1 Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and ...read more.
2 Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. Influential as both a singer and composer, he is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocals and importance within popular music. Number one for me
The Greatest, it not even a question
A voice that will never be duplicated!
Wait a minute - I made this list? :O It's strange, I was never interested in soul music...
3 Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris, known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
4 Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was a three-time Grammy-nominated American recording artist and songwriter who performed a wide variety of genres, from blues, rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.
5 Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American jazz, blues, soul and gospel singer, songwriter, arranger and pianist. Should be number one.
6 Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 - August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was minister. ...read more.
7 Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson (Michael Joseph Jackson; August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009. He donated (at least) a remarkable 500,000,000 dollars to charity. Michael is also known as The King of Pop (a title given to him by Elizabeth Taylor) or under the initials MJ. Dubbed the King of Pop, he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. ...read more. Some stupid person says Mike wasnt soul..it seems you think that pop is a genre.Mike's records were not you're convectional music(beat it)rock,was sung with SOUL,funk(thriller),was sung with soul,rnb(Billie Jean),was sang with soul.and don't get me started on those j5 hits..I want you back,the love you save,I'll be there etc..watch how you speak of the god
8 Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive.
9 Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson, professionally known as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer.
10 Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. Beginning in 1968, he was a member of the funk and soul band the Commodores and then launched a solo career in 1982.
The Contenders
11 Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. Otis should be no. 1 in my opinion. Nobody had more soul than Otis especially when he sang the ballads. He could make you feel his pain on those ballads. To me he defined the word "soul".
12 James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. A progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century popular music and dance, he is often referred to as the "Godfather of Soul". The Godfather of Soul? He should be way higher on this list!
13 Billy Paul
14 Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman, known by his stage name, Little Richard, was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is widely regarded to be one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.
15 Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 ...read more.
16 Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988) is an English singer and songwriter. Graduating from the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in 2006, Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace the same year. She is best known with her international hit singles like Rolling in the Deep, Someone Like You, Hello, Easy On Me and the success of her second, third and fourth studio album which is 21, 25 and 30. She is the best soul singer ever
17 Etta James
Etta James was an American singer who spanned a variety of music genres including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. Technically R&B, but there's no doubt she had soul. RIP
18 Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King, known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He was perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit
19 Bill Withers
William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. was an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. He recorded several major hits, including "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands". I've listened to all of them.. and Bill Withers digs to the soul like no one else.
20 Sly Stone
More funk and funk-rock than soul.
21 Al Green
Albert Leornes Greene, often known as The Reverend Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s.
22 David Ruffin
David Eli Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of The Temptations during the group's "Classic Five" period as it was later known.
23 Teddy Pendergrass
Theodore DeReese Pendergrass was an American singer–songwriter and composer. He first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade.
24 Clyde McPhatter
25 Wilson Pickett