Spin off: who are the least talented famous singers?

[WishinAndHopin]

Mick Jagger: just shouts tunelessly. He can’t sing at all.

Generally a lot of men in bands, like the Gallagher brothers, Alex Turner, and the singers in the Kinks.

Chris Martin - he’s just an insipid whiner. There was an advert with a woman with a good voice singing while driving a big lorry. I thought “that’s a nice song” and realised that it was actually Yellow by Coldplay. I never even realised it was a decent song because he just sounds so horrendous.

Generally women are held to a much higher vocal standard, and are only ever considered respectable artists if they are also good singers. Men who can’t sing get away with it. But ti balance it here are two women:

Geri Halliwell: Posh gets shit on for her bad singing but at least she had a pleasant enough tone. Geri is far worse - flat as a pancake.

Taylor Swift: such a weak voice. Sounds like mediocre karaoke.

To be fair to VB, she's never held herself up as a great singer - nor been lauded as such.

The Spice Girls were a movement and a brand, with songs as their primary medium and enough musical ability between them (and maybe added studio tweaks and assistance) to get the message across in a powerful, catchy way.

She had the good self-deprecatory sense of humour to properly laugh when Ali G asked her and David whether they hoped that (then baby) Brooklyn would grow up to become a great footballer like his dad, or a great singer like Mariah Carey!

Paloma Faith and Kylie.

This!

@FizzyBisto , he is talented but I don't want to listen to him. Not really listened because I switch off.

The Spice Girls were a movement and a brand, with songs as their primary medium and enough musical ability between them (and maybe added studio tweaks and assistance) to get the message across in a powerful, catchy way.

They had very little ability but they were managed and marketed well.

You have to hand it to VB, she's done well.

A lot of the music industry has been based on the right time and place sort of thing. Amy Whinehouse is a great example, talented as a vocalist and writer, yes, but possibly would have gone along with average success. But all at the same time, the fashion for mid century retro and kitch hit, she had the right look, mark ronson gave her the right sound and the whole thing exploded to incredible commercial success. If you listen to her cover of valarie before ronson got his hands on it, it’s pretty mediocre, but after, well awesome.

All singers come together with all the right elements at the right time, they don’t have to be operatically trained and pitch perfect, just of the moment. I mean no heavy metal or rock singers sound good if you strip away the backing music, they just scream.

Christ yes. How she managed to start a career in the 60’s out of singing I’ll never know.

To add mine: All of the Spice Girls. I know they were all about the image/package/persona rather than anything else, but bloody hell, you’d think out of the entire audition process that their managers would manage to pick at least a couple of decent singers to include in the group. When you hear any of their records now it’s apparent how awful their vocals were.

Madonna's hits have aged well.

I failed to see the appeal of the Spice Girls. Boyzone were talentless too.

... I mean no heavy metal or rock singers sound good if you strip away the backing music, they just scream.
That's not true. I can think of a few with good voices, who have a good vocal range.

Boyzone made a career out of sitting on footstools and standing up in sync with every song's key change at the last chorus.

I loved Blink 182 as a teen but they're horrendous live, especially Tom DeLonge. Can't sing and can barely play his instrument.

Bernard Sumner of New Order seems to sing a bit like are Rex Harrison (Dr Dolittle) but by god they put out some belter tunes!

Who doesn't love a key change, though?

Just want to stick up for a few recent additions to the thread:

Amy Winehouse had incredible vocals on her first album. By the time of her second album (and the peak of her fame) she’d become a bulimic heroin addict and her voice and performing ability had declined. By the time of Valerie, she was even worse and was struggling even to utilise her creativity or get herself together sufficiently to make music. (I know she was mentioned as an example of how even artists considered as talented need luck in the industry, but thought I’d clarify!).

Of the Spice Girls, only Geri and Victoria lacked vocal talent.

Emma Bunton has a pleasant voice. Mel C can still sing well, though her voice is raucous and an acquired taste.

But Mel B was actually a brilliant and versatile singer back in her heyday - better than Mel C in my opinion.

All of the Spice Girls’ original auditions are on YouTube if anyone is interested.

No, his isn't really my kind of music either - just my observations from when his songs have come on the radio.

With the Spice Girls, to be fair, I wasn't their target audience.

@WishinAndHopin guessing with Amy you are referring to my post, I have all the albums including a big box set of vinyl that cost a small fortune, love her. I’ve reread my post and can’t find anywhere I slagged off her vocals, especially on her first album, apologies if you weren’t referring to my post.

I saw Mel C on the stage and she sang well

That was Westlfe

But I do like Mark Feehily's voice

Close enough! They're awful too.

Didn't thry both do ballads sat on stools?
Although I remember an early appearance of boyzone on a chat show doing some very high energy/enthusiastic dance routines (similar to Take that early days)

Wow. You obviously haven't seen her live. She's sensational and so talented!

Yes, that's true, and she'd do it it in practically every song! Your comment made me listen again to that wonderful song' Step inside love'; she held back a little bit there

I thought the same. She was incredible live when I saw her for her first album release. She blew Mariah and Beyonce out of water.

Nope - Alicia Keys

just had a listen again live on Youtube, not changed my opinion, she has a fecking awful voice

my poor ears🙄

H from Steps as evidenced at the end of Sewing Bee last night.