Your Favorite singers

[Fifthfiend]

We seem to do this kind of thread here so here you go.

For myself in addition to my comments on the Beatles in the Beatles thread I will say Freddie Mercury. He had a range and technical command and an unrestrained emotional intensity that are unparalleled by any other performer.

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

I'ma gonna have to throw my vote to Jason Webley. Probably the only singer that has managed to bring tears to mine eyes with little effort.

[Michael Valentine]

This is a really hard one, but for right now I'm going to have to go with Jeff Buckley. Elliot Smith isn't far off, but his strength is more in the lyrics, than the actual sound of his voice.

[Invisible Queen]

Jeff Buckley rocks my socks. But I'm gonna have to go with Janis Joplin just to mention someone of the fairer sex. I'm no judge of such things, but I think her vocal range and variety of expression could very well rival mr. Mercury's.

Sting gets a special mention for having such a unique voice. It sounds to me like his vocal chords are made of plastic or ice or something.

[Bobbey]

Not many people know him, but I'm gonna go with Donald Fagen (from steely dan). Multiple voice dubs FTW!

[Blues]

Off the top of my head, Billie Holiday and Jim Morrison.

[Demetrius]

Jack Black! I love the half scat silliness of it all and can rock out with it.

[CTDChris]

Tommy Rogers Jr.

[Mac]

I am part impartial to Bryan Adams.

[TDK]

Second to Freddie Mercury and Jack Black.

Zach de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine.

[Meister]

Tom Waits is the best singer (http://youtube.com/watch?v=74xpualjuhk&feature=related) and don't you deny it.

Current 93's David Tibet (http://youtube.com/watch?v=sI7H7IDYMvw&feature=related) is really good (and fairly versatile (http://youtube.com/watch?v=zP8JUf6vxCQ)) too.

Who else, then... Jeffrey Lee Pierce was great; Shane MacGowan used to be great in any case, not so sure if him slurring absolutely everything nowadays is really an improvement, authenticity notwithstanding; Nick Cave should probably get a mention too.

Oh okay, you know who is really good? Edward Ka-Spel (http://youtube.com/watch?v=F8Ttus8hvh4&feature=related) is really good.

[facelift]

Mike Patton, no contest.
Seriously there's not one thing this guy can't do. Anyone who's heard Mr. Bungle or Fantomas knows this. His singing range is very wide, he can do very deep lows to very high falsettos, growl, scream at near ear-shattering pitches, rap, scat, beatbox, he does it all. He's definitely a singer who truly uses his voice as an instrument.

[Masked Jedi]

Let's break this down by genre (this Beatles are a given, so I won't mention them or anyone else mentioned):
Classic Rock: Elton John and John Fogerty
Punk: Joe Strummer
Metal: Ozzy. What? He can sing!
Grunge: Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder, who is the greatest singer ever.

[Smarty McBarrelpants]

Freddie Mercury again. His range his incredible. He sung mock operas to ballads to rock to everything. As an example, "Somebody to Love". What sounds like a full orchestra is Freddie, with some help from Taylor and May, just looping their voices over and over. Incredible.

Also Roger Daltree. He sings like a rock man but it's always so incredibly clear. The only reason the rock operas by The Who worked is because of Daltree. You could understand exactly what was going on.

[Masked Jedi]

Also: David Gilmore, Roger Waters, and Bob Dylan

[Mondt]

Howard Jones (http://youtube.com/watch?v=4WJlml_PvMs), Frontman for Killswitch Engage:

Has a powerful scream (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xt3QDf1_44g&feature=related) with lots of range, and it sounds natural. Its not gutteral, nor is it scratchy. It's just perfect for me. He also has an awesome clean vocal (http://youtube.com/watch?v=dU1V1JlvA78), so I mean he's the all-in-one new (http://youtube.com/watch?v=UzAXKdNYuUE)-wave (http://youtube.com/watch?v=g7XY8IlxwHQ)-of (http://youtube.com/watch?v=WrBONyFBePc)-American (http://youtube.com/watch?v=brRvCP2xZSo)-heavy (http://youtube.com/watch?v=IbD1RQac2hI)-metal (http://youtube.com/watch?v=eIfhP8xleFE) singer. I mean I don't wanna bash on all those bands... just their singers. XD

Rody Walker (http://youtube.com/watch?v=9F3fB446sYI), frontman for Protest the Hero:

Hilarous. This guy cracks me up. He also has a crazy high range (http://youtube.com/watch?v=l5I4qP0u8lQ). On top of that, he has two of the most unique screams I have EVER heard (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ypCdGNe3Bvs&feature=related) (Skip to one minute if you want to hear both). More specifically, a scream and a growl. His growls are enough to make babies shit themselves, which isn't a good thing for some, but it sounds awesome if placed right. Anyway, his normal notes are like... my falsettos. 'Course I'm a baritone mostly, so yeah, but still.

Protest the Hero's album Kezia (http://youtube.com/watch?v=LAutUObokCM&feature=related) versus Fortress (http://youtube.com/watch?v=wJatLMZSdEI&feature=related) obviously shows an improvement in vocal ability and its great that he's improving, although that whole drinking/smoking thing is gonna mess him up in the end.

Nathan Ells (http://youtube.com/watch?v=gNLzC4tI4G4), frontman of The Human Abstract (http://youtube.com/watch?v=6yAjZ4zkWa8):

Has the weirdest articulation I have EVER heard in his clean vocals (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vxp55dbwscs), and manages to take radio-rock (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ysox0Ea9CF0) (as I like to call mainstream rock that all sounds the same to me) yells (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ysox0Ea9CF0) and mix it all in with screams (http://youtube.com/watch?v=CxzFh0rfynw) that to me, no pun intended, scream emotion and intensity. His solo project (http://www.myspace.com/nathanaelrossells) freaks me out but man he's one of my favorites just be being weird.

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Right then. Like anyone is going to spend the time to click on all of those links, or even half of them, but eh. I like doing the link thing. :D

I would just like to point out that the song I linked on the word "Kezia" is my favorite song by them. The youtube comments show what its lyrics are about, but I'll put it here anyway. If myself and the youtube guy are in the right, its about a guard who is assigned to kill Kezia, who is on death row. But if you take it out of the album's "concept" context, it becomes an awesome social statement if you ask me. Also, after "No one told me I'd have to pull the trigger on her" it would say "I can't even still her trembling hands, they've been locked up by the dutiful and the obligated" on the album. I know this thread isn't about lyrics and writing and shit but I like to too much. :D

[TheSparrow]

I'm always amazed at how great many of the old ska and reggae singers are.
Jimmy Cliff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkMzuXlKQv8)
Desmond Dekker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utdKnZlAxDc)
Lord Creator (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sAiyVoRYNc)
and others.

[Yrcrazypa]

Another vote for Freddie Mercury. Incredible range of pitch and style, not to mention Queen is by far my favorite band, and probably one of the most versatile I've ever heard.

[Michael Valentine]

Chris Seefried. A lot of his music is from the 90s; and for someone with a nice fancy site as well as iTunes available records, he's surprisingly underrated. So, kudos to you, mr. guy who looks sort of poor and homeless in accoustic-song videos on youtube!

[Gorefiend]

Seconds to Mercury, Waits, and David Gilmour. Valentine's mention of Elliott Smith's voice is also something I'd like to second, though I share in the sentiment that he's more lyrics than voice.

That said, I'm partial to Johnny Hartman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5vG9eD05zk) for best singer in any category. I don't usually have much of an emotional reaction when listening to music (except that rock gets me rockin', but, few songs will make me feel sad if I'm not already sad, or the like). His, however, I seem to have a weak spot for. No, really, give him a listen.

And, there's always Nick Drake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEAsZa4Qz2Y).

As far as sheer vocal ability, Cedric Bixler-Zavala can hit some very high notes, and if you're into the Mars Volta (as I am), he's awesome.

[Regulus Tera]

Joaquín Sabina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquín_Sabina).

If I were gay I'd be gay for Joaquín Sabina.

[Cid Highwind]

Another vote for Gilmour, especially when backed up by Roger Waters. Makes for a bipolar experience within The Wall, etc.

And Mercury too, amazing range, etc, its been said already.

Till Lindeman, from Rammstien. If you havent listened to Mutter yet, its an amazing album within hard rock/industrial, as Lindeman's vocals have an excellent emotional range
throughout it.

I'll think of more, but thats a good start.

[OctoberRaven]

Chris Barnes (Cannibal Corpse/Six Feet Under) and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth).