There are so many singers that I cannot possibly list them all. I could make a top 30 and not get them all. This is my personal favorite top 10 plus some extra.
For the most part, I like singers with soul and meaning to their singing…not vocal gymnastics.
1…Aretha Franklin – Aretha could make any song better by singing it.
2…Van Morrison, Them and Solo – Probably my favorite male singer.
3…John Lennon, Beatles – John hated his voice and always wanted an effect on it…It didn’t need it…one of his best performances was “A Day In The Life”
4…Bob Dylan – Bob changed popular singing. I would rather hear Bob sing than many of the great traditional singers.
5…Elvis Presley – Hey he’s Elvis…
6…Otis Redding – Just a fantastic singer and performer and just taking off before he was killed in a plane crash.
7…Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones – Mick makes the most out of his voice.
8…John Fogerty…CCR – If I could have the voice of anyone…it would be Fogerty. The power that John has is incredible…his voice is its own instrument.
9…Janis Joplin – She put everything she had in each song. Her last producer Paul A. Rothchild was teaching Janis how to hold back and sing more traditional to save her voice for old age…which never came.
10…Johnny Cash – Last but far from least. Only one man can sound like Cash…and that is Cash
Honorable Mention…any of these could have easily been on the list.
Steve Marriott, Paul McCartney, Levon Helm, Bessie Smith, Little Richard, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Elton John, Neil Young, Roy Orbison, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Joe Cocker, Billie Holiday, Freddie Mercury, Kate Bush, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Rodgers, David Bowie.
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Great choices!
Van is an amazing singer – excellent range and so diverse.
eden
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you… It was hard to narrow to 10…He was number 1…but Aretha won out in the end.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great choices. Janis I don’t care for but I can understand why others like her so much- just not my cup of tea. I’d have Brother Ray Charles high on my list. It is hard to argue against Aretha at #1. No Geddy Lee?!! just kidding there on that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh my goodness. Ray Charles should have at least been mentioned at the bottom. My mom would really get me for that…Elvis and Ray Charles were her favorite singers. He could easily have been in there. I haven’t done many lists…but I have never had to leave so many out…I should have made this 20.
I had Van at #1 but you can’t go wrong with Aretha.
I think I will hear feedback on Bob being in there…but I love his voice…the many voices.
LOL
LikeLiked by 2 people
Van would be my #1 but no one can argue with Aretha. Bob would be on my list too- a great singer and I love his voice too. Some of course don’t.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get it about Janis…but what other female would you have put in there? I thought about Ronstadt
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think my favorite female artist may be Joni Mitchell. Ronstadt was a great singer.
LikeLiked by 3 people
My exposure to Joni has been limited. I’ve read more about her than listened. Her voice is off the charts though.
I’ve thought about getting Court and Spark because that is the one I’ve heard the most about.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Blue and Court and Spark are my two favorites. Going to go through her catalog soon I think.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love all of them! I might add Jackson Browne to the list! He’s my #1 favorite 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cool! I like Browne also!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Vocal gymnastics annoys the hell out of me. “You sound like you’re yodeling for the hogs. Shut up!” (me, to the radio or TV).
Johnny & Elvis…❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! someone else… yodeling for hogs… I’ll keep that one in my mind
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good list. Very tough to narrow it to 10 or 20 with all the great choices and voices through the years. In general, I think somewhat like you suggest I prefer singers with ordinary voices who sing with emotion and perhaps a unique style over the classically-trained vocal gymnasts … one exception to that rule though I see made your list too in Kate Bush.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it’s what they put behind the voice….Yea I like Kate Bush a lot.
LikeLike
I won’t argue with any of these. All are great. I’m a huge Joplin fan so I’m glad she made your list. Chrissie Hynde would be on my list. Chaka Kahn and Anita Baker would be on my list too. Mavis Staple and Diane Schuur are two more wonderful female singers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Staples and Hynde both crossed my mind…I toyed with doing a female and male list…I’m doing songwriters tomorrow and the same problem…who to leave out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Johnny Hartman, Richie Havens, Maura O’Connell, Jennifer Warnes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yea…I cornered myself with only 10… Tomorrow Im doing songwriters with the same problems
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool! Can’t wait to see your list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Max, I like your list. Just now getting to it. Glad you put Aretha at #1. Yes, you should give Joni a chance. Hans mentioned 2 good LPs of hers. Also , Miles of Aisles is a live 2 record set she did at Pine Knob in Michigan that’s really good. I have several of her CDs including a box set, “The Studio Years: 1968 – 1979” She painted many of the jacket covers! Hans, did you say you were going to go through her catalog?? Looking forward to it if you are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will give those a listen. I only know mostly the popular stuff like Big Yellow Taxi
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s got quite a catalog. A lot of it is jazzy. She’s also a very talented guitarist and pianist. I wish Hans would choose Joni to do a daily on after the RS 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know she does odd tunings on the guitar for about everything. Funny I’ve read all about her but haven’t had a chance to listen much…its cool though…I’ll be discovering her for the first time.
LikeLiked by 1 person