Best Male Metal Singers

1. Ronnie James Dio

   

   Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona. July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter, and musician. He led and performed with several bands including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell.... read more

   The god of metal. He could sing well in both aggressive style and calmly, and he sounded great even when he was dying from cancer. He invented the devil horns. That's enough to justify my choice.

   Power and range from such an unimposing creature. Height isn't everything.

   Ronnie's voice perfectly suits metal.

2. Bruce Dickinson

   

   Paul Bruce Dickinson (born August 7, 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He's best known as the lead singer of Iron Maiden and for his solo career.

   Outside music, Dickinson worked as a commercial pilot for Astraeus Airlines and flew Iron Maiden's converted charter aircraft... read more

   A talented vocalist all around. He has a vocal range of 4 octaves, most of which he is able to reach in full voice. What a powerful voice that is (more so live than on the CDs).

   He also has a great mix of raspy vocals and clean ones, although he struggles with the raspy ones live nowadays.

   Definitely deserves to be on this list and I'm happy to see him in the top 10.

   Probably the best vocalist of all time. Initially self-taught, he could manage 4 octaves and a bit. He could do everything from air raid siren screams to 22-second holds on a note. Amazing.

3. Marco Hietala

   

   Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist, and songwriter. He's best known for his tenure with Nightwish from 2001 to 2021 and for founding the band Tarot.

   Hietala's deep, gritty vocals and melodic bass work defined much of Nightwish's sound during their symphonic... read more

   This list says Marco Hietala is the best metal singer, #1. Hmm... no offense, but he is not even the best metal singer from Finland. He's not bad, but something tells me that there are at least 70 metal singers better than him.

   His voice is captivating, even more so live. I love the range of his voice, which might not be as wide as the other mentioned artists, but he definitely is one of my favorites.

   Yeah, Marco has a tenor range, but he can reach very low notes as well. Check The Islander by Nightwish.

4. Rob Halford

   

   Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford (born August 25, 1951) is an English singer and songwriter. He co-founded the heavy metal band Judas Priest in 1969 and has served as its lead vocalist throughout most of its history. Halford is often called the "Metal God" and is celebrated for his powerful, wide-ranging... read more

   This list totally fails - 36 names so far, and Rob Halford hasn't been mentioned yet?!?

   Thank God Dio, Dickinson, and Kiske are already in the top 10! Let's get Rob Halford and Hansi Kürsch up there where they belong, too!

5. Michael Kiske

   

   Michael Kiske (born January 24, 1968) is a German singer best known as the former lead vocalist of the power metal band Helloween.

   He fronted Helloween during their rise to international prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, contributing his distinctive high-range voice to albums such... read more

   He's the best rock/metal singer on earth, no question. Brutal, clear sound in a funny character from Germany! GOD!

   Clean voice and singing with high pitch mouth very close to microphone without any sound break.

   His voice is still amazing after all these years!

6. Attila Dorn

   

   Karsten Brill, born on October 27, 1970, is best known by his stage name Attila Dorn. He is a German singer and has been the lead vocalist of the power metal band Powerwolf since 2003. Brill studied classical opera at the National University of Music Bucharest.

   Attila's voice is exceptionally powerful. The fact that people don't know him as well as other singers (Marco Hietala, Dio, etc.) is what makes him so underrated. His operatic yet harsh style makes him unique from a lot of the typical high-pitched metal singers.

   His voice conveys power even at very high notes.

   My favorite vocalist of all. He is the reason Powerwolf is my favorite band. His strong voice is good for high and low, soft and loud, and all sorts of things.

   Sadly, I never get to hear him sing anything simply about life itself or anything romantic when I am in those moods. But when I am up for powerful sounds with powerful lyrics, I listen to him first and their band!

7. Roy Khan (Kamelot)

   

   Roy Sætre Khantatat, known professionally as Roy Khan or simply Khan, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. He was the lead vocalist for the symphonic power metal band Kamelot from 1997 until his departure in 2011.

   During his tenure, he co-wrote most of the band's songs with guitarist and founder... read more

   Should be number 1! Unique voice and stage presence. Very talented man. Miss him.

   Just the most perfect voice in the world and the most emotional singer.

   You will find both Heaven and Hell in his voice. And you will have no words to describe it.

8. Tobias Sammet

   

   Tobias Sammet (born November 21, 1977) is a German metal musician best known as the vocalist and primary songwriter for the power metal band Edguy. He is also the founder, lead singer, and principal creative force behind the metal opera project Avantasia.... read more

   He is now #6, and it's exactly where he should be based on his incredible vocal skills. His tone reminds me of Bruce Dickinson, and I love it. Try Nailed to the Wheel by Edguy.

   Number 5 now! A great singer that keeps delivering in each of his albums. Amazing voice!

   Tobias is the best vocalist in the entire world. Not a fan mode on...

9. Hansi Kürsch

   

   Hansi Kürsch (born Hans Jürgen Kürsch on August 10, 1966) is the lead singer, lyricist, co-composer, and former bassist of the German power metal band Blind Guardian. He has cited Freddie Mercury as a major influence and often creates rich, overlapping choir effects by overdubbing his own voice multiple... read more

   Easily TOP 5! One of the vocal gods in metal. His skills are remarkable, but one thing never ceases to amaze me: those angelic/demonic dimensions of his voice and Hansi's ability to switch from raw demonic to soft melancholic tone (and vice versa) in less than a second! No one else does that so powerfully and beautifully! (e.g., My Last Sunrise, Heaven Denies, Path of Glory, Love's Tragedy Asunder by Demons & Wizards).

   His extremely aggressive thrashy tone is awesome, too (e.g., Majesty, Banish from Sanctuary, Valhalla by Blind Guardian). He's got the most passionate and emotive voice ever and always moves me.

   Hansi is just one of a kind metal singer who is amazing live, too.

10. Tony Kakko

    

    Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer, and vocalist. He's been the frontman, primary songwriter, and creative force behind the power metal band Sonata Arctica since its founding in 1996.

    Under his leadership, Sonata Arctica released multiple albums beginning with Ecliptica... read more

    He has so much emotion and power in his voice. Unbelievable and mostly underrated. Made enough covers to prove that he can do more than rock/metal. Listen to "Nothing Compares 2 U" or "My Heart Will Go On."

    Tony is one of my favorite vocalists. He has such an incredible tone to his voice and he sings with so much emotion in every song.

    One of the greatest power metal singers. Wide vocal range, explosive and magical. Impressive on stage.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Aaron Lewis

    

    Aaron Lewis is an American musician who is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the rock group Staind. With the band, he has released seven studio albums, and he has also pursued a solo country music career, releasing albums such as Town Line and Sinner.... read more

12. ?

    Ryan Clark

    
The Contenders

13. Geoff Tate

    

    Geoff Tate is a German-born American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. He fronted the band through their most commercially successful period during the 1980s and 1990s.... read more

    Take Hold of the Flame is a song powerful enough to get him to the top of the list.

14. Jari Maenpaa

    

    Jari Mäenpää (born December 23, 1977) is a Finnish heavy metal multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. He is the founder of the metal band Wintersun, for which he records all instruments in the studio. Before forming Wintersun, Mäenpää was best known for his role as the vocalist and guitarist in... read more

15. King Diamond

    

    Kim Bendix Petersen, better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish heavy metal musician. He is known for his extensive vocal range, usually sung in falsetto. King Diamond was originally known as the vocalist for Mercyful Fate but has become renowned for his horror-themed concept albums released... read more

    He changes between falsetto, clean, and guttural vocals effortlessly. And he still does it at his age (62).

16. Matt Barlow

    

    Matthew "Matt" Barlow is an American heavy metal singer and former police officer. He was the lead singer for Iced Earth during the 1990s and 2000s.

    After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Barlow left music to become a police officer and serve his community. He returned to music in 2007 and is currently... read more

    His voice is like a huge ocean tide. Definitely top 10.

17. Kai Hansen

    

    Kai Michael Hansen is a heavy metal guitarist and vocalist. Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of the power metal band Gamma Ray. He is also the co-founder and former member of the German metal band Helloween and played a major role in the development of the European power metal genre... read more

18. Tommy Karevik

    

    Tommy Karevik is a Swedish metal vocalist, best known as the singer for metal bands Seventh Wonder and Kamelot. He joined Kamelot in 2012, replacing Roy Khan, and has recorded several albums with the band. Karevik is recognized for his dynamic vocal range and theatrical stage presence.

    Probably the best-balanced singer on the list. Still learning, but nowadays should be in the top 5. Just listen to Seventh Wonder's albums. Seventh Wonder has extremely amazing vocal melodies, and their live versions and the Kamelot ones are more than great.

    Just listening to the concept album Mercy Falls by Seventh Wonder, his voice is captivating. If you need proof, listen to Live in Atlanta.

    Also, Kamelot's Silverthorn is a masterpiece. Simply an amazing vocalist.

19. Timo Kotipelto

    

    Timo Antero Kotipelto is the vocalist of the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and is the creator and vocalist of the power metal band Kotipelto. In addition to his work with these bands, he has contributed to various metal projects and is known for his distinct tenor voice. He has been active in... read more

    Come on guys, what a powerful voice. He makes our days live. I can't describe with words how much this guy means for our universe. Listen to his voice and feel the song! Then you'll find the truth of the masterpiece soul.

20. Bobby Blitz Ellsworth

    

    Robert Ellsworth, mainly known as Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, is the lead vocalist of the New Jersey thrash metal band Overkill. He co-founded the band in the 1980s and has remained its frontman through numerous lineup changes. Overkill is regarded as one of the pioneering bands of East Coast thrash metal... read more

21. Andreas Bergh

22. Benjamen Sotto

23. Corey Taylor

    

    Corey Todd Taylor was born on December 8, 1973. He is an American musician, author, and actor best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the nu-metal band Slipknot and the hard rock/alternative metal band Stone Sour. Taylor has also published books and appeared in films and on television.... read more

24. Warrel Dane

    

    Warrel in Sanctuary's two albums "Refuge Denied" and "Future Tense" in the late 80s created some of the most wicked high-pitch vocals ever. The guy is a freak of nature. He didn't just sing high. He could enunciate and was controlled. Still gives me chills.

    He is still around and a fine singer, but probably can't hit the high notes consistently anymore. A shame, but I am enjoying his newer stuff because the guy still sounds great, but lower.

25. Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens

26. Phil Anselmo

    

    Philip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the former lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the vocalist for the heavy metal bands Down and Superjoint Ritual. Anselmo has also been involved in various side projects and collaborations within the... read more

27. James Hetfield

    

    James Alan Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963. He is an American musician, singer, and songwriter known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for the American thrash metal band Metallica. He helped form the iconic thrash metal group in 1981 after answering... read more

    80s Hetfield was probably the best of his time, but now, not so much. Still, he deserves to be on here.