The best vocalists




Posted by Omni

Huh, I hope this thread hasn't been made.

I've got to admit that I really enjoy and admire talented vocal work, and I was wondering who everyone thinks the best singers are. This isn't about favorites, it's about actual vocal ability.

Here's my choices:

Freddie Mercury (Queen)
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden)
Garm (Ulver)
Daniel Gildenl




Posted by Xero

Neige (from Peste Noire when he's not yelling)
Freddie Mercury
Mika

That's about it.




Posted by Shade

Daniel Gildenlow.




Posted by Grave Wisdom

Dunno about "best"

but i'll list my favorites(who all have loads of vocal ability):

Garm

Dan Swano

Michael Akerfeldt

Mike Patton

all the vocalists i've listed have proven to be highly versatile in a lot of styles.


Quoting Shade: Daniel Gildenlow.


remind me to rep you for not mentioning a certain James!



Posted by S

Eddie Vedder
Maynard James Kenan
and simply out of uniqueness, the guy from Cake.

I left out names already mentioned.




Posted by Grave Wisdom

alright, well Maynard has some talent. But explain to me why you mentioned Gavin Rossdale, and Eddie Vedder? Neither of them seem to be especially varied with their vocals, nor that unique. The Cake guy's somewhat unique, so I won't pick on that.




Posted by S

Eddie has a phenominal ability to harmonize, Release Me is probably a prime example of such. Besides that, I've heard a multitude of varying styles come from him - though that may just be attributed to the type of artist he is. He's not the type, at least to my knowledge, that has a wide octave range alla Chris Cornell, but he makes use of what he has very well. There are, after all, more things to the vocal instrument than just the pitch and diversity of its range.

And I'm going to remove Gavin, just because I didn't think that out too well.




Posted by The Hate

Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
Steve Perry (Journey)




Posted by Grave Wisdom

To Eddie Vedder's credit(or dis-credit), he was possibly the most influential singer for the post-grunge bands. But since those bands were complete hacks, that's hardly an accomplishment.




Posted by Shade


Quoting Grave Wisdom:
remind me to rep you for not mentioning a certain James!



oh i get it cause i like dream theater okay



Posted by Grave Wisdom

Hey! I like DT, I just don't worship them. And I personally consider James the weakest link in DT.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

Tyko Saarikko (Tenhi)
Quorthon (Bathory)
Gackt (Malice Mizer)
Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Willem (Urfaust)

In terms of clean vocals, that's what I got for now. Besides Mikael and Gackt I wouldn't say any of them are that talented when it comes to singing, but I can't deny that they're quite unique and their respective bands would be nothing without them.




Posted by G-Sides

morrissey. as gay as this sounds, i've never heard a voice as beautiful as his in music, be it cheesy or not.



patton is ****ing bomb too.




Posted by Klarth

LEAVE THE ORDERING TO YOUR HEAD:

Kristoffer Rygg
Robert Sjarnstrom
Andreas Hedlund
Daniel Gildenl




Posted by Bj Blaskowitz

I seriously can't believe nobody has said Sebastian Bach. The man has an unreal range.




Posted by Omni


Quoting Grave Wisdom: To Eddie Vedder's credit(or dis-credit), he was possibly the most influential singer for the post-grunge bands. But since those bands were complete hacks, that's hardly an accomplishment.


This also isn't about who the most influential vocalists are, anyway.



Posted by Grave Wisdom

I realize that, but I felt like stating it anyway.




Posted by Fragliche

Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel)
Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon)
Johan Edlund (Tiamat)
Barry White
Warrel Dane (Nevermore)
Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil)
Fernando Ribeiro (Moonspell)
Louis Armstrong
Joey Ramone (Ramones)
Jonas Renkse (Katatonia)

No particular order. :\




Posted by Philsdad

Sam Cooke




Posted by Shade


Quoting Fragliche:
Joey Ramone (Ramones)



WHAT



Posted by Fragliche


Quoting Shade: WHAT

I'm going to take a wild guess that you dislike Joey Ramone.



Posted by Shade

You are correct sir!




Posted by Omni

Joey Ramone is not an amazingly talented vocalist. I'm sorry.




Posted by Shade

Also:

Thomas Englund (Evergrey)
Roy Khan (Kamelot)
Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation)




Posted by Omni

/r/ more Freddie Mercury worship: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aduNahDPjBA

WATCH THE VIDEO!




Posted by Fragliche


Quoting Omni: Joey Ramone is not an amazingly talented vocalist. I'm sorry.

Rather surprised Louis Armstrong wasn't also questioned.


But anyway, thought of a few others...
Niklas Isfeldt (Dream Evil)
Frank Sinatra
Matt Barlow (ex-Iced Earth, currently Pyramaze)
Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray)
David Bowie



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Joey Ramone is not an amazingly talented vocalist. I'm sorry.


Neither are 3 of the 5 I listed, but a lot has to do with the context of the music.



Posted by Omni


Quoting Omni: This isn't about favorites, it's about actual vocal ability.


Yeah, I know. Maybe people will read the original post more next time.



Posted by Shade

"Joey Ramone isn't talented, but he is talented compared to other punk rock singers!"

Yeah, context of the music doesn't matter.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Yeah, I know. Maybe people will read the original post more next time.


Vocal ability has a lot to do with context too, if you ask me. I didn't list favourites, not even close, but I think for their music, they're easily the best. I mean, if we went on flatout tallent alone, technically ever list should be the exact same. Problem get.



Posted by Omni

Okay, I guess so. I don't want to argue with you about this anyway, since I like the ones you posted and I know you and I like a lot of the same singers.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

TOO LATE, THIS IS A ****ING ARGUMENT




Posted by Omni

Oh, David Bowie is a really good singer, too, especially the the context of his music.




Posted by Shade

Keith Urban is great in the context of his music




Posted by Vampnagel P. Wingpire

Liv Kristine
Floor Jansen




Posted by Bj Blaskowitz

I think half of you are just naming singers that you like, despite whether or not they have a wide range or a good sound. Hell, if we're not paying actual attention to these things, I'm going to go ahead and throw Bon Scott out there




Posted by Gollum

Nergal of Behemoth. First time I heard "Antichristian Phenomenon" his vocals surprised the **** out of me.




Posted by Klarth


Quoting Bj Blaskowitz: I seriously can't believe nobody has said Sebastian Bach. The man has an unreal range.


****, yeah, I agree. I'm not a massive SR fan with or without him, but you should check out the Frameshift album with him on vox if you can find it.



Posted by Ch


Quoting Bj Blaskowitz: I seriously can't believe nobody has said Sebastian Bach. The man has an unreal range.


That guy can sing anything. He's on my list.

Anyways in no specific order

Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon)
Michael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)
H.R. (Bad Brains)
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) in the 90's. His voice seems to not be as good now.
Marvin Gaye

and I got to give it to him
Michael Jackson.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: but you should check out the Frameshift album with him on vox if you can find it.


I am intrigued. If you got a copy of it, mind uploading it for me?



Posted by Klarth


Quoting Vampiro V. Empire: I am intrigued. If you got a copy of it, mind uploading it for me?


Doing so. Check FS in half an hour.



Posted by Omni

Huh, I'm gonna get that, too. I'm kinda skeptical, but I wonder how good he is.




Posted by Klarth

It's in there now.

It's good. It's really good.




Posted by Omni

Huh, so far, his vocals seem really, really average for this style of singing.




Posted by Hyper

Listen to "I Killed You." Great display of his vox.

Russell Allen hasn't been mentioned yet. I don't know why people don't like him. He's got great range and variety.




Posted by Omni

Sebastian Bach is okay, but he's not even close to the best I've heard, and I listened to that song. Russell Allen is okay, but he's also not even close.




Posted by Shade

I like Russell Allen a lot, but he just doesn't come to mind when I think the best vocalists.




Posted by Hyper

Same for me with Tom Englund.




Posted by Omni

Listen to this one.

[code]http://www.sendspace.com/file/yj70we[/code]

He sings consistently as an [highlight]A above male high C[/highlight] for almost this entire song, which is something almost nobody could even hope to do. That's one of the highest recorded notes I can think of. It's all done in a non-falsetto voice, too.




Posted by Hyper

Who's this one supposed to be?




Posted by Omni

Probably Chris Cornell.




Posted by Shade

Was that the weird song you sent me last night? I don't remember hearing terribly high notes.




Posted by Omni

You're totally deaf if you can't hear any high notes in that song.




Posted by Shade

I didn't hear any as high you said he went.




Posted by Vampnagel P. Wingpire


Quoting Omni: Listen to this one.

[code]http://www.sendspace.com/file/yj70we[/code]

He sings consistently as an [highlight]A above male high C[/highlight] for almost this entire song, which is something almost nobody could even hope to do. That's one of the highest recorded notes I can think of. It's all done in a non-falsetto voice, too.


You mean nearly two octaves above middle c...? Either way, the highest I heard was high D (one octave plus one note above middle c).



Posted by Omni

I dunno, maybe I picked the wrong song, but I know he sings that high on a few of them.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

I'm listing Saturious (Finist) also for his clean vocals. If only for the massive improvement in his vocals and writing. Also listing his old vocals because they're easily the worst I've ever heard, and for that reason, some of the best. Seriously, he goes from struggling to even hit the most basic of notes to actually sounding really good and pretty talented.




Posted by Bj Blaskowitz

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Xd8ykpZkwA

/bow before the Bach.


we are the youth gone wild!




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

I remember Mesento doing a cover of this song and Youth Gone Wild. I miss the guy :( But yeah, I don't find him all that amazing from what I've heard. Sounds on par with a lot of vocalists. Khan of Kamelot is better.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qOIgGdvZA2Y




Posted by Kendra, Warrior Babe

Roy Khan (Kamelot)
This Guy *Points to the song "What is Eternal"*
Gerard Butler
Amy Lee (Evanescence)
Emmy Rossum
Celine Dion
Gordon Lightfoot
Don McLean
Kate Winslet
Christine Scabbia (Lacuna Coil)




Posted by Richaod

Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge)
Ronnie James Dio
Mikael Akerfeldt
Devin Townsend
Matt Barlow
Daniel Johns (Silverchair)
Jeff Buckley
Thom Yorke
Katy Steele (Little Birdy)
Kate Miller-Heidke
Tori Amos

...yeah. James LaBrie on DT's Live at the Marquee album too.




Posted by Shade

Oh yeah, Mika goes on my list, too.




Posted by Omni

Mika is pretty amazing. He has a falsetto vocal range of 5 octaves.




Posted by Richaod


Quoting Omni: Mika is pretty amazing. He has a falsetto vocal range of 5 octaves.


Don't you mean that including falsetto, he has an overall range of 5 octaves?



Posted by Shade

Probably not, or else that's what the post would've said.




Posted by Kendra, Warrior Babe

Oh, and Sharon den Adel from the band "Within Temptation." Listen to the song "The Cross" and you'll see what I mean. :)

**Edit: And, Idina Menzel, from the broad way musical "Wicked."




Posted by Richaod


Quoting Shade: Probably not, or else that's what the post would've said.


Have you considered that having a falsetto range of 5 octaves is physically impossible? Jim Gilette of Nitro (the freakish guy who shattered glass on Mythbusters) has 6 overall, and I already suspect he's a castrato.



Posted by coromoro

[color=limegreen][b]Mikael




Posted by Shade


Quoting Richaod: Have you considered that having a falsetto range of 5 octaves is physically impossible? Jim Gilette of Nitro has 6 overall


HUH



Posted by Omni

I'm pretty sure that Jim Gilette sings with a non-falsetto voice. Falsetto isn't included in the recording of someone's vocal range.




Posted by VirtualRealityZone

SHANNON HOON.


is the best male vocalist.
and song writer ;]




Posted by Waluigi

Hmm...

Marco (Bassist and singer for Tarot and Nightwish)
Tarja (Old Nightiwsh female vocalists)
Mats Levin (Krux and now Therion!)
Hansi (Blind Guardian)
Chris (Freedom Call)

Man....I really couldn't choose 'the best' out of those..

EDIT: Coro...I agree with Devin bud -- Suicide was hot.




Posted by Hyper

Geddy Lee.




Posted by Ch


Quoting VirtualRealityZone: SHANNON HOON.


is the best male vocalist.
and song writer ;]


His voice was amazing.



Posted by Omni

Albert Khuzevin

He's the only person who can use the vocal style that makes Yat-Kha so awesome.




Posted by Shade

Devin Townsend.




Posted by Lemuria


Quoting Richaod:

...yeah. James LaBrie on DT's Live at the Marquee album too.


Just going to have to put it out there...

I think James honestly holds DT back. He's an ok vocalists at most and Dream Theater should just go full instrumental anyways at the direction they're headed now-a-days.



Posted by Richaod


Quoting Lemuria: Just going to have to put it out there...

I think James honestly holds DT back. He's an ok vocalists at most and Dream Theater should just go full instrumental anyways at the direction they're headed now-a-days.


He's obviously not as good now, through no fault of his own. His singing on Live at the Marquee is ridiculously good though, one of the best live performances I've heard from anyone.

I suspect that without him, DT would become overly technical... more so than they are now. When they restrained that element of their music on Octavarium, the songs seemed a lot tighter. Their biggest problem is probably that they wear their influences on their sleeves a bit much nowadays.



Posted by Lemuria

^^I can agree with the kickass LIVE performance by him -- Budokan though dude? That was bad on his part. I thought a few of the songs from Octavarium sounded like "U2" -- but I mean songs like "Panic Attack" -- Very good. Back to topic.




Posted by Shade

Already is on topic. This is a topic about vocalists, after all.