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Original poster

Spin off: who are the least talented famous singers?

302 replies

WishinAndHopin · 15/12/2024 12:00

Mick Jagger: just shouts tunelessly. He can’t sing at all.

Generally a lot of men in bands, like the Gallagher brothers, Alex Turner, and the singers in the Kinks.

Chris Martin - he’s just an insipid whiner. There was an advert with a woman with a good voice singing while driving a big lorry. I thought “that’s a nice song” and realised that it was actually Yellow by Coldplay. I never even realised it was a decent song because he just sounds so horrendous.

Generally women are held to a much higher vocal standard, and are only ever considered respectable artists if they are also good singers. Men who can’t sing get away with it. But ti balance it here are two women:

Geri Halliwell: Posh gets shit on for her bad singing but at least she had a pleasant enough tone. Geri is far worse - flat as a pancake.

Taylor Swift: such a weak voice. Sounds like mediocre karaoke.

OP posts:
Zilla1 · 15/12/2024 13:17

How are PPs certain any artist 'writes all their own material' instead of being provided material if a label thinks they're marketable and, when successful, NDAs are doing the heavy lifting?

Words · 15/12/2024 13:16

Can't speak for modern singers really, but I always think Frank Sinatra was flat ( not that I enjoyed his music anyway).

I just can't bear Bob Dylan. Either his voice or his lyrics.

Leonard Cohen and Ella Fitzgerald; Eva Cassidy and Amy Winehouse however...

PepperoniPizzas · 15/12/2024 13:16

FizzyBisto · 15/12/2024 12:08

I've never really rated Kylie's voice - I think she's good but nothing special. Jason has a better voice, but he has had nothing like the same level of stratospheric pop success as she has.

Not a fan of either. I've seen both live and he was amazing! Definitely the far better talented of the 2.

PepperoniPizzas · 15/12/2024 13:15

Kylie. She's nasally and dull. Saw her live once. Couple of hours of my life I'll never get back. 🥱

Radamanth · 15/12/2024 13:14

Radishknot · 15/12/2024 13:13

Taylor Swift isn’t a great singer but she is talented & has stage presence.

Taylor Swift is an 'act', a whole package that appeals to a wide demographic.

Radishknot · 15/12/2024 13:13

Taylor Swift isn’t a great singer but she is talented & has stage presence.

Radamanth · 15/12/2024 13:12

ParisGellerFTW · 15/12/2024 12:55

This is apples and oranges for me...

You get the objectively beautiful voices, like say Karen Carpenter, Eva Cassidy, that you could listen to all day.

Someone like Tom Waits for me is more about evoking feelings and impressions and being immersed in that different world. Rain Dogs captivated me as a teenager who loved books and films more than music because it was more than just music, it was a whole experience. It was like being engrossed in a great book or film. The unbeautiful voice adds to that for me.

And I do think male singers have more latitude to do this than women, although Bjork does it, and PJ Harvey, and I am sure there are others that I'm not aware of.

I don't tend to like the singers who just blast these really powerful voices. It is a talent, for sure, but I just don't find them either pleasant to listen to or interesting.

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Tom Waites for sure, the gravel & emotion of what he's singing about just makes his music real.

I think people are confusing people who can 'sing' with great singers.

Leonard Cohen, if you see a performance of Hallelujah, towards the end of his life, the pathos in the way he sings those words are a million times better than any cover version that hits the right notes.

Likewise Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit, there's no vocal gymnastics there, but fuck me, she's incomparable.

Radishknot · 15/12/2024 13:11

I think Duo Lipa is very overrated but then she doesn’t have much competition in the UK, can’t think of any other solo pop stars.

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 15/12/2024 13:09

FizzyBisto · 15/12/2024 12:37

I agree on both of those... BUT when Katherine was on The Masked Singer, she used her own natural voice - rather than that obligatory forced open-mouthed, perfect diction choral one that we know her for - and she sounded really lovely.

Show quote history

I have never seen the words “Katherine Jenkins” and “perfect diction” connected before, her diction is appalling when singing operatically.

Maybe not Sia levels of appalling, but for someone apparently trained…

Floralnomad · 15/12/2024 13:08

If we are going just on voice not songwriting skills Paul McCartney , I’m sure he’s written some great songs but he cannot sing .

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 15/12/2024 13:07

thought of Chris Martin immediately when I saw the thread title. Mediocre singer, weak voice.

also the guy from Snow Patrol, awful.

Smallsalt · 15/12/2024 13:06

SharpLurker · 15/12/2024 12:15

I’m sorry what?
Two classically trained singers who are a million times more talented then the dross in the pop charts.
It’s a question of taste I suppose.

Trust me, they have had entry level voice training and rudimentary technique.
To be fair to Jenkins, she has worked the teeth and tits with no real voice and made a fortune.
Watson, I have no idea. Pub singer murdering Nessun Dorma.

UmbrellaEllaEllaElla · 15/12/2024 13:06

Rihanna - her voice is absolutely horrible.

Radamanth · 15/12/2024 13:05

FizzyBisto · 15/12/2024 12:59

I was watching a YouTube video yesterday, and the presenter commented on Janice Joplin's amazing, beautiful voice. I had to rewind it again to make sure I hadn't misheard!

Janice had soul!

She couldn't hold a tune, but that woman could sing from where it matters.

Radamanth · 15/12/2024 13:04

Fucking Adele.

Stop your warbling woman!

ElatedShark · 15/12/2024 13:03

Tyler Swift, her songs all sound the same and I don't like how she weaponises feminism to get her rabid fans to attack anyone she deems a threat

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 15/12/2024 13:01

Cheryl Cole can't hold a tune to save her life. Geri Halliwell - awful. Mel C can sing well in her lower register but screeches in her higher one.

CwmYoy · 15/12/2024 13:01

Madonna. Thin reedy little voice with no passion.

fubared · 15/12/2024 13:00

SleepyHippy3 · 15/12/2024 12:59

Jennifer Lopez

J-Lo is great when uses Ashanti's voice instead of her own 😂

FizzyBisto · 15/12/2024 12:59

I was watching a YouTube video yesterday, and the presenter commented on Janice Joplin's amazing, beautiful voice. I had to rewind it again to make sure I hadn't misheard!

SleepyHippy3 · 15/12/2024 12:59

Jennifer Lopez

FizzyBisto · 15/12/2024 12:57

I always thought it was a musical crime when the Traveling Wilburys had Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison in their number - yet still let Bob Dylan sing lead so often!

Kaminari · 15/12/2024 12:55

Jessie J - she's probably a lovely woman but her voice is just painful to my ears
Lorde - no idea why she's famous

ParisGellerFTW · 15/12/2024 12:55

Fizbosshoes · 15/12/2024 12:24

I dont agree about Whitney Houston or Taylor Swift, I think they have great voices.

I think Tom Waits sounds horrendous like someone doing drunken Kareoke in a pub

This is apples and oranges for me...

You get the objectively beautiful voices, like say Karen Carpenter, Eva Cassidy, that you could listen to all day.

Someone like Tom Waits for me is more about evoking feelings and impressions and being immersed in that different world. Rain Dogs captivated me as a teenager who loved books and films more than music because it was more than just music, it was a whole experience. It was like being engrossed in a great book or film. The unbeautiful voice adds to that for me.

And I do think male singers have more latitude to do this than women, although Bjork does it, and PJ Harvey, and I am sure there are others that I'm not aware of.

I don't tend to like the singers who just blast these really powerful voices. It is a talent, for sure, but I just don't find them either pleasant to listen to or interesting.

SoySaucy · 15/12/2024 12:54

Came on to say Taylor swift but I see lots of people beat me to it. Fair play to her though, as she’s obviously very successful, she writes her own stuff (even though I think most of it is beige drivel) and seems like a lovely woman.

jess glynns voice genuinely hurts my ears.

I’m also not keen on Katy Perrys voice, or Ellie Gouldings.
People like Justin Beiber, Niall Horan, Harry Styles voices are all just a bit bland and blah.

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