Best Ever Singer?

[PennyNotSoWise]

AIBU to be a nosy caah and ask who you think the best singer the world has ever seen is?

Mine is Freddie Mercury. I've just seen the ad for Amazon music (I think that's what it was) where it's just his voice singing Somebody To Love, music drowned out, and Sweet.Baby.Jesus, it gave me goosebumps. If I didn't have alopecia, my hair would be standing on end, I tell you Wow, could that man sing!

I told DP and he said, "meh, he was alright."

Who are your favourites? And any particular song where they're at their best?

My favourite video of Aretha Franklin, 73 years old when she performed this in honour of Carole King. I am completely in awe of her voice and it makes me sob. (Partly because the guy behind CK can't stop crying!)

GlitchStitch, that is incredible.

I think the emotion with which people sing is just as important as the actual voice.
I agree with this too. Jacques Brel singing 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' springs to mind. Stops me in my tracks every time. It's so desolate.

Jacques Brel singing 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' springs to mind. Stops me in my tracks every time. It's so desolate.

Oh, yes. Also one of his biggest British fans, who drew heavy inspiration from him: Jake Thackray. Never had the voice of a nightingale, but the feeling he put into all of his songs - made you feel he was singing it just to you.

We've already had Kate Bush, but Peter Gabriel was just on Radio 2. He's got to go on 'the list' somewhere, surely - such expression and emotion in his voice.

That girl from Glee has a perfect voice

But I agree with Dolly, Barbara Streisand, Kate Bush..Freddie...so many!

Especially Don't give up with Kat Bush

Ooh and me @MmmBlowholes !

Can't believe only one other person has mentioned Voice of an Angel Josh Groban. His "O Holy Night" makes me cry every time.

Bing Crosby's voice was gorgeous and smooth.

Val Doonican

Elvis

Karen Carpenter

Sarah Vaughan

The soprano who sang when Meghan walked down the aisle.

My friend's sister.

Ohhh what an interesting question OP!

I agree with many here, I guess it depends on the style of singing you like

Freddie - his RANGE
Elvis
Whitney
Christina Aguileria
Adam Lambert
Leona Lewis
Shirley Basset
Tom Jones (even though I hate him)

More raspy/melodic ones:

Eva Cassidy
Norah Jones
Kelly Jones lead singer of stereophonics
Janis Joplin

Sarah Vaughn, Doris Day, Shirley Jones, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day

Interesting that there's not that many (if any??) mentions of Frank Sinatra. My mum always says he sings flat

I've been to a few Eddi reader gigs in the past and she has a beautiful voice, but when she and Kate Rusby did a duet it was like angels singing

Fields

Like most suggestions on here, he didn't have a very good voice at all. But singing is more about putting the song across with emotion, than being able to hit a note.
If ability was the criteria for being a good singer, the thread wouldn't have made it past page one.

Englebert Humperdinck has a great voice, much better than Tom Jones, though Tom became the bigger star.

Peggy Lee

Heck yes! Sultry, smooth, a touch of humour and wit –her doing 'Fever' is one of the best things that exists.

Nina Simone, Otis Redding, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Nanci Griffiths, Linda Ronstadt, Janis Joplin, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris.....many more I'm sure.

Kathleen Ferrier:

Wow @Drabarni your bar must be very high for what consititutes 'good'! Perhaps you only apply that to those with classical training?!

OP

Ruffle

No, not at all. My favourite genre is Jazz.
I just know that a good singer doesn't have to have a good voice.
Lots of suggestions are good singers i.e great at putting a song across but aren't good vocalists at all.
I'm in the music industry (I don't sing) and have seen/heard all the stops being pulled out to make many singers sound good.
There's hardly any of the recent pop/ modern singers post 1950 who can actually sing in tune live.
Autotune is amazing and covers many a poor performance.

A few years ago there was some sort of issue with sound engineers and payment, they took their revenge and posted most recent singers voices before autotuned.
Most of those mentioned here. The main were Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, the worst was Adele, half a tone flat throughout. They are still on youtube, some were taken down.
My bar is just acceptable and in tune/tempo tbh.

Thanks. Keane were amazing in concert recently

@BreconBeBuggered Thank you for that! I smiled all the way through, lovely. Hasn't Tom changed since his 'Is It Any Wonder' days?

Always liked Rhydian Roberts’ voice too.