Best Male Singer of All Time

Posted by: Madrid on 02 April 2003

Having debated the best female singer of all time, it seems to me we ought to consider the finest male vocalist.

"Best" may mean different things to different people: most technically proficient, most "meaningful" or otherwise.

I would rate James Brown as the most intensely natural. Placido Domingo or Alfredo Krause as most technically able. But I would have to rank Frank Sinatra as the best overall. His resonance and emotional depth in the late 1950s recordings (eg, the pathos in Sings for Only the Lonely) is, I think, second to none.

Blame my father for having let me borrow his lp´s!
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by woodface
I would go along with Sinatra as being the finest of his type. It is very difficult to compare across genres. My soul singer would be Marvin Gaye and rock/blues/white would be Rod Stewart (just listen to Blind Beggars Lament - the best vocal performance of it's type I have heard). However one who rarely gets a mention is John Hartman (the album with Coltrane is awesome, contains the best ever version of Lush Life).
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Mekon
I wouldn't expect anyone to describe him as 'the best', but I get the most out of Gil Scott Heron.
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by blueoyster
After winning the award of Best mail singer in the mid 70`s Rod Stewart said that 'Paul Rogers should have won it as he is the best male Rock/blues singer'. Maybe not now but at the time the guy was just unbelievable. I go along with Marvin Gaye for soul, Bobby Womack is also very good. At the moment I`m listening to Chas & Dave`s best of ( you are having a laugh!)

Regards

Blueoyster (Colin)
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by bjorne
Bowie made some nice singing in the 70's.
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by i am simon 2
I have not herd that much of his work, but from what I have, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan must be worth a mention.

Simon
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Gunnar Jansson
Yep!
Bjorne is spot on imo.
If I have to choose just one it has to be Bowie.
Smile
Gunnar
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Matt Gear
I don't know about "best", but from a rock point of view my vote would be split between:

Chris Cornell
Mike Patton
Jeff Buckley
Maynard James Keenan

cheers

matt
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Bhoyo
Top 5:
Al Green
Tim Buckley
Paul Buchanan
Al Green
Al Green
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Kevin-W
FWIW

Sinatra (supreme interpreter)
Elvis (listen to him singing Dylan's "Tomorrow Is A Long Time"; also his ability to turn dreck into gold)
Dylan (on form - ie, at his sneering, caustic best, ie on the live 66 version of "Leopardskin Pillbox Hat" or his most tender "Buckets of Rain")
Sly Stone in his drugged-out heyday (eg all of Fresh and Riot)
Lou Rawls

More idiosyncratic:
Isaac Hayes at his most bombastic
Jimmy Scott
Paul Buchanan
Lou Reed
Bowie (sometimes)

My own personal fave:
Scott Walker(sigh!)
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Bhoyo
Kevin:

Scott Walker! Absolutely.

Of course, there are dozens more. My preferences change by the hour.
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Nigel Cavendish
Tom Jones

cheers

Nigel

Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Cheese
Classical: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (I should add that he's not only a great singer, but also a renowned expert on German language and poetry)

Soul: Ray Charles
Progressive: Jon Anderson
Hard Rock: Robert Plant

... otherwise Rod Stewart, Sting and John Lennon.

Cheese
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Mat Bon 0013
Does Cat Stevens count?
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by herm
None of the above really count, Mat, so what the heck?

Herman
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Mat Bon 0013
No Herm,
I ain't got a gun either Wink, but you will excuse my english too right?! Razz

Enjoy your weekend! Cheers
Mat

[This message was edited by Mat Bon 0013 on WEDNESDAY 02 April 2003 at 19:09.]
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by john rubberneck
Mark murphy
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by Keith Mattox
Top of the non-opera singers would have to be Sinatra; he was and is head and shoulders above all others of his time and later.

Others I want to throw into the mix for Honorable Mention:
  • James Dewar (of Robin Trower)
  • Louie Armstrong (I can't believe that no one else mentioned him??)
Cheers

Keith.
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by dvdkeogh
quote:
Originally posted by Nick Lees:
Nina Simone


LoL

Dave
Posted on: 04 April 2003 by fred simon
I don't feel there can be a single best of anything, but there are many who I would describe as "among the very best." To me, when a musician is at a certain level of excellence I have no use for hierarchy.

That said, I'm a bit surprised that there's been no mention so far of two male singers who surely would qualify as "among the very best" -- Stevie Wonder and James Taylor.
Posted on: 08 April 2003 by Keith Mattox
David Clayton Thomas of Blood Sweat And Tears....

Cheers

Keith.
Posted on: 09 April 2003 by domfjbrown
Jim Morrison - anyone who can sing that well while pissed and/or stoned must have been AMAZING sober (he's not bad at all on record!).

Early Bowie (not the Laughing Gnome though - no matter how much I might like that song!).

I really like David Coverdale's later-Whitesnake vocals even though they aren't technically that good - I can't get enough of Still of the night!

When the music's over turn out the lights
Posted on: 09 April 2003 by Mat Bon 0013
I had just put Queen on! Fredie Mercury?!
Don't know you guys but I'd consider him as a Male Roll Eyes

Mat
Posted on: 09 April 2003 by robw
Nat King Cole could sing in tune.
Posted on: 21 April 2003 by dave brubeck
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Freddy Mercury
Posted on: 21 April 2003 by dave brubeck
..or Sir Sean Ryder