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.

Iggy Pop : "Every Loser"

 

At the ripe age of 75 Iggy Pop is releasing his 20th album. The album opens with the hard rock ripper "Frenzy" which finds Pop in a sweet spot that recalls his 1988 album "Instinct".  Duff Mckagan help him out on this one. He wisely enlists a who's who of rock royalty to collaborate with as this album features members of Jane's Addiction, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam. While Pop describes the album as geared to beat the shit out of the listener, he backs off after the opening track. The second song employs the cool and collected hints of his 80s new wave past. Which still works really well. 

He sings an ode to his home in Miami on "New Atlantis" which ambles as a leisurely pace. It neither packs the punch of the opener nor invokes the moodiness of "Strung Out Johnny". While his voice sounds great with youthful enthusiasm, the song is not as well written as the opening track.  Producer Andrew Watt, who has worked with both Ozzy and Morrissey, is the ringmaster of this circus. The ballad "Morning Show" is well done with a touch of blues to it.  "Neo Punk" is another stab at punk. but this is not really the way the Stooges did punk, but what punk became after they came on the scene, so this hits me as odd. 

"All the Way Down" does a better job a capturing who he is as an artist and respects his legacy. It might not be as punk, but that is fine. Eric Avery plays bass on "Comments" which goes back to his new wave era. This works as well as the harder rocking opening track and it feels like these two modes are what is working best for him these days. The last song kind of splits the difference between his strengths, somewhat new wave, somewhat of a rocker. I will give this album a 9, it is not his best work by far, but it is better than his last album, most artists would be doing well to score a 9, but this is Iggy and the bar is held high for him since I have been a fan for well over 35 years. 

Gothtober- Looking Back In Anger at Iggy Pop's "Blah Blah Blah"

 

I often credit  the Jesus and Mary Chain's "Darklands' album as being the first "goth" album I bought, but this album I bought before that one. During my intital obsessive interest in David Bowie, I discovered Iggy.  Alongside the Doors and Bowie , Iggy Pop is one of the more influential figures in goth music. I bought this album when it came it out so it proceeded the 87 release of "Darklands" . This was Iggy's stab at making his own version of "Let's Dance". This album was a collaboration with Bowie who co wrote most of the songs, and his backing vocals can be heard through out the album. "Real Wild Child" the lead single is one of Pop's most well known songs so it was a success from that stand point. It is a cover of a Johnny O Keefe song. "It Can't Fall" sounds like it could have been a b-side from "Tonight" or "Never Let Me Down".    

It is not until 'Shades' that things get darker and moodier , reflecting the tone of Bowie's 80s period.  The ballad like 'Fire Girl" co written by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, keeps a new wave pop slant , but is still darker than even the Cure's radio fare .Much of this is due to the bleak nature of his baritone, that finds Pop in one of his better places vocals as far as the croon here goes. "Isolation" is sung with even more passion. I heard this album before the Stooges, so I can under stand how now 7 albums away from his punk does this could have been divisive , and in some ways it might have been a sell out, but if Bowie was behind it how much of a sell out could it really be?   

There is a more rock tone the guitar of "Cry For Love' . I am not sure if the more Billy Idol like sonic quality of the production was intentional or not, but it is a great song. There is a longing in it that falls one the moodier side of post -punk run through a new wave filter. The title track has more of bouncy post-punk quirk to it not unlike Gang of Four if they went in a poppier direction. "Hideaway" is back to being one of those could have been a Bowie b-side that did not make the cut. Even those are better than most people's best work.  With even the nostalgia attached to this album I can still round it up as the 80's production that hampers some of these album when run through Bowie's filter finds this album working perhaps even better than "Never Let Me Down:. 

Iggy Pop : " Free"

If Iggy contributed to a David Lynch film the results would be similar to the intro track of his new album. "Blah Blah Blah" is the first album I bought by Iggy when it came out as I knew the David Bowie connection. Then I went straight to "Fun House". The restraint of "Loves Missing" reminds me of "Blah, Blah, Blah" every filtered through 50s jazz.  This is his 18th album . He is collaborating with jazz musician"Leron Thomas". The reason he is taking this turn is because he was decompressing  after doing a more rock n roll tour.  If this is as good as the album gets I am o.k with it. That means he must maintain this kind of dark tension.

The looser musing of "Sonali" is not as impressive, it almost sounds like he is trying to rap. "James Bond" might have been a better song with different lyrics. He goes into a higher snark for "Dirty Sanchez" . The songs is more aggressive and works well. "Glow In the Dark" is a strange song on an already weird album. Half the weird is due to some strange production choices. He has covered so much ground already this should not be a surprise. The thing about experimentation is some times the experiment works better than others. This sounds like Joy Division after drinking a bottle of Ny-Quil. "Page" is the first song where Iggy sounds like he is 72. I am not interested in hearing him do spoken word over jazz either. I might accept "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Dark Night". The smooth jazz album of Iggy Pop might be the equivalent to being his "Lulu"

"the Dawn" finds him continuing down the spoken word path.  My most recent Facebook posts was ... One of 2019's harsher truths it the new Taylor Swift is way better than the new Iggy Pop and she is dialing it in half the time. I really hate the fact that I am giving this album  a 6, but I can not lie to my self or to you. There are a few good songs. But this is the fucking lead singer of the Stooges we are talking about . I think he could have done this jazz album in a way that was more graceful. He should have called up David Lynch to help over see this. This comes out September 6th.

 

The Top Ten Rock Albums of 2016

Some rock harder than others. Some girls mothers are bigger than other girls mothers. the definition of metal has changed over the years some might have qualified for being metal back in the seventies, so artists on this list rocked harder in the 70s and are now laying back for a more reflective view on their arts. In the end this list is pretty self explainitory and boils down to what I listened to the most as providing the inspiration to indluge multiple listens is the goal of every great album others are forgotten as time goes on. These are really ranked by what survived the  year the longest in my iPod. So enough talk lets get to the Top 10 Rock Albums of 2016.

10-Hammers of Misfortune- "Dead Revolution"


The first song off Hammers of Misfortunes new album is much more aggressive than what I remember hearing from them in the past. The more prog moments haven't gone any where. The production sounds more organic and helps to give the guitar a rougher edge and a little grit to the otherwise smooth vocals. Joe Hutton who also sang on their "17th Street " album is manning the mic again. He sounds pretty strong and on the title the band continues to keep the chug alive as it falls somewhere between Deep Purple and Motley Crue's "Looks That Kill.If you just like prog rock that is heavy on the retro then this is also worth your time. If you have likewise pined for these guys to be more of a metal band you have also gotten your wish, if your definition of metal includes bands from the 70s.


http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/07/hammers-of-misfortune-dead-revolution.html

9-Skunk anansie - "Anarchytecture"

If you aren't familiar with this band you are more than likely American or born after 1990. In the states the brushes with mainstream came from Skin lending her voice to a Deftones song and Kevin Bacon singing along to them in the car in the movie "Hollow Man" .The openers is smooth electro rock with a cool vocal hook that made me forget the harder rock elements of "Post Orgasmic Chill" are not still intact and this is perhaps more along the lines of the Gathering's current state of the union. Electronica has always been an influence they have just made more of transition. The guitar than is present is hardly over-driven until the second verse of "Victim". It all is riding on Skin's voice, which is a good place to hedge your bets from. She isn't flexing her pipes in the quite as a dramatic manner as she once did , but she still has the goods


http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/01/skunk-anansie-anarchytecture.html

8-Kyng- Breathe In the Water


These guys are an interesting mix ball busting riffs set agains catchy melodic sections that are not unlike those of say Red Fang. Eddie Veliz's vocals are the high light as he takes a Chris Cornell approach, though no where as Robert Plantish in his upper range. In some way the are more like a pumped up harder version of Bad Company.  In terms of song writing these guys are strongest on a song like the title that takes more melodic nuances and sets them against the burlier riffs in a more Queens of the Stoneage manner.


http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/10/kyng-breathe-in-water.html

8-Kidney Thieves -" the Mend"


It sounds like no time has passed and they are picking up where they left off. When you are ahead of your time then this is fine. Free Dominguez is obviously a vampire since her voice has not aged. "the Co-dependent Song" finds them letting up on some of the more industrial strength aggression very early on and putting them in a zip-code much close to Guano Apes.This new kinder, gentler version of Kidneythieves closes out the album with an even more atmospheric piece.Id you are a fan then this will make your day, because even a more pop minded version of this band is better than most of the other shit out today and a reminder that music was once better. They Kick Starter'ed this so there was no labels pressuring them to go one way or another.

http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/09/kidneythieves-mend.html.

7-Iggy Pop-" Post Pop Depression"

 He is the last man standing from a by gone era of Punk. For me losing Iggy would be a bigger blow than Lemmy. I got a ton of play out of both the Stooges and Motorhead in the 8th grade, but started listening to Iggy first and as this album shows, Pop still has it in him while the last Motorhead album, saw Lemmy already waning. Iggy sounds better than he has in sometime. I'm sure Homme's sense of production, doesn't hurt. The first song sounds like you would expect from Iggy Pop, playing with Queens of the Stoneage. While I disliked Queens of the Stoneage's last album, this coupling has injected new life into Pop. His croon is more careful and Josh's backing vocals work well with his voice. Iggy sounds almost as good as he did on "Blah Blah Blah".


http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/02/iggy-pop-post-pop-depression.html

6-Subrosa - For This We Fought the Battle of Ages"

 I am not the biggest fan these days of songs tipping the scales at over ten minutes, they make the most with the powerfully dynamic opener. The violins weep against the slabs of sludged out distortion. The vocals are generally pretty delicate. A thick bass line leads you into "Wound of the Warden". There is more motion in the ocean on this one . Not quite metal in the way it builds up in the first couple of minutes, while riding a similar groove.Often bordering metal by even using harsh vocals the over all feel is something more expansive


 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/08/subrosa-for-this-we-fought-battle-of.html

5-Hexvessel- "We Are Death"


 Way more rock n roll than I thought it would be, but this band is fronted by Mat McNerney who we also know as Kvohst the lead singer of Grave Pleasures / Beast Milk. This album finds this project now occupying a more similar sonic space as Grave Pleasures , just dipping into a another decade . So perhaps Kvohst is a time lord and he hops back and forth from the 80s to the 60s collecting melodie. The folk has been dialed way back on the opener. This eases back into a mellower psychedelic trip on the second song, but the rock element are still dominate over the folk, which is not a complaint, perhaps if you are really invested in these guys being a neo-folk then it might need more time to grow on you , but the songs really handle the slightly morose melodies well. This is not totally happy hippy music that is just the undercurrent. It is totally groovy, but a lava lamp is not a requirement.Then things really ease back for "Cosmic Truth" that has more of a Moody Blues feel. There is more of a straight up 60's rock feel to "When I'm Dead" .

http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/01/hexvessel-when-we-are-death.html

 4-Wovenhand- "Star Treatment"

 Being a big fan of Eugene Edwards, expectations were high, but  I can say I ever doubted his ability to deliver as he has been very consistent over the years. It opens with a pounding rock gallop that pretty much picks up where "Refractory Obdurate" left off. Things take a turn for the weird on "Swaying Reed" that sounds like the acid kicked in at the same time the Holy Ghost descended upon them in the studio. This does capture the same abstract tone the Doors touched upon, but strikes me as more of an interlude than an actual song. "the Hired Hand" struts in with a ghostly western feel. Edwards' resonant baritone is commanding as it is emotive. What different this time around is more trippy space like sounds zoom out of the corners of the song. A more deliberate rock inspired stomp haunts "Crystal Palace" though the intervals of the melody in the back hearkens back to tribal music of the American Indians.  This album is certainly more atmospheric, though it's reined in to serve the songs

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/09/wovenhand-star-treatment.html

3- Dinosaur Jr - "Give a Glimpse of What You are Not" 


 They come back strong and rocking out of the gate. It sounds like a slacker version of the Foo-fighters holding no aspirations of gaining radio play and more power to them for this attitude. They surprised me on the first song, but will they be able to hold the momentum is what I wonder during the jangle of the second song. They let up on the attack in favor of a more garage like sound, that still holds hints of the more sonic barrage of alternative rock this band is known for.The production on this album is generally on point, lets face it these guys are old pros so they are not going to let that slip. The guitar tones is great and Mascis really cements his place as one of modern rock's best guitarists on "Mirror". The song carries enough a groove to create the illusion it's not as melancholy as it. The last song is pretty dynamic, while also being some what laid back in it's solid groove.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/07/dinosaur-jr-give-glimpse-of-what-youre.html

2-Black Foxxes- "I'm Not Well" 

 This band is interesting as it's hard to imagine that they did not come from the late the 90s. While middle of the road when it comes to how hard the they do or do not rock,  I can appreciate the role the vocals play in their sound. As the opener builds there is more of  an early Pearl Jam like angst to the grit added in the vocals. They lock into a more traditional rock role on "Husk". When they ease their foot off the gas it offers a more dynamic glimpse at the band , but flirts with a more emo side than I am not sure I was ready to see yet on "Whatever Let's You Cope" .  There is an androgynous quality to their sound that doesn't glam it out like Placebo, but is there. They narrowly edged out Dinosaur Jr , I think I listened to this one a little more.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/10/black-foxxes-im-not-well.html

1- David Bowie - "Black Star"

 It was the Thin White Duke's 25th album. He released it on his 69th birthday. Then he died and most of you made me sick the way you ran out to get this looking for clues if he was hinting that he knew the time was coming. So lets talk about the music ...it's vulgar I know but some body has go to do it. The lead single and title track opens the album, finding Bowie in a darker and more surreal place than his last album. There is a very experimental ambiance to things that will delight fans of his Brian Eno years. His collections of musicians  ranges from LCD Soundsystem to avant garde jazz , with the jazz contingent weighing more heavily. Not his best album ever, or even post-"Lets Dance" I think "Outside" is way better and "the Next Day" might be as well, but it's Bowie so no one can really compete making this almost a no contest.

 http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2016/01/david-bowie-black-star.html

Iggy Pop : " Post Pop Depression "

He is the last man standing from a by gone era of Punk. For me losing Iggy would be a bigger blow than Lemmy. I got a ton of play out of both the Stooges and Motorhead in the 8th grade, but started listening to Iggy first and as this album shows, Pop still has it in him while the last Motorhead album, saw Lemmy already waning. Iggy sounds better than he has in sometime. I'm sure Homme's sense of production, doesn't hurt. The first song sounds like you would expect from Iggy Pop, playing with Queens of the Stoneage. While I disliked Queens of the Stoneage's last album, this coupling has injected new life into Pop. His croon is more careful and Josh's backing vocals work well with his voice. Iggy sounds almost as good as he did on "Blah Blah Blah".

"Gardenia" has a new wave pogo to it's groove. The slink of " American Valhalla" is well carried in it's bass line, but as a song it wanders around like it's too high in some of the bridges. This trait has also characterized some of the most recent QOTSA albums. The Arctic Monkey's drummer Matt Helder's taps more than really lays into his kit, which might be appropriate for the songs in their current state, but I can't help but think "In the Lobby: might have more punch if he hit harder.The star of the album is bassist Dean Fertita, from Queens and Dead Weather, who is a groove monster. "Sunday" doesn't have a groove that is focused as the previous songs and sounds like they gliding along on some Stones influenced indie rock. Pop's lyrics are back in their clever form here. You can still hear Bowie's influence on him, as this barrows from the "Scary Monsters" album.

Pop comes closer to the mic with the stripped down " Vulture" . This album finds Pop closer to what I expected out of hims though there is  darker and more textured instrumentation that reminds me of Wovenhand. There is a more Led Zeppelin like strut to the opening of "German Days" that drops down into something almost gothy with Pop is crooning in his lower register.The angular guitar works well in the middle of the song and it has some of the album's best riffs. They relax into lounge lizard disco on 'Chocolate Drops". This is not the first sound you expect to hear on an Iggy album, but it works so I have complaints. He has touched on so many genres throughout his career nothing should be a surprise at this point. Not as soulful as something from "Young Americans" , but this would not have worked on a Stooges album.

There is also some soul to the vocal harmonies  that open "Paraguay" which closes the album out. Then it morphs into the verses that much more straight forward. Then the song returns to a heavier version of the melody the song began with as Pop narrates over this . There could be a little more pay off from this build and over all the album could stand to rock out a little more. However it exceeded my expectations by far and sees Pop returning to back to almost a more new wave sound, which considering "Raw Power" isn't being re-created anytime soon, works for me and I'll give it a 9 and see how the more indie rock elements grow on me.

The Top 15 Rock Albums of 2013

It's been a somewhat iffy year for rock music, but here is the cream of the current crop. Keep in mind this is limited to just rock music and I will be posting the metal and goth/industrial lists throughout the week.

15-Iggy and the Stooges - Ready to Die

The fact this was not half bad gets it the honorable mention spot of number 15, if Iggy had left his secret love of country to a solo album rather than slap the Stooges name on it, this would have scored higher.



14-Hollow Sunshine- Held Above

A great droney throw back to the 90's . The indie leanings keep it from making the metal list.



13-Dumb Numbers-s/t

Another hard hitting dose of shoe gazing, this time from a super group of 90's veterans.



12-Blood Ceremony - the Eldritch Dark

Female fronted stoner rock that conjures up Jethro Tull albums from hazy drug summers long forgotten.



11- the World is A Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die - Whenever, if Ever

Emo is alive and well on this stunning debut. They left the haircuts at home and are focused on writing dynamic songs.



10- Kylesa-Ultraviolet

Just because they evolved away from being metal it isn't a bad thing given the darker direction this album takes.



9- Nouns- Still Bummed

If Hot Water Music got stoned with Modest Mouse the results might be similar put less noisy.



8-Iceage-Your'e Nothing

Your favorite Icelandic punkers are growing up and they are depressed about it.



7- The Devil's Blood- Tabula Rasa

Their swan song is pretty epic.



6-Selim Lemouchi & His Enemies - Earth Air Spirit Water Fire

Selim didn't make us mourn the Devil's Blood for long. The guitarist takes you on the darkside of his moon.



5-the Black Heart Rebellion-Har Nevo

Really dark and primal, heavy but not quiet metal , this former hard core bands matures in the best way possible.



4-Merchandise-Totale Nite

Normally I don't like e.p.s , but I will take whatever I can get from this Florida band.



3- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-Push the Sky Away

Cave is keeping it classy.



2-Sigur Ros - Kveikur

The Icelandic band comes down from the clouds to add some balls to their new album.



1-David Bowie - The Next Day

It's not Bowie's best album, but it's pretty impressive that he still has it at 66. Some of these songs do stand up against his classics and that is more than anyone else on this list or any other list can do.