![]() ![]() Deeply influenced by feminism and Mancunian writer/dramatist Shelagh Delaney, as well as glam rock and punk, he had no formal vocal training, but his high baritone has graced show-stopping pop songs ranging from The Smiths’ “This Charming Man’ to solo hits such as “Suedehead” and “Everyday Is Like Sunday.”įormerly associated with Humble Pie and The Herd, Peter Frampton rose to superstar status in the mid-70s when his classic live album Frampton Comes Alive! moved over eight million copies. Renowned – and equally reviled – for the mournful dourness of his voice, Morrissey has nonetheless excelled as both lead singer with The Smiths and as a solo star. With help from evergreen classics such as “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” “Night Moves,” and “Turn The Page,” the Detroit-born rock singer-songwriter has moved over 75 million records. Like his heartland rock rival Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger wrote impassioned, blue-collar anthems with an across-the-board appeal which he delivered with a raspy voice and a gutsy urgency. However, he employed it to devastating effect on a series of dramatic radio hits such as “White Wedding,” “Rebel Yell,” and “Eyes Without A Face,” all of which became MTV staples and yielded multi-platinum sales. The distinctive baritone of Generation X frontman turned 80s solo star Billy Idol owed a debt of gratitude to both Jim Morrison and David Bowie. All three had distinctive voices, but Helm’s higher-pitched, reedy burr always added grace and gravitas to the songs he put his inimitable stamp on, such as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Up On Cripple Creek,” and the band’s signature hit, “The Weight.” ![]() ![]() Influential later titles Doc At The Radar Station and Ice Cream For Crow, however, found him blending elements of blues, free jazz, rock, and the avant-garde with spectacular results.ĭrummer and co-founder of The Band, Levon Helm shared lead singer duties with pianist Richard Manuel and bassist Rick Danko. He was renowned for his growling, Delta blues-influenced delivery, and his band’s initial albums reflected their leader’s love of pioneering bluesman Howlin’ Wolf and Robert Johnson. However, he was also an extremely accomplished singer, in possession of a forceful, but melodic timbre that was perfect for Cream’s driving blues songs and rich psychedelic rock.Ĭheck out: White Room 97: Captain Beefheartĭon Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) possessed a remarkable, five-octave vocal range that was so powerful that he reputedly shattered a studio mic while recording “Electricity’ for the Magic Band’s debut album, Safe As Milk. On the only album released during his lifetime, 1994’s spellbinding Grace, he made full use of his four-octave vocal range both on magnificent self-penned original songs (“Dream Brother,” “Last Goodbye”) and haunting covers of James Shelton’s “Lilac Wine,” Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and Benjamin Britten’s “Corpus Christi Carol” – the latter sung entirely in a high falsetto.Īs one-third of rock’s first supergroup, Cream, Jack Bruce is predominantly recalled for his virtuosic bass playing and his dextrous songwriting skills. Jeff Buckley’s accidental death, at the age of 30, curtailed what should have been a brilliant career. ![]() So let us hear your voice if you think we’ve missed someone. Wherever they stand on expertise, their need to communicate goes above and beyond, and – as we’ll see in a few cases throughout our list of the 100 best male rock singers of all time – being onstage can literally be a case of choosing life or death.Ĭompiling a list of the best male rock singers is quite a challenge: the beauty and/or power of a great voice impacts on us all on different, highly personal levels. Some of the above can be studied or taught, but a really iconic vocalist is a unique individual who simply can’t be invented. A rock band has a head start if their frontman has range, power, articulation, and technical control, but to be truly iconic they also need to break boundaries, move us emotionally and possess an indefinable charisma which puts them in a class of their own. What makes a truly legendary rock singer? Certainly, stage presence and the ability to whip the largest of gatherings into a frenzy are key ingredients, but there’s more to the best male rock singers than that. ![]()
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