to think Ronan Keating can’t sing? Which other famous singers can’t sing?

[BlackBucketOfCheese]

When I was a teenager I thought Ronan Keating had a great voice (despite not being my type of music) but I think I probably just fancied him. I’ve just heard one of his songs from around 1999 pop up on a Spotify playlist and he sounds like a goat yelping into a Pringles can.

I know lots of pop stars can’t sing for shite but in my head I had him in a bracket of people who can sing nicely - despite probably not having listened to his music for 20+ years.

Can RK sing?

Which other pop stars who people think are decent singers actually turn out to sound like a farm yard animal with trapped wind.

Cilla Black - I have to turn off the radio if they play her. Also Paul McCartney - and tbf many of the older singers, their voices just aren't up to it any more. Debbie Harry, (god how I love that woman) couldn't hold a tune to save her life.

@BlackBucketOfCheese

For me, a bad singer is one that sings with no emotion. Doesn’t matter how technically good they are. You can tell when a singer really ‘means it’!

For me Ronan Keating sings it best, when he sings nothing at all.

🤣🤣

Or, as my DH used to say “ can he sing Far Away?”...

It may have been over-exposure to however long China in your Hand” was in charts for in the 80’s - but I always thought Carol Decker sang off-key and ran out of breath mid-line

Jessie J - really unpleasant to listen to

@RaveOnThisCrazyFeeling

I'm with you, onemorecupofcoffee. I love the sound of Dylan's voice and would rather hear him sing his songs than anyone else. The Rolling Thunder performances in particular sound amazing, I could listen to them every day and never tire of the sound of Bob's voice.

I am on the loving Bob Dylan side. I have a USB stick full of bootleg performances from the 60s right up to 2019 which I listen to in the car, or via headphones. I like some covers of his songs, but to my ears, the majority of covers are watered down versions. Give me the originals anyday. I find Joan Baez a tad squarky, and can't stand singers who sing 10 notes when one will do a la Mariah Carey. Good job we are all different isn't it?

RK does have a very ‘affected’ fake singing voice. He always sounds like an impersonation or parody of a singer. Not pleasant to listen to IMO but each to their own!

With people like Robbie Williams and Madonna it’s all about the showpersonship isn’t it. The charisma. And they do have great songs, songwriting partners and producers behind them. Kylie’s the same. And Elton John’s voice isn’t technically good but again, good music, good lyrics.

Agnatha and Frida from ABBA have really sublime voices. Just amazing when you really listen to them, even live.

It may have been over-exposure to however long China in your Hand” was in charts for in the 80’s - but I always thought Carol Decker sang off-key and ran out of breath mid-line

I’ve always thought she was off key on the big note, even as a child I noticed that.

@GreatTeaMonkey, yes, exactly. Suspect her popularity was due to her looks and micro-skirts, though, rather than singing ability 😀

Gary Barlow

@TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe

Interesting user name. You lost any credibility you may have had with the inclusion of George Michael in your list.

@Eastie77

I watched footage of Live Aid online the other day. Watching singers like Phil Collins, who I am not a particular fan off, walk on stage with nothing apart from a piano to accompany him and just sing live - zero auto tune or any other 'help' - made me realise how poor singers are today compared to those of yesteryear. They had real talent and could actually sing. Honestly most of the best singers are already dead.

So within 30 years or so, something has happened that has resulted in no one across the world being able to sing as well as Phil Collins? And anyone that could has died?

Amanda Seyfried

@Obviouspretzel - no, what a strange conclusion to draw. I was giving an example of one singer (who I explained I'm not a fan of) at one event in the 1980s as an example of the quality of singers and live performers then who did not have to rely on assistance such as auto tune.

There are plenty of decent singers nowadays I'm sure. I just personally think the quality overall has declined.

HTH

I don't normally mind Florence and the machine but the cover of Beyoncé's Halo is shocking. It sounds like the worst karaoke you've ever heard.

@RitaFires For example Cheryl sounded crap with Gary Barlow but sounded much better duetting with Snow Patrol youtu.be/lVjQYbX-F7k

Because she was miming that one which was pre-recorded and blended and it's the audio equivalent of photoshopping a kardashian's backside.

Can someone tell me what is so very special about Adele? She's obviously very talented and her voice is beautiful, but what is it about her that makes people say it's a "once in a generation" voice and all that? It's lovely but I don't see how it's better than the cast of any current musical or many other beautiful singers I've heard.

@GreatTeaMonkey

It may have been over-exposure to however long China in your Hand” was in charts for in the 80’s - but I always thought Carol Decker sang off-key and ran out of breath mid-line

I’ve always thought she was off key on the big note, even as a child I noticed that.

Apparently the accompanying music was slightly off true pitch...and Decker has perfect pitch, meaning she was on the true note, but out of tune with the actual backing music.

Perfect pitch isn't at all necessary to be a brilliant singer or musician, and it can even be a disadvantage, as per that example. Relative pitch is more useful.

Gary Barlow - he was shocking on Ant and Dec the other night and his crooner sessions are cringe.

Lian Gallagher once described Florence (and the Machine) as singing like someone was standing on her foot. I'm still laughing.

PS The Beatles were stone cold genius.

David Bowie can’t sing*. But oh my gawddd can he put a song over! I love non-conventional voices like Bowie, Eartha Kitt, Bob Dylan Etc.
Sometimes non-conventional style and cracks in delivery tear at your heartstrings more than purity of sound...

• in terms of passing a singing exam It’s all in the delivery, isn’t it?

Jenifer lopez has got a weak voice - still liked her songs way back when though

Sam Smith can sing I guess but I really hate their voice

Rihanna is very flat -again, like some of her stuff.

The Beatles...sorry, but they were excellent song writers...should of left the performing to the pros.

@DreamEvenBigger

The Beatles. All of them. How did they ever reach the status they did?

They wrote 229 songs and were the most influential band of all time. In 1964 they made history as the only band to simultaneously hold the top 5 positions in Americas top 100 charts. A feat never to be seen again. Their song writing was genius, and they could sing pretty good too.

Sam Smith - although I concede this may be due to them being a self-obsessed nob head. Seems to think they invented the male falsetto, (and doesn't even do it well, very reedy and nasally).
Apparently when Boyzone were first formed, the studio technician who first recorded them singing together ended up phoning Louis Walsh in absolute despair and saying, 'you can't have the blonde one as the lead singer, he can't sing'

@lighteincastlewindow Fair enough. I'm usually good at telling the difference between live and prerecorded and I thought that one was live. I don't think she's a particularly good singer but she's not even the worst singer in Girls Aloud, there's a reason most of Kimberly Walsh's solos in the band were spoken.

I was just trying to make the point that a lot of crap singers can sound good with the right song and great singers can have an off night.

Katy Perry, Cheryl Cole is awful