Top 10 Best Singers of All Time
You want to be sure to start a fight with a musician who is passionate about their craft? Inquire as to who they believe belongs in the top ten greatest singers of all time. Since so much of it comes down to taste and choice, you'd come up with at least 50 names if you had enough time.
Fortunately, since so many of us have expressed our views, we may determine the vocalists have the most widespread appeal, which should be considered. But there are my personal favorites sprinkled throughout, and I anticipate two kinds of complaints: "that person shouldn't be in there" and "where is my favorite singer on the list?"
The bottom line is that, barring a few exceptions, any singer mentioned will be on most listeners' lists. Any of these musicians should be in the top ten richest musicians in the world, right? Only a few do, and you'll probably figure out which ones they are as you read. So, without further ado, here is a list of the greatest singers of all time.
#10 - James Brown
James Brown is one of the most energizing vocalists of all time. It oozes from his recordings, let alone when he performs live on stage. He has a long list of honors, promotions, and inductions into halls of fame. Most lists of greatest artists of all time, let alone best singers, have him at the top.
When a singer is called the most sampled artist of all time, as Brown is, you know they've made a lasting impression. Imagine the royalties that would be produced just from that. Just a few musicians have been dubbed the "Godfather of Soul," and James Brown is without a doubt one of them.
Trivia Facts: James Brown has 57 studio albums to his credit! His life had been an exciting adventure. He was a great social activist who was accused of and found guilty of all under the sun, and several tribute concerts have been held in his honor.
#9 - Steve Perry
Steve Perry is best known as the lead singer of the band Journey, but he has also had a successful solo career. Perry, like James Brown, has been given a nickname, "The Voice," by none other than Jon Bon Jovi.
Perry is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is known for his vocal range. He is consistently listed among the greatest singers of all time. Some refer to him as a "high tenor altino" because of his ability to sing from F#2 to A5. He was the golden face of arena rock in the 1980s.
Trivia Facts: Steve Perry's first solo album was certified two times platinum. Journey is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with one diamond, ten platinum, and three gold albums under their belt. Also now, their old songs from the 1980s are topping the iTunes download charts.
#8 - Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney is a multi-instrumentalist who rose to prominence as a member of The Beatles. He's composed or co-written 32 songs that have charted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the majority of which he co-wrote with John Lennon, his bandmate. His solo work, his band Wings, and his collaborations with Michael Jackson were all highlights of a remarkable career that continues to this day.
Sir Paul has been knighted, honoured, and decorated in far too many respects to mention, and he has one of the most friendly voices ever to grace the microphone. He's one of the world's most influential musicians and people.
Trivia Facts: Sir Paul McCartney is listed twice in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the most prolific songwriter of all time and as the most honored composer and artist. Yesterday by Paul McCartney is the most covered album of all time, with over 2,200 artists and bands covering it.
#7 - Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin's career took off in 1967 when she had a hit with the song Respect, and the exposure made people realize how incredible her singing abilities and other songs were. It wasn't long before her peers dubbed her "The Queen of Soul." She was already at the top of the charts and releasing gold albums in 1998.
She has 112 charted singles on the Billboard charts, has earned 18 Grammy Awards, and is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with over 75 million albums sold worldwide. In addition, she is the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She's also a member of almost every other music hall of fame.
Trivia Facts: Aretha Franklin has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in addition to the National Medal of Arts. She's ranked as the best singer of all time by Rolling Stone, but I'm not ready to go that far. She's also been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize!
#6 - Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra has sold twice as many records as Aretha Franklin, with 75 million albums sold. He is perhaps the most well-known and influential musician of the twentieth century. You've undoubtedly heard of the Rat Pack, a group of musicians who once ruled the Las Vegas casino venue circuit. He was the band's leader.
There are far too many lifetime achievement awards, music awards, and even government awards to list. He's also been named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine (not just musician). His voice remains one of the most recognizable to this day, appearing prominently in all forms of entertainment. He was a phenomenal performer who left a legacy comparable to Michael Jackson's.
Trivia Facts: Frank Sinatra's likeness has been depicted in a number of films and television shows, including an entire miniseries based on his life. Sinatra himself claimed that the character of the singer in The Godfather was based on him. He has 59 studio albums to his credit!
#5 - Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald, dubbed "The First Lady of Song," is known not only for her entertainment value but also for her vocal abilities. Professionals praised her scat singing for its diction, simplicity of tone, intonation, timing, phrasing, and improvisation. 14 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are among her most prestigious distinctions.
Her musical career started with the Chick Webb Orchestra, expanded with her illustrious solo career, and peaked when she began appearing as a guest on daytime and nighttime television shows, as well as having film roles. As she started working with other vocal greats, she cemented her reputation as one of the greatest singers of all time.
Trivia Facts: A fire at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2008 destroyed much of her work. Fortunately, we might conclude that by that time, the majority of her masters had been digitized. Fitzgerald was well-known for his shyness. She was once a part of a Broadway series that grossed over a million dollars in two weeks in 1975, which is much more in today's worth.
#4 - Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury is arguably the greatest lead singer in the history of rock music. He is well-known for his incredible four-octave vocal range. Despite the fact that he died young, he was inducted into every music hall of fame and won several awards. According to the BBC, he is one of the Greatest Britons of all time.
His life and singing talent were so remarkable that stage plays, musicals, biographical films, and television shows have all been based on his and his glam-rock band Queen's lives. He's one of the best-selling artists of all time with Queen.
Trivia Facts: Many people wonder whether Freddie Mercury's death resurrected Queen's popularity, but the debate is now moot. They're still smashing it in the digital charts and retaining their fan base after another 21 years. His life and death raised a lot of concern about a debilitating illness, highlighting how far he went beyond music.
#3 - Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye has been called the "Prince of Motown" and the "Prince of Soul" for his contributions to the sound of Motown. Later R&B subgenres such as neo-soul and quiet storm were influenced by his sound. He was inducted into the R&B Music, Songwriters, and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, as well as receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which came as no surprise.
Gaye's four-octave vocal range was well-known, and it was a testimony to his singing abilities, given that he mostly sang in the baritone and tenor ranges, which are diametrically opposed. Artists from all genres, including punk, have covered and sampled him.
Trivia Facts: Marvin Gaye spent a period of time in Europe as a "tax exile" in the early 1980s. On January 1, 1985, his rendition of the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star performance was the first video VH1 ever broadcast. And after his death in 1984, his estate continues to gain millions every year!
#2 - Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is one of the most well-known musicians and songwriters of all time. Owing to his heavy use of electronic instruments before others, he is known as a pioneer of genres such as R&B, Funk, Rock, Pop, and Soul.
He has sold over 100 million albums and received 25 Grammy Awards. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is in every Hall of Fame. He was also called a United Nations Messenger of Peace, a first for an artist. Many honorary degrees were conferred upon him, including a Doctor of Music from Yale University.
Trivia Facts: Stevie Wonder is blind, as you probably already know. He shares the record for the most Grammy Awards for Album of the Year with Frank Sinatra. Kanye West claimed that his ambition is to compete with Stevie's greatest albums, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. That's a high bar to clear!
#1 - Michael Jackson
Without a question, Michael Jackson is one of, if not the best, singers of all time. He was named the "King of Music" alongside others. He is the greatest entertainer in music history and one of the most important cultural icons. It would be futile to try to discuss all of his honors. They also extend to the world of dance. He is, without a doubt, the king.
One of Jackson's influences was James Brown, as well as Diana Ross, from whom he learned to incorporate sounds like "ooh" into his vocals. He started out as a soprano, progressed to tenor, and finally settled into the higher falsetto range.
Trivia Facts: Michael Jackson lacked formal music training and was unable to write or read music notation, despite being able to play a variety of instruments to some extent. When explaining the music he was hearing in his brain, he chose to beatbox.
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