Top 10 Most Legendary Vocalist Screams

Which Vocalist has the most legendary scream in their songs?
The Top Ten
1 Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) Chester Charles Bennington (March 20th, 1976 - July 20th, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known for being the lead singer of Linkin Park. Before he was known for Linkin Park, Bennington was the lead singer of post-grunge act Grey Daze who was heavily inspired by Stone Temple Pilots they released two albums with Chester before his death. Wake Me and No Sun Today,... read more

Incredible voice, powerful screams, meaningful lyrics, and master of screaming! No one could beat Chester when it comes on screaming. No one could scream for 17 seconds, except him! The legendary vocalist is CHESTER! Hands down...

Coming back here after he died. I remember seeing his name on the top of this list and I couldn't be prouder for my childhood hero. Now that he's gone... only his achievements remain. Rest in Peace man.

He is by far the best screamer I have ever heard. He will scream his heart out and then the next song will be a slower song and he will show no signs of vocal fatigue.

2 Corey Taylor (Slipknot) Corey Todd Taylor was born in 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 hard rock/alternative metal band Stone Sour.

He's scream is so deep and dirty, you can feel he's emotions when he sing, like disasterpiece!

3 Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) Ian Gillan is an English singer and songwriter. He originally found success as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple, and the original singer on the rock opera concept album Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber, where Gillan had the leading role (Jesus Christ).

Speaking of legendary, Child In Time is where it started. Ian Gillan screams for about 2 minutes and does it extremely good. Before him, The Beatles screamed, too, but Gillan made screams part of the singing art because his screams are well controlled and mastered. He screams on most of the songs and also, his screams are systematic on many songs - Hard Lovin' Man, Bloodsucker.

It's not only Child In Time that he screamed.He screamed in other songs too.However two of my favorite screaming songs of him is Smoke On the Water (remix version) and Highway Star(the song starts with a screaming)

Seriously I do not get why some of these singers are on this list for the GREATEST SCREAM... Daltrey and Gillian are at top of that list.

4 Rob Halford (Judas Priest) Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford is an English singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest and famed for his powerful wide ranging operatic voice.

Seriously he should be number 1 for sure just listen to painkiller before you vote
I also think that Freddie mercury should be higher up!

Painkiller, a touch of evil, victim of changes, dreamer deceiver... And Chester is number one? Guys, please.

One of the masters, truly uses screaming as an instrument and not some wall of noise.

5 Serj Tankian (System of a Down) Serj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, poet, and political activist. He's best known for being the lead singer of the Armenian/American rock band System of a Down. After System of a Down's hiatus in 2006 he began to release solo material. Some of his solo songs include: The Sky is Over, Lie Lie Lie, Harakiri, Baby, Empty... read more

Serj is an absolute legend, unique and inspiring. His vocals are intelligent, passionate and emotive. There really isn't anyone like him.

Not only are his screams legendary, but his vocals are one of the best I have ever heard. A true master at his art.

Serj can do anything he wants with his voice, INCLUDING SCREAMS. While he's not that heavy nowadays, he can still perform these as great as he used to do in System of a Down's glory days.

6 Dimash Kudaibergen Dinmukhamed Kanatuly Kudaibergenov, commonly known as Dimash Kudaibergen (born May 24th, 1994) is a Kazakh singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Dimash is best known as a contestant of Chinese talent show "Singer 2017" where he was declared a runner-up. He is also known for possessing a wide vocal range, measuring up to 5 octaves.

Dimash can scream more then 25 seconds!

7 Phil Anselmo (Pantera) Philip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the former lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Pantera. He currently is the vocalist of heavy metal bands Down and Superjoint Ritual.

No matter how much of a douchebag this guy is, he is one of the most legendary metal vocalists ever.

8 David Lee Roth (Van Halen) David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality.

Some have said the high-pitched screams, yelps and squeals heard on virtually every Roth-Halen song were actually done by bassist Michael Anthony, I don't think so. I think it was Roth. And those were such a signature sound for him, and major part of the appeal.

Only one that screams in two octaves at once. What's with his screams, such as the 'woo woo' in Somebody Get Me a Doctor. NO ONE could add those chilling screams at the end of every line like DLR. THE BEST. He should be no. 1. Gotta love the guy.

I brought my pencil! Give me something to write on!

9 Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) Maynard James Keenan, often referred to by his initials MJK, is an American musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor, best known as the vocalist for Grammy Award-winning progressive metal band Tool. He also is the singer of A Perfect Circle and Puscifer bands that vary in style.

I used to think Chester was the champion with his 17 second scream in Given Up. However, Maynard's scream in Grudge crushes it coming in around 24 seconds. He said he couldn't talk for quite some time after the recording. It's not his only good scream either... the DIE and the end of Jerk Off is great. Most all of his work has some great screaming especially the late 90's. Check out those tracks before you write him off as the best screamer ever!

To the idiot that said no one can yell for 17 say seconds like the crappy Linkin Park singer, Tool- the grudge 25 second scream. Also jerk off is a crazy scream you tube Maynard James Keenan best screams 11m of insanity then make this list again, Maynard and tool are by far underrated even though they are the best alternative band of all time

Listen to him scream "DIE! " at the end of Jerk Off and I guarantee you'll all see why he deserves to be in the top 5.

10 Eric Adams (Manowar) Eric Adams has been the singer of the American heavy metal band Manowar since its inception in 1980. Previously, he sang for a group called LOOKS, a band which also included future Manowar bassist and childhood friend, Joey DeMaio.

By far...THE longest and continual non stop scream

He screams often and long - his scream on Thor is about 33 seconds long (go to 4:35). This is the longest scream I know.

The Contenders
11 Freddie Mercury (Queen) Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, 5th September 1946 - 24th November 1991) was a Zanzibari-born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter and record producer, known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the British rock band Queen. He also became known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range. Before he became a singer he has been in 3 other bands (Ibex, Sour Milk Sea,... read more

Yes like the visitor said he did a little bit a high pitched screaming in Under Pressure. And it was great

Ogre Battle anyone? Under Pressure has a good scream though.

Great scream in "Under pressure". What a great man he was!

12 M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) Matthew Charles Sanders, better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter and founding member of the American metalcore/alternative metal band Avenged Sevenfold.

A visitor recommended to listen to "second heartbeat" as an example of his legendary screams - ok, I listened to it twice. But there's nothing interesting there in terms of screams, let alone legendary screams.

Ending scream of god hates us live (2011)
Starting scream of beast and the harlot, second heartbeat, critical acclaim, almost easy, all live in the lbc (2008)
There you have the loudest and most powerful screams in metal :) He is the number 1 by far.

He is my idol. I love his voice

13 Lord Worm (Cryptopsy) Dan Greening, aka Lord Worm, is the original vocalist for Cryptopsy, a Canadian technical death metal band. He is also an English teacher.

About 28 seconds long, in the song Open Face Surgery.

14 James Hetfield (Metallica) 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 heavy metal band Metallica.
15 Roger Daltrey (The Who) Roger Harry Daltrey, is an English singer and actor. In a music career spanning more than 50 years, Daltrey came to prominence in the mid 1960s as the founder and lead singer of the English rock band The Who, which released fourteen singles that entered the Top 10 charts in the United Kingdom during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including "I Can't Explain", "My Generation", "Substitute", "I'm a Boy",... read more

Won't Get Fooled Again, Love Reign Over Me. He has done more, but that's all he needs. The greatest thing about his screams is they weren't just loud noises, they conveyed something. Won't Get Fooled Again showed his bitterness and frustration with the world and his desire to figh, while Love Reign Over Me showed his anguish and despair.

The song, 'Won't Get Fooled Again', on the "Who's next" album. Daltrey earned his stripes the day he recorded the standard of Rock 'n Roll screams.

"Won't Get Fooled Again" - one of the most famous screams, raw and intense. I think you can see it in the grooves on the record!

16 Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian, Demons & Wizards) Hansi Kürsch, born Hans Jürgen Kürsch, is the lead singer, lyricist, co-composer and bassist for German power metal band Blind Guardian . Heavily influenced by Freddie Mercury, he creates a huge choir effect by overdubbing his own voice multiple times in complex, overlapping vocal harmonies. He records each vocal track individually because harmonizers and "perfect pitch" programs don't work with his voice due to distortion and the natural double layer effects his vocal cords have .
His early technique made use of a more aggressive and harsher, "screaming" technique . ...read more.

His screams are awesome - powerful and very well controlled. Some of his screams are even sorta melodoc which is an achievement. He's got the screaming experience from his early material when he used "screaming" vocal technique that was more aggressive and harsher than his late stuff. My fave scream is 'Fiddler on the Green' by Demons & Wizards (4:05).

17 Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin.
18 Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) Kurt Cobain was born February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1987, he started the grunge band Nirvana, which became one of the most successful bands ever. He was a talented yet troubled grunge performer. Kurt Cobain became a rock legend in the 1990s with his band. He committed suicide at his Seattle home in 1994.

How can Kurt Cobain not be #1. Listen to his live performance of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". This guy shouldn't even be listed here. He should be on the Best Rock Howl of all time list.

In their live @Club Quattro, Nagoya, Japan 02/16/92,
Cobain bursts with a 10-second scream during 'Aneurysm'

I'm talking about scream, not metal songs etc..

He has to be number 1. His screams were raw and uninhibited.

19 Layne Staley (Alice In Chains) Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains, which he founded with guitarist Jerry Cantrell in Seattle, Washington in 1987. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s. In 2002, Staley was found dead in his home of a drug overdose.

Love hate love and Bleed the freak are only two of Staley's vocal masterpieces. I've been listening to him for over 20 years and he still takes my breath away with his vocal power and passion. RIP

For me he is the obvious number 1. I've never heard another scream that sounds like Layne's. It was so unique and filled with pain.

Layne Staley's scream is so unique and it is so powerful. His singing ability is unmatched and he is extremely underrated.

20 Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) Paul Bruce Dickinson, known professionally as Bruce Dickinson, (born 7 August 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He is most well known for being the lead singer in heavy metal band Iron Maiden and his solo career.Outside his career in music, Dickinson has pursued a number of other activities. He undertook a career as a commercial pilot for Astraeus Airlines, which led to a number of media-reported ventures such as captaining Iron Maiden's converted charter aeroplane, Ed Force One, during their world tours. Following Astraeus' closure, he created his own aircraft maintenance and pilot training company, Cardiff Aviation, in 2012. Dickinson presented his own radio show ...read more.

Number of the beast was the first thought that came to mind when I first read this topic.

21 Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia) Tobias Sammet is a German metal musician, best known as the vocalist and primary songwriter of the power metal band Edguy, as well as the founder, main singer and bassist of the metal opera Avantasia.
22 Kyo (Dir en grey) Kyo is a Japanese musician, singer, lyricist and poet. He is best known as the vocalist of the metal band Dir en grey. He has been with the band since its inception in 1997 and was formerly in La:Sadie's.
23 Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) Steven Tyler is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and former television music competition judge, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion.

While Chester Bennington is good and all, there's a reason why Steven Tyler is called the Demon of Screaming. He should at least be in the Top 3!

Tyler's voice/scream is unique and very recognizable. He should be number 1. He became super popular thanks to his legendary scream

Another one who can sing screaming, mostly in tune, e.g. "Dream On".

24 Matt Smith (Theocracy)

About 23 secs in the song Laying the Demon to Rest.

25 Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) David Randall "Randy" Blythe is the vocalist and lyricist of American heavy metal band Lamb of God and side-project band Halo of Locusts.
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