OT: Who are the best rock vocalists?
Here is my incomplete list. As I'm a child of the 80's and 90's it is weighted that way. I'm sure there are more that you guys will advocate for.
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden. Audioslave, Solo)
Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
Brad Delp (Boston)
Steve Perry (Journey)
EDiT: Sorry hit enter before done, more complete list continues
Robert Plant (Led Zepplin)
Van Morrison
Freddie Mercury (Queen)
Bono (U2)
Have at it. Who else belongs here?
Not sure about "rock" vocalist all time great. But I definitely agree. Steven Page is definitely an under appreciated vocalist. Without Page, BNL is pretty much nothing.
Sam Herring is very unique for looking like a very unassuming character. I think it would be silly to call him an all time great but this just made me think of Future Islands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK4lD3Uf8_o
Morrissey is my actual addition for an all-time list. He seems to be something of a prick, but if you can keep that aspect separate from everything else then he's great.
If I had to rank my top five (if you take into consideration what they were in their prime), I'd go:
1.) Mercury
2.) Steven Tyler
3.) Robert Plant
4.) Axl Rose (in his prime as a reminder)
5.) Tie between M. Shadows, and Bon Scott
Maybe not a great voice, but definitely unique!
Dammit - how did I forget about Seger?
Captain Geech of Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters
Wow, this many posts and no Chad Kroeger yet?
My favorite Beatles singer and his Wings and solo career were great.
Somewhat obscure, especially when the average poster's age is considered here:
* Burton Cummings (Guess Who and some solo stuff)
* Nick Drake
Not obscure, but old:
* Steve Miller
Soursuite is a fine example of what he brought to the table.
Robin Zander - Cheap Trick is underappreciated. He would probably be on my list somewhere.
Robert Plant
Freddy
Chris Cornell
Bowie
Justin Hawkins (the Darkness)
Ronnie Dio is on top of the 1980's hard rock/metal scene
Freddie Mercury has the best range and charisma
Michael Stipe
He isnt really the focus. He is more another instrument layering into the fabric of the song. You know, the way it should be.
Having confirmed that he's mentioned in this thread, my work here is done! Also glad to see that Peter Gabriel and Jon Anderson (at least in the early Yes years) have been mentioned. Could also add Rod Stewart, as long as we agree that he died in the mid 1970s and the current guy with that name has maliciously assumed his identity.
RJD was Chris Cornelling before Chris Cornell could Chris Cornell.
Chris Cornell.
Also, Dave Grohl? Who the hell thinks he's a great vocalist? I keep seeing him pop up here. Everybody thinks "he's a great dude" and he was in Nirvana. That pretty much sums him up. He is not exceptional at anything in particular other than Being That Great Guy Who Was In Nirvana.
Its a Dave Grohl album where he plays every insrument and has old school thrash, and metal singers guest vocal.
Shake Your Blood with Lemmy from Motorhead is a great place to start if you Youtube.
Besides that I will say, im not much of a Foo Fighters fan, but Grohls drum work on
Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf,
NINs With Teeth
and Killing Jokes self titled album are all quality work.
as a musician, I don't mind that this comes up like what, every six weeks or so during OT season.
as a former frontman, I can't resist pointing out that no one ever makes a best bass player thread.
I don't know that he's the best ever, but certainly he's the best not yet mentioned so far: Glen Hansard.