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Original poster

To ask which current singers have the voices to match Elton John, George Michael & Freddie Mercury?

280 replies

ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 09:27

Random playlist last night, Elton John & George Michael - Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me from 1991. The duet is amazing, the power in their voices. Got to add Freddie in the same (or better) category of voice, obviously. Asked my partner who today has the voice that will still make you say wow! in 30 years time? He said the music industry has changed, the ‘stars’ go through too fast now. I can recognise the talent of Chris Martin, Ed Sheeran and others, but where are those really powerful voices?

YABU - listen to …..
YANBU - no one can match them!

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FKAT · 21/03/2025 11:17

I'm here to defend Elton John (not that he needs it!). I think he's under-rated because he sings in his own accent. He sounds north London / Watford and we are trained so much that popular music and soul in particular should be in an Americanish / mid-Atlantic tone. His voice is incredibly soulful and authentic. It elicits emotion, which is the whole point of music.

Saw Nick Cave in November - his voice just gets better and better. He's late 60s and you wouldn't believe it.

Lead singer of Future Islands (don't know name) - he is like a US Roland Gift - really soulful - weird phrasing and vocal/physical tics but it just works.

YY to Miley Cyrus. Beautiful voice.

Also Joy Crookes and Michael Kiwanuka.

AuxArmesCitoyens · 21/03/2025 11:13

Imagine being weedy moustache boy in this sing-off. You'd just go home and cry 😅

Original poster
ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 11:07

SpencerTheRover · 21/03/2025 11:05

Totally agree that Bowie is in a category of his own.
Many PP have paid tribute to Freddie Mercury’s voice, but if you play ‘Under Pressure’ it’s Bowie’s delivery of the lyrics that is guaranteed to make me cry every time.
Having said that ‘Who wants to live forever’ is a shares in Kleenex song.

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Roman Keating’s If Tomorrow Never Comes does that to me! It was released at a time I used to drive to work, regularly arrived having cried my eyes out 😂

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SpencerTheRover · 21/03/2025 11:05

Maitri108 · 21/03/2025 09:46

I don't think there's ever been anyone comparable to Freddie Mercury regarding range, writing ability and charisma.

Elton John is an amazing song writer but not a particularly special singer. George Michael had a very good voice and wrote his own songs. I wasn't aware of how good he was until I saw him do the Queen tribute concert.

David Bowie had his own category, he wasn't like anyone else. An amazing song writer and character, his voice wasn't great but very distinctive. He created his own musical genre.

I don't know that much about modern music and don't know anyone who compares to any of them.

Totally agree that Bowie is in a category of his own.
Many PP have paid tribute to Freddie Mercury’s voice, but if you play ‘Under Pressure’ it’s Bowie’s delivery of the lyrics that is guaranteed to make me cry every time.
Having said that ‘Who wants to live forever’ is a shares in Kleenex song.

TheSandgroper · 21/03/2025 11:03

Tina Arena, too.

TheSandgroper · 21/03/2025 11:02

Actually, Joh Farnham was magnificent in his day.

FatLarrysBanned · 21/03/2025 10:59

Sam Ryder - seen him live 3 times since he performed Space Man at Eurovision (he was robbed). He could sing the phone book and make it sound amazing. Absolutely lovely fella as well. Took the time to fist bump every single fan in line outside one small venue before concert started.

But my God, Freddie Mercury and George Michael still have the power to make me wonder at their pure talent. Maybe because they are gone and what we have now is all we will ever have?

jay55 · 21/03/2025 10:57

namechangedtemporarily123 · 21/03/2025 10:36

Jennifer Hudson is such a beautiful singer

I went to see her in December and it was remarkable everything was effortless.

ill add Kelly clarkson to the women’s list and agree on Sam Ryder, Adam Lambet and Benson Boone.

a decade or so ago I was at a cabaret and Cynthia Erivo did a duet with Nathan James ( the rocker who was on the search for a Jesus show) and it was a real pinch me moment, both incredible

AuxArmesCitoyens · 21/03/2025 10:57

Random one: Aurelien Vivos who won The Voice France a couple of years ago. Incredible voice, blew my socks off. he worked in a warehouse, talk about a hidden talent!

Starlight1984 · 21/03/2025 10:57

niccstar3000 · 21/03/2025 10:45

Brendon Urie of Panic At The Disco! Can absolutely rival Freddie Mercury for power and range, his voice is incredible.

Oh my god I forgot about Brendon Urie! We have just bought two Panic At The Disco albums on vinyl so they will be going on this weekend 😍

Original poster
ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 10:56

Yeah, Bruno Mars, amazing talent, love his songs. Doesn’t hit the power button for me. But amazing duet with Lady GaGa, good matching.

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Starlight1984 · 21/03/2025 10:55

Badbadbunny · 21/03/2025 10:40

Surely they're different types of people though. You're talking about entertainers rather than singers. An entertainer will captivate an audience by far more than the singing, i.e. the special effects, costumes, chatting with the audience - i.e. a full package, i.e. "showbiz" on steroids etc etc. A top singer can do it just by singing with an anonymous backing band/singers and without special effects/extreme costumes etc. I actually hate the showbiz and spectacle type of performances and far prefer a singer with exceptional talent just singing.

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I actually hate the showbiz and spectacle type of performances

Oh you sound like fun 😂How can you "hate" watching an outstanding performer put on an amazing show??? Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Rolling Stones, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Take That to name just a few performers who absolutely NAIL the "spectacle" shows live.

I agree that sometimes a fantastic vocalist just singing in an intimate and live show can be just as good, or even better. But to say you hate spectacle type performances - you obviously just haven't seen any good ones!

Worldgonecrazy · 21/03/2025 10:55

I think Midge Ure is underrated as a singer. His voice is amazing live, just beautiful, rich and as strong as ever, even though he is in his 70s.

Yuopl · 21/03/2025 10:54

For the guys Zayn from 1d, Bruno mars, Brendon urie, the lads from the exo vocal line kill it

ariana, lady gaga, Chlöe, yebba

Snapncrackle · 21/03/2025 10:52

Teddy Swims
beautiful voice and I love his you tube videos where he sings with buskers

and his trip to Tamworth and serving spuds with Spud Man few weeks ago was epic 😂

This man can sell out arenas but went to sing while serving Spuds at Tamworth of all places 😂

and I’ve not heard anyone say anything bad about him either

Original poster
ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 10:51

niccstar3000 · 21/03/2025 10:45

Brendon Urie of Panic At The Disco! Can absolutely rival Freddie Mercury for power and range, his voice is incredible.

Yes! Can’t remember the name of the song, lyrics include “heavy machinery”, don’t turn the lights off? I love that, gives me goosebumps. Listened to some more at the time, didn’t grab me, but 100% agree that the voice is there.

OP posts:
Original poster
ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 10:48

Badbadbunny · 21/03/2025 10:40

Surely they're different types of people though. You're talking about entertainers rather than singers. An entertainer will captivate an audience by far more than the singing, i.e. the special effects, costumes, chatting with the audience - i.e. a full package, i.e. "showbiz" on steroids etc etc. A top singer can do it just by singing with an anonymous backing band/singers and without special effects/extreme costumes etc. I actually hate the showbiz and spectacle type of performances and far prefer a singer with exceptional talent just singing.

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I think this is where George Michael shines through. I remember Wham as a young girl, but after Faith and the controversy of that I don’t remember much about him till my early 20s when I realised what a fantastic singer he was. He didn’t have all the glitz showbiz around him as I recall.

OP posts:
Theeyeballsinthesky · 21/03/2025 10:47

ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 10:40

Thanks for that! Not sure I’ve ever heard of him. Great voice, certainly proves the point that the style of song helps to show off the voice.

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He’s the lead singer with keane :)

Comefromaway · 21/03/2025 10:46

niccstar3000 · 21/03/2025 10:45

Brendon Urie of Panic At The Disco! Can absolutely rival Freddie Mercury for power and range, his voice is incredible.

Have you seen his performance in Kinky Boots? I never realised he had such a voice.

WinterFoxes · 21/03/2025 10:46

ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 10:44

I’ll just hide quietly in the corner 😂 Keane I know, but couldn’t pick them out of a line up, or name any members, obviously 🙄 😂

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You are in for a treat. Tom Chaplin's voice is exquisite. Like a mix of rock god and choir boy. He could sing anything and make it sound like a brilliant song.

UrsulaBelle · 21/03/2025 10:46

As far as charisma goes, Benson Boone has it in spades. But he needs some more great songs. Freddie Mercury had all three going for him, amazing voice, great stage charisma and some banging tunes.

niccstar3000 · 21/03/2025 10:45

Brendon Urie of Panic At The Disco! Can absolutely rival Freddie Mercury for power and range, his voice is incredible.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 21/03/2025 10:45

@ItsABeautifulDay25 none of the music of today will be around in 20 or 30 years time! but the old stuff ie black sabbath etc etc will still be played. my grandaughter at 16 has now duplicated and stolen most of our record collection and it is what she plays in her guitar music exams!

Original poster
ItsABeautifulDay25 · 21/03/2025 10:44

Gymrabbit · 21/03/2025 10:42

He’s the lead singer of Keane.

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I’ll just hide quietly in the corner 😂 Keane I know, but couldn’t pick them out of a line up, or name any members, obviously 🙄 😂

OP posts:
FOJN · 21/03/2025 10:44

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Miley Cyrus. She seems very versatile and has a powerful voice.

There will never be another Freddie Mercury, he was quite an extraordinary talent.