Greatest Rock Vocal Performances

[darthrick10]

1. Love Reign O'er Me - Roger Daltrey (The Who)
2. Child In Time - Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)
3. Say Hello To Heaven - Chris Cornell (Temple Of The Dog)
4. Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie Mercury (Queen)
5. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
6. Since I've Been Loving You - Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
7. Piece Of My Heart - Janis Joplin (Big Brother & the Holding Company)
8. Grace - Jeff Buckley
9. Life On Mars - David Bowie
10. Who Wants To Live Forever - Freddie Mercury/Brain May (Queen)

[brutus_beef]

Hey I know it's hard to limit yourself to a Top 10 and some great vocals on there but surely Sebastian Bach's vocals on the first two Skid Row albums had to get a mention? How about his ball tearing high notes on I Remember You or 18 and Life?
"That child blew a child awaaaaaaayyyyyyeah yeah!!!!" :p

[Hastyl3]

hey you left out billy corgan's vocals in disarm.

[darthrick10]

in response to the above two comments i would say that sebastian bach's greatest performance was youth gone wild and although great not good enough to get into my top 10. As for billy corgan tonight tonight is a really good performance

[Hastyl3]

in response to the above two comments i would say that sebastian bach's greatest performance was youth gone wild and although great not good enough to get into my top 10. As for billy corgan tonight tonight is a really good performance
billy's voice is good in tonight, tonight but you could hear more emotion in his voice in disarm.

[sushi111]

1. Love Reign O'er Me - Roger Daltrey (The Who)
2. Child In Time - Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)
3. Say Hello To Heaven - Chris Cornell (Temple Of The Dog)
4. Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie Mercury (Queen)
5. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
6. Since I've Been Loving You - Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
7. Piece Of My Heart - Janis Joplin (Big Brother & the Holding Company)
8. Grace - Jeff Buckley
9. Life On Mars - David Bowie
10. Who Wants To Live Forever - Freddie Mercury/Brain May (Queen)

You got that list from Digital Dreamdoor!

But I think the greatest of all time is Say Hello to Heaven. Chris Cornell is like Jesus.

[Rev0lver]

i'd have to go with anything by the mars volta. or the really high part in the fall of troy's "the dark trail"

[Seattle_Sound]

Chris Cornell is like Jesus.

Cornell is amazing. Eddie Vedder has a great voice though I dont really like the rest of Pearl Jam. Anthony Kiedis makes up for his lack of a good voice with being crazily energetic and he's always fun to watch live. I hope we get Soundgarden on RB. In regards to Billy Corgan I love him but have you heard Zeitgeist? It sounds like he's running out of juice lately. When you look at all the "leftovers" from Pisces Iscariot they make Zeitgeist sound pretty weak.

[Rev0lver]

one thing that makes me mad is people think to be a good vocalist you have to sing really high. i personally love the vocal styles of eddie vedder and of course i couldn't leave out Ville Valo from HIM, one of the most melodic voices i know.

[sushi111]

Cornell is amazing. Eddie Vedder has a great voice though I dont really like the rest of Pearl Jam. Anthony Kiedis makes up for his lack of a good voice with being crazily energetic and he's always fun to watch live. I hope we get Soundgarden on RB. In regards to Billy Corgan I love him but have you heard Zeitgeist? It sounds like he's running out of juice lately. When you look at all the "leftovers" from Pisces Iscariot they make Zeitgeist sound pretty weak.



Oh me and you both buddy! Spoonman, The Day I Tried to Love, Jesus Christ Pose and many others would be awesome.

[newwaytodie]

I've got a pretty good Vile Valo thing goin on.

[benjamin]

I love Johnny Rotten's vocals. It is more difficult to sing off key then you would think.

[WildWalker]

I thought Steve Perry (Journey) on Don't Stop Believin' was worth a mention?

WW

[WingsOfSteel]

1. Brad Delp - Something About You (Boston)
2. Freddie Mercury - Seven Seas of Rhye (Queen)
3. Steve Perry - Separate Ways (Journey)
4. Robert Plant - The Rain Song (Led Zeppelin)
5. Steve Walsh - Nobody's Home (Kansas)
6. Axl Rose - November Rain (Guns N' Roses)
7. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue
8. George Harrison - Something (The Beatles)
9. Ronnie James Dio - Rainbow in the Dark (Dio)
10. Geddy Lee - Freewill (Rush)

[Rev0lver]

sahaj ticotin from the band RA is definitely worth a mention.

[Axlitis]

1. Freddie Mercury (Killer Queen)
2. Axl Rose (Rocket Queen)
3. Steve Perry (yeah, that's right)
4. Eddie Vedder (Alive)
5. Sebastian Bach (Youth Gone Wild)
6. Ringo Starr (With a Little Help)
7. John Lennon (In My Life)
8. Scott Weiland (Sour Girl)
9. Ray Davies (Waterloo Sunset)
10. Paul McCartney (Live and Let Die, Sgt. Peppers)

[sushi111]

My favorite vocalists are Thom Yorke and Chris Cornell pre-Audioslave.

[Smitzer]

Robert Plant - Dazed and confused \m/ \m/

[Kutsic]

Bother- Corey Taylor (Stone Sour)
Emu ~for my dear~- Gackt
Art of Life- Toshi (X Japan)
Hallowed Be Thy Name- Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth)
Demon of the Fall- Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Ghost of Perdition- Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Lost to Apathy- Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)
Bohemian Rhapsody- Freddy Mercury (Queen)
Run to the Hills- Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Crawling- Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)
...But Home is Nowhere- Davey Havok (AFI)
Only One- Ryan Key (Yellowcard)
Nemo- Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)

I could keep going, but yea, those are my picks.

[drummingrobot]

Bother- Corey Taylor (Stone Sour)
Emu ~for my dear~- Gackt
Art of Life- Toshi (X Japan)
Hallowed Be Thy Name- Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth)
Demon of the Fall- Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Ghost of Perdition- Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Lost to Apathy- Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)
Bohemian Rhapsody- Freddy Mercury (Queen)
Run to the Hills- Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Crawling- Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)
...But Home is Nowhere- Davey Havok (AFI)
Only One- Ryan Key (Yellowcard)
Nemo- Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)

I could keep going, but yea, those are my picks.

Akerfeldt is god, I'd also say any Tool (mayard keenan jones)

[Seattle_Sound]

1. Brad Delp - Something About You (Boston)
2. Freddie Mercury - Seven Seas of Rhye (Queen)
3. Steve Perry - Separate Ways (Journey)
4. Robert Plant - The Rain Song (Led Zeppelin)
5. Steve Walsh - Nobody's Home (Kansas)
6. Axl Rose - November Rain (Guns N' Roses)
7. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue
8. George Harrison - Something (The Beatles)
9. Ronnie James Dio - Rainbow in the Dark (Dio)
10. Geddy Lee - Freewill (Rush)

No....no....no....AXL ROSE!!!!!!! You did not put Axl Rose on a list of all time great vocalists. Shame shame shame........

[dim1234]

only heard ten once and can barely remember it , eddie vedder is one of the greatest in my opinion along with phil anselmo, glenn danzig and michale graves

[Seattle_Sound]

only heard ten once and can barely remember it , eddie vedder is one of the greatest in my opinion along with phil anselmo, glenn danzig and michale graves

Eddie more growls than sings, but he still is incredible. From the grunge era I would say...

1. Chris Cornell - Incredible voice
2. Kurt Cobain - He had so much passion, and he could scream ON KEY
3. Eddie Vedder - Also very passionate and a great voice
4. Layne Staley - Lyrics were very dark and deep but made you feel great listening...wierd
5. Anthony Kiedis - Funny raps, sexual raps, crazy energy, but not the best singer live....
6. Billy Corgan - Sry Billy but I cant stand the way you sing ******ed live, great on the albums though.
7. Mark Arm - Funny dude

[Raider87]

My favorite vocalists are Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Maynard James Keenan and how can you forget Mike Patton??

Man In The Box - Staley
Say Hello 2 Heaven - Cornell
Pu**** - Maynard
Midlife Crisis - Patton

[Tazeyo]

K-Fed obviously.
He has good rythm, good voice, you name it.

[Raider87]

K-Fed obviously.
He has good rythm, good voice, you name it.

Po Po Po Po PopoZao PopoZao!!

[Tazeyo]

Po Po Po Po PopoZao PopoZao!!

Want your scotch whisky with an apple? :eek:

[battle_axe_of_doom]

kurt cobain was a horrible musician.

jack bruce is an underrated singer if you ask me

[newwaytodie]

Hansi Kursch - And Then There Was Silence

[DIM12345678910111213]

layne staley was great to,his vocal performances both live and in the studio are incredible and his voice changes with the moods of the songs and does it in such a way ,which makes him unique as a vocalist, like "Dam that river" to "down in a hole" which are both very inspirational performances and very different , i don't know why i didn't add him earlier to my list , ....this is a late entry

[Akaymay]

Bon Scott - AC/DC
Axl Rose - Guns N Roses
David Coverdale - Whitesnake

[gh2masterwellalmost]

Look, its alt rock dunno whether ull let it in:

Thom Yorke - Radiohead. NOONE in a band can sing that well. On Nice Dream, Creep etc. he really can hold the notes.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

ulver - christmas, or ulver - nowhere/catastrophe

[Monsterpoptart]

Bruce Dickenson - Iron Maiden
Chris Cornell - Soundgarden
Phil Anselmo - Pantera
Ozzy- Black Sabbath
Serj Tankian - System of a Down

[Trantor]

First of all, any list that doesn't have Freddie Mercury on it is simply wrong. That guy could sing everything and make it unique, no matter the genre or style. Apart from that, my list is probably a bit different from most others. In no particular order except for Freddie:

Freddie Mercury - Queen
David Gilmour - Pink Floyd
Matthew Barlow - Iced Earth
Bruce Dickinson - Iron Maiden
Fish - Marillion and solo
James Hetfield - Metallica (has improved incredibly over his career)
Michael Stipe - REM
Meat Loaf
Hansi Kürsch - Blind Guardian
Jennifer Rush

[tucsonovernite]

Ok folks I don't think anybody's mentioned Richard Manuel, the silver throated beak and one of 3 members who shared vocal duties for The Band during their '68-'75 run w/ the original lineup of the group. What a gifted vocalist. Hard for me to pick particualr tracks as the three vocalists would often share singing duties even w/in a given song but some standouts w/ Manuel in the lead are:
King Harverst(has surely come)
Tears of Rage
He Don't Love You

Folks if you're unfamiliar with The Band and you like classic rock---they dont quite fit that shoehorn as they were multitalented musicians and often slipped outside the boundries of what i consider Rock N Roll---I cannot give a stronger recommendation for ANY single album than their self titled album , simply called The Band --released in 1969. Wow this band has brought me all sorts of happiness maybe i can pass some of those good times on to someone else...a noble undertaking indeed!:D
///rant done

[battle_axe_of_doom]

the band rule. THE LAST WALTZ for christs sake

[tucsonovernite]

yeah i have the talking heads discography they're up there in my fav's somewhere.....i've thought for a number of years now that if there was one band i'd like to see tour (you know , living) that i never got to see it'd be the 'heads....
i guess stop making sense is the next best thing~
"i wouldnt live there.......if they paid me to" -big country ....good stuff

[battle_axe_of_doom]

yeah i have the talking heads discography they're up there in my fav's somewhere.....i've thought for a number of years now that if there was one band i'd like to see tour (you know , living) that i never got to see it'd be the 'heads....
i guess stop making sense is the next best thing~
"i wouldnt live there.......if they paid me to" -big country ....good stuff

lol thx for noticing the avy. talking heads are pretty much one of my favorite bands ever, and david byrne one of my favorite singers ever. such a great career the heads and byrne have had and despite being in the hall of fame, they are indeed highly underrated.

[gh2masterwellalmost]

You don't have to like his music, but if we count Radiohead as Alt Rock to lemme put this hear, Thom Yorke is the most talented rock singer I've heard in my (short but nevertheless ive heard my share of music) life, not only on CD, but I've heard him live and it's incredible.

there's plenty of songs, I won't bore you with YouTube videos, but High and Dry is a good one for his singing.

[KillerIsMe]

1. Layne Staley (Alice In Chains) - Rooster
2. Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) - Jeremy
3. Chris Cornell & Eddie Vedder (Temple Of The Dog) - Hunger Strike
4. Serj Tankian (System Of A Down) - Aerials
5. Michael Stipe (REM) - The End of The World As We Know It

[Phrank-E]

Not that I am really into them , BUT no one has mentioned Geoff Tate from Queensryche yet. He really is one of the better rock vocalist of all time.

And King Diamond.. I know he aint technically great but he is one of the more interesting ones.

[newwaytodie]

Pre-Heroin Phil Anselmo.

[the_polite_force]

so you're saying he wasn't always on heroin??

[newwaytodie]

I don't really know. He just started to suck REALLY bad after Cowboys.

[the_polite_force]

yeah he was actually a pretty good singer (cemetary gates for example) on that album. i remember watching a pantera vid of them in ozzfest i think around 2000 and his singing on the older songs was just uhh not worth watching ....

[Absolute1999]

I don't know about best Vocal songs, but here is my list of best vocals....
they aren't based on vocal ranges or anything, it's just personal preference.... so no dissing. lol.
Nor, are they in a specific order. (Although I love the first 10)
1.Steve Perry- Journey.... His tenor is amazing....
2.Robert Plant- Led Zeppelin.... Amazing
3.Don Henley-Eagles
4.Joe Walsh-Eagles
5.Timothy Schmit-Eagles
6.Lou Gramm-Foreigner
7.Paul Rodgers-Bad Company
8.Paul Stanley-Kiss
9.Phil Collins-Genesis
10.Rod Stewart
11.Bryan Adams
12.Billy Gibbons-ZZ Top
13.Bruce Dickinson-Iron Maiden
14.Pete Townshend-The Who
15.Steve Miller-The Steve Miller Band
16.Joey Ramone-The Ramones
17.Billy Squier
18.Steve Tyler-Aerosmith
19.Joe Elliot-Def Leppard
20.Lemmy-Motorhead
21.Axl Rose-Guns N' Roses
22.Ozzy Osbourne
23.Peter Criss-Kiss
24.Sting-The Police
25.Stevie Nicks-Fleetwood Mac

[Tybodsm]

I think Brad Delp is definitely worth a mention for his vocals in the band Boston.

[killdurst]

Ben Burnley (Breaking Benjamin) - The Diary of Jane
Brent Smith (Shinedown) - 45
Chino Moreno (Deftones) - My Own Summer (Shove It)
Chris Daughtry - Home
Chris Martin (Coldplay) - Speed of Sound
Corey Taylor (Slipknot) - Wait and Bleed
Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) - Veins Of Glass
David Draiman (Disturbed) - Down With The Sickness
Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage) - My Last Serenade
Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) - Get Your Hands Off My Woman
Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Lajon Witherspoon feat. Skunk Anansie (Sevendust) - Licking Cream
Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
Matt Bellamy (Muse) - Stockholm Syndrome
Matt Heafy (Trivium) - Like Light To The Flies
Matt Holt (Nothingface) - Bleeder
Maynard James Keenan (Tool) - Ticks & Leeches
Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge) - Broken Wings
Phil Anselmo (Pantera) - Cemetery Gates
Serj Tankian (System Of A Down) - Inner Vision
Shaun Morgan (Seether)
Tarja Turunen (Nightwish) - Wish I Had An Angel
Thom Yorke (Radiohead) - Fake Plastic Trees
Tim McIlrath (Rise Against) - Blood to Bleed

[IErrantVentureI]

Pink Floyd - Great Gig in the Sky, background ladies = complete awesomeness.

[the_polite_force]

its only one lady on great gig and she isn't a background lady on that song

[IErrantVentureI]

Well, in Pulse, there was like three chicks. I'm pretty sure anyway..

[the_polite_force]

well thats live on dsotm it was only clare torry singing

[darthrick10]

making a change to my original post as i am not actually a fan of some of the stuff i posted.

Painkiller - Judas Priest (Rob Halford)
Release - Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder)
Queen Of The Reich - Queensryche (Geoff Tate)
Victem Of Changes - Judas Priest (Rob Halford)
Jeremy - Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder)
Trooper - Iron Maiden (Bruce Dickinson)
Estranged - Guns N Roses (Axl Rose)
Midlife Crisis - Faith No MOre (Mike Patton)
Rainbow In The Dark - Dio (Ronnie Jame Dio)
Freewheel Burning - Judas Priest (Rob Halford)

And my fav vocalists with their best performance:

Geoff Tate - Queensryche - Queen Of The Reich
Mike Patton - FNM - Midlife Crisis
Bruce Dickinson - Iron Maiden - The Trooper
ROnnie James Dio - Rainbow In The Dark
Rob Halford - Judas Priest - Painkiller
Axl Rose - GNR - Estranged
Phil Anselmo - Pantera - Cemetary Gates
Eddie Vedder - Pearl Jam - Release
David Lee Roth - Van Halen - Unchained
Bon Scott - AC/DC - Highway To Hell

[Creeping-Death]

So easily Rob Halford in Painkiller!

But close is James Hetfield in Hero Of The Day.

[Tendoza]

Gah what the hell

Child in Time - Deep Purple (Ian Gillian)
Since Ive Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant)
Babe, Im Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant)
Bell Bottom Blues - Derek and the Dominoes (Eric Clapton)
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George Harrison or The Beatles (either version) (George Harrison)

I guess those would be my top 5...

[Blue88]

I'll probably get flamed for this, but the first thing I thought of when I saw the title would have to be Lua by Bright Eyes:

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[Eissian]

james labrie - anything by james labrie

[battle_axe_of_doom]

wow wut a failure. james labrie has got to be the worst singer in history along with kurt cobain and that azn guy from american idol who was famous for like a week

[MrGrieves]

I'll probably get flamed for this, but the first thing I thought of when I saw the title would have to be Lua by Bright Eyes

I love Bright Eyes, lua a great song I hope that "I'm wide awake, it's morning" becomes available as DLC

[Bakkster_Man]

Pink Floyd - Great Gig in the Sky

Thread over.

[Zidane]

First of all, any list that doesn't have Freddie Mercury on it is simply wrong. That guy could sing everything and make it unique, no matter the genre or style.

You seem to make the most sense here.

Freddy Mercury (Bohemian Rhapsody, Who Wants To Live Forever)
Robert Plant (Dazed and Confused, D'Yer Make'r)
Billy Corgan (Luna, Tonight, Tonight)
Kurt Cobain (In Bloom, Rape Me)
Jim Morrison (The End, Touch Me)
Janis Joplin (Piece of My Heart, Summer Time) <----- She's severely overlooked they need a song from her in Rock Band
Peace. :o

[Rev0lver]

Kurt Cobain (In Bloom, Rape Me)


Because a guy wailing "rape me" is the ultimate form of vocal greatness.

[Zidane]

Because a guy wailing "rape me" is the ultimate form of vocal greatness.

You obviously don't know what the song is about to appreciate it's lyrical content.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

you obviously over analyze things if you actually think kurt cobain wrote "deep" lyrics

and kurt cobain sucked at everything he did

[Rev0lver]

You obviously don't know what the song is about to appreciate it's lyrical content.

since when did lyrics and vocals become the same thing?

[Zidane]

you obviously over analyze things if you actually think kurt cobain wrote "deep" lyrics

and kurt cobain sucked at everything he did

Rape Me was about the record industry, so obviously I wasn't looking too deep into a song that everyone should know about. And Kurt may have not been the best singer or guitarist, but the music scene he was part of wasn't interested in that at all. The Meat Puppets and Great Black could care less about how they played. Yet, this is all you opinion. Have fun.

[battle_axe_of_doom]

this is the greatest vocal performance thread, who cares about his influence. as far as i know ian gillian didn't really influence anyone who wasn't already influenced by robert plant and rob halford yet his performance in child of time is one of the greatest.

[Zidane]

this is the greatest vocal performance thread, who cares about his influence. as far as i know ian gillian didn't really influence anyone who wasn't already influenced by robert plant and rob halford yet his performance in child of time is one of the greatest.

By telling you their influences I thought you could understand where they were coming from musically, I guess that didn't get through to you.

I also forgot to add David Bowie

David Bowie (Soul Love, China Girl)

And Under Pressure! A Mercury Bowie mix... A match made in heaven.

[Rev0lver]

this is the greatest vocal performance thread, who cares about his influence. as far as i know ian gillian didn't really influence anyone who wasn't already influenced by robert plant and rob halford yet his performance in child of time is one of the greatest.

i agree. i think cedric bixler-zavala is one of the most amazing vocalists i have ever heard but his lyrics are just....strange and TMV hasn't done much to influence anyone yet.

[smokeverbs]

In no order, other than what #1 is....

Since I've Been Loving You - Zeppelin
Prayers for Rain (live, Entreat album) - The Cure
Empty Room (unreleased, 1995 version) - Prince
Summertime - Janis Joplin
Round Here (live Pinkpop, '97) - Counting Crowes (or does this belong more in a Best ****ing Live Performances Ever thread?)