The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers -100 to 91

Now half way into our  list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective,  not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre. If you have been reading you know the focus is not only on  technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? . How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. There are also not going to be any Bob Dylan like singers, who are better songwriters than vocalists.

. Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors often trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey after listening to their vocal coach rather than developing their own style, it is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

 100- Ray Lamontagne

This Soulful folk vocalist carries bluesy husk to his voice that allow him to carry a retro vibe that recalls classic Motowm. It is not about range or power as much as it where he puts his voice, which is in all the right places.

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99-David Drainman

The Disturbed front-man aside from the spastic monkey noises he sometimes makes, owes more to classic metal singers than the other singer from the nu-metal scene his band got lumped into. With each album they moved further from those tropes allowing him to his display his aggressive yet melodic style of singing

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98-Julie Christmas

The former vocalist of Made Out of  Babies qualified her self to be on this list due to the quirky nature of her voice that goes from growls to sounding like an insane preschooler, but she can also belt it out with the best of them and has matured into an excellent singer over the years.

   

97- Anneke van Giersbergen

Flowery female sirens adding a softer layer of atmosphere to metal was not always a thing. It was not until Anneke graced the Gathering with her pristine pipes that this came about.

   

96-Ics Vortex

The Arcturus vocalist is perhaps most known for his soaring clean vocals he lent to the golden years of Dimmu Borgir where he stole the show with his operatic hooks while playing bass. This provided the needed contrast to their normal growls.

   

95- Ripper Owens 

Being the man who replaced Rob Halford is a heavy title to carry around your career. Instead of just being a tribute act he preformed well with bands like Iced Earth, to show he can be his own man.

 

94-Ian Astbury

Another singer who filled in for an icon is the Cult vocalist who filled in for Jim Morrison. He has more power and range than Morrison, his powerful baritone is what makes the Cult sound so distinct.

   

93-Keith Caputo

When Life of Agony broke in the 90s, their style of melodic hard core was in many ways ahead of it's time thanks the pained bellow of Caputo that could smooth into a chilling croon. Other wings tried to fill the gap during Caputo's time away from the band and failed because they could not capture the raw emotion of suffering his voice held.

92--Jaz Coleman

His one of a kind voice that inspired the roar of most industrial bands thanks to the output of hit band Killing Joke, is also very nuance and he is capable of a new wave like croon to give a depth of dynamics

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91-Mat McNerney 

His most notable work is with Beastmilk aka Grave Pleasures and Hex Vessel, which shows how flexible his evocative baritone is. He can go from grim post punk to 60's psych-folk. He sings with both power and feeling in equal measure.  

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-110 -101

Digging deeper into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective,  not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre. I am  placing the spotlight on the singer's technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors are being considered here, lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers.  

The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors often trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey after listening to their vocal coach rather than developing their own style, it is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

110-Bradley Nowell 

 The late Sublime singer had a lot of depth and soul to his voice. Not a big reggae fan, but his delivery won me over more than most, as well as his ability to make the most of his resonate croon in his lower register when called for.

 

109-Paul DiAnno

Many of you might be surprised this guy did not make it higher since he sang for one of my favorite bands.  He has more streets smarts to his voice, but struggles in his upper register, thus the comparison is this ...Bruce can sing his songs, but he could not sing Bruce's songs to end further debate. Still, he sung for Maiden's first two albums earning his spot here.

 

 108- Phil Collins

His singing style took Genesis down a more commercial path the first few albums where he took over for peter earned him a spot here.

   

107- Joey Belladonna

The  Anthrax singer has the pipes to bridge the dramatic yodels made popular by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and grit of thrash.

   

106-Gene Simmons

Peter Criss might have the bigger hit ,but Simmons is the better singer. He might not be the best singer in Kiss, but his throaty belting gives the band a grittier edge as needed.

   

105-Debbie Harry 

Her voice helped her band navigate the tricky spot in the 70s to weave between punk and disco. She went from rapping with attitude to her head register with grace.

 

104-Jim Morrison

H He was not just a displaced beat poet who found himself in a jazz band playing rock. Morrison has a croon that held a great deal of darkness, he could unleashed a drunken blues belt or go into outright manic screaming to climax a song , before screaming was common place. He was an icon front man , so people might expect him to have placed higher, but in terms of his pipes he worked well with what he had

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 103- Daniel Gildenlow 

 Over the years his band Pain of Salvation has going from being an eclectic progressive metal band to spanning a wide scope of sounds. His range and power has been the catalyst that allows them to traverse all these sonic spaces. He covers all bases from metal screams to dramatic falsettos.

   

 102-Grace Slick

Her powerhouse voice made her a one of a kind singer in the 60s that would influence many female rock singers to come.

   

 101- Dave Byron 

 This band bridged the gap between prog and metal. Byron's falsetto yodels were commanding voice made him a bard declaring tales of demons and wizards with theatrical flare that would influence countless metal singers to follow.

 

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-120 to 111

Digging deeper into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre, while placing the spotlight on the singer's technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors are being considered here, lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers.  

The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut.Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors often trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey after listening to their vocal coach rather than developing their own style, it is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.   

120-Sammy Hagar

Replacing a singer with greater charisma pushed Hagar to become an even better singer. While Van Halen themselves might not have released their best work with him, Sammy gave the best performances of his career.

   

 119-James Hetfield 

 His commanding roar might have shaped the direction metal would go, but it is when he backs away from that and gets more introspective that you can really hear what his voice is made of.

   

 118-Corey Taylor

 The versatility of Taylor's voice what has allowed Slipknot to have extended their career past the point of nu-metal's expiration date. He augments his actual singing voice with a wide array of snarls and screams.

   

 117-Don Dokken 

 He is one of the more technically textbook perfect singers I can listen to. Don adds enough of who he is to his performance. He might not be able to take shoulder to shoulder with the greatest singers of this metal are, but he does deserve his spot here.

 

116-David Coverdale

Of all the pretenders to Robert Plant's throne, this guy injected more of himself into the role. This was aided by his time in Deep Purple, where he showed the importance of letting soul flow through your pipes.

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115- Neil Diamond

If this was a list of songwriters, He would be in the top ten, but we are just judging pipes here. There is a mellow warmth to his baritone that pulls you into to his songs, even if his style of music is your cup of tea or not. He can belt it when he needs to but always serves the songs first.

    

114-Robert Lowe

 The soulful wail from this powerhouse is always heartfelt. His best work was with Solitude Aeturnus , but has also taken over the mic for Candlemass. He is not an Ozzy impersonator like most doom singer, though he does barrow a bit from Dio in his belting style.  

113-Damien Rice

The Irish singer/ songwriter only has three albums under his belt, but he puts all of his emotions in each note he urgently sings. Many folk singers are great at the hushed nuance, but few can belt it out like Rice who has an impressive range. 

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112-Tarja Turunen

The former Nightwish frontwoman helped set the bar for how to sing symphonic metal with her colorful operatic voice. What those who followed her footsteps lacked was their own personality which Tarja has m and is often more important than the notes she sings.

 

111- Chuck Billy 

The most impressive thing about the longtime Testament vocalist is how aggressive he can get and still manage to actually sing. This is what makes his band's songs so catchy and makes Chuck stand out as one of the best metal singers from the thrash scene.   

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-130- to 121

Digging deeper into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre, while placing the spotlight on the singer's technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors are being considered here, lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking is based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers.  

The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors often trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey after listening to their vocal coach rather than developing their own style, it is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.   

130 -Brett Campbell 

 Campbell's bright tenor brings a soaring contrast to his band's doomy crunch. He manages to do this with little pretense keeping power metal comparisons at bay. he has a great deal of power but uses it smoothly to allow his mournful melodies to ache rather than command.

   

 129-Zola Jesus

 Dark wave and post punk revivalists have been keen on emulating the voice of Siouxsie and when Nika Danilova first emerged from the witch house scene there was a hint of that to her voice her throaty belt has gain more colors as her career progressed into dancey regions of sound.

   

 128-Jarboe 

 Her most classic work is during her tenure lending her ghostly voice to Swans but has since sung on a wide variety of other dark music projects. One of the more influential singers of the dark music scene.  

127- Libby Lux 

 Her voice is what separates the Bridge City Sinners from the other punk rock train kids who picked up banjos in the last decade. She can go from a 20s jazz croon to black metal rasp all in the course of a song.

   

126-Eric Wagner 

There was something fragile and desperate to his voice when Wagner shrieked over the doom riffs of his band Trouble. There is more soul to his voice than most of the singers he would later inspire.

   

 125-Jeremy Enigk 

 He was way ahead of his time developing his style of singing that would be later thought of as emo. Three albums into the career of Sunny Day Realestate his range double along with the vocal colors he employed.

   

 124- Imogen Heap 

 Her vocal style is characterized by layers of harmonies. Something best left in the context of the studio which is why despite being influential she is not ranked higher. She does get credit for throwing her voice around in a less than mainstream manner.

   

 123-Farida Lemouchi 

 The singer of the Devil's Blood took what bands like Coven did before her and her brother and did it better.One of the few band's that were actually sincere in their desire to sing praises to darkness, Farida did so with passion and power.

   

 122-Miny Parsonz 

 The front woman of Royal Thunder utilizes her tremendous range with a great deal of power, that recalls metal singers of the 80s, but run through a filter of cigarette smoke and cheap hotel rooms.

   

121-Ike Willis 

 Frank Zappa was known for only employing the highest tier of musicians. Not being much of a singer himself, many of these tremedous talents had to step up to the mic on behalf of Frank, but Ike had the best pipes of them all with husky soulful voice that could easily flip over into a falsetto.

the Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-140 to 131

Digging deeper into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre, while placing the spotlight on the singer's technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors are being considered here. Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers.  

The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers. 

  140-Gavin Hayes 

 His band' Dredg's post-rock leanings were ahead of their time, as his honest croon brought a unique layer to the songs as they were melancholy but not over wrought or contrived.

   

 

139-James Graham 

I saw his band Twilight Sad open for the Cure and was impressed by his moody vocals which still hold a great deal of power when he reaches into his upper register.

   

 138-Richard Ashcroft 

 Despite the Smiths being my favorite band, I am pretty picky when it comes to Brit Pop. I dislike oasis, am indifferent to Blur, and dig Stone Roses, but their singer does not belong here as he always sounds like he has just woken up from a nap at a gay bar. The Verve has the benefit of Ashcroft on the mic who is capable putting some balls and emotion into his voice, which makes them stand out from the pack.

   

 137-Lita Ford

The best singer in the Runaways sure as hell was not Cherie Curie, nor was it Joan Jett. Lita is able to belt it out with a sultry howl, that gave her more range than even many of her male counterparts in the 80s

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136-Devon Graves 

 When it comes to progressive metal neither Psychotic Waltz got the recognition they deserved. His high pitched wail has more identity and haunting depth than the cut and past Geoff Tate worship bands like Kamelot and Fates Warning employ, which is why he made the list and they did not.

   

 135-Bono 

 I am sure many readers might wonder why he did not place higher. "Achtung Baby" was the last interesting album he made, before becoming a parody of himself. It became the thing where an artist's present sullied my memory of their past. It cannot be denied he was a groundbreaking singer when his band hit the scene, with a powerful voice and great falsetto.

   

 134-Lydia Ainsworth

 Sure, there is plenty of influence from the likes of sirens such as Kate Bush to her voice, but rather than wearing it on her flowing sleeves she has woven into her own thing. She is equal parts delicate and great depth in her tone.

   

 133- Neil Fallon 

 There is an energy to the burly bellow of the Clutch front man that sets him apart from other blues influenced rock singers that belt from their chest register like he does. his use of inflection and phrasing keeps clutch songs from riding too uniform of a groove.

   

 132-HR 

 The only way I can reggae is by way of Bad Brains. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh were always too high to throw their voice around or scream their brains out like HR is capable of. he has more grit to his voice, but is not limited by it, he took punk to places it did not know it wanted to go.

   

 

131-Joe Elliot

 His voice has changed over the years , which has allowed Def Leppard to not get stuck in the pigeon hole of hair metal. In his prime, he could get up there with the best of them, now his voice has mellowed with age.

 

Mortuous : "Upon Desolation"

 This San Jose based death metal band, plays off of 90s death metal. They have enough groove and atmosphere built into the opening track that it keeps my attention. It is very well produced . the low gurgle of the vocals sit nicely in the mix to create the illusion that the vocals serve more purpose than they do. With most extreme metal after the weight of the sheer heaviness hits you, you are left with the question, but can you write a song. "Nothing" does not provide the most clear cut answer to this. There is a great deal of chaos in their composition, which keeps them from being death doom, or merely another band trying to be Incantation. By the end of the song melodic elements have further crept in.

By the time we get to "Metemorphosis" the formula seems to be clear. Start off with brutal density and then allow those layers to slowly be shed as the song progresses into darkness. This time around when it gets time for a guitar solo, they have constructed a pretty hooky riff for it to fall upon. "Days of gray" falls more along the lines of conventional death metal and does not stick as rigidly to the formula they arrange their songs with though it is still there. I really enjoy when they indulge in mournful guitar melodies and feel it is a sea of blackness they need to sail further into. "Defiled by Fire" finds this also in play though the further into the album we get the more they begin to relish using speed rather than the more mid tempo crunch of the first half of the album. "Burning Still" picks up where the previous song left off , but grooves that theme a little more. 

Burning seems to be one of the album's main themes as "Ash and Decay"  continues to point out. The  gurgle of the guttural vocals do not allow for the lyrics to be easily deciphered.It is only two and a half minutes into the last song when more melodic elements seep in. I will give this album an 8.5, I appreciate how they stray from what is expected from their brand of death metal and how they work in the creepy melodic guitar parts.  

the Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-150 to 141

Digging deeper into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre , while placing the spotlight on the singer's technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the  overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places ? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors being considered here.Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut.

Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

150-Nils Fryk 

 The male voice of Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum utilizes a wide range of vocal colors , varied raspy bellows to choir boy falsettos. The dark and bizarre style of his band is colored perfectly by his often theatrical choices.

   

149-Stefani Mannaerts

I said earlier I was not going to bring up the instruments these singers also play, but this is an exception to the rule since she plays the drums and beat the hell out of them while belting out very hear felt soaring vocals  for her band Brutus. She employs just enough tension to be aggressive as the punchy dynamics of her band.

 

 148-Ani Difranco 

The feminist folk icon of the 90s has really held up over time, despite discouraging her fan base by marrying a man. She has a punk rock attitude that she smooths out with each note in the right place against the often jerking strum of her songs.

   

 147- Beth Gibbons

 Back when the first Portishead album came out in 1994 I was really high laying in the backroom of the record store I worked at and got scared from hearing her sing as she sounded like a witch. At first listen her voice seems calming but there is something unsettling hiding in the shadows of her melodies.

   

 146-Udo Dirkschneider 

 As a kid I wrote Udo off as a Rob Halford who compensates with his rasp, but over the years the more time I spent listening to early Accept the more I grew to appreciate the smouldering nature of what he does.         

 

 145-Jesse Lacey 

 Another artist I had to let grow on me as I wrote off Brand New's first album as pop punk. Once I gave there other stuff a shot it was clear he a lot of issues he was using his voice to work out , which in their case makes it emo in the best way possible. The tolerance crow tried to cancel him for his handicaps and addictions, but his singing stands the test of time.

   

 144- Jonah Mantranga

 His band Far fell to the more emotional left of the metal bands they were booked with in the 90s. The pleading tone of his tormented tenor set his band apart and gave them melodic depth.

   

 143-Jon Anderson 

 How could the lead singer of Yes not sound like an elf? I can not imagine anything but this fey hippie spreading cheer with his androgynous tenor.

 

 142-Steve Wilson 

The Porcupine Tree singer uses a great deal of restraint when being the human voice of the often dystopian landscape of his projects songs. Even at his age he still glides smoothly into his head register at will. 

 

 141-Greg Allman

 I don't think anyone is going to be surprised when I admit to the fact that of all the bands on this list I listen to the Allman Brothers the least , but I respect the hell out of them, when it comes to southern rock they are the most talented, I mean if Frank Zappa covers you that has to say something. Greg's voice embodies what the blues should be.

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-160 -151

Let's continue on into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre but place the spotlight on judging these singers by their technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, along with dynamics,  phrasing and the character of their voice. Can they emote from different places ? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors being considered here. 

 Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. 

Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am  keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these are doing their own thing, the few paying  tribute acts to other artists have still made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

 

160 John Doe

Most well known for his ground breaking punk band X where he shared vocals duties, he was always a country singer at heart who fell into punk.

 

159-Vince Neil 

 Up until their 4th album his greatest asset was his youth enthusiasm an attitude. When  compared to other metal yoodlers his falsetto screams are a joke, but even if he was judged on the merit of the first four albums they would out weight the bloated mess he has become.

 

158-Jack Black 

 Is he acting or singing? Sure he is doing a Dio impersonation half the time, but his heart is really in it which gives him the edge over the of say Jared Leto who's acting in order to jump from bandwagon to bandwagon.

 

157 -Lizzy Borden 

 If I made this list at 15 this dark glam rocker might be in the top 10, things change. when he is not busy giving his mother 40 whacks he is able to flex an impressive set of pipes.

 

156-John Joseph 

 The former Cro-mags front man does not just yell , but can throw his voice around and actually sing when he feels like it.

 

155-Cedric Toufouti

What separates France's Hangman's Chair from other doom bands is the distinctive voice of their lead singer. He brings their lyrics to chilling life with his mournful tenor.  

 

154-Emma Ruth Rundle

Former Marriages front woman's solo career has blossomed thanks to the urgency of her voice that  rivals the alt rock sirens of the 90s. She carries a controlled tension that pars well when she collaborates with metal bands like Thou 

153-Dave Matthews His brand of jammy folk jazz would not have worked with any other voice over it. The way he throws his voice around can be an aquirred taste, but there is no denying the staying power it has had. 152-Jason McMaster Known for his work with Dangerous Toys, the grit of his voice makes his attitude more convincing than the rest of the sleazed oyut hair metal bands of the day.

151 Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson He uses his voice more like an otherwordly instrument to soar over the sureal landscapes created by his band Sigur Rios.You are not going to find him sitting in with other bands, but what he does is perfact for his own project.

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers-170 to 161

Let's continue on into our list of the top 200 greatest rock singers, inspired by the travesty that was Rolling Stone's supposed list. Where they got it wrong, this list hopes to be more effective, but not only focusing on rock singers and those adjacent to the genre but place the spotlight on judging these singers by their technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, along with dynamics,  phrasing and the character of their voice. Can they emote from different places ? How well does their voice hold up live? All factors being considered here. 

 Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. 

Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am also not keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these have to be doing their own thing, though a couple are basically tribute acts to other artists but still make enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

170-Elvis Costello 

He went from a quirky new wave icon to crooning alongside Burt Bacharach. His voice matured a great deal in this journey though still retained it punchy emotive edge.

   

169-John Baizley 

As his band Baroness has progressed from a mathy sludge outfit to a classic prog sound , his voice has gotten stronger to meet the changes of the sound he now croons over, while maintaining the power of his metal bellow.

   

 168-Jonas Renkse

 Katatonia's shift from deathly doom to the depressive progressive is thanks to the bleak melodies of this man, whose phrasing and restraint are untouched in the metal landscape when it comes to conjuring emotion.

   

 167 -Rod Stewart 

 The former Faces front-man has a voice that can not be mistaken for any other singer as it oozes with that it factor that makes him one of a kind when it comes to his natural rasp and timbre.

   

 

166-Perry Ferrell 

 Jane's Addiction could never replace him. His strongest work was in their earlier years, but the way his wail works sonically like an instrument broke boundaries at the time .

   

 

165-Micheal Stipe 

 He did his own thing from the beginning and never conformed , with each album his voice sounds better. His lower register induces goosebumps.

   

 164-Micheal Gira 

 The Swans master mind has the most depressive baritone, each not more bleak than the one before it, while he is also capable of howling like a maniac.

   

 163-Ben Folds

 He not only has a great deal of control over his vocals chords , but he sings in a way that has soul baring honesty.

162-Louise Post 

 Unlike their more radio dominant peers, Post has more power, range and nuance to her voice than the Courtney Loves and Liz Phairs of the world.  

161-Ben Harper 

 There is a vulnerability to his voice that sets him aside from the other neo-blues singers who cross over into rock.

 

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers -180 to 171

We are rolling along deeper into this list of the top 200 greatest rock singers. Rolling Stone's list was a travesty to here's to writing that wrong.  As stated previously I not only judged these singers according to their technical vocal ability when it comes to things like range and power, but also other dynamics brought to the table regarding phrasing and the character of their voice. Other important factors include their ability to emote from different places and how well their voice holds up on stage. If you are just making magic in the studio alone, then you might not fare so well on this list. Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. 

Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am also not keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these have to be doing their own thing, though a couple are basically tribute acts to other artists but still make enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly.

 With that said do not expect to see a great deal of technically proficient power and progressive metal singers on here, so it cannot be said I am giving metal more of a priority, though there are some singers who might be otherwise ignored by mainstream media.  By the time we get to the top 10 I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

 180-Frank Black

The Pixies front man has a sweetly unhinged voice that is very dynamic going from screams to sardonic sneers, back into more relaxed croons. He explored more vocals colors in his solo career.  

     

  

179-Eric Pulido 

He did not start off as Midlake's lead singer, but when Tim Smith left the band Eric stepped up and took over the mic with a hushed urgency that gives the songs a undercurrent of anxious tension while being true to their lazy 60s folk feel.   

 

  178 -Ryan Adams

The former Whiskeytown singer has had a prolific solo career. He has gone from making country albums to covering Taylor Swift, Bob Mould, Dio, and Danzig. His nuanced approach to singing makes this possible.  

 

 176-Carl McCoy 

Of all the classic goth bands it's Fields of the Nephilim front man whose voice carries the most grit. He is almost a metal singer as he can go from a croon into a growl. 

 

 175-Amy Winehouse

Stylistically she brought nothing new to the table having taken a page from Phil Spector's book of pop. Her drug use had wrecked her voice before her short career came to an end, but she did have a charisma to her voice that earned her place here. 

 

 174-Danny Kiranos 

Better known as Amigo the Devil this murder folk singer works in country street smarts and rock-a-billy croon that he can belt out with impressive power. His songs are dynamic enough to showcase this well. 

 

 173-Jim Reid 

The singer of the Jesus and Mary Chain used his cool baritone to make an impact on post-punk in the 80s. His warm yet depressive voice is detached just enough to make it all work.    

172- Carly Simon

While it would have been tempting to add Karen Carpenter to this list, somebody does it better than that somebody is Carly here. She out guns Karen and the rest of the 70s stoned housewives club in terms of vocal dynamics. 

   

171- Sturgill Simpson

This country singer is just as likely to do release a blue grass album as he is a rock album. His voice is more resonate than a your average Nashville twang. He also sings passionately about aliens and DMT.  

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers -190 to 181

Now we continue on the list which was inspired by my need to right the wrongs of Rolling Stone Magazines Top 200 Singers list, which included pop artists with no singing skills beyond Autotune and a lack of metal and rock singers. So, I took on the ambitious task of making my own.  As a singer myself, I key in on vocals first and foremost when listening to songs. In making this list I not only judged them according to their technical vocal ability when it comes to things like range and power, but also other dynamics brought to the table regarding phrasing and the character of their voice. Other important factors include their ability to emote from different places and how well their voice holds up on stage. If you are just making magic in the studio alone, then you might not fare so well on this list. Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. 

Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am also not keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these have to be doing their own thing, though a couple are basically tribute acts to other artists but still make enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly.

 With that said do not expect to see a great deal of technically proficient power and progressive metal singers on here, so it cannot be said I am giving metal more of a priority, though there are some singers who might be otherwise ignored by mainstream media.  By the time we get to the top 10 I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

 190- Aaron Stainthrope 

The My Dying Bride vocalist brings a gothic croon to the band's depressive doom metal. he matches the despair in his vocal delivery while delivering an impassioned croon that borders on a whine at times. 

189- Matt Berninger 

The National's singer has a warm resonance to his baritone that still makes you think he might need to be on meds.

    

188-Rob Crow

While I am not judging by songwriting, one of the Pinback singer's strengths in how his uses his voice is where he puts amid their herky jerky riffs.  He uses his voice like an instrument which goes a long way with me.

   

 

187- Marc Bolan

There is no need to have Billy Corgan on the list when we have this guy. The T- Rex singer has an androgynous voice that was admired by many who placed much higher on the list. 

 

 186-Joey Ramone 

By the 80s the Ramones songwriting became more nuanced, and it allowed Joey to show that he could actually sing.

 

 

 

185-Andrew Eldritch 

 Not the widest range, but the Sisters of Mercy vocal possessed a very distinct voice that goth singers to come would try to mimic for decades to come.

   

184-Gary Numan 

This man has a very unique voice that fits his music and has aged incredibly well.

   

183-Adam Granduciel 

 The lead singer of the War on Drugs is another singer who might not have the widest range, but his mellow voice glides perfectly of the mood his band creates. It has a calming effect on me.

 

182- Ken Andrews 

Failure's vocalist has the kind of smooth croon that gracefully offsets the crunch of their space age sonics. I always imagine him being high as hell when he is singing. 

 

 

 181-Dave Pirner

The Soul Asylum singer had a more honest angst to his voice than the bulk of the 90s alt rock radio fodder that would follow his example.

 

Street Tombs : " Reclusive Decay"

 This band from Sante Fe, is pretty much recycling old school death metal. In doing so they have invoked the days when death metal crawled out of the more aggressive darker side of thrash, so bands like Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower and early Unleashed and can be heard in their in-your-face attack. This is done in a catchy manner on the first song than the faster second track which could be any death metal band from the late 80s. There is ample Slayer influence at times, but "Hell Awaits" is the single biggest influence on death metal at the time, so this is to be expected at well. The lows are a low growl that buries the lyrics as the guitar race around it. The drums are a little buried in the mix as well.  

There are some creepier guitar melodies to "Devour" which work better for me. However even then they are not reinventing the wheel, and pretty much spinning around heavy nostalgia. It is more thought out as a song, which when bands like this get caught up in bringing a sound back from the dead that tends to be the focal point. So that plays to their favor, after all when it comes to this kind of death metal, I am listening for what makes them stand out from the pack. for death metal is marginally faster than mid-tempo, so they are not tripping over themselves in order to play the fastest. I am also surprised they do not hit you with a barrage of guitar solos.  

"Rising Torment " is not exceeding my expectations when it comes to this sort of thing. Not really that hooky in terms of the razor-sharp tiffs. By the time we get to the more up-tempo ripper " Commanding Voice of the Damned" I feel like that these guys are certainly proficient at what they are doing, but it feels like in any city you go to with a metal scene there is going to be at least one band who does this. They might do it better than most, but certainly not in the same league as the originators, no matter how much diving bombing is going on. The galloping chugs of the last song are very effective. Original not so much. But head band worth for sure. I will give these guys an 8, if you do not own the albums by the bands who started this then this might seem new to you, it is a worthy tribute for sure.   

The Top 200 Greatest Rock Singers -200 to 191

Inspired to right the wrongs of Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 200 Singers list, which included pop artists with no singing skills beyond Autotune along with a lack of metal / rock singers.  I took on the ambitious task of making my own. As a singer myself, I key in on vocals first and foremost when listening to songs. In making this list I not only judged them according to their technical vocal ability when it comes to things like range and power, but also other dynamics brought to the table regarding phrasing and the character of their voice. Other important factors include their ability to emote from different places and how well their voice holds up on stage. If you are just making magic in the studio alone, then you might not fare so well on this list. Things like lyrical content and the instruments they play do not factor in as these ranking are based on vocal merit alone. How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. The same can be said of song writers which is why most Bob Dylan songs sound better covered by someone else. Needless to say, ole Robert Zimmerman is not making the cut. 

Most pop singers won't appear here, but there are a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am also not keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these have to be doing their own thing, though a couple are basically tribute acts to other artists but still make enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors sometimes trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey or that they have listened to their vocal coach too much rather than developing their own style, then that is something that is also not going to fly.

 With that said do not expect to see a great deal of technically proficient power and progressive metal singers on here, so it cannot be said I am giving metal more of a priority, though there are some singers who might be otherwise ignored by mainstream media.  By the time we get to the top 10 I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.

 200-Neil Young

He is a better guitarist than singer, though his high reedy tenor is very emotive with the song below serving as an example of why he belongs on this list. 

199-Gordan Gano

The lead singer of the Violent Femmes took what punk singers did before him and added a country twang along with a Gospel like passion with which is delivers his hymns praising the glory of murder and masturbation. 

 

 198-Gared O' Donnell 

The main man of Planes Mistaken for Stars died by the same anguish that he emoted each raspy note from,  

 

197- Marilyn Manson

The shock rocker's image overshadows his pipes, but he can sing when he feels like it. 

196 John Vanderslice

This underground icon of 2000's indie rock carries right blend of apathy and tormented self-reflection in his often-plaintive tenor. 

 

195-Rozz Williams

The iconic front man of Christian Death is the king of mournfully creepy phrasing which pretty much birthed the death rock genre. A prime example of while he is one of my favorite singers, as the best at what he does, I acknowledge his limitations.

 

 

 194- Tom Waits 

 There are singers who draw influence from Waits, but none who Waits sounds like. Even with his rasp he can sing when he sets his mind to it.

   

193- Iggy Pop

He might be a king of early punk rock, but his true vocal ability was not heard until a decade later. 

 

192-King Dude

Spoiler Alert... Johnny Cash , is not going to be on this list, he talks more than he sings, and if I am in the mood for that sort of thing, I want it coming from less Christian influence, so this guy fills that void for me. 

 

 191-Bruce Springsteen 

Of the first ten entries on this list, I listen to Bruce the least, most of the time his voice sounds like a New Jersey cab driver who smokes a pack a day, then he his capable of delivering a croon on a song like the one below that earns his place here.