorites:

Robert

Bruce Dickinson

Elvis Presley

Frank Sinatra

Ronnie James Dio

Amy Lee

Stevie Nicks

Freddie Mercury

Rob Halford

Ronnie Milsap

Pat Benetar

Roy Orbison

Dislike:

Bob Dylan

Vince Gill-not a big fan of country anyway, but this man makes me cringe

Ozzy

Tom Petty

Roger Daltrey

Mick Jagger

James Hetfield

Johnny Cash

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Robert Plant

Jim Morrison

Joe Cocker

John Lennon

Eric Burdon

Van Morrison

Maddy Prior

Sandy Denny

Janis Joplin

Grace Slick

Least? Geddy Lee and Ann Wilson spring to mind.

Edited by 905
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Best:

-----

Dio

Robert (pre 1988)

Ozzy (up to No More Tears)

Gillan

David Coverdale

Daltrey (up to the mid 90s or so, he's pretty hoarse now)

Freddie Mercury

The Beatles

Layne Staley

Anne Wilson

David Bowie

The Beach Boys

Chris Cornell

Stevie Nicks

Sherry Frasier (Two Ton Boa)

Worst:

------

Dylan

Zach De La Rocha (if you call it singing)

The douche from System of a Down

"Cookie Monster" Metal singers of any kind

Tom Waits

The guy from Crash Test Dummies (MM MMM MM MM)

Eddie Vedder (vibrato like a sheep)

Alanis Morissette (hate yodeling)

the chick from the Cranberries (I said I hate yodeling)

Edited by mos6507
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Some singers I like...in no particular order -

Jeff Buckley

Tim Buckley

Joni Mitchell

Elvis

Mr Plant

Thom Yorke

Beth Gibbons

Aretha Franklin

Dusty Springfield

David Bowie

James Brown

Stuart Staples

Marvin Gaye

Johnny Cash

Nick Cave

Scott Walker

Honourable mentions for Neil Tennant, Jimi Goodwin and Debbie Harry.

Dislikes...not many,really. I tend to find singers funny or bland more than anything else. Rather than actually dislike them, I just find it very hard to take most singers at all seriously. There are one or two that do annoy me ,though..

Jim Morrison

Ian Astbury

W Axl Rose

Whitney Houston

Mick Hucknall

90% of 'rock' singers, unfortunately...

James Hetfield, most of the time.

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Late additions...I really don't know how I forgot these. They all evoke very strong feelings in me so really should have been on the original lists...

Likes...Kate Bush

Andrew Eldritch

Chrissie Hynde[although I don't particularly care for most of the Pretenders' music..]

Dislikes... Bono.

Jim Kerr

James Blunt

Also, Van Morrison and Jon Anderson can go on both lists. I've been amazed by their singing,live and on record .Equally they've both annoyed the life out of me[almost!] live and on record. Odd.

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I love unique and interesting vocalists. They don't neccesarily have to be pitch perfect. Some of my favourites -

Neil Young

Robert Plant

Chris Cornell

Patti Smith

Bob Dylan

Eva Cassidy

K.D. Lang

Nina Simone

PJ Harvey

Jeff Buckley

Chris Bailey

Shane MacGowan

Nick Cave

Eddie Vedder

Janis Joplin

Ian Moss

Billy Bragg

Nico

Bob Marley

Kris Kristofferson

Marianne Faithfull

Leonard Cohen

Someone said they don't like the voice of the lead singer of the Offspring. I agree! Also Scott Stapp I think his name is, the lead singer of Creed. Can't think of any more negatives at the moment.

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My favorites:

Paul Rodgers

Dan Auerbach

Stevie Wonder

Myles Kennedy

Mariah Carey

Jack Bruce

Layne Staley

Ryan Adams

Robert Mason

Gavin DeGraw

Rob Halford has an incredible voice, but he isn't really a favorite of mine.

I hate:

Roger Daltrey

Freddie Mercury

Steven Tyler

Geddy Lee

Bob Dylan

Janis Joplin

Axl Rose

There are a lot more that I hate that I'm forgetting...oh well.

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And I completely agree about David Gilmour's voice. If he recorded an album of him reading the London phonebook, I'd buy it.

Agreed. 6 years ago, a buddy of mine and I actually went to London and saw David in concert at the Royal Festival Hall, doing an unplugged show. We sat in an opera box right above him, it was awesome. And my wife and I saw him in Toronto last year, again awesome.

Edited by Mattmc1973
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Faves:

Robert Plant

Geddy Lee

Jon Anderson

Freddy mercury

Grace Slick

Janis Joplin

Jim Morrison

Joss Stone

Roger Daltrey

Ian Gillan

Joan Baez

Mick Jagger

Least Fave

Hendrix (wonderfull guitar player, not so good singer)

Elton John

Hate:

the Oasis one

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Favourites :

Elizabeth Fraser

Lisa Gerrard

Dolores O'Riordan

Beth Gibbons

Maire Brennan

Sinead O'Connor

Bjork

Natalie Merchant

Stevie Nicks

Nancy Wilson

Joni Mitchell

Joan Armatrading

Ofra Haza

Sheila Chandra

Angelique Kidjo

Mariza

Teresa Salgueiro (Madredeus)

Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)

Annelli Drecker (Bel Canto)

Melissa Arpin-Duimstra (Lovesliescrushing)

Suzanne Perry (Love Spirals Downwards)

--------------------------------------------------------

Robert Plant

Ozzy

Steve Perry

Geddy Lee

Jon Anderson

Peter Gabriel

David Gilmour

Roger Waters

David Bowie

Marc Bolan

Steve Harley

Freddie Mercury

Leonard Cohen

Neil Young

Roy Harper

Michael Stipe

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