Singers The Best Singers of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

1.8M votes 248.2k voters 1.6M views 1,243 items

List Rules Individual singers in any genre. Not bands

Who are the best singers of all time? That's a tough question to ask. This list includes many of the greatest vocalists ever, from all genres of music. Whether it's the incomparable, late, great Whitney Houston with her extraordinary pop and R&B tones or rock icons like Freddie Mercury from Queen, Jim Morrison from The Doors or John Lennon and/or Paul McCartney from The Beatles, this list spans decades of incredible musicians. What singers do you feel are the greatest of all time? What are some of the greatest voices in music? Vote for your favorites, vote down any you don't like and feel free to rerank this list your way.

Vote: The Best Rock Vocalists

Putting together the top singers in music history is a tall order. Everyone has an opinion. Some might lean more toward rock vocalists as their personal favorite (think Ann Wilson, Stevie Nicks and Mick Jagger), while others might prefer excellent pop or R&B vocalists like the late Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, or even Stevie Wonder, James Brown or Aretha Franklin.

Rank: The Top Female Vocalists of the Last Decade

Country musicians could also easily be included on this list. Musicians like Johnny Cash and Keith Whitley gave new meaning to great vocals with outstanding country songs. Female country artists, including modern era vocalists like Carrie Underwood could also be included. If country's your thing, vote and add away! Now, help decide who are the greatest singers of all time.

list ordered by

1
40,380 28,578

Freddie Mercury Pop music, Rock music, Rockabilly Freddie Mercury was a British singer, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona ...more

2
27,565 25,966

Michael Jackson Motown Sound, Rock music, Electronic music Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor. Called the King of Pop, his contributions to music and dance, along with his publicized personal ...more

3
21,733 23,640

Whitney Houston Pop music, Dance-pop, Contemporary R&B Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. Houston is one of pop ...more

4
18,866 22,377

Elvis Presley Christian music, Pop music, Rock music Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and ...more

5
16,019 18,668

Frank Sinatra Swing music, Traditional pop music, Big band Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer, actor, director, and producer. Beginning his musical career in the swing era as a boy singer with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, ...more

6
12,664 17,026

Aretha Franklin Pop music, Rock music, Rhythm and blues Aretha Louise Franklin was an American singer and songwriter. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was ...more

7
15,007 19,923

Adele Southern soul, Neo soul, Rock music Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, MBE is a British singer and songwriter. Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace in 2006. In 2007, she received ...more

8
9,830 16,070

Stevie Wonder Motown Sound, Psychedelic soul, Pop music Stevland Hardaway Morris, known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. A child prodigy, he has become one of ...more

9
10,086 17,236

John Lennon Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music John Winston Ono Lennon MBE was an English singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a co-founder of the band the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the history of ...more

10
9,367 17,370

Paul McCartney Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock Sir James Paul McCartney MBE is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame as a member of the ...more

11
11,377 14,199

Celine Dion Adult contemporary music, Pop music, Rock music Celine Dion is a Canadian Singer born on March 30, 1968. She entered the music industry at an early age. She has won a lot of awards over the last two decades and is one of the most famous ...more

12
9,564 14,927

David Bowie Rock music, Psychedelic pop, Electronic music David Bowie is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, arranger, and actor. He is also a painter and collector of fine art. Bowie has been a major figure in the ...more

13
9,252 14,199

Elton John Pop music, Rock music, Piano rock Sir Elton Hercules John CBE is an English singer, songwriter, composer, pianist, record producer, and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since ...more

14
7,707 13,062

Marvin Gaye Doo-wop, Motown Sound, Rock music Marvin Gaye was an American singer, songwriter and musician. Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown Records, first as an in house session player in the 1960s and later as a solo artist with a ...more

15
8,051 14,388

Robert Plant Blues-rock, Rock music, Folk rock Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Possessing a powerful and wide vocal range he ...more

16
10,699 15,322

Mariah Carey Hip hop music, Pop music, Contemporary R&B Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She rose to prominence after releasing her self-titled debut studio album Mariah Carey in 1990; it went ...more

17
7,046 11,877

Ella Fitzgerald Ballad, Swing music, Traditional pop music Ella Jane Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer often referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and ...more

18
7,374 13,041

Johnny Cash Outlaw country, Christian music, Americana John R. "Johnny" Cash was a singer-songwriter, actor, and author, widely considered one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. Although primarily remembered as ...more

19
6,006 10,310

Nat King Cole Jump blues, Swing music, Traditional pop music Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. He was widely noted for his soft, baritone voice, ...more

20
6,576 11,795

Ray Charles Soul blues, Pop music, Rock music Ray Charles Robinson, professionally known as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and composer, who is sometimes referred to as "The Genius". He pioneered the ...more

21
9,785 11,915

George Michael Synthpop, New Wave, Dance-pop Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, widely known by his stage name George Michael, is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. Michael rose to superstardom during the ...more

22
7,117 12,371

Barbra Streisand Adult contemporary music, Show tune, Traditional pop music Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, songwrighter, actress, director, writer, composer, producer, designer, author, photographer, and activist. During a career spanning six decades, she ...more

23
8,540 13,689

Christina Aguilera Hip hop music, Bubblegum pop, Rock music Christina María Aguilera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Staten Island, New York and raised in Rochester and Wexford, Pennsylvania, she appeared on the television ...more

24
6,113 8,565

Prince Hip hop music, Synthpop, New Wave Prince Roger Nelson, known by his mononym Prince, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. A major figure in popular music for over three decades, Prince is renowned ...more

25
6,386 8,287

mwahahahaha added Luciano Pavarotti Opera Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian operatic tenor who also crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most commercially successful tenors of all ...more

1 40,380 28,578 Freddie Mercury Pop music, Rock music, Rockabilly Freddie Mercury was a British singer, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona ...more

2 27,565 25,966 Michael Jackson Motown Sound, Rock music, Electronic music Michael Joseph Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor. Called the King of Pop, his contributions to music and dance, along with his publicized personal ...more

3 21,733 23,640 Whitney Houston Pop music, Dance-pop, Contemporary R&B Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. Houston is one of pop ...more

4 18,866 22,377 Elvis Presley Christian music, Pop music, Rock music Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and ...more

5 16,019 18,668 Frank Sinatra Swing music, Traditional pop music, Big band Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer, actor, director, and producer. Beginning his musical career in the swing era as a boy singer with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, ...more

6 12,664 17,026 Aretha Franklin Pop music, Rock music, Rhythm and blues Aretha Louise Franklin was an American singer and songwriter. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was ...more

7 15,007 19,923 Adele Southern soul, Neo soul, Rock music Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, MBE is a British singer and songwriter. Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace in 2006. In 2007, she received ...more

8 9,830 16,070 Stevie Wonder Motown Sound, Psychedelic soul, Pop music Stevland Hardaway Morris, known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. A child prodigy, he has become one of ...more

9 10,086 17,236 John Lennon Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music John Winston Ono Lennon MBE was an English singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a co-founder of the band the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the history of ...more

10 9,367 17,370 Paul McCartney Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock Sir James Paul McCartney MBE is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame as a member of the ...more

11 11,377 14,199 Celine Dion Adult contemporary music, Pop music, Rock music Celine Dion is a Canadian Singer born on March 30, 1968. She entered the music industry at an early age. She has won a lot of awards over the last two decades and is one of the most famous ...more

12 9,564 14,927 David Bowie Rock music, Psychedelic pop, Electronic music David Bowie is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, arranger, and actor. He is also a painter and collector of fine art. Bowie has been a major figure in the ...more

13 9,252 14,199 Elton John Pop music, Rock music, Piano rock Sir Elton Hercules John CBE is an English singer, songwriter, composer, pianist, record producer, and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since ...more

14 7,707 13,062 Marvin Gaye Doo-wop, Motown Sound, Rock music Marvin Gaye was an American singer, songwriter and musician. Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown Records, first as an in house session player in the 1960s and later as a solo artist with a ...more

15 8,051 14,388 Robert Plant Blues-rock, Rock music, Folk rock Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Possessing a powerful and wide vocal range he ...more

16 10,699 15,322 Mariah Carey Hip hop music, Pop music, Contemporary R&B Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She rose to prominence after releasing her self-titled debut studio album Mariah Carey in 1990; it went ...more

17 7,046 11,877 Ella Fitzgerald Ballad, Swing music, Traditional pop music Ella Jane Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer often referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and ...more

18 7,374 13,041 Johnny Cash Outlaw country, Christian music, Americana John R. "Johnny" Cash was a singer-songwriter, actor, and author, widely considered one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. Although primarily remembered as ...more

19 6,006 10,310 Nat King Cole Jump blues, Swing music, Traditional pop music Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. He was widely noted for his soft, baritone voice, ...more

20 6,576 11,795 Ray Charles Soul blues, Pop music, Rock music Ray Charles Robinson, professionally known as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and composer, who is sometimes referred to as "The Genius". He pioneered the ...more

21 9,785 11,915 George Michael Synthpop, New Wave, Dance-pop Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, widely known by his stage name George Michael, is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. Michael rose to superstardom during the ...more

22 7,117 12,371 Barbra Streisand Adult contemporary music, Show tune, Traditional pop music Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, songwrighter, actress, director, writer, composer, producer, designer, author, photographer, and activist. During a career spanning six decades, she ...more

23 8,540 13,689 Christina Aguilera Hip hop music, Bubblegum pop, Rock music Christina María Aguilera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Staten Island, New York and raised in Rochester and Wexford, Pennsylvania, she appeared on the television ...more

24 6,113 8,565 Prince Hip hop music, Synthpop, New Wave Prince Roger Nelson, known by his mononym Prince, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. A major figure in popular music for over three decades, Prince is renowned ...more

25 6,386 8,287 mwahahahaha added Luciano Pavarotti Opera Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian operatic tenor who also crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most commercially successful tenors of all ...more

not on the list? add item #1244 List Rules: Individual singers in any genre. Not bands