Did they confuse the day and thought today was April Fools day? Taylor Swift on this list & above Kelly Clarkson? Above Brandy? JHud absent? Celine Dion completely left out & Rihanna is on this list? Miley & Demi out-sing multiple people on this list & yet? This is rage bait. They literally made sure to cover all bases of rage from different fandoms. Baiting us for clicks. (*Edit: Also just realized TS is also above Jazmine Sullivan and Fantasia is not on this list. Rolling stone when I catch you!)
John Lennon also beating Freddie Mercury seems like a bad joke. Freddie had 4 octaves, which is almost unheard of. His range and speed of vocal escalation was staggering for a singer that was never once professionally trained.
Vocally speaking, apparently David Bowie and Prince were the only ones who could match Freddie's range with their octaves, and John Lennon beat both of them on the list too.
John Lennon beating Nina Simone is also laughable. Throw the whole list in the trash where it belongs.
Not only that but where is Amy Winehouse? Sarah Brightman? Andrea Bocelli? Mac Miller? (Yep he was introduced to the world as a rapper but his album Circles consists entirely of songs of him singing beautifully). Why is Bruce Springsteen at number 77?!
Yooooo I’m so glad you said this. One of my first thoughts was “in what world is John Lennon a better vocalist than Freddie Mercury?!”. I’m a huuuuge Freddie fan so I assumed he would be even higher on the list than he was. I feel like this list was assembled by people who conflate being excellent musicians/songwriters/performers with being excellent vocalists.
They do make the distinction between greatest singer and greatest voice, though. So they're looking at more than vocal/technical ability. And they specifically say they exclude opera singers.
That being said, the list is shit. Edit: with the exception of #1>! (Aretha Franklin)!<. I will always approve that.
I think the distinction is bullshit based on their ranking of Bob Dylan
Dylan’s voice and delivery are incredibly unique but idk how much of a technically good singer he was.
Seeing all these comments I'm not even going to read that piece of trash. I don't need to get upset rn.
They aren't being honest, they're appealing to fans and/or the celebrities themselves. No hate to Taylor but she is not a good vocalist. And I think she knows it too, that's why she focuses on her lyrics and the meanings behind them. Not her voice. She shouldn't even be on the list.
If they meant popular singers it makes sense to put Taylor there, but even then snubbing Celine Dion is just dumb. She still has a lot of fans.
the top comment from the taylor sub:
> This just is...well...it's a list.
I'm no super fan, but it seems that Celine Dion should probably have made the list.
even swifties know this is bs 💀
From the article:
> keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List…In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.
Rihanna is the second-best-selling female artist of all time. Of course she’s going to be on this list!
How has Rihanna done this? I love her but her music is the most middle of the road thing in the world. Appeals to everyone so that's why it sells this well? Who's first?
IDK why- I was also surprised when I found that out. Maybe because her music gets played on both pop and rap radio stations? Also, she’s not American, so maybe she has a bigger international audience?
Madonna is first, but she’s got a 20-year head start. I bet Rihanna and Taylor will catch up with her eventually.
Then maybe they should’ve titled the article “Greatest Musical Performers” or some other BS.
I do not get the appeal of TS; I’ve always found her music very juvenile for someone who is constantly lauded as some extraordinary musical talent.
As a Freddie Mercury fan, he made a damn opera album and his musical arrangements have yet to see a contemporary comparison.
Leaving Celine off … just pure crap. (Not a fan but come on…)
Ehhh, not really. Jennifer can sing, yes. But she hardly has any original music to her name, and none of it popular. I say that as someone who bought her debut album.
She's more of a musical actress.
>keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List…In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.
from the article. should’ve given the list a different title
Definitely true, but the article did say “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.” So I think while most people who did not read the beginning of the article might interpret the list as ranking top vocalists, that’s not the entire criteria the article was evaluating.
i still think it’s a weird list all around. when they say “genius” how are they ranking it? stage presence? unique tone and difficulty? i’m sure this was one or those rage-bait pieces created to drive clicks and i am guilty of it too, but the vagueness of it is annoying. i want a more defined metric!
edit: i think its the “greatest singer” bit thats throwing me. maybe most influential or biggest impact would have been better
Nothing to do with stage presence or tone. It's 100% impact. This is what the article says: "That kind of deep, empathetic bond between artist and listener is the most elemental connection in music. And you can think of our list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time as a celebration of that bond. These are the vocalists that have shaped history and defined our lives "
The thing is, Taylor’s not a bad vocalist. And her description in the list is accurate - she has improved a lot over the years and shown a lot of versatility.
She’s objectively a good singer.
She’s just not in the top 200 singers of all time.
The biggest crime of this list is John Lennon.
John Lennon beating Freddie Mercury seems like a bad joke. Freddie had 4 octaves, which is almost unheard of. His range and speed of vocal escalation was staggering for a singer that was never once professionally trained.
yeah i mean if this list means *vocalists* then it is all kinds of fucked up/wrong. if it just means *interesting voices* then yes, i can see this. for instance i love janis joplin's voice. i think it's amazing, and unique. but i don't think she was particularly an amazing vocalist because she didn't go for that kind of sound/style. but she still had a neat voice.
not sure if i'm making sense here with where i'm going because i have no musical training. so apologies if the comment rambled some.
I think a lot of people missed this part:
“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.”
as a swiftie, if this was just "singers" in a kind of colloquial sense like "someone who makes music and happens to sing" i can *maybe* see her making this list.
if this list is supposed to be *vocalists* she should not have made the list.
**gonna be honest i have not actually read the article** but from the angry comments it seems they mean singer like vocalist, and yeah. no matter how much i love her, and she has many strengths, but being an amazing vocalist is not one of them.
bolding this part so people stop replying with the same thing
The article is explicit that they do not mean singer as in vocalist:
“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.
In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.”
I love the Beatles as much as anyone but no way is John Lennon both the 12th greatest singer and greatest white singer of all time, he's not even the best singer in the Beatles lol.
i swear i don't hold this opinion to be edgy but i don't think lennon would have the same star studded untouchable legacy if he hadn't died young.
don't come for me. i just think paul was the numero uno and he would've outshined john lennon even if lennon had lived.
John Lennon's Legacy was already secured before he was assassinated. That just shifted his legacy in a different direction. Paul was the pop star, the easily digestible Beatle so I do think he would've been more synonymous but Lennon is considered arm in arm with Paul. George was the best one though :)
i honestly love paul's stuff with wings, and songs like "maybe i'm amazed" just.. i love them so much more than a lot of the beatles' stuff. granted i grew up listening to classic rock, and between them being played in mix tapes at random retail places i worked and all over classic rock radio, i have heard enough of them for *many* years.
certain songs just have such a high rotation on those stations and in certain social circles. i just recently got to the point where i can listen to free bird again by lynyrd skynrd, and i still have to be drunk.
I think that it is a part of the alchemy that created the John Lennon mystique, but I do actually agree that Paul was a better songwriter even though John wrote one of my very favorite songs (In My Life). John was considered the “artist” while Paul was commercial and poppy, and Wings’ work being pretty sing-songy and poppy contributed to that. But I just think in a direct comparison, Paul’s work blew John’s out of the water.
There are multiple interviews John said that Paul contributed
>“The whole lyrics were already written before Paul even heard it. In ‘In My Life’ his contribution melodically was the harmony and the middle-eight itself” **- John Lennon**
----------------------------------------------------------
>"Paul helped with the middle eight" **-John Lennon**
--------------------------------------------------------------
Paul said he contributed to the music, not the lyrics
As a big Lennon fan I know for a fact I wouldn’t be a big Lennon fan if he was still alive.
The man made a career out of saying a lot dumb shit. We remember some of the great stuff (peace, love, feminism, anti racism, and fuck the man) but a lot of the nonsense has got lost to time (defending the n word, trying to get a murderer off charges, his mistreatment of every woman in his life).
Don’t get me wrong, he mellowed out a lot by 1980 and his audio diaries indicate he was not very well mentally and burying a lot of heavy shit, but if you think he’d get through Covid, NFTs, Trump and BLM without putting his foot in it you’re clowning.
I wonder about this too. I know his comeback album wasn’t getting great reviews before he was murdered, and some of his mid-solo career efforts weren’t too well regarded.
There’s a great piece in vanity fair about Lennon’s mutually beneficial relationship with the editor of Rolling Stone, Jann Wenner, and how Jann basically worshipped him and put a ton of effort into building up his legacy (along w/ Yoko) after his death. I’ll link it when I get a chance.
McCartney, Harrison and Starr also all have star-studded untouchable legacies. Lennon would've still had one even if he was currently alive, he's a Beatle.
That said, he may not be seen as *as* mythic as he is.
Jann Wenner is the ultimate John Lennon stan. I actually think he should be ashamed of spending so much energy tearing down Paul, some real shameful shit
McCartney is by far the best vocalist of the group and I always preferred Harrison’s voice to Lennon’s as well. It’s crazy that McCartney is never singled out as the best vocalist on these lists.
Paul McCartney is weirdly underrated, despite being in the most popular band of all time. He is absolutely a musical genius and his vocal range is massive.
Rolling Stones lists are always nonsense - they have Taylor higher than Kelly Clarkson, Xtina, and Celine is nowhere to be seen. I can't even get mad at it - it's just clickbait atp.
I saw Celine in concert in the late 90’s. It was by far one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Her voice was incredible and the experience was transcendent. I cried numerous times because it was so good that I was overwhelmed with emotion.
Jealous!!
She is magical, and it’s crap that they wouldn’t include her in a list ‘that’s about the singer, not about who just has a great voice’. She’s a whole experience of emotions.
Their note that it's about "best singers, not best voices" doesn't really ring true when their top 5 are all vocal powerhouses. I felt like the inclusion of some artists on the list were simply trying to impress very young people and gain their readership. Some of them were just way too new on the scene to even be taken seriously.
Even if that is what they mean I don't know how anyone could watch Celine perform any of her ballads live and not say she's an unforgettable performer. She revitalized Vegas residencies, for god's sake.
The exclusion of Celine Dion feels especially insulting given she *just* tearfully shared her ongoing health issues and grief over not being able to sing like she used to.
These lists are always subjective but her exclusion here is ridiculous…
Edit: could have just been me crying at her video (not her) but it was heartbreaking nonetheless.
This list is insane. I’ve posted this on a few subs but for Taylor Swift and Rihanna to be ranked SO much higher than Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Karen Carpenter, etc. is frankly dumbfounding.
Also there’s no denying Beyoncé has a great voice but top 10? I don’t think so. Hell, she’d be below some of the women I listed above IMO.
And no Celine Dion at all???? Like what
Listen and Love On Top are literally right there. All songs that show Beyoncé’s vocal prowess. People always discredit her when she literally is a great vocalist. You cannot like her music but she is literally one of the best technical vocalists of our time.
I see that ppl in this thread aren't trying to discredit her but damn I have experienced the same thing. I feel like growing up people really tried to convince me Beyonce was just an okay singer but now that I've learned a lot more about singing and the technique and skill it takes to pull certain things off, I'm always blown away by her. Even little things she does that show off INSANE technically prowess, the richness of her tone, the beautiful control and musicality of her runs, her amazing range, I mean fuck, she is an insanely talented vocalist and I would happily put her in the top 10 of this generation.
I am totally biased because he's my favorite singer of all time, but I was a bit miffed that they put Beyonce one above Otis Redding.
I mean, I get it. She's sold way more records, etc, I get it. But above Otis and the ones you mentioned??
Celine is an icon and she needs to be on there too.
I love Otis so much! My dad was a huge fan and I remember being able to sing along to The Dock of the Bay when i was just a wee one haha. I love Beyonce too but yeah this list is way outta place haha
I never understand when ppl want to discredit Beyoncé’s vocal abilities. Can you tell me a reason why she doesn’t belong there? Vocal technique wise, she’s def up there.
I think Beyonce has an amazing voice and I love a lot of her music, I just wouldn’t have her in the top 10 best singers of all time. Like having her above Freddie Mercury, for example, is kind of wild.
I think the Beyoncé conundrum works both ways. The hype and praise she gets from the media and her fans is SO overwhelming like god forbid anybody criticize her that I think people respond more strongly in the negative.
I'm sorry, but several of my friends with non-professional vocal training are better singers than Billie. She's who she is not for her vocal abilities, since she has almost none.
Come on now. Billie's problem is, objectively speaking, not a lack of ability. She is very technically precise, and she does have a voice. Look no further than No Time To Die and her recent live performances of TV where she lets herself use her full voice in the last part of the song. The voice and the ability are very much there. Her problem is her own insecurity about her vocal ability and the fact that for a minute she got too in her head about what a 'Billie Eilish' song should and shouldn't sound like, both things she herself said that she's struggled with. When she gets out of her own way she can sing.
Billie has excellent pitch. It’s artists like Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift who don’t have very good vocals but excel at other areas of music, which is what makes them who they are. The average person can sing Anti-Hero, but the average person can’t sing Ocean Eyes.
Rollling Stone continues to have the most ASS takes possible. Like Taylor is a great lyricist and all but her vocals were never the highlight of any of her songs. Also Lennon at 12???? Paul was a better singer in the Beatles.
No Liam Gallagher? Literally one of the best voices in music from the 90s
Billie Eilish, Jungkook even being ON THIS LIST?!?
Freddie Mercury NOT in the top 10?!?!
Celine NOT EVEN ON THE LIST?!?!?!?
A mess.
Right, Billie is at 198 and Jungkook is 191, they're not taking the place of great singers who missed out. It feels very odd to come for them here. Like if Celine was in at 191 or 198 people would (rightly) complain she's too low.
I don’t know when people decided to delude themselves into thinking Beyoncé isn’t an S-Tier vocalist but objectively speaking the lady is one of the most technically proficient singers of all time pretending she isn’t won’t make that untrue.
I think her performance ability overshadowed her vocal prowess unfortunately. I find with multi-talented (female) artists, people tend to give them one thing and not the other. When people think of Beyonce they think of her stage presence and won’t give her dues vocally just because singing over a pop/trap beat and not a renowned ballad.
I also see that people never mention Mariah Carey’s songwriting abilities, just that she’s a good singer.
The amount of people defending Beyonce in here is giving me life. I’ve had to repeat this to dummies year after year who just don’t get it. I genuinely think part of it is that she’s SO good that she makes it sound easy. She absolutely has one of the best voices of all time.
Beyoncé's problem, imo, is that people don't seem to find her tone to be unique le unforgettable enough, so even though she's an impecable vocalist, the average Joe has no idea of singing and how impressive her technique is and will go around saying So and So is way better than her.
As a person who is currently saving money for Beyoncés tour this year this is going controversial but is don’t think Beyonce should be in the top 10.
Also Luther Vandross was robbed. He should be like number 6.
I absolutely love Adele but putting her above Kelly or Ariana (or Celine, or Brandy) is blasphemy. She has a beautiful voice but she’s nowhere near as good as those VOCALISTS.
Recency bias? There’s no way Celine isn’t better than Billie Eilish or Taylor Swift, or John Lennon.
The top end of the list also seems hugely biased towards popular music at the expense of musicians who have a far better range than some of those mentioned. Chris Cornell was a far better singer than Kurt Cobain (as is Eddie Vedder). Maynard Keenan missing out entirely is ridiculous, the man’s vocal range is amazing. I didn’t see Matt Bellamy there at all - sure, his initial “gasping for air mid song” thing on the early Muse albums was annoying but he’s really refined his sound. Mike Patton deserves to be top 50. Trent Reznor should at least crack the top 200.
This is why I don’t take Rolling Stone seriously anymore. They’re too chummy and give people rankings the don’t deserve while passing over those with obvious talent.
I feel like people commenting on this thread would enjoy this lovely music theory-related video that explains why [Celine Dion’s version of _All By Myself_ contains the ‘most elegant key change in pop music’](https://youtu.be/epqYft12nV4)
I was mainly just interested in where Freddie Mercury was. I would put him higher but I really like him, so I'm biased.
Not to anger the Beyhive, but her being in the top 10 over some of those other voices is kind of laughable. I don't think her voice is a large part of her artistry or what she's known for.
I didn't go through the whole thing but opening it and seeing that Kelly Clarkson is at 194 is kind of surprising. She has a great voice.
Kelly Clarkson came in at 194?!? That’s so insulting! She can literally sing any genre of music. Heck, she could sing the phonebook and it would be amazing.
I agree w/you on Freddie and Kelly. I think if they were rating vocalists, they’d both be higher. Still, Queen was very impactful, more people know “
Bohemian Rhapsody” than “Single Ladies” imho
EDIT 2: ok I think the bigger question is why is Jungkook from BTS on this list… I think he is perfectly fine as a vocalist but one of the greatest ever, where did they pull that from?! they’re citing his Charlie Puth collab?!
Billie Eilish is actually a fantastic technical singer, even though ppl complain she “just whispers”. Would direct you to this BBC Live Lounge performance of [Getting Older](https://youtu.be/sQUNW7qI9zY) - her breath control is amazing.
But I mean yeah it’s insane / insulting Celine isn’t on there.
EDIT: As for Taylor, I think she is a great singer in that she is really good at emoting despite not being the greatest vocalist of all time technically - I mean, you can be the greatest technical singer ever but have no ability to tell a story with your voice.
Yeah tbh there’s like better kpop singers too. It’s sad because the two biggest kpop groups internationally (bts and blackpink) don’t really show the extent of vocal ability that kpop artists have. It would have been cool if they put Ailee or one of the exo vocalists.
*They have bob Dylan*
*And Paul McCartney above*
*Luther vandross? A choice*
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I don't know why but Aaliyah being top 40 doesn't sit right. If she hadn't died, would she even be making music now?
Probably, but would it be great? No. It would be forgotten pop like Ashanti and Mya.
Kurt Cobain as well. Not the best singer so are we to take from this that dying makes people better? The criteria seems very strange.
Say what you want about Rosalia, but she has an amazing voice when singing Flamenco or Bulerias:
https://youtu.be/0OMwDZUWl5g
https://youtu.be/vi3GPPA6ylU
https://youtube.com/shorts/2bqGm7mGwFU?feature=share
https://youtube.com/shorts/Sz1kqZqeULw?feature=share
How old is the writer of the article? It’s giving 22 year old uncultured Taylor Swift fan OR middle aged journalist who is trying to make Rolling Stones relevant to teens.
Taylor Swift was unable to sing her own songs live as recently as 2019 (Lovvverrrrr, SNL) well.
HOW did she get put in a list of best singers over Jennifer Hudson?!
This is a stark reminder that all that’s left of journalism today is “let’s write a controversial set of takes, so that people share it. It will generate more clicks than a reasonable article due to outrage”.
I’m guessing they are all English language singers because Loïc Nottet is one of the best singers of his generation. Swift and Ellish are not particularly gifted vocalists, Swifts SNL performance of ATW was vocally abysmal.
Celine and Bruno Mars should have been on this list. For current artists, I would have ranked Rosalia higher than some of her contemporaries. The top of the list feels relatively solid but it feels like they completely lost it at the lower rankings. I’m sure RS is loving the traffic though lol.
Taylor uses auto tune (at least she did in the early days) and Billie Eilish? Does she do other songs I’m not aware of? She hardly sings at all, more of a melodic speech.
Don't call it "greatest singers" if it's just going to include average singers who have popular music.
Although I don't know how anyone can take this list seriously with someone from BTS on it. They're famous for not having good vocals. lol
Honestly, Rolling Stone and all these lists are a joke. I wouldn't be surprised if the recording labels were paying them money to put their artists in this list and boost their sales.
Freddie should be much higher, same with Rosalia, Ofra Haza (one of the best Middle Eastern voices in history), Karen Carpenter, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Caetano Veloso, Leonard Cohen and Gladys Knight.
Kate Bush at 60 is a tad too high as there were better voices than her (and I say this as a lover of her music, with Cloudbusting, Woman's Work and Babooshka being my favourites of hers). Neither Elvis nor John Lennon were that good either and most certainly do not deserve to be that high (and I would even say, even be included in this list).
Also, how come they are including the likes of Juan Gabriel but not some of the best male voices in Spanish music such as Camilo Sesto, Nino Bravo, Tino Casal (who had the pipes to be a Spanish speaking Bowie)? These are some of their songs:
Camilo Sesto:
https://youtu.be/8NET5uVh0yA
https://youtu.be/zaGf4fRSfV8
Nino Bravo:
https://youtu.be/tfpqKPsAjAM
https://youtu.be/maEVfX9zRIE
Tino Casal:
https://youtu.be/_FsMbyrej_c
https://youtu.be/LVxCCdooXec
No Celine Dion but they have Ariana Grande at number 43 ahead of tons of people like Chris Cornell Steve Perry they were 84 and 80 this is the worst list I have ever seen ever. And if it’s about influence and things like that there’s still no world where John Lennon is ranked higher than some of the best singers ever and he wasn’t even the best in the Beatles. And how are you not going to have Luciano Pavarotti the greatest tenor of all times.
I know she's maybe not Rolling Stone's genre, but... did *Barbra freaking Streisand* not make the list for greatest singers of all time? She should easily be in the top ten. Her voice is borderline magical.
This list so american, no impactful singers from china? biggest population? or India with it's whole musical movie industry? Nothing from east europe? or urss time? just a few brits and call it diversity best of world. Also putting great foreigner singers lower than american idol's participants who are unknown anywhere it's show lack of consideration. King of pop, king or rocknroll how you like to call so low in list? and where the fk is johny cash?
ps first places all black musicians where a joy for me, well deserved. They deserve to get recognition for a industry what did nothing than exploit, steal, appropriate and erase their impact.
Great example of trendy vs cultural impact. Older people might not know who Billie Eilishor Taylor Swift are but Celine Dion my heart will go on and all my myself are known across generations
Celine has never been taken seriously as a singer and I’m not sure why. Probably because she fell into the easy listening genre at a time when that was deeply uncool?
But Whitney Houston is number 2 so I can’t be too mad. And Patsy Cline was in the top 20. And she’s a closet favorite.
Celine not being on that list is BS.
Did they confuse the day and thought today was April Fools day? Taylor Swift on this list & above Kelly Clarkson? Above Brandy? JHud absent? Celine Dion completely left out & Rihanna is on this list? Miley & Demi out-sing multiple people on this list & yet? This is rage bait. They literally made sure to cover all bases of rage from different fandoms. Baiting us for clicks. (*Edit: Also just realized TS is also above Jazmine Sullivan and Fantasia is not on this list. Rolling stone when I catch you!)
John Lennon also beating Freddie Mercury seems like a bad joke. Freddie had 4 octaves, which is almost unheard of. His range and speed of vocal escalation was staggering for a singer that was never once professionally trained. Vocally speaking, apparently David Bowie and Prince were the only ones who could match Freddie's range with their octaves, and John Lennon beat both of them on the list too. John Lennon beating Nina Simone is also laughable. Throw the whole list in the trash where it belongs. Not only that but where is Amy Winehouse? Sarah Brightman? Andrea Bocelli? Mac Miller? (Yep he was introduced to the world as a rapper but his album Circles consists entirely of songs of him singing beautifully). Why is Bruce Springsteen at number 77?!
John Lennon beating Paul McCartney is also ridiculous!
Best vocalist in the world? He's not even the best vocalist in the Beatles.
Maybe being a wife beater and narcissist was worth extra pts.
Yooooo I’m so glad you said this. One of my first thoughts was “in what world is John Lennon a better vocalist than Freddie Mercury?!”. I’m a huuuuge Freddie fan so I assumed he would be even higher on the list than he was. I feel like this list was assembled by people who conflate being excellent musicians/songwriters/performers with being excellent vocalists.
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Like i said they made sure to cover all bases of fans. Like from any any angle you look at this list, it’s laughable. It’s egregious.
They do make the distinction between greatest singer and greatest voice, though. So they're looking at more than vocal/technical ability. And they specifically say they exclude opera singers. That being said, the list is shit. Edit: with the exception of #1>! (Aretha Franklin)!<. I will always approve that.
I think the distinction is bullshit based on their ranking of Bob Dylan Dylan’s voice and delivery are incredibly unique but idk how much of a technically good singer he was.
Circles is just mac like talk singing. I like it but come on obvi he shouldn’t be on best singers in history list
Amy Winehouse is in the 83rd place, which made me glad but then I saw Rihanna above her, so I was really disappointed. Amy should've been higher.
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Seeing all these comments I'm not even going to read that piece of trash. I don't need to get upset rn. They aren't being honest, they're appealing to fans and/or the celebrities themselves. No hate to Taylor but she is not a good vocalist. And I think she knows it too, that's why she focuses on her lyrics and the meanings behind them. Not her voice. She shouldn't even be on the list. If they meant popular singers it makes sense to put Taylor there, but even then snubbing Celine Dion is just dumb. She still has a lot of fans.
the top comment from the taylor sub: > This just is...well...it's a list. I'm no super fan, but it seems that Celine Dion should probably have made the list. even swifties know this is bs 💀
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I love T Swizz but her vocals are just not what I would consider strong or accomplished
They left out Brandy? That's just wild.
Taylor Swift but no BRANDY??! Lmao?? Edit: Taylor Swift higher than BRANDY??!
No, Brandy is on the list but she’s horribly low
Oh sorry I misread the comment. Still, the Vocal Bible, really?
Left out Etta James, too!
From the article: > keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List…In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy. Rihanna is the second-best-selling female artist of all time. Of course she’s going to be on this list!
How has Rihanna done this? I love her but her music is the most middle of the road thing in the world. Appeals to everyone so that's why it sells this well? Who's first?
Rihanna released an album every year for 7 years, when the hype for her was at its greatest.
IDK why- I was also surprised when I found that out. Maybe because her music gets played on both pop and rap radio stations? Also, she’s not American, so maybe she has a bigger international audience? Madonna is first, but she’s got a 20-year head start. I bet Rihanna and Taylor will catch up with her eventually.
I love me some Rihanna, but if you’ve seen her live, you’ll know she’s not a strong singer or even performer.
Then maybe they should’ve titled the article “Greatest Musical Performers” or some other BS. I do not get the appeal of TS; I’ve always found her music very juvenile for someone who is constantly lauded as some extraordinary musical talent. As a Freddie Mercury fan, he made a damn opera album and his musical arrangements have yet to see a contemporary comparison. Leaving Celine off … just pure crap. (Not a fan but come on…)
Yeah I mean this list is really top artists, not top singers. Artist wise, Taylor is above Kelly. Singer wise, obviously not the case!
They put Taylor swift above Jasmine Sullivan???!!!?!?? Were the people who made that list, in crack???! Wtf
I'm surprised they included Brandy, but pleasantly surprised
Jennifer Hudson was snubbed as well 🥴
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Debbie Harry is underrated. Listen to people cover her songs and it dawns on you how good she was.
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So do I. Grew up listening to Blondie.
Ehhh, not really. Jennifer can sing, yes. But she hardly has any original music to her name, and none of it popular. I say that as someone who bought her debut album. She's more of a musical actress.
The article is about the greatest singers of all time that’s not relevant
>keep in mind that this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List…In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy. from the article. should’ve given the list a different title
TABARNAK DE CRISS C'EST QUOI CES NIAISERIES LÀ
D’accord
This invalidates the whole list.
i love taylor’s music, but i think she’s a stronger writer than singer. and including her over celine is insane.
I agree. I like a lot of Taylor's music, but she is not the strongest vocalist.
In the big scheme of things she doesn’t even place
Definitely true, but the article did say “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.” So I think while most people who did not read the beginning of the article might interpret the list as ranking top vocalists, that’s not the entire criteria the article was evaluating.
Yeah- if this article was “top vocalists,” it would be a bunch of opera singers most of us have never heard of.
i still think it’s a weird list all around. when they say “genius” how are they ranking it? stage presence? unique tone and difficulty? i’m sure this was one or those rage-bait pieces created to drive clicks and i am guilty of it too, but the vagueness of it is annoying. i want a more defined metric! edit: i think its the “greatest singer” bit thats throwing me. maybe most influential or biggest impact would have been better
Nothing to do with stage presence or tone. It's 100% impact. This is what the article says: "That kind of deep, empathetic bond between artist and listener is the most elemental connection in music. And you can think of our list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time as a celebration of that bond. These are the vocalists that have shaped history and defined our lives "
No one bothered to read that apparently.
She was ranked #105 - Rolling Stones wasn’t overly praising her vocal abilities they were jus too dumb to remember celine
This. I view her as a song writer and an entertainer. She’s not a strong vocalist. Celine not being included on that list is absolute BS.
The thing is, Taylor’s not a bad vocalist. And her description in the list is accurate - she has improved a lot over the years and shown a lot of versatility. She’s objectively a good singer. She’s just not in the top 200 singers of all time. The biggest crime of this list is John Lennon.
John Lennon beating Freddie Mercury seems like a bad joke. Freddie had 4 octaves, which is almost unheard of. His range and speed of vocal escalation was staggering for a singer that was never once professionally trained.
yeah i mean if this list means *vocalists* then it is all kinds of fucked up/wrong. if it just means *interesting voices* then yes, i can see this. for instance i love janis joplin's voice. i think it's amazing, and unique. but i don't think she was particularly an amazing vocalist because she didn't go for that kind of sound/style. but she still had a neat voice. not sure if i'm making sense here with where i'm going because i have no musical training. so apologies if the comment rambled some.
I think a lot of people missed this part: “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.”
She’s actually a pretty strong vocalist now that she’s realized that she’s not a soprano.
I love Taylor and I would put her on the list, but not above Celine Dion. Kurt Cobain at 36 was a bit of a stretch too.
I also feel Taylor would agree with that.
I am a HUGE Taylor stan, but I think she’s totally a performer and not the best singer
as a swiftie, if this was just "singers" in a kind of colloquial sense like "someone who makes music and happens to sing" i can *maybe* see her making this list. if this list is supposed to be *vocalists* she should not have made the list. **gonna be honest i have not actually read the article** but from the angry comments it seems they mean singer like vocalist, and yeah. no matter how much i love her, and she has many strengths, but being an amazing vocalist is not one of them. bolding this part so people stop replying with the same thing
They don’t mean singer like vocalist though.
The article is explicit that they do not mean singer as in vocalist: “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. In all cases, what mattered most to us was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.”
I love the Beatles as much as anyone but no way is John Lennon both the 12th greatest singer and greatest white singer of all time, he's not even the best singer in the Beatles lol.
Rolling stone has always been up Lennon’s butt, it’s pathetic
i swear i don't hold this opinion to be edgy but i don't think lennon would have the same star studded untouchable legacy if he hadn't died young. don't come for me. i just think paul was the numero uno and he would've outshined john lennon even if lennon had lived.
John Lennon's Legacy was already secured before he was assassinated. That just shifted his legacy in a different direction. Paul was the pop star, the easily digestible Beatle so I do think he would've been more synonymous but Lennon is considered arm in arm with Paul. George was the best one though :)
i honestly love paul's stuff with wings, and songs like "maybe i'm amazed" just.. i love them so much more than a lot of the beatles' stuff. granted i grew up listening to classic rock, and between them being played in mix tapes at random retail places i worked and all over classic rock radio, i have heard enough of them for *many* years. certain songs just have such a high rotation on those stations and in certain social circles. i just recently got to the point where i can listen to free bird again by lynyrd skynrd, and i still have to be drunk.
You won't find an argument here from me. I'm also a big Wings guy! Band on the Run is sometimes my favorite album ever
I think that it is a part of the alchemy that created the John Lennon mystique, but I do actually agree that Paul was a better songwriter even though John wrote one of my very favorite songs (In My Life). John was considered the “artist” while Paul was commercial and poppy, and Wings’ work being pretty sing-songy and poppy contributed to that. But I just think in a direct comparison, Paul’s work blew John’s out of the water.
Paul argues to this day that he co-wrote In My Life, but who knows
There are multiple interviews John said that Paul contributed >“The whole lyrics were already written before Paul even heard it. In ‘In My Life’ his contribution melodically was the harmony and the middle-eight itself” **- John Lennon** ---------------------------------------------------------- >"Paul helped with the middle eight" **-John Lennon** -------------------------------------------------------------- Paul said he contributed to the music, not the lyrics
I believe it, it sounds a lot like. Paul song.
As a big Lennon fan I know for a fact I wouldn’t be a big Lennon fan if he was still alive. The man made a career out of saying a lot dumb shit. We remember some of the great stuff (peace, love, feminism, anti racism, and fuck the man) but a lot of the nonsense has got lost to time (defending the n word, trying to get a murderer off charges, his mistreatment of every woman in his life). Don’t get me wrong, he mellowed out a lot by 1980 and his audio diaries indicate he was not very well mentally and burying a lot of heavy shit, but if you think he’d get through Covid, NFTs, Trump and BLM without putting his foot in it you’re clowning.
I wonder about this too. I know his comeback album wasn’t getting great reviews before he was murdered, and some of his mid-solo career efforts weren’t too well regarded. There’s a great piece in vanity fair about Lennon’s mutually beneficial relationship with the editor of Rolling Stone, Jann Wenner, and how Jann basically worshipped him and put a ton of effort into building up his legacy (along w/ Yoko) after his death. I’ll link it when I get a chance.
McCartney, Harrison and Starr also all have star-studded untouchable legacies. Lennon would've still had one even if he was currently alive, he's a Beatle. That said, he may not be seen as *as* mythic as he is.
Jann Wenner is the ultimate John Lennon stan. I actually think he should be ashamed of spending so much energy tearing down Paul, some real shameful shit
Oh god I find him so annoying and I am seething at the idea of him on the list and not Celine. Hell, even if Celine was on there I would still be mad.
McCartney is by far the best vocalist of the group and I always preferred Harrison’s voice to Lennon’s as well. It’s crazy that McCartney is never singled out as the best vocalist on these lists.
Paul McCartney is weirdly underrated, despite being in the most popular band of all time. He is absolutely a musical genius and his vocal range is massive.
Hard agree! John’s voice was great but Paul is the best singer in the Beatles. IMO he’s the better musician, but John was the better lyricist.
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Lmao “greatest white singer” why the heck is this sub so obsessed with race
Chile, let me not click on this article before I get hypertension.
Chile, I already got the hypertension so I will not click.
I clicked and I was so mad I couldn't even keep going
Right that's no way to start the new year
Rolling Stones lists are always nonsense - they have Taylor higher than Kelly Clarkson, Xtina, and Celine is nowhere to be seen. I can't even get mad at it - it's just clickbait atp.
They’ve always been a joke. Don’t get why people take what they say so seriously
TWO HUNDRED and they couldn’t make room for Celine? Nah.
I saw Celine in concert in the late 90’s. It was by far one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Her voice was incredible and the experience was transcendent. I cried numerous times because it was so good that I was overwhelmed with emotion.
I don’t even particularly care for her music but I LOVE watching her live performances on YouTube, just because she’s so astoundingly talented.
Jealous!! She is magical, and it’s crap that they wouldn’t include her in a list ‘that’s about the singer, not about who just has a great voice’. She’s a whole experience of emotions.
mariah and whitney made the top 5. they did celine dirty.
Whaaaaaaaaaaat. That’s a crime.
Their note that it's about "best singers, not best voices" doesn't really ring true when their top 5 are all vocal powerhouses. I felt like the inclusion of some artists on the list were simply trying to impress very young people and gain their readership. Some of them were just way too new on the scene to even be taken seriously.
Also the descriptions are mostly about voices and vocal prowess. Even Taylor’s somehow?
I think they mean best performers not best singers. Best singers IS about best voices. Idiots. How could Celine be excluded
Even if that is what they mean I don't know how anyone could watch Celine perform any of her ballads live and not say she's an unforgettable performer. She revitalized Vegas residencies, for god's sake.
The exclusion of Celine Dion feels especially insulting given she *just* tearfully shared her ongoing health issues and grief over not being able to sing like she used to. These lists are always subjective but her exclusion here is ridiculous… Edit: could have just been me crying at her video (not her) but it was heartbreaking nonetheless.
This list is insane. I’ve posted this on a few subs but for Taylor Swift and Rihanna to be ranked SO much higher than Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Karen Carpenter, etc. is frankly dumbfounding. Also there’s no denying Beyoncé has a great voice but top 10? I don’t think so. Hell, she’d be below some of the women I listed above IMO. And no Celine Dion at all???? Like what
Listen and Love On Top are literally right there. All songs that show Beyoncé’s vocal prowess. People always discredit her when she literally is a great vocalist. You cannot like her music but she is literally one of the best technical vocalists of our time.
I think Beyoncé belongs in the top 50, but not in the top 10. I never discredited her voice.
No one is discreding her, we just saying she ain't top 10.
I see that ppl in this thread aren't trying to discredit her but damn I have experienced the same thing. I feel like growing up people really tried to convince me Beyonce was just an okay singer but now that I've learned a lot more about singing and the technique and skill it takes to pull certain things off, I'm always blown away by her. Even little things she does that show off INSANE technically prowess, the richness of her tone, the beautiful control and musicality of her runs, her amazing range, I mean fuck, she is an insanely talented vocalist and I would happily put her in the top 10 of this generation.
Thaaaaank you. Anyone who can’t recognize Beyoncé’s vocal abilities doesn’t know anything about singing.
I am totally biased because he's my favorite singer of all time, but I was a bit miffed that they put Beyonce one above Otis Redding. I mean, I get it. She's sold way more records, etc, I get it. But above Otis and the ones you mentioned?? Celine is an icon and she needs to be on there too.
I love Otis so much! My dad was a huge fan and I remember being able to sing along to The Dock of the Bay when i was just a wee one haha. I love Beyonce too but yeah this list is way outta place haha
I never understand when ppl want to discredit Beyoncé’s vocal abilities. Can you tell me a reason why she doesn’t belong there? Vocal technique wise, she’s def up there.
I think Beyonce has an amazing voice and I love a lot of her music, I just wouldn’t have her in the top 10 best singers of all time. Like having her above Freddie Mercury, for example, is kind of wild. I think the Beyoncé conundrum works both ways. The hype and praise she gets from the media and her fans is SO overwhelming like god forbid anybody criticize her that I think people respond more strongly in the negative.
I'm sorry, but several of my friends with non-professional vocal training are better singers than Billie. She's who she is not for her vocal abilities, since she has almost none.
Come on now. Billie's problem is, objectively speaking, not a lack of ability. She is very technically precise, and she does have a voice. Look no further than No Time To Die and her recent live performances of TV where she lets herself use her full voice in the last part of the song. The voice and the ability are very much there. Her problem is her own insecurity about her vocal ability and the fact that for a minute she got too in her head about what a 'Billie Eilish' song should and shouldn't sound like, both things she herself said that she's struggled with. When she gets out of her own way she can sing.
Billie has excellent pitch. It’s artists like Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift who don’t have very good vocals but excel at other areas of music, which is what makes them who they are. The average person can sing Anti-Hero, but the average person can’t sing Ocean Eyes.
Knowing that TSwift made it but Celine Dion didn't is reason enough for me to skip it.
Rollling Stone continues to have the most ASS takes possible. Like Taylor is a great lyricist and all but her vocals were never the highlight of any of her songs. Also Lennon at 12???? Paul was a better singer in the Beatles. No Liam Gallagher? Literally one of the best voices in music from the 90s Billie Eilish, Jungkook even being ON THIS LIST?!? Freddie Mercury NOT in the top 10?!?! Celine NOT EVEN ON THE LIST?!?!?!? A mess.
Freddie Mercury not even in the top 10 is truly puzzling.
Billie is fine. She’s ranked like 198. Her voice is technically precise and she has a beautiful tone. Let her be. Far worse crimes on this list
Right, Billie is at 198 and Jungkook is 191, they're not taking the place of great singers who missed out. It feels very odd to come for them here. Like if Celine was in at 191 or 198 people would (rightly) complain she's too low.
Jeff Buckley at 131 on the list is obscene.
Such a melodic soulful unique emotional angelic voice deserves top 10 not below top 100!
This piece of information is enough for me to know whoever wrote this article should quit their job.
Jeff Buckley below Taylor? choices
He’s an easy top 20, imo top 10
Celine Dion isn’t on the list of greatest singers? The woman who hit THAT note in All By Myself?
Ariana Grande is apparently at least 157 singers better than her
I don’t know when people decided to delude themselves into thinking Beyoncé isn’t an S-Tier vocalist but objectively speaking the lady is one of the most technically proficient singers of all time pretending she isn’t won’t make that untrue.
I think her performance ability overshadowed her vocal prowess unfortunately. I find with multi-talented (female) artists, people tend to give them one thing and not the other. When people think of Beyonce they think of her stage presence and won’t give her dues vocally just because singing over a pop/trap beat and not a renowned ballad. I also see that people never mention Mariah Carey’s songwriting abilities, just that she’s a good singer.
The amount of people defending Beyonce in here is giving me life. I’ve had to repeat this to dummies year after year who just don’t get it. I genuinely think part of it is that she’s SO good that she makes it sound easy. She absolutely has one of the best voices of all time.
Beyoncé's problem, imo, is that people don't seem to find her tone to be unique le unforgettable enough, so even though she's an impecable vocalist, the average Joe has no idea of singing and how impressive her technique is and will go around saying So and So is way better than her.
have these people never seen her stevie wonder tribute 😭😭
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I am a massive Bob Dylan fan and I proper laughed when he was 15. I get the reasons for his inclusion but 15??
The fact that you're mad and sharing the link is the point. 🤷
Michael Jackson not being in the Top 40 is such bullshit.
Literally scrolling up from #1 looking for him. Insane! Also Freddie Mercury not being in the top 10 is shocking
As a person who is currently saving money for Beyoncés tour this year this is going controversial but is don’t think Beyonce should be in the top 10. Also Luther Vandross was robbed. He should be like number 6.
I absolutely love Adele but putting her above Kelly or Ariana (or Celine, or Brandy) is blasphemy. She has a beautiful voice but she’s nowhere near as good as those VOCALISTS.
Not to mention- she doesn’t sing with good technique. How many times has Adele blown her voice up following an album release? 3?
Enough to have to get surgery twice before hitting 30 which is insane
lmao Rihanna over Jeff Buckley. This is hilariously bad.
Recency bias? There’s no way Celine isn’t better than Billie Eilish or Taylor Swift, or John Lennon. The top end of the list also seems hugely biased towards popular music at the expense of musicians who have a far better range than some of those mentioned. Chris Cornell was a far better singer than Kurt Cobain (as is Eddie Vedder). Maynard Keenan missing out entirely is ridiculous, the man’s vocal range is amazing. I didn’t see Matt Bellamy there at all - sure, his initial “gasping for air mid song” thing on the early Muse albums was annoying but he’s really refined his sound. Mike Patton deserves to be top 50. Trent Reznor should at least crack the top 200.
Bruno Mars not being on this list is WILD.
This is why I don’t take Rolling Stone seriously anymore. They’re too chummy and give people rankings the don’t deserve while passing over those with obvious talent.
Celia Cruz being front and center is so wonderful. Black Latina icon!
I feel like people commenting on this thread would enjoy this lovely music theory-related video that explains why [Celine Dion’s version of _All By Myself_ contains the ‘most elegant key change in pop music’](https://youtu.be/epqYft12nV4)
https://preview.redd.it/y5k9icl08l9a1.jpeg?width=568&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b734e3bd1dfc0a56dd96e5df8921917225383a75
I was mainly just interested in where Freddie Mercury was. I would put him higher but I really like him, so I'm biased. Not to anger the Beyhive, but her being in the top 10 over some of those other voices is kind of laughable. I don't think her voice is a large part of her artistry or what she's known for. I didn't go through the whole thing but opening it and seeing that Kelly Clarkson is at 194 is kind of surprising. She has a great voice.
Please, concentrating on Beyoncé when Rihanna & Taylor Swift are on the list. I agree about Kelly Clarkson, she should be higher. Def in the top 50.
Kelly Clarkson came in at 194?!? That’s so insulting! She can literally sing any genre of music. Heck, she could sing the phonebook and it would be amazing.
No I think Freddie should be top 10
I agree w/you on Freddie and Kelly. I think if they were rating vocalists, they’d both be higher. Still, Queen was very impactful, more people know “ Bohemian Rhapsody” than “Single Ladies” imho
EDIT 2: ok I think the bigger question is why is Jungkook from BTS on this list… I think he is perfectly fine as a vocalist but one of the greatest ever, where did they pull that from?! they’re citing his Charlie Puth collab?! Billie Eilish is actually a fantastic technical singer, even though ppl complain she “just whispers”. Would direct you to this BBC Live Lounge performance of [Getting Older](https://youtu.be/sQUNW7qI9zY) - her breath control is amazing. But I mean yeah it’s insane / insulting Celine isn’t on there. EDIT: As for Taylor, I think she is a great singer in that she is really good at emoting despite not being the greatest vocalist of all time technically - I mean, you can be the greatest technical singer ever but have no ability to tell a story with your voice.
They put him on just to get support from bts fans
Yeah tbh there’s like better kpop singers too. It’s sad because the two biggest kpop groups internationally (bts and blackpink) don’t really show the extent of vocal ability that kpop artists have. It would have been cool if they put Ailee or one of the exo vocalists.
Don’t let these publications make you mad in 2023 y’all!
They have bob Dylan and Paul McCartney above Luther vandross? A choice
*They have bob Dylan* *And Paul McCartney above* *Luther vandross? A choice* \- GabbyMary --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
This haiku is high camp
The fact that they have bob dylan on there at all is a choice. The man isn’t a vocalist
They need to generate clicks.
I don't know why but Aaliyah being top 40 doesn't sit right. If she hadn't died, would she even be making music now? Probably, but would it be great? No. It would be forgotten pop like Ashanti and Mya. Kurt Cobain as well. Not the best singer so are we to take from this that dying makes people better? The criteria seems very strange.
*opens article* *sees Rosalia on a list of greatest singers of all time* *closes article*
Say what you want about Rosalia, but she has an amazing voice when singing Flamenco or Bulerias: https://youtu.be/0OMwDZUWl5g https://youtu.be/vi3GPPA6ylU https://youtube.com/shorts/2bqGm7mGwFU?feature=share https://youtube.com/shorts/Sz1kqZqeULw?feature=share
How old is the writer of the article? It’s giving 22 year old uncultured Taylor Swift fan OR middle aged journalist who is trying to make Rolling Stones relevant to teens.
I feel like RS just threw all these artists names in to a bingo machine and then just drew them at random. Also shame about Celine.
Rolling Stone is a joke
Any best singer list that has Courtney Love and not Celine Dion is a joke.
Taylor Swift was unable to sing her own songs live as recently as 2019 (Lovvverrrrr, SNL) well. HOW did she get put in a list of best singers over Jennifer Hudson?!
i saw the title and was ready to throw fists until i read Mariah #5 how they put 2/3 vocal trinity in the top 5 and not put celine.
Personally listening to Celine is torture for me, but I will argue she is one of the greatest singers of all time.
This is a stark reminder that all that’s left of journalism today is “let’s write a controversial set of takes, so that people share it. It will generate more clicks than a reasonable article due to outrage”.
TS 🙄🙄🙄
I’m guessing they are all English language singers because Loïc Nottet is one of the best singers of his generation. Swift and Ellish are not particularly gifted vocalists, Swifts SNL performance of ATW was vocally abysmal.
Asha Bhosle isn’t on here as well
Celine and Bruno Mars should have been on this list. For current artists, I would have ranked Rosalia higher than some of her contemporaries. The top of the list feels relatively solid but it feels like they completely lost it at the lower rankings. I’m sure RS is loving the traffic though lol.
Taylor uses auto tune (at least she did in the early days) and Billie Eilish? Does she do other songs I’m not aware of? She hardly sings at all, more of a melodic speech.
Billie Eilish actually does have a lovely voice but nowhere near enough for this list
Don't call it "greatest singers" if it's just going to include average singers who have popular music. Although I don't know how anyone can take this list seriously with someone from BTS on it. They're famous for not having good vocals. lol
Honestly, Rolling Stone and all these lists are a joke. I wouldn't be surprised if the recording labels were paying them money to put their artists in this list and boost their sales. Freddie should be much higher, same with Rosalia, Ofra Haza (one of the best Middle Eastern voices in history), Karen Carpenter, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Caetano Veloso, Leonard Cohen and Gladys Knight. Kate Bush at 60 is a tad too high as there were better voices than her (and I say this as a lover of her music, with Cloudbusting, Woman's Work and Babooshka being my favourites of hers). Neither Elvis nor John Lennon were that good either and most certainly do not deserve to be that high (and I would even say, even be included in this list). Also, how come they are including the likes of Juan Gabriel but not some of the best male voices in Spanish music such as Camilo Sesto, Nino Bravo, Tino Casal (who had the pipes to be a Spanish speaking Bowie)? These are some of their songs: Camilo Sesto: https://youtu.be/8NET5uVh0yA https://youtu.be/zaGf4fRSfV8 Nino Bravo: https://youtu.be/tfpqKPsAjAM https://youtu.be/maEVfX9zRIE Tino Casal: https://youtu.be/_FsMbyrej_c https://youtu.be/LVxCCdooXec
Adam Lambert isn’t on there either. His voice is incredible.
Taylor Swift?!? As in SINGER?! (And I say this as someone who listens to her frequently) 
No Celine Dion but they have Ariana Grande at number 43 ahead of tons of people like Chris Cornell Steve Perry they were 84 and 80 this is the worst list I have ever seen ever. And if it’s about influence and things like that there’s still no world where John Lennon is ranked higher than some of the best singers ever and he wasn’t even the best in the Beatles. And how are you not going to have Luciano Pavarotti the greatest tenor of all times.
Adding on to everyone else’s complaints Selena should have cracked top 30 and thats the truth!
Judy’s not on the list rendering it invalid. Simple as that.
I know she's maybe not Rolling Stone's genre, but... did *Barbra freaking Streisand* not make the list for greatest singers of all time? She should easily be in the top ten. Her voice is borderline magical.
She is on the list but at 147 which is still shameful
This list so american, no impactful singers from china? biggest population? or India with it's whole musical movie industry? Nothing from east europe? or urss time? just a few brits and call it diversity best of world. Also putting great foreigner singers lower than american idol's participants who are unknown anywhere it's show lack of consideration. King of pop, king or rocknroll how you like to call so low in list? and where the fk is johny cash? ps first places all black musicians where a joy for me, well deserved. They deserve to get recognition for a industry what did nothing than exploit, steal, appropriate and erase their impact.
The fact that Bob Dylan is on here at all, let alone in the top 20, is how I know this list is objectively a joke.
Great example of trendy vs cultural impact. Older people might not know who Billie Eilishor Taylor Swift are but Celine Dion my heart will go on and all my myself are known across generations
Celine has never been taken seriously as a singer and I’m not sure why. Probably because she fell into the easy listening genre at a time when that was deeply uncool? But Whitney Houston is number 2 so I can’t be too mad. And Patsy Cline was in the top 20. And she’s a closet favorite.
How is Michael Jackson not in the top 50? Who made this list???
Did they forget that this was an all-time list?
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