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.

@MMfanalltheway
I love the Green Fields of France. A brilliant anti war song.
Sung by the Fureys, who are awful not good singers but theirs is such a powerful rendition.
I'd love to hear your version.
Eric Bogle wrote it and that other amazing anti war song And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.
Such genius.

I love Amy’s voice, it has/had warmth, expressiveness, skill.

A lot of singers (Elton, Paul McCartney) do lose their voices as they get older. I’ve been watching recent Pete Townshend videos and his voice has changed but he still sounds great to me.

What do people mean by "like a pub/club singer"? I've heard it used as an insult, on here and on singing shows, but I've never really understood what it means or why it's undesirable.

@StripeyDeckchair

Paul McCartney Paloma Faith - she puts on that wierd accent

Paloma Faith was in a chat show after murdering some tune or other. I remember her saying she thought her voice had improved after having her (first) child. I just thought, nope, your hearing has deteriorated!

Nicole Shitsinger

Bloody hell, just saw on the previous page someone saying Van Morrison can’t sing.

What is the criteria?! Van Morrison is my favourite male vocalist, miles ahead of the rest.

@DrSbaitso

What do people mean by "like a pub/club singer"? I've heard it used as an insult, on here and on singing shows, but I've never really understood what it means or why it's undesirable.

It refers to a skit Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer used to do on Shooting Stars, where Vic would sing a piece of a song 'in the style of a club singer'. And it was ludicrous

It doesn't mean an actual club singer. At least, that's the way I used it and I think others on this thread did too.

Robbie Williams
Ian Brown
Paloma faith
Katy Perry
Sarah Cracknell (st Etienne)
All of the spice girls.

Used to love the club singer bit on shooting stars

@gingganggooleywotsit

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’!

This is true. It’s why I always hated Susan Boyle’s performances. She can sing alright (nothing special) but simply couldn’t engage with the emotion in the lyrics.

@KittyKattyKate

Nicole Shitsinger

Have you actually heard her sing? Look at the video on youtube of her singing Don't cry for me Argentina.

Me and DH saw her in Cats. When she sung Memory there was complete silence in the theatre. She finished and there was a sort of stunned silence then the audience went mad clapping and quite a few people gave her a standing ovation. Never seen that in the middle of a show before

@Creamcrackersandricecakes

Oh!! And I never forgave LA for murdering that gorgeous Keane song in the John Lewis advert. Her vocals on that are absolutely horrendous, yet people were all losing their minds over it.

I've never forgiven her for murdering that song either. I love it sung by Keane and she ruined it.

Why did John Lewis not use the Keane version

@KittyKattyKate

Nicole Shitsinger

Agree with a PP that she can bloody well sing. You can say you don’t like her voice but nobody can say she can’t sing.

@Againstmachine

James Arthur sounds like the pub drunk singing.

Sam Smith too short tongued for my liking.

Short tongued!! That's exactly the problem. Excellent observation

Glad to see so many agree about Jess Glynn she cannot sing for toffee. As I mentioned up thread a singer friend of mine has recorded with her and said she had an appallingly flat voice. Apparently she only got a record deal because her mum is in the music industry! I know I’m being bitchy but it’s true!

Simon Le Bon cannot sing for toffee (runs away)

Jet 2 used one of Jess Glynnes songs on the planes in the times when it was stationary before and after landing....on bloody repeat, ' standing in a crowded room and I can't see your face',,,, everytime the goat starting bleating everyone moaned...torture, poor cabin crew , what the hell were Jet 2 thinking?

Sting.

Joe Strummer.

Obviously the point of The Clash was not the singing. But still.

(I love The Clash.)

For those who think that Bowie couldn't sing, have you tried to sing Life On Mars? Those jumps between notes are mighty difficult and he did it effortlessly.

Sam Smith and all those other crying/ whining singers

Personally I can't bear a Whitney belter of a voice. But plenty of people think she's the epitome of a fantastic singing voice. No debate. It's often to do with how a song is "put across" surely that counts for enjoyment?

Also, pop voices, rock voices, folk voices and jazz voices etc are very different to classically trained operatic voices. I'm sure there are plenty of operatic voices I might like listen to where someone knowledgeable would be able to point out their weaknesses?

I can't believe some of the comments on here. David Bowie not a good singer? Christ.

Ian Brown isn't a good singer. Nor is John Lydon, he's dreadful. Although I appreciate the Sex Pistols weren't supposed to be talented musicians. None of the Spice Girls.

Paul McCartney has lost his voice now but in my personal opinion he was great back in the day. He had a very wide range if you compare a song like Helter Skelter to Yesterday. Definitely the best singer in the Beatles.

Liam Gallagher literally tries to imitate John Lennon's singing voice nowadays. The man is obsessed.

Kathryn Jenkins. Someone on Mumsnet wrote once it sounds like she was gargling custard - that's exactly what she sounds like.

@OrangeBananaFish

Katy Perry. When she is on TV in concert or singing live its just awful

Yes, she got totally found out on Carpool Karaoke, in my opinion. James Corden did a better job of her songs