Best male singing voice ever...who has it?!

[Logman]

Definately some interesting choices listed here. I think some might be listing their personal "favorites" as opposed to actually "best."

The most amazing male vocalist IMO is a jazz singer named Andy Bey. He was around during the '50s singing as Andy Bey and the Bey Sisters. He retired for many years, then was rediscovered by the GreyBoy AllStars in the late 1990s (Karl Denson the saxophonist was in that band). On Denson's album "The D Stands for Deisel" - he did a song called "Bougenvilla". It is my all-time favorite. I once spoke with Denson about it - and he told me Andy did it on the first take.

Since his rediscovery, Andy Bey has released a number of amazing albums. All of which I highly recommend. A nice sample of his vocals can be heard on the song "Midnight Blue". Here's a link:
http://www.geocities.com/~andybey/audio/midnight.rm
*Note: cue the song up to the 2:45 point - at which he goes off on a great vocal run.
Here's a softer sample of Bey's vocals: Drume Negrita
http://www.geocities.com/~andybey/audio/drume.rm

Sadly, Mr. Bey is quite old and also suffering from AIDS. He is still performing, so if you get a chance to see him live - I highly recommend it.

Logman

 

[Red]

Definately some interesting choices listed here. I think some might be listing their personal "favorites" as opposed to actually "best."

When it comes to voices, "Best" will ALWAYS be determined by personal favorites

 

[rschleicher]

I don't recall others mentioning him, so I'll throw out Elvis (the King, not Costello, although I do like Elvis Costello's voice, too).

Speaking of Elvis, I also like Chris Isaak's voice a lot, not so much his falsetto "crooning", but more when he is in full rockabilly mode. (Isaak puts on a great live show, also.)

 

[bbcater]

Best Male SINGING voice...

...NOT your favorite band.

A SINGING voice is one that can do the Star Spangled Banner, for crying out loud.

Picking a lead singer for a band with a unique sound is like picking Jackson Pollack as the best REALIST painter. He wasn't. He was a GREAT artist, but not the best pure painter.

Now - the best male singing voices of ALL time:

Rock
1. Steve Perry - Journey
2. Brad Delp - Boston
3. Freddy Mercury - Queen
4. Paul Rogers - Bad Company, others
5. James Griffin - Bread (not really rock, but... who doesn't appreciate that voice)

In my opinion, the best VOICE is one that could go on, without accompaniment from the band.

 

[abboudc]

Rock:
Robert Plant

R&B:
Al Santoriello (lead singer of Cadillac Moon). They're a fairly little known band, but Al's voice is awesome.

 

[A/VUSMCSGT]

I don't listen to any rock, but for r&b, hands down it would be Luther Vandross.

Then Babyface, Brian Mcknight, Lou Rawls, Gerald Levert, R. Kelly, Lyfe Jennings, Maxwell, Jamie Foxx, D'Angelo-all great, but not Luther.

 

[highfihoney]

For me its a toss up between Rob Halford from Judas Priest & Freddie Mercury from Queen.

 

[no. 5]

I think some might be listing their personal "favorites" as opposed to actually "best."

and here are my picks for "best" (off the top o' my head):

best voices:
J.R. Richards, Jack Johnson, William Topley, Gerald De Palmas, Justin Hayward, Garou, Max Pezzali.

best for rock:
Ed Roland, Johnny Rzeznik, Chad Kroeger.

and nnnnot big about R&B. also, Josh Groban has been said a few times, and I don't disagre, but here is who I would haved picked: Jose Cura and Bryn Terfel.

 

[Geno]

Are you guys kidding? Tom Waits has the greatest voice ever...can you imagine how many cartons of Chesterfields and quarts of Four Roses it took to get that voice? Not to mention the daily gargling with Drano

 

[no. 5]

Tom Waits? Ok, but if you like his voice, you may like Garou.

 

[JoeE SP9]

Some of the choices here make me wonder if some of you guys really listen to music. The question is "best male singing voice", not latest wacko of the week or strangest most weather worn voice of the moment. If it isn't Bennett, Sinatra or someone of that caliber it has to be an opera singer.

 

[gene]

Is this thread just limited to Rock music? If NOT, than there are far better singers in the world of music than can be found in rock.

Josh Groban IMO is the best male singing voice of modern time. He is simply amazing and is destined to become a legend.

Frank Sinatra in his young days was amazing. Tony Bennet still rocks even in his elder age!

Harry Connick has a great voice, though I am not a BIG Fan of much of his New Orlean style music.

For Rock:
Bono
Peter Gabriel
Steve Hogarth
Dave Matthews
Paul Carrack
Eric Clapton

Pop:
Michael Jackson
George Michael
Christopher Cross
Elvis Presley
Paul Mccartny
John Lennon


Latin Music:
Mark Anthony
Carlos Vives
Julio Ingles

Jazz:
George Bensen
Gino Vannelli

 

[no. 5]

The question is "best male singing voice", not latest wacko of the week or strangest most weather worn voice of the moment.

the question was:

when it comes to hearing the BEST singing male "voice" who do you think tops the list in ROCK and R&B categories??

as we all know, any question that involves personal taste will have many deferent answers (a perfict voice to me may be crap to you). and because the only criteria is:

This voice has to be the kind you would like to listen to again and again without getting tired.

we will see a lot of defrent choices as to who is "best".

 

[JoeE SP9]

the question was:
as we all know, any question that involves personal taste will have many deferent answers (a perfict voice to me may be crap to you). and because the only criteria is: we will see a lot of defrent choices as to who is "best".

I suppose people like Tom Waits fit the criteria? Tom Waits can't sing. He is pretty good at telling stories but singer, puleeeeze.

If Rock or R&B were supposed to be the options where did all those others come from. Gene has come closer to listing people who can actually sing than most. Some of the choices others have made seem like the weird voice of the month. At least 75% of those "singers" won't be around 2 years from now.

 

[jonnythan]

Bruce Dickinson, Zachary Stevens, Freddie Mercury, and Frank Sinatra.

 

[mech]

Here goes!!

1. Robert Plant
2. Freddie Mercury
3. Chris Cornell (Early Soundgarden)
4. Layne Staley
(Just flat out created his own style that everyone from STP to Godsmack has shamelessly ripped off)
5. Bono
6. Axl Rose
7. Dave Gahan
8. Ozzy (For purely being different)
9. Chris Martin
10. Neil Diamond

 

[mnnc]

E. C. Thomas - Blood, Sweat, and Tears Absolute best style, range, exc all-around

others...

J. Anderson - Yes

T. Meeks - Days of the New

Forget the real name - Seal

 

[mnnc]

Is this thread just limited to Rock music? If NOT, than there are far better singers in the world of music than can be found in rock.

Josh Groban IMO is the best male singing voice of modern time. He is simply amazing and is destined to become a legend.

Frank Sinatra in his young days was amazing. Tony Bennet still rocks even in his elder age!

Harry Connick has a great voice, though I am not a BIG Fan of much of his New Orlean style music.

For Rock:
Bono
Peter Gabriel
Steve Hogarth
Dave Matthews
Paul Carrack
Eric Clapton

Pop:
Michael Jackson
George Michael
Christopher Cross
Elvis Presley
Paul Mccartny
John Lennon


Latin Music:
Mark Anthony
Carlos Vives
Julio Ingles

Jazz:
George Bensen
Gino Vannelli

Rock-Singer of Catherine Wheel and how about D. Bowie!

Pop-Morrissey! is that pop?

Latin-Alejandro Sanz! Hola!? or Luis Miguel

Jazz-None... those guys are best left to playing instruments and not singing. Vannelli?...hhmmm...started listening to him about 25 yrs ago and as jazzy as his style could be it was really a fusion of sorts.

Bottom line is that the greatest, overlooked by most, bar-none singer is BS&T singers, however I am partial to Thomas!!!

 

[Geno]

Does no one here have any sense of humor?

I suppose people like Tom Waits fit the criteria? Tom Waits can't sing. He is pretty good at telling stories but singer, puleeeeze.

If Rock or R&B were supposed to be the options where did all those others come from. Gene has come closer to listing people who can actually sing than most. Some of the choices others have made seem like the weird voice of the month. At least 75% of those "singers" won't be around 2 years from now.

I threw Tom Waits in there as a JOKE...(Humor?) God, this guy has the Worst voice in music (except possibly Rob Zombie) , but I still love his style.

Seriously, though, this subject takes in so much territory I can't imagine any two people having the same opinion. Tastes vary too much to nail down any kind of consensus.

 

[Sleestack]

I'm not sure about best, but Jeff Buckley was one of my favorites.