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?

Paul McCartney sang ok but not amazing

Stevie Wonder

Love mama Cass

Still rate Steve Winwood especially in Spencer Davis Group

This is just my opinion , I think there are two types of singers.

Firstly the vocalists, their voice is their instrument. They can sing anything and various styles.
Then the performer singers, not vocalists but amazing at communicating the lyrics with emotion.

For me the example of Bowie, you couldn't say he was a vocalist, but I love "Wild is the wind" amongst others, it hits the spot like good music should. I get the same shudder listening to Maria Callas.

I also think it's important to understand the difference between the two. Each good at what they do, but completely different skills required.

Lzzy Hale (rock) and Beth Hart (blues) ....oh and obviously dear old Freddie!!

lang

Karen Carpenter

That was meant to be kd lang!

Firstly the vocalists, their voice is their instrument. They can sing anything and various styles.
Then the performer singers, not vocalists but amazing at communicating the lyrics with emotion.

That's an interesting point Drabarni, particularly the 'performer' bit. I guess it explains why some mediocre singers (all down to personal opinion, of course) go so far and have great careers.

....oh and obviously dear old Freddie!!

I'd never have guessed you were a fan killerqueen

Graphista..finally someone else mentioned mama class

Phew!

Freddie...definitely the out and out winner

Yes Karen Carpenter always gives me goosebumps

Hozier
Sinead O'Connor
Dolores O'Riorden
Kate Bush
Michael Jackson

Aw, so beautiful.

I think 1950 is setting the bar a bit high again - autotune has only been around 20 years max!

I doubt Freddy Mercury would have needed it, had it been a thing.

As for the Adele thing - all singers have off days -she probably couldn't hear her band properly or something. Really out of tune singers don't benefit from autotune anyway - see Madonna at Eurovision where it just made her 100x worse.

Drabarni - I would argue that those people are describing the best singers inc myself are naming singers that can do both.

Mariah Carey isn't for me because she is technically spot on but emotionless for example.

Bon Scott. I knew him as a rock singer with a great stage presence and a decent voice then I heard (on Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap) sing Ride On and it just transfixed me. That was about 40 years ago and I still listen to it at least once a week.

Erik A.K. from Flotsam And Jetsam. They should've been massive, but had their bassist poached by Metallica who then sidelined him.

Joan Baez
Julie Andrews
Paul Robeson

Dana's winning Eurovision performance was completely perfect.

I'm surprised how dominated this thread is by pop. Pavarotti et al have barely had a look-in. I mean, check out Renata Tebaldi singing Madame Butterfly.

Now you might not be an opera fan, but that is a voice.

^^ I'd like to see Adele attempt that without autotune

@WeshMaGueule I am a huge opera fan but I do think it's a little it unfair to take away from pop stars by saying they couldn't sing opera. It's a different skill entirely.

Well yes that's true, but I just don't think a lot of the singers mentioned have much in the way of technical proficiency. I mean nothing against Ariana Grande, I'm sure she's very good in her genre (I'm about 25 years too old to listen to her...) but c'mon, in terms of voice, she's mincemeat next to someone like Callas.

Frank Sinatra was always famously flat. You can hear it when he sings the high notes ... he gets there in the end but he has to sort of reach up to them! Fantastic, charismatic performer needless to say.

Technically, Tony Bennett could rung rings around him.

I know exactly where you’re coming from Wesh. Lots of the singers mentioned are good, but not particularly proficient technically. I don’t necessarily mean that one genre trumps another, but true likes of Pavarotti and Callas (as well as amazing pop singers like Freddie M and Whitney) are in a different league to lots of the singers mentioned. (Am a voice coach so hopefully know a little bit about it!).
Yes to Karen Carpenter too- forgot about her...goosebumps every time!

Julie Andrews

Emma Kirkby

Agnetha Fältskog
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Andrea Bocelli
Paul Simon
Art Garfunkel
Amy Winehouse
Lady GaGa
Pink
Adele
Lewis Capaldi

Quite surprised to see no mentions made of Laura Mvula. She's a staple on 6 Music, but might not be all that well-known elsewhere. A really original songwriter and performer, and her voice is heaven!