Bye Week Debate -- Best Band Front Man

Submitted by 608Monroe on

I get into this argument every year or so with friends and family.  If you're like me, you have a strong opinion on the matter.   So in this down week with no opponent to dissect, I ask you to dissect the following:

Who is in your "Top Five" for the greatest "Front Man" of a band in the history of rock 'n roll:

My personal list is:

 

1.  David Lee Roth/Van Halen

2.  Freddie Mercury/Queen

3.  Mick Jagger/ Rolling Stones

4.  Dave Grohl/Foo Fighters

5.  Steven Tyler/Aersomith

 

Qualifications:

1.  Stage Presence/Entertainment

2.  Quality of Voice/Musical Capability

3.  Length of Career

4.  # of hits

 

 

Lakeyale13

October 13th, 2016 at 9:58 AM ^

I beleive there is a very short list of men who are true "Front Men".  Only three that pop into my mind immediately are:

1. David Lee Roth (probably would rank #1...not saying he is the greatest singer or most talented....just nails the stage presence and owning the performance)

2.  Bono.  Dude is simply incredible

3.  Mick Jagger

 

I think to be a "Front Man" you have to be larger than life.  Someone like Dave Grohl, whick the Foo Fighters are one of my favorite bands, is way to "normal'...which makes him so loveable and likeable.  But just as Dave, and he will tell you he is NOT a rockstar.

Lakeyale13

October 13th, 2016 at 10:00 AM ^

Tradition that Counts, I would add one more qualification to your list, and it may be the most important quality.  The great transcendant "Front Men" are larger than life.  Thus, even though I love him and would want to have a beer with him over anyone on your or my list, I would not put Dave Grohl on there.

608Monroe

October 13th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^

You make a great point, LakeYale.  Who on my list would I want to have a beer with first?  No doubt about it -- Dave Grohl.  David Lee Roth is an asshole.  Freddie Mercury, were he alive -- would probably scare me.  Mick Jagger I can't understand.  Steven Tyler seems like a blast (still), but he's not exactly someone you could chill with.

Grohl knows how to chill, for sure.

Hardware Sushi

October 13th, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^

Logged in to add James Hetfield. I'm not sure he's top 5 in a Rolling Stone list but he's one of my top 5.

Also like Robert Plant, Brian Johnson, David Lee Roth, among others that have already been named.

I also like Chris Cornell from Soundgarden/Audioslave. Probably not top 5 but I think he's solid. Also a little embarrassed to admit I also enjoyed Layne Staley a lot as a teenager.

ST3

October 13th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^

1. David St. Hubbins

2. Jake Blues

3. Davy Jones

4. Meatloaf

5. Glen Danzig

There should be no debate that Glen was the greatest one-hit wonder frontman of all time. He redefined the front-man position. Before he came along, frontmen were skinny, British dudes with high pitched, almost feminine voices (think Jagger, Plant, Daltry, etc.) Along comes Danzig who looks more like a body builder who stopped training a few years ago, is rockin' massive sideburns, and sings with driving bass vocals. He's really quite unique.

The Great El Andyo

October 13th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^

Bob Mould - Still going strong after almost 30 years.  He fronted Husker Du for almost a decade, put out a couple of great solo albums, fronted Sugar for 3 albums, and has put out another ten or so great solo albums.