Top 25 Favorite Singers countdown thread! (Top 2 Revealed!!!)

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

Like a third of my list, but in particular, there is virtually 0 chance anyone else has Steve Shannon on theirs, but I'm hoping anyone curious enough might check him out, as he has a hard rock/AOR style that should appeal to some people here. 

[wolfking]

(it would be awesome if just a fraction of these people in videos would pronounce her name correctly, but whatever) 

European names can be really tricky.  For example, the way Simone Simons, Bjork, and Dan Swano are pronounced isn't at all intuitive.  But unless I was talking to them or to a superfan in person, I'd probably just use the Americanized pronunciations, because even a lot of fans might be confused who I was even talking about. 

The ability of the singer and how much you like them go hand in hand.  I guess it's those odd choices here and there where a singer may not be that great technically, yet they just scratch your specific itch.

For me there's somewhat of a correlation, but tons of great technical singers that are nowhere near my list, and a few on it that are more iffy in terms of technique and ability.

Oh yeah, a singer can be the most technical singer in the world yet have no presence or character and I wouldn't like them.  Heaps that are great singers but do nothing for me at all.

[bosk1]

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

Cool question.  I have a few:

-Dave Meniketti:  Just not popular enough.  Even if this were a hard rock forum, I'm not sure he would make the cut.  Not a very technical singer.  But had surprising range and a lot of soul.

-Gary Cherone:  Same, as far as popularity.  VERY good singer.  Excellent front man.  But I wouldn't expect him to be on a lot of lists.

-Joe Elliott:  Probably the "worst" of these three.  But such an iconic voice and sang on some of my all time favorite songs growing up.


I have another that I thought might have a chance of finishing low on the top 25 that I am now pretty sure isn't there.  But since I thought he might have a chance early on, I guess he doesn't fit. 

[Glasser]

Before we enter the top 10, here is a question for all submitters:

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

Mine was John Lodge, whom I had at 24.  The Moody Blues are a longtime favorite of mine, and even though Justin Hayward and Ray Thomas were probably the best singers in the band, there was something about Lodge's voice that I always liked a lot.

Here are 2. I'm pretty positive no one has Gerry Rafferty or Todd Rundgren. I have a few others I'm sure didn't make another list.

[TAC]

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

I have at least 7!

Rhett Forrester
Eric AK Knutson
Mike Howe
Biff Byford
Matt Smith
Jaocim Cans
Daniel Heiman

[The Realm]

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

Cool question.  I have a few:

-Dave Meniketti:  Just not popular enough.  Even if this were a hard rock forum, I'm not sure he would make the cut.  Not a very technical singer.  But had surprising range and a lot of soul.

-Gary Cherone:  Same, as far as popularity.  VERY good singer.  Excellent front man.  But I wouldn't expect him to be on a lot of lists.

-Joe Elliott:  Probably the "worst" of these three.  But such an iconic voice and sang on some of my all time favorite songs growing up.


I have another that I thought might have a chance of finishing low on the top 25 that I am now pretty sure isn't there.  But since I thought he might have a chance early on, I guess he doesn't fit.

I didn't have any of these 3 on my list. But I would be surprised if no one else had Gary or Joe. I reckon a couple of other people could have them.

[TAC]

If I made a longer list, I could see Dave Meniketti coming in in the low 30's.

[KevShmev]

Matthew Good, Rhett Forrester, Eric Knutson, Mike Howe, Biff Byford, Matt Smith, Joacim Cans and Daniel Heiman were all only on one list.

Gary Cherone, Joe Elliot and Dave Meniketti were all on more than one list.

[TAC]

 

[KevShmev]

Also, I won't say his number yet, but Puppies_On_Acid wins the distinction of having the most singers in the top 25 that were in his or her top 25! 

[TAC]

Also, I won't say his number yet, but Puppies_On_Acid wins the distinction of having the most singers in the top 25 that were in his or her top 25! 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Kinda surprised Heiman isn't on at least a few more lists, he's a power metal legend. 

[The Realm]

Matthew Good, Rhett Forrester, Eric Knutson, Mike Howe, Biff Byford, Matt Smith, Joacim Cans and Daniel Heiman were all only on one list.

Gary Cherone, Joe Elliot and Dave Meniketti were all on more than one list.

Yes! I was pretty sure that would be the case. Those guys and their band(s) are just too popular for them not to feature as a favourite for some.

For myself, well I don't think I have anyone in my top 25 that is just exclusive to my own list. I think my list is pretty boring.

[Cool Chris]

-Joe Elliott:  Probably the "worst" of these three.  But such an iconic voice and sang on some of my all time favorite songs growing up.

He was on my list, largely due to the bolded.

[DTwwbwMP]

For my money Ann Wilson is the best female hard rock singer of all time, glad she made the list.

[TAC]

Kinda surprised Heiman isn't on at least a few more lists, he's a power metal legend.

Only the generic 80's hard rock/metal guy had him!

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Also, I won't say his number yet, but Puppies_On_Acid wins the distinction of having the most singers in the top 25 that were in his or her top 25! 

Missing an "only", I think.  Did you make a top 10 list of those? 

[Cool Chris]

Ted Neeley
Donna Summer
Jim Morrison
Linda Ronstadt

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Kinda surprised Heiman isn't on at least a few more lists, he's a power metal legend.

Only the generic 80's hard rock/metal guy had him!

I've found that the way to get know people is to join roulettes with them. 

[DTwwbwMP]

Neither Nightwish nor Jansen's vocal style impress me at all, so not on my list. Meanwhile, I had The METAL GOD at #4!

Metal it is!

12 Floor Jansen

Appeared on 8 of 36 lists
Highest Finish: 2 (bosk1)
7 Top 10 Finishes

Great voice, great singer, but I couldn't rank her as I barely listen to anything she sings, just the Ayreon/Arjen albums in which she was one of many contributors.  I don't really like symphonic prog metal, so her normal bands do not interest me.  Again though, great singer for sure.


11 Rob Halford

Appeared on 13 of 36 lists
Highest Finish: 4 (DTwwbwMP)
6 Top 10 Finishes

I was hoping he would finish top 10, but he just missed out.  I ranked him 9th; I likely would have had him higher years ago.  Not that I think any lesser of him, but Priest is more of a once in a while band for me now rather than one I listen to regularly.  For my money, when it comes to metal singers, he is in my holy trilogy along with Geoff Tate and Devin Townsend (I don't really think of James LaBrie as a metal singer per se).

[DTwwbwMP]

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

Easy one for me. Midge Ure of Ultravox was in my top 25. Love his vocals but NEVER even considered he would make this countdown.

[Metro]

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem

[bosk1]

Gary Cherone, Joe Elliot and Dave Meniketti were all on more than one list.

Wow, that's a pleasant surprise.

[HOF]

Before we enter the top 10, here is a question for all submitters:

Who is the one singer you put in your top 25 that you were pretty confident wouldn't end up on anyone else's list?

Mine was John Lodge, whom I had at 24.  The Moody Blues are a longtime favorite of mine, and even though Justin Hayward and Ray Thomas were probably the best singers in the band, there was something about Lodge's voice that I always liked a lot.

About half my list seemed unlikely to garner any other votes, but I'm fairly confident I'm the only person here who knows these 4 by name:

Glen Phillips
Tim Elsenberg
Paddy McAloon
Paul Buchanan (my second ranked singer)

[Glasser]

All I can say is if my number one didn't rank, well, shame!!!!!

[TAC]

All I can say is if my number one didn't rank, well, shame!!!!!

He was on my list as well, but he won't make it.

[Glasser]

All I can say is if my number one didn't rank, well, shame!!!!!

He was on my list as well, but he won't make it.

Insanity.   

So number one is now obvious. The incredible Paul Shortino. 

[wolfking]

I have a few I don't think would be on anyone else's list to be honest.

[bosk1]

I'm curious whether anyone but me had two singers from the same band on their lists.

[Glasser]

I'm curious whether anyone but me had two singers from the same band on their lists.

Air Supply? Probably not. 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I'm curious whether anyone but me had two singers from the same band on their lists.

Yep, but not at the same time.  Came close to it with two others as well, besides Arjen projects, though it gets murkier. 

[TAC]

I'm curious whether anyone but me had two singers from the same band on their lists.

Air Supply? Probably not. 

Wolfking had Hall AND Oates!

[bosk1]

I have 7-8 that haven't shown up yet that I REALLY thought were highly likely to make the top 25.  But as the list dwindles, I'm less confident they would all make it.  In fact, I would bet they don't all make it.  But I'm hard pressed to figure out which of those will not. 

[Glasser]

 

I'm curious whether anyone but me had two singers from the same band on their lists.

Air Supply? Probably not. 

Wolfking had Hall AND Oates!

I like Oates voice on Italian Girls. I think Wolfie also had Milli and Vanilli. 

[TAC]

Nope. Strictly a Maneater.