While making our way through the material world, at one time or the other, all of us bend towards music to satisfy our soul. Music is like an audible kiss that makes our mundane stay a little easier and smooth. Over the years we have had heard numerous songs, but only a few of them have survived in our minds. These are the tunes that we carry in our minds forever. Be it rock & roll, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, country, or pop, all of us have a favorite. The beauty of our favorite singer’s voices touches us in inexpressible ways, dragging our hearts like a hopeless teenager who is experiencing love for the very first time.
Nevertheless, you’ve got to admit that music and its source is certainly an inseparable part of our lives. And, no matter what we always look up to them. So, who according to you should be listed amongst the Top 10 Best Singers of All Time? If you’re up for an argument about whose name belongs to the list, dig in.
Fortunately after browsing across multiple options, from old legends to new stars, here is a list of the top 10. Read below to check if you’re favorite singer has a spot on the list or not!
10. JAMES BROWN, FUNK & SOUL
Renowned to be one of the most high-energy vocalists of all times, James Brown has continued to live in the minds of all his fans because of his powerful performances. Be it his outstanding live performances or his recordings, this man always has had the energy to rock it all with his undeniable enthusiasm. He is an American singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, record producer, and bandleader. The talented soul is often nicknamed as the Godfather of Soul, Mt. Dynamite, or the Soul Brother No. 1. Let alone best singers, this terrific performer has included his name amongst the greatest artists of all times. The artist has left behind a huge legacy, having released about 57 studio albums. Undoubtedly his life was an incredible journey where the singer did some great social activism work.
9. STEVE PERRY, ROCK & ROLL
Even though he has had a much successful solo career, he is best known for his incredible work as the lead singer of the band Journey. The American singer-songwriter has been reputedly known as The Voice by Jon Bo Jovi. Steve Perry has placed his name in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is celebrated for his stunning vocal range. Known to sing from F#2 to A5, he is called a high tenor altino and is also called the golden voice of 80s arena rock. A less known fact about this talented singer is that his first solo record went platinum two times. With his band Journey, he scored one diamond, ten platinum, and three gold records, making the band one of the best-selling bands of all times.
8. PAUL MCCARTNEY, SOFT ROCK & POP
An English singer, songwriter, musician, record and film producer, and also a multi-instrumentalist, Paul McCartney gained his worldwide fame as the co-lead vocalist and bassist for the Beatles. The singer has so far written and co-written about thirty-two songs that have scored #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Some of the most highlighted points of his career are his solo career, his collaborations with Michael Jackson, and his band Wings. Paul ahs one of the most gracious voices to have ever existed and has been honored ad awarded in more than one way. The artist is one of the most remarkable and influential musicians of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records has featured his name more than once as the most successful songwriter of all times, and also as the most honored composer and performer. His song Yesterday is the most covered song of all time, that has been remade by over 2200 bands and artists.
7. ARETHA FRANKLIN, JAZZ, SOUL, BLUES
American singer, songwriter, pianist, actress, and civil rights activist, Aretha Franklin’s career started in 1967 with her famous song Respect, and that song brought to the notice her amazing vocal skill and other songs that deserved much appreciation. Quickly she was marked as The Queen of Soul by her musical peers and in 1988 she was still ruling the charts and dropping gold albums. The singer has 112 charted singles on the Billboard charts, has won 18 Grammy Awards, and has also become one of the best-selling music artists of all times who has sold over 75 million records globally. Apart from being in almost every other music hall of fame, the reputed singer has her name marked into the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame as well. An interesting fact about Aretha is that she has been awarded both the National Medal of Arts but also the Presidential Medal of Freedom awards. Moreover, Rolling Stone has ranked her as the #1 best singer of all time. Does it seem too much? Well, not.
6. FRANK SINATRA, JAZZ, POP, SWING
For those of you who thought that Aretha Franklin’s records were too much, well Frank Sinatra’s records have sold twice that amount. The American singer, songwriter, producer, and actor is coined as one of the most influential and popular artists of the 20th century. Additionally, he is one of the best-selling music artists of all times, who has sold over 150 million records globally. It is said that the number of music awards, lifetime achievements awards, and even the governmental awards that the artist has won in his life is just too much to track. According to Time Magazine, he is one of the most influential people and not just musicians. His voice is still heard in entertainment and is one of the most recognizable. After Michael Jackson, he is the one to have left such an incredible mark. Additionally, the artist has displayed his uniqueness in several shows and movies. He has released a total of 59 albums.
5. ELLA FITZGERALD, POP, JAZZ, BLUES, SWING
The American jazz singer, who is not only recognized for her entertainment value but also her incredible vocal set, is Ella Fitzgerald. Most popularly known as The First Lady of Song, the singer has always been respected for her purity of tone, timing, phrasing, diction, and every other detail. The list of her accolades includes 14 Grammys, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the National Medal of Arts. Her career attained stability with the Chick Webb Orchestra and substantially grew with her stunning solo career, and attained its peak when the singer started appearing as a guest on various TV shows. And, once she started collaborating with vocal guests, she was lamented as one of the best singers. Being naturally shy, she, however, once participated in a series of shows on Broadway that generated over a million dollars in around two weeks.
4. FREDDIE MERCURY, HARD ROCK, PROG ROCK
British singer-songwriter, record producer, and the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen, Freddie Mercury is perhaps the best rock singers in the history of rock music, ever. The singer is most popular for his outstanding stage persona and his unbelievable four-octave vocal range. Having faced death at an early age, he still managed to include his name into nearly every music hall of fame and had also bagged numerous awards. Moreover, BBC had ranked Freddie had been ranked as one of the greatest Britons. The singer’s talent and his life were so glamorous, that there are several stage plays, TV shows, biographical films, and musicals been framed around his rock band Queen and his life. It’s been 21 years since Freddie has passed but the band is still crushing it over the charts and has steadily maintained their fan base. Great artists leave behind great legacies, and the cause of his death had raised much awareness about the critical disease that snatched his life.
3. MARVIN GAYE, SOUL, FUNK, R&B, JAZZ, AND POP
American singer, songwriter, and record producer Marvin Gaye is one of the high-royalties that revolutionized the sound of Motown forever that left with the titles of being the Prince of Motown and Prince of Soul. With every passing year, he went on to influence the sound of R&B and neo-soul. Progressively it came as o surprise when the singer landed in the R&B Songwriters, Music, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as also the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards. The singer’s four-octave vocal range was his testament to his vocal talent as he mainly recorded in tenor range and baritone, two of which are polar opposite. His versatility counted him amongst all the genres, including metal. In the early 1980s, Marvin became a tax exile in Europe, and to date; his estate earns millions every year.
2. STEVIE WONDER, SOUL, POP, JAZZ, FUNK
Stevland Hardaway Morris most popularly known as Stevie Wonder is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and musician who were a much prominent figure in the music industry during the second half of the 20th century. He is counted as one of the most successful musicians and songwriters of all times and is also looked up to as the pioneer of genres like Funk, Rock, R&B, Soul, and Pop, due to his unique heavy inclusion of electronic instruments much before the others. The singer has sold over 100 million records and has bagged over 25 Grammys. With no surprise comes the fact that the singer has his name in all of the Halls of Fame and even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The title that is much unique amongst the musicians is the United Nations Messenger of Peace; this prominent figure has it all under his name, including the Doctor of Music from Yale University. Not many are aware that Stevie is blind.
1. MICHAEL JACKSON, POP, ROCK, DISCO, SOUL, R&B, DANCE
Michael Jackson was, is, and will forever be one of the greatest singers of all times. The American singer, songwriter, and dancer is rightly called the King of Pop and is also regarded as one of the most remarkable cultural figures and entertainers of the 20th century. It is pointless to even start a discussion over the count of his awards that even slashed into the dance world. Never mind, he is truly the king of all spheres. Michael Jackson had credited Diana Ross and James Brown as his influences from whom he learned to inject his famous ooh into his creations. The famous singer attained no formal singing or music training and was even unable to read or write music. However, he could play various instruments to a certain degree. He preferred to beat-box while describing the music he was hearing. Truly, he was one of a kind.