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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Elvis is still the King
No surprises there, then. But how did Ozzy Osbourne make the 'Q' list? Here's how
By Anthony Barnes, Arts & Media Correspondent
Published: 04 March 2007
Independent Online
He remains, and perhaps always will, the King. Tomorrow, half a century after his recording debut, Elvis Presley will be crowned the greatest voice of all time by Q magazine.
But the poll also exposed some of the worst singers of all time. The hall of shame includes screechers such as Ozzy Osbourne, Mariah Carey, Céline Dion and Yoko Ono.
Music experts and writers from the magazine deliberated, debated and probably stuck their fingers in their ears on more than one occasion to find the singers whose voices raise hackles, cause earache and terrify domestic pets to condemn nine of the worst offenders - plus a whole musical genre.
Deconstructing Osbourne, the Q panel said that although he was once a powerhouse, "he now sings like he speaks - this may be cause for sympathy but not for buying his albums".
Mariah Carey is castigated for "squawking": "She may have a 100-octave range and the ability to sing so loudly that birds' nests fall from trees, but that doesn't make it right." Céline Dion is included for "grinding out every note as if bearing some kind of grudge against the very notion of economy".
Ono, who at 74 is still recording, is said to be "cursed with a voice that even John Lennon couldn't love". The list is completed by Limp Bizkit singer Fred Durst, Sugarcubes singer Einar, M People's Heather Small, Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie, Haircut 100's Nick Heyward and "any death metal singer".
Returning to the greatest singers, the panel shows a bias towards singers from previous generations with Aretha Franklin in second place and Frank Sinatra in third. Seven of the top 10 are dead, including Otis Redding, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley and John Lennon. The other two living singers in the top 10 are Robert Plant and, controversially, Mick Jagger.
The Top Ten
1. Elvis Presley
From his debut release 'That's All Right' onwards, Presley put sex into rock and roll. Country, gospel and blues, he took them all in his stride
2. Aretha Franklin
Said to have a four-octave range, soul star Franklin showed her prowess and power on hits such as 'Respect' and 'I Say a Little Prayer'
3. Frank Sinatra
Renowned for his perfect delivery and phrasing on classics 'My Way' and 'I've Got You Under My Skin'
4. Otis Redding
Fine versions of songs like 'Satisfaction', but loved for '(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay'
5. John Lennon
Not technically brilliant, but expressive. 'Imagine' is regularly voted one of the all-time great songs
6. Marvin Gaye
Shot dead by his father in 1984, the Motown star was said to have 'the voice of an angel trapped in a man'
7. Kurt Cobain
Not exactly a beautiful voice but his anguished cries on Nirvana hits such as 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' launched a rock revolution in the early 1990s
8. Robert Plant
As singer with Led Zeppelin, Plant and his feminine high register touched millions with 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Immigrant Song'
9. Mick Jagger
Jagger's wicked rasp introduced Britons to rhythm and blues and is still going strong after more than 40 years
10. Jeff Buckley
Was barely known during his lifetime, but his only completed studio album is now a classic, especially his version of 'Hallelujah'
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| paddy |
1.Sandy Denny
2.Bob Dylan |
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| fireontheplatter |
where is 'the boss'
go to add him to the list |
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| mrhipfl |
Freddie Mercury should be on there. |
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| gimmekeef |
Very subjective but.......
Howlin Wolf
Jim Morrison
Etta James
Janis Joplin
Nat King Cole
Bob Dylan |
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| Gazza |
Another daft space-filling poll by a once-great magazine.
At least this time, they appear to have heard of some artists over the age of 30. Good choice of top six (and I'd agree absolutely with the top 3), but the omissions of Al Green, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and The Beach Boys are noteworthy
[Edited by Gazza] |
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| gimmekeef |
Cobain is a reach(least they didnt ..lol..put Kid Rock here)..and Jagger controversially?...hmmmm...Although Mick introducing Brits to blues etc is a major slight to Alexis Corner/Mayall and Baldry imho... |
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| pdog |
quote:
gimmekeef wrote:
Cobain is a reach(least they didnt ..lol..put Kid Rock here)..and Jagger controversially?...hmmmm...Although Mick introducing Brits to blues etc is a major slight to Alexis Corner/Mayall and Baldry imho...
I swear to god, they make these lists by getting drunk and throwing fish at a wall with names on it... |
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| BILL PERKS |
MY FAVS-VOICES
EMMYLOU HARRIS
GEORGE JONES
GEORGE MICHAEL
JOSS STONE
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| pdog |
Keith's, one of my all time faves...
Tom Waits
Kim Gordon
Ryan Adams
David Johansen
Joey Ramone
Debbie Harry
Hope Sandoval
Joan Jett
Johnny Rotten |
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| Poison Dart |
I don't care what anyone says. Kurt Cobain and Nirvana suck.
Why are these considered among the all time greats? My bet is if Cobain had lived they would be about as big (not very) as Pearl Jam is today. |
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| Paranoid_Android |
No Freddy Mercury?!? A TRAVESTY!!!
Paul Weller...Mark Sandman...Bryan Ferry...Chrissy Hynde ...Chet Baker...Mr Mojorisin...Dusty Springfield
[Edited by Paranoid_Android] |
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| The Stealer |
Paul Rodgers deserves a mention. |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
Some of the best singers (well known), a quick post, surely will be completely different if rewritten in 10 minutes 
- Mick Jagger (the best white boy singing the blues)
- Steve Marriott
- Freddie Mercury
- Rod Stewart
- Grace Slick
- Janis Joplin
- Jim Morrison
- Greg Lake
- Peter Gabriel
- Kate Bush
Special mention to Woody and Keith when they are dead drunk (i.e. New Barbarians era) I can smell the alcohol in my speakers |
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| Zack |
How about Steve Winwood? |
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| Brainbell Jangler |
I can't believe no one has mentioned Sam Cooke.
"Sam Cooke is somebody other singers have to measure themselves against, and most of them go back to pumping gas."--Keith Richards
[Edited by Brainbell Jangler] |
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| pdog |
I forgot Chrissie Hynde and Marvin Gaye! |
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| Gazza |
quote:
Brainbell Jangler wrote:
I can't believe no one has mentioned Sam Cooke.
a big "whoops" on my part for that omission. |
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| nanatod |
quote:
Poison Dart wrote:
I don't care what anyone says. Kurt Cobain and Nirvana suck.
Why are these considered among the all time greats? My bet is if Cobain had lived they would be about as big (not very) as Pearl Jam is today.
I don't know where to begin to start refuting every sentence in your post, so I'll start with the Pearl Jam comment.
Pearl Jam is a lot bigger than you think. Vedder and Co. sell a lot of concerts tickets when they feel like it. They vary the setlist every night, and average 2 1/2 hour shows.
Secondly, PJ have unquestioned integrity when it comes to dealing with their fans (attempt to circumvent ticketmaster, allowing tapers at shows, special fan club deals, etc., etc.).
Cobain was special (I, unfortunately did not realize this until after he was dead). As a former drummer, he made sure that the most important part of Nirvana's songs were the beat. He added MELODY to grunge, which was just modernized heavy metal [this is a bit of an oversimplification, but I want to keep this post short]. His songwriting on Nevermind and In Utero (I'm thinking specifically of "Come as you are" and "Heart Shaped Box") is full of wonderful metaphors, but still "rock" like nobody's business. |
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| Saint Sway |
quote:
pdog wrote:
Keith's, one of my all time faves...
Tom Waits
Kim Gordon
Ryan Adams
David Johansen
Joey Ramone
Debbie Harry
Hope Sandoval
Joan Jett
Johnny Rotten
nice fish toss!!! |
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| mojoman |
edith piaf
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| Paranoid_Android |
quote:
nanatod wrote:
.
Pearl Jam is a lot bigger than you think. Vedder and Co. sell a lot of concerts tickets when they feel like it. They vary the setlist every night, and average 2 1/2 hour shows.
Secondly, PJ have unquestioned integrity when it comes to dealing with their fans (attempt to circumvent ticketmaster, allowing tapers at shows, special fan club deals, etc., etc.).
Eddie & Co are the only band to have had 20 albums in the top 100 at the same time...they were all released on the same day and went gold overnite. 20 live uncut shows...that's how they pay back their fans...w/ quality...quantity, and variety.
The Stones couldn't EVER even consider that...oh, the humiliation they would have to endure...one live tour cd covers the entire tour...because of the lack of varying setlists... |
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| Zack |
Did anybody say Brian Wilson? |
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| MrPleasant |
Zack, you have a PM. |
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| White House Lawn |
What about Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald? Throw in Sinatra and Elvis and there's your top five!
George Jones should be in the top 10 as well! |
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| jaymze |
Dusty Springfield made no. 29 in the poll.
"The benchmark for tortured white soul" according to Q.
Was listening to some of her later stuff this morning. She could still belt it out in her 50's!!
Great stuff. |
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| justinkurian |
Rolling Stone weighed in today with their top 5...
Thom Yorke? C'mon...
Aretha Franklin
Frank Sinatra
Dusty Springfield
Thom Yorke
Billie Holiday |
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| guitarman53 |
How about David Bowie. |
