Who is the greatest singer of our time?

[Hector]

[youtube]http://youtu.be/nWK0kqjPSVI[/youtube]

Was it Layne Staley(RIP)? What's your opinion?

[Angry Waters]

What's the criteria? I'm a huge Staley fan--lucky to see him live a couple of times. Though music is so subjective, he's not the greatest singer of all-time. But, if you say he is, so be it! I'm not gonna argue!

[Hector]

What's the criteria? I'm a huge Staley fan--lucky to see him live a couple of times. Though music is so subjective, he's not the greatest singer of all-time. But, if you say he is, so be it! I'm not gonna argue!

The criteria is the roobs opinion I guess. I wasn't lucky enough to see Staley live (so jealous) but his range and power are undeniable. I've heard he could rattle your chest with his voice alone...

[Angry Waters]

What's the criteria? I'm a huge Staley fan--lucky to see him live a couple of times. Though music is so subjective, he's not the greatest singer of all-time. But, if you say he is, so be it! I'm not gonna argue!

The criteria is the roobs opinion I guess. I wasn't lucky enough to see Staley live (so jealous) but his range and power are undeniable. I've heard he could rattle your chest with his voice alone...

For the record, Layne is one of my favorite vocalists of all-time. He certainly had his own unique sound. Tons of power, no doubt. However, his range was rather limited. I'm a two-bit vocalist my own self and there's not a note in his discography that I can't hit. As soon as you read this, listen to Soundgarden's "Beyond The Wheel" and talk to me about range!!! Believe me, it doesn't change the fact that Layne Staley had one of the most memorable and beautiful voices of all-time!

So, my two favorite singers off all-time (because it's my opinion) are Phil Anselmo and Axl Rose.

[Mandatory]

Freddie Mercury and I don't care how obvious or cliche that claim is.

[-Jaymo-]

Freddie Mercury
Paul Rodgers

Sebastian Bach has some serious vox.

[beetlebum71]

I was always a huge Chris Cornell fan.

[cmd24]

Right now it's Jay Buchanan from Rival Sons.

In our time, as in since birth? That one would require a lot of thought...

[Angry Waters]

Freddie Mercury and I don't care how obvious or cliche that claim is.

No arguments...I would, though, clearly vote him number 1 if the topic was 'greatest frontman of all-time'. Again, zero problems with your suggestion.

[salamander]

Freddie Mercury and I don't care how obvious or cliche that claim is.

No arguments...I would, though, clearly vote him number 1 if the topic was 'greatest frontman of all-time'. Again, zero problems with your suggestion.

[Mandatory]

Freddie Mercury and I don't care how obvious or cliche that claim is.

No arguments...I would, though, clearly vote him number 1 if the topic was 'greatest frontman of all-time'. Again, zero problems with your suggestion.

That's fair.

[Slap Shot]

My very first thought when I saw the thread was, "Freddie" but I also think his signing (which is off the charts) is also enhanced by his stage persona. If no one had never seen Freddie perform does he still top the list?

Do we disqualify someone like Leontyne Price - who most of you will never have heard of - because of her chose genre?

What about Aretha? Elvis? Marvin? Stevie? Otis? Johnny Mathis?

John Lennon is often overlooked but not only did he have a very great (but never powerful) voice, but his singing was bolstered because almost 100% of his lyrics were written from personal experience. So there was always a powerful message behind what he was singing that added to his vocals.

Adele should get consideration.

[Beef Supreme]

What's the criteria? I'm a huge Staley fan--lucky to see him live a couple of times. Though music is so subjective, he's not the greatest singer of all-time. But, if you say he is, so be it! I'm not gonna argue!

The criteria is the roobs opinion I guess. I wasn't lucky enough to see Staley live (so jealous) but his range and power are undeniable. I've heard he could rattle your chest with his voice alone...

For the record, Layne is one of my favorite vocalists of all-time. He certainly had his own unique sound. Tons of power, no doubt. However, his range was rather limited. I'm a two-bit vocalist my own self and there's not a note in his discography that I can't hit. As soon as you read this, listen to Soundgarden's "Beyond The Wheel" and talk to me about range!!! Believe me, it doesn't change the fact that Layne Staley had one of the most memorable and beautiful voices of all-time!

So, my two favorite singers off all-time (because it's my opinion) are Phil Anselmo and Axl Rose.

“Beyond the Wheel” is insane.

Cornell > Staley.


Not sure Cornell is #1 overall, but he’s above Staley.

[Jimtown guy]

Freddie that’s all

[Teh DMB]

“Beyond the Wheel” is insane.

Cornell > Staley.


Not sure Cornell is #1 overall, but he’s above Staley.

In that genre Mr. Beef:

Eddie Vedder>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cornell>>>>>>Layne

And I'm a huge fan of all of them.

[Beef Supreme]

“Beyond the Wheel” is insane.

Cornell > Staley.


Not sure Cornell is #1 overall, but he’s above Staley.

In that genre Mr. Beef:

Eddie Vedder>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cornell>>>>>>Layne

And I'm a huge fan of all of them.

No way. Vedder is above average at best and Pearl Jam sucks balls!

[Teh DMB]

“Beyond the Wheel” is insane.

Cornell > Staley.


Not sure Cornell is #1 overall, but he’s above Staley.

In that genre Mr. Beef:

Eddie Vedder>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cornell>>>>>>Layne

And I'm a huge fan of all of them.

No way. Vedder is above average at best and Pearl Jam sucks balls!

Watch Pearl Jam MTV unplugged on youtube-Vedder is amazing. Much better then Alice in Chains unplugged-although Layne was about to die on account of the heroinisms.

[somuchyummy]

"our time" is a rather loose bracket. i'm old(er) - so am going with a trifecta of al green, aretha franklin and stevie wonder.

[LordNu]

Let's throw Perry Farrell into the mix.

But I reckon it's Cornell > Staley = Vedder.

I do love my grunge.

[Teh DMB]

Way before my time but Karen Carpenter had some serious chops.

[Beef Supreme]

Bruce Dickinson

[YBBR]

This is way too nebulous to have an actual answer. Greatest in what sense? Best voice? Largest vocal range? What is our time? How long a period does that consist of?

Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald. Who knows?

Two people today I really like for their vocal talents..Jose James and Nai Palm. Not best ever but accomplished vocalists.

[Qman65]

Ronnie James Dio and Bruce Dickinson. Dead heat! Rob Halford a close second.

[Slap Shot]

“Beyond the Wheel” is insane.

Cornell > Staley.


Not sure Cornell is #1 overall, but he’s above Staley.

In that genre Mr. Beef:

Eddie Vedder>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cornell>>>>>>Layne

And I'm a huge fan of all of them.

No way. Vedder is above average at best and Pearl Jam sucks balls!

Good lord.

Also Qman time to branch out, brother.

[Moses Scurry]

Steve Perry.

[Bull]

Chris Cornell is probably the greatest of our time. Ridiculous range.

Look...I like Pearl Jam, but Eddie Vedder doesn’t even crack the top 10 of vocalists in my opinion.

[Night Train]

"our time" is a rather loose bracket. i'm old(er) - so am going with a trifecta of al green, aretha franklin and stevie wonder.

Right, Sinatra was alive in my lifetime so I'd give him the nod. He was the voice of a whole century IMO.

So much of what's been posted already are good singers and great 'frontmen' of great bands. Sinatra and a bunch of other great singers can do it acapella or with a backing band and that's what separates great singers from good singers.

[somuchyummy]

good call on sinatra. he wasn't just a vocalist with a backing band - more of a force.

[Hector]

I was always a huge Chris Cornell fan.

My playlist has Audioslave/Soundgarden and no Alice in Chains on it.

[Hector]

"our time" is a rather loose bracket. i'm old(er) - so am going with a trifecta of al green, aretha franklin and stevie wonder.

Yeah, I get there is going to be age disparity but I listen to everything (in my forties) so I know some older stuff and listen to my kids music also and I go across genres.

I imagine the typical rube age range is 35-60