Singer with the best vocals?

[Melaszka]

Originally Posted by Tonks_Animagus

True. Nowadays, vocals are not so popular with the audience - a song to gain popularity need to be catchy, with great rhyme and lyrics that either are emotional and pass a message, or that make people cheerful and happy.

That may be true, as well, but what the article was suggesting was, not that vocals aren't important, but that what is important about vocals is not the technical quality of the singing, but how well the singer's personality comes out on the singing and how sincerely they seem to believe in the lyrics they are singing.

[Tonks_Animagus]

Originally Posted by Melaszka

That may be true, as well, but what the article was suggesting was, not that vocals aren't important, but that what is important about vocals is not the technical quality of the singing, but how well the singer's personality comes out on the singing and how sincerely they seem to believe in the lyrics they are singing.

I know, I was just stating something else too xD

[Melaszka]

Originally Posted by Tonks_Animagus

I know, I was just stating something else too xD

Ah, I see. Sorry about that. Yes, good point.

[Hysteria]

Originally Posted by Melaszka

That may be true, as well, but what the article was suggesting was, not that vocals aren't important, but that what is important about vocals is not the technical quality of the singing, but how well the singer's personality comes out on the singing and how sincerely they seem to believe in the lyrics they are singing.

I agree with this. Many of the singers I like take on personas when they perform (Marilyn Manson, Andreas from Deathstars are probably the two who do it to the biggest extreme of the artists I listen to) and I enjoy seeing them perform live because of the message their personas give out. Their lyrics wouldn't mean half as much (to me) if it wasn't their characters who were saying it. Having said that, if you want to go this route, you still need a good voice.
Even without performing as a 'character' I think most of the time the best live performances are ones in which the musicians do let out their personalities (it would explain (partially) why Britney Spears' Australian tour has been slammed so hard )

[SadPanda]

Now I'm sure there's a ton I'm leaving off or simply forgot about

*Sam Cooke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqzv1...eature=related

*Jeff Buckley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owiDf...eature=related

*Dion DiMucci
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c49klxPex-k

*Freddie Mercury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRt2j...eature=related

Jim Morrison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgPaqi7Dpdg

*Mike Matijevic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR-5ZStR8r4

Tim Buckley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9JC1tNQUjU

Jackie Wilson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2W8cvVDEVg

[LumosPatronus]

Freddie Mercury, Matthew Bellamy, Roger Taylor (of Queen), and i do enjoy Caleb Followill.

[GinnyPotter15]

Sharon from Within Temptation is one of my favorites. I've been seeing her live every year for the past five years, never gets old.

Freddy mercury - no explanation needed.

Claire Torry - She sings the Great Gig in the Sky for Pink Floyd at one of their live shows. Unbelievable.

Hayley Williams from Paramore. For some reason hearing her live gives me goosebumps and this tingly feeling in my stomach everytime.

Billie Joe Armstrong from Green day - I think he has a very different and special voice, one of the best i've heard for a modern punk rock band. Maybe it's also because it's my favorite band that anything he does is good for me.

The guy from Seether, I dont know the name. When he sings Rise Above This in the studio, it's amazing the way he controls his voice from singing softly and tuned to screaming his lungs off.

I think there's many more that inspire me but this is all I could come up with right now!

[ennaxor]

Kerry Ellis immediately comes to mind, she's got an amazing voice. Unfortunately, she's not very well known outside of West End musical theater, though she is currently working on an album (with help from Brian May).

I've seen her multiple times live, and she constantly blew me away. Especially last summer she had a few concerts for the "Great British Songbook," where she sang a wide variety of stuff, all composed by British musicians. From Andrew Lloyd Webber to Queen, and about everything in between, she was fantastic!

[Morghen]

Craig Owens is, in my humble opinion, the best vocalist to EVER set foot on the world. He can sing in live shows/concerts and still sound amazing which is extremely rare nowadays. He is just overall amazing and seems like a great person(not what the thread is about but he is always very thankful for people coming to his shows.) I was in complete shock when he got kicked out of the band Chiodos and I do not think that they'll be anything without him.

Here's some of his songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGE5YwrwoaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAG88K7MDaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjKB35q2oHo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MWpPyfFAI




Anthony Green is another amazing vocalist. He has a high range of vocals which most people do not realize. I love how different his voice is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhLm4JgXd5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ycX1S6jzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSqisRDBsOA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIPH5qpbgro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJALPNdJsHU


And one song of them singing together in a band called The Sound Of Animals Fighting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7dl1EJ5XmE

[FrejyaAthena]

I think one of the best all time singers is a lady called Sandy Denny. She sang in a number of bands throughout the 60's and 70's and was best known for being a folk rock singer. She was also the only person ever to duet with Led Zepplin.

The reason I think she's amazing is that she can just do everything. She has a vunerable, soft, beautiful tone to her voice but she can crank it up to fill the room with emotion and strength. When she sings, she embodies the character in the song and her phrasing is always spot on- as is her timing and incredible sense of pitch. She uses ornamentation such as melisma, vibrato and trills effectively and appropriately- without making it sound cheesy. It's so unusual for a singer to embody all of these traits and use them so well. So many of today's artists are just showing off and thus use ornamentation and vocal quality inappropriately- a bit of a "hey, look what I can do!" rather than "if I use this here then this will capture the emotion of this and portray the feeling of this" etc etc.

She was a really special and underrated singer (unfortunately she died early on in her life, in the late 70's I believe).

If anyone is interested her vocals can be found at these links:

"Crazy Man Michael" by Fairport Convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ksWNvFbME

"Matty Groves" again by Fairport Convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1it7B...eature=related

There are plenty more ...

Sinéad.

[MistressofRaven]

a few of mine: Freddie Mercury (Queen), PJ Harvey, Paul Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Dwayne Maguire (Darkest Era)

[KeepItDark]

Ronnie James Dio.

[ProtegoTotalum]

Paul McCartney...Freddie Mercury...Matt Bellamy...Adam Lambert [yes]...oh, DEFINITELY Joni Mitchell. And I personally am madly in love with John Lennon's voice...mmmm.

[MuggleGirl09]

The lead singer from a band called Scar Symmetry, Leona Lewis has excellent vocals as well. Of course, there are more singers who have good vocals but those are the two that pop into my head first.

[Hysteria]

Vocalist for Australian bands Birds of Tokyo and Karnivool, Ian Kenny. He's so diverse and can really cut it live. I wouldn't say he's the 'best ever' but he's extremely talented and a great performer.

[craiggles]

Originally Posted by GinnyPotter15

The guy from Seether, I dont know the name. When he sings Rise Above This in the studio, it's amazing the way he controls his voice from singing softly and tuned to screaming his lungs off.

Shaun Morgan, I think he's great too. I saw him live and he sang Broken by himself with only an acoustic, it was beautiful.

I'd say: Bjork, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Stevie Nicks, Beth Gibbons (Portishead), Adam Lambert, Joss Stone, Peter Gabriel, and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave).

[HurrahforHermy]

Female Voices:
- Mariah Carey (that woman has an incredible range)
- Amanda Palmer (she sounds even more powerful live than recorded)
- Carrie Underwood
- Whitney Houston
- Christina Aguilera
- Leona Lewis
- Beyonce (not a fan of her music, but she has an AMAZING voice)

Male Voices:
-Freddie Mercury
- Paul McCartney
- John Lennon
- Jason Webley (I am in love with his voice!)
- Louis Armstrong (some may disagree, but I LOVE the raspiness)

[Lumiaya]

Amy Lee is a wonderful female singer. I would definitely have to put her up there for consideration. Others would have to be artists like Beyonce, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

[MissGranger1979]

Originally Posted by madbouthp

Leona Lewis ... Hands down, has got the best voice I have heard in years

I agree - Leona Lewis has an amazing voice.

If not Leona then Whitney Houston in her heyday.

[LumosPatronus]

Originally Posted by craiggles

Shaun Morgan, I think he's great too. I saw him live and he sang Broken by himself with only an acoustic, it was beautiful.

I'd say: Bjork, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Stevie Nicks, Beth Gibbons (Portishead), Adam Lambert, Joss Stone, Peter Gabriel, and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave).

I love shaun Morgan's voice; I've never heard anyone else like him.
Chris Cornell is epic too