The Best Singers Of All Time
Who are the best singers of all time? That's a tough question to ask. This list includes many of the greatest, most famous vocalists ever, from all genres of music. From the old guard to new legends in the making, these talented singers are among the most popular in the world thanks to their commanding live performance and powerful singing voices. 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? Who's the best singer alive today? Which late powerhouse has cemented their place in history? Vote for your favorites, and vote down any whom you don't like.
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, are also featured below. So, what are you waiting for?! Help us decide who the greatest singers of all time are, and please vote based on the quality of their talent and music releases rather than just their popularity or fame.
- 1
Pop music, Rock music, Rockabilly- Albums: The Solo Collection, Barcelona, Mr. Bad Guy, Time, Guide Me Home
- 2Pop music, Rock music, Rhythm and blues
- Albums: Lady Soul, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Young, Gifted and Black, Respect
- 3Pop music, Dance-pop, Contemporary R&B
- Albums: The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album, Whitney Houston, My Love Is Your Love, I'm Your Baby Tonight, The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album
- 4Motown Sound, Rock music, Electronic music
- Albums: Thriller, Bad, Off the Wall, Dangerous, Michael
- 5Christian music, Pop music, Rock music
- Albums: Jailhouse Rock, The Sun Sessions, From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters, Can’t Help Falling in Love / Rock-A-Hula Baby, Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition)
- 6Doo-wop, Motown Sound, Rock music
- Albums: What's Going On, Here, My Dear, Let's Get It On, I Want You
- 7Swing music, Traditional pop music, Big band
- Albums: Christmas With the Rat Pack, In the Wee Small Hours, Christmas Songs by Sinatra, A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra, Nothing but the Best
- 8Opera
- Albums: The Tenors, Tutto Pavarotti, Rigoletto (Luciano Pavarotti, Renata Scotto, Rome Opera House Orchestra & Chorus feat. conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini)
- 9Motown Sound, Psychedelic soul, Pop music
- Albums: Songs in the Key of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book, Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I, Music of My Mind
- 10Ballad, Swing music, Traditional pop music
- Albums: Côte d'Azur Concerts on Verve, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, The Stockholm Concert, Porgy & Bess
- 11Outlaw country, Christian music, Americana
- Albums: American V: A Hundred Highways, American IV: The Man Comes Around, At Folsom Prison, American Recordings, American III: Solitary Man
- 12Hip hop music, Synthpop, New Wave
- Albums: Purple Rain, Sign 'O' the Times, 1999, Love Symbol Album, Around the World in a Day
- 13Blues-rock, Rock music, Folk rock
- Albums: Raising Sand, No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded, Walking Into Clarksdale, Mighty Rearranger, Manic Nirvana
- 14Soul blues, Pop music, Rock music
- Albums: The Birth of Soul, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, The Spirit of Christmas, Ray Charles at Newport, Genius Loves Company
- 15Pop music, Rock music, Piano rock
- Albums: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Disney's Sing-Along: The Lion King, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Madman Across the Water, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
- 16Rock music, Swing music, Rockabilly
- Albums: Patsy Cline, Walkin' After Midnight, Patsy Cline Showcase, Sweet Dreams With Patsy Cline, Lonely Street
- 17Pop music, Rock music, Pop rock
- Albums: Street Talk, Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased, For the Love of Strange Medicine, Playlist: The Very Best of Steve Perry, Greatest Hits (Remastered + Expanded)
- 18Rock music, Psychedelic pop, Electronic music
- Albums: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, "Heroes"
- 19Pop music, Rock music, Experimental rock
- Albums: Flaming Pie, Ram, McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Press to Play
- 20Classic rock, Pop music, Rock music
- Albums: Bella Donna, Buckingham Nicks, Trouble in Shangri-La, Enchanted, Rock a Little
- 21Adult contemporary music, Pop music, Rock music
- Albums: Falling into You, These Are Special Times, Miracle, Loved Me Back to Life, Céline Dion chante Noël
- 22Jump blues, Swing music, Traditional pop music
- Albums: Merry Christmas, The Magic of Christmas, The Nat King Cole Christmas Album, Merry Christmas, Christmas Favorites
- 23Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Rock and roll
- Albums: At Last!, Tell Mama, I'd Rather Go Blind, The Right Time, 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Etta James
- 24Rock music, Dance-pop, Rhythm and blues
- Albums: Private Dancer, What's Love Got to Do With It, Simply the Best, Foreign Affair, Wildest Dreams
- 25Pop music, Rhythm and blues, Jazz
- Albums: Night Beat, Shake, Touch the Hem of His Garment: 23 Gospel Gems, Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
