Top 10 Best Rock Singers of All Time
When it comes to rock music, the singer is often the heart and soul of the band, the one who takes the raw energy of the music and transforms it into something unforgettable. Rock singers come in all forms - gritty, soulful, smooth, raspy - but they all have one thing in common: they bring the songs to life in a way that connects with the listener on a deeper level. Whether it's through the pure power of their voice, their incredible stage presence, or the emotion they pour into every lyric, these artists have become legends for a reason.But who truly stands above the rest? Some might say it's all about vocal range, while others might argue that raw emotion or the ability to get a crowd going is what really counts. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, and that's what makes this discussion so fun and meaningful.
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... read more My all-time favorite singer since the first time I heard Bohemian Rhapsody in the 70s. The best stage presence. You can't take your eyes off of him.
Do I even have to say why Mercury is Rock's finest? His voice is adaptable to pretty much every single genre known to man. His vocal range is astounding, his charisma with the audience is awe-inspiring, and his singing and songwriting skills are unmatched even today.
I could say more, but I'm sure everyone knows by now, Freddie tops them all. Dying from HIV, throat problems, a smoker, and tired, yet he still performed. Freddie Mercury = the musical equivalent of God.
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... read more Chester had so much power. Even live, he could hold those notes you wouldn't expect. He was incredible. I'm trying to learn to cover some of his best work to improve my own singing.
Chester definitely deserves to be here. In my opinion, he should be at the top! I'm not quite sure where his voice came from, but it's really just incredible. The screaming is amazing. The singing is amazing. And even then, he can sing in so many different ways, all perfectly.
He can sing so softly and beautifully (The Little Things Give You Away), he can sing emotionally, he can be aggressive. It's amazing. He's definitely the best singer I've ever heard!
John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 1940 - 8 December 1980), was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and political activist. He rose to worldwide fame as the co-founder, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in... read more I can't find the words to express my surprise. This is obviously a popularity contest, and there's nothing wrong with that. Even in this context, in what fabulous world is the top three not made up of Robert Plant, John Lennon, and, if you really want a recent singer, Axl Rose? It's not a question of being legendary but the reason why you are. Every music lover must fall in love with the things Plant used to do. It's a mystery how he sang like that and a source of inspiration for generations to come.
Echelons, pay attention: Jared Leto is probably ashamed to see a list like this. It's offensive not just for Plant, Morrison, Presley, Osbourne, Vedder, Joplin, and so on, but also for him. People are not paying the legitimate tribute to where the music came from.
Jared played the role of Mark David Chapman, and this, in my humble opinion, was a deep tribute of love. That day, Chapman stole one of the greatest musicians, perhaps ever born, from all of us. God gave us a new one, a certain guy named Kurt Cobain. It's not only about having a great voice but what you can do with that.
If you don't believe in God, these men might make you change your mind. That's what makes them sublime. To love music is not about being fanatics. It's about being ecstatic. Loving music is a form of respect for the astonishing power of beauty.
John Lennon doesn't need to be listed first. He'll still be listed in 500 years. That's what matters.
John Lennon.
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. Definitely the greatest and the original Rock God. Everyone else you see fronting a band and trying to look sexy with long hair and skinny jeans is nothing more than an imitator, whether consciously or subconsciously.
Okay, this might be the worst list I've ever seen. Of course, the number 1 spot is the obvious choice, but everything else is just plain wrong. Chester Bennington at No. 2? He has a good voice, I'll admit that, but it's nothing compared to legends like Steven Tyler or Robert Plant. He's still pretty young and has begun to use technology to save his voice, while Tyler is almost 70 and still going strong.
And no other singer, not even Freddie Mercury, did for rock what Robert Plant did. He has a beautiful, timeless voice that is instantly recognizable. He begins with soft, pretty tones and turns aggressive all of a sudden, like in Stairway to Heaven or Over the Hills and Far Away. Not a single voice except Freddie's is as iconic for rock 'n' roll as Robert's.
William Bruce Rose Jr., better known as 'Axl Rose', is an American singer born on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana. He Is the founder and lead singer of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. He is a celebrated but controversial figure in the world of rock. He was the inspiration for my singing career. I had no idea just how great he was when I was younger. I was just imitating him as a kid.
When I got older, I realized I had developed such a huge vocal range. I thought everyone could sing anything. Then I was told it was because I always sang along to GNR records as a kid that I developed my range without realizing it. So thank you, Axl!
Axl and Freddie Mercury share the number one spot. The two greatest vocals ever. No one can sing their songs like they did. They had a great voice and knew how to use it with perfection.
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the lead vocalist and a co-founder of the Rolling Stones. To me, singers like Jagger and Daltrey really fit this category, along with some that are rated much later on, like Bob Seger, John Kay, and John Cougar Mellencamp. Seger? I mean, come on, even his slow songs rock. I think we have to acknowledge that the best ROCK is not the same as the best singer.
There is a rawness and a roughness to singing rock that many listed in the top 50 don't have to the extent that Seger or Jagger have. It's more bluesy. John Fogerty is another one who should be way higher.
Absolute legend. The perfect showman who was made for rock and the blues.
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame with the rock band the Beatles, one of the most popular and influential groups in the history of pop and rock... read more He is better than Mercury. During his prime, he had a vocal range of nearly 5 octaves, almost one more than Mercury. And he had an even greater variety in his repertoire.
Mercury stole a lot from his singing style. No wonder, as Mercury considered The Beatles as his musical Bible.
He gets my vote. He could sing beautifully, as in Let It Be, or rough it up (listen to Oh Darling off Abbey Road). I saw him live a few years back, and even in his seventies, he is still a fantastic singer and entertainer.
Paul McCartney should be way higher on this list. Some of the people on this list don't even qualify as singers.
Jared Joseph Leto is an American actor, singer-songwriter, and director. He is well known for being the lead singer of Thirty Seconds to Mars. For everyone with negative comments about him, take a step back and take a long look at his talent. He is a modern era rock singer who made it cool to be a rocker in an environment where electronic, hip hop, and rap dominate the audiences. On top of that, his voice seamlessly blends with slow ballads such as 100 Suns to being able to scream through The Kill. A true multi-genred master that people shouldn't criticize ignorantly.
For those of you complaining, I would venture to guess that you've never really heard Jared Leto sing. Just because he's a great actor doesn't mean he can't also be a terrific singer. Guess what... he is! He has a beautiful timbre, range, and power. He can be soft and soulful or scream like Chester. He's a terrific frontman, charismatic.
If you're living on your memories of the '70s, you just won't appreciate anyone who has come later. This man is the most successful actor and rock star of all time. No one has had two careers like he has. By the way, I'm not a kid, and I do know good music when I hear it.
Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known as the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 1998. I guess we need to consider the distinction between rock "singers" and rock "vocalists." Steve Perry tops the list of rock singers by far. Freddie Mercury is up there, too, but with the ability to isolate vocals through AI in recent years, Steve Perry's technical delivery, as well as his perfect pitch and tonation, reveal that he really does surpass Freddie Mercury.
Back in the day, Queen was my very favorite band - until I saw Journey live in 1981. Steve Perry was mind-blowing, and he did it night after night after night.
I would suggest everyone check out those past recordings, especially the live ones. He (and Journey) was much more than their "hits."
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, and poet best remembered as the lead singer of the Doors. That voice melted me in Riders on the Storm, Roadhouse Blues, Waiting for the Sun, Touch Me, Who Do You Love (live), LIGHT MY FIRE (live), and so many more. He's got the best voice (in my opinion) and is also a very talented poet and songwriter.
His scream at the intro to When the Music's Over pretty much defines him as the greatest rock singer. Also, why would they possibly put Axl Rose in front of John Lennon?
Hetfield, Rose, Bennington, Shadows, Leto, and the majority of the other names on this list most likely grew up with a poster of Jim Morrison hanging on their bedroom wall. Easily the best "frontman" of all time.
The Newcomers
Roy Kelton Orbison, professionally known as Roy Orbison, nicknamed Big O, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and musician, mostly known for his complex voice and for hits such as, "Oh, Pretty Woman". Seriously, Roy Orbison is regarded as one of the best rock vocalists ever. He's at number 80?
Elvis Presley said Orbison was "the best singer in the world" and that he would never share the stage with him because he couldn't compete. Pretty amazing.
Christopher John "Chris" Cornell was an American rock musician and singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter and rhythm guitarist for Seattle rock band Soundgarden and as former lead vocalist and songwriter for the supergroup Audioslave. His vocal range was C2 to A5, while... read more Rated way too low. Mercury deserves number 1. I'd even compromise and say Plant or Perry for 2/3, but NO ONE else above him on this list even touches Cornell. His range is amazing, and even more impressive is the fact that he can keep the grunge edge to his voice across four octaves. That is nothing short of amazing.
He pours his heart into every note he sings and is an unbelievably talented songwriter. The fact that Jared Leto and Chester Bennington are 2 and 3 is a testament to how many teenage fanboys occupy this site. Not even worth mentioning. Chris Cornell is a god. Start voting!
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. Are you guys crazy? Leto is in the top three and this rock 'n' roll master is down here. It seems like a bunch of teenage girls came to this website and thought, "Uhh, Jared is cute, let's vote for him." You guys are really like ladies!
This man showed us how to walk this way, didn't he? I mean, Mercury and Plant deserve the top two, but Steven should be at least somewhere in the top five! Oh well, let's hope those teenage girls have some grandparents who could go on this website and make it a fair game...
Can someone please explain to me why Jared Leto is at number 3, while the Demon of Screaming is not even in the Top 10? Oh, and is that Kurt Cobain I see below this? Uhh... Mick Jagger? Ozzy Osbourne at 29? And guys, where's Elvis Presley? Oh, there he is, at 49.
Thank God Freddie Mercury and Robert Plant are in the top 2, else my sanity would be gone.
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined... read more The greatest rock star who has ever lived, one in a billion. The king of music forever, the brightest light that ever shone. It doesn't get any better than Elvis. We all miss you, King. Thank you for visiting us. It just wasn't long enough.
Those on this list above him? Poor attempts at emulating him. No chance!
Elvis was, is, and always will be the most fantastic, fabulous, greatest rock star who ever lived on the third rock from the sun. It may be that he is number 8 here, but the reality is that he is number 1 and always will be.
He was very, very special, and no one will ever equal him. Rest in peace, Big E.
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. Matt Shadows is the best around. City of Evil is their best album, in my opinion, but it's close. Their new stuff is so good with Hail to the King and Shepard of Fire. Not only are they good on the radio, but live, Matt is a beast. Enough said, Matt should be number one!
M. Shadows is really cool, and I wonder how he maintained his voice like that in "Nightmare." Awesome voice. He's way better than Jared Leto, Chester Bennington, Jim Morrison, and Mick Jagger. He should be number 2 or 3, or something between 1 to 5. He's got a great ROCK voice. Everyone should understand.
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... read more What! This god of music should be No. 4 at least, behind Bono, Freddie, and John Lennon. How can Chester Bennington, James Hetfield, Ozzy Osbourne, and that 30 Seconds to Mars singer be ahead of this guy!
If he was alive, Nirvana would've put all other bands to shame. Kurt had a truly blessed voice. Listen to Come as You Are, Heart-Shaped Box, and The Man Who Sold the World. RIP Kurt.
Kurt Cobain. What an amazing voice, what deep, meaningful lyrics. I love his songwriting. NIRVANA is the BEST. He was a great person with a beautiful soul.
I wasn't even alive when he died, but I still miss him. He definitely deserves to be higher on this list. R.I.P. Kurt, I love you!
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... read more 15th place is definitely not the correct place for Bruce Bruce to be. His vocal range is ridiculously high, and he, unlike most people, does not use falsetto at the really high notes. Truly talented.
Listen to Aces High. He can hit the high D, and in a later scream, a high G. But obviously, the most blood-chilling moment has to be his high A in The Number of the Beast. You know that scream near the beginning of the song? That's what I'm talking about.
I think Freddy is the best, but Bruce Dickinson is second best. Robert Plant should be third.
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. I can't describe it really, but he mostly makes the lyrics, and there is often a meaning behind them. Often very straightforward, like in One. It's obviously about a guy who stepped on a landmine, but how does it feel to be trapped in yourself, blocked from the real world?
And Unforgiven, even if it's about how it was back then, still makes me wonder. Metallica also saved me from myself, really. And for heaven's sake, he is a big part of Metallica!
From his young high-pitched sound on KEA, to the signature growl on AJFA and the Black Albums, to more recently with more melodic sounds, Papa Het has run the gamut on vocal sounds. Each one signifies rock and metal.
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948. He is also known as ''The Prince of Darkness''. Ozzy is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath... read more Ozzy has one of the greatest rock voices of all time. His unique tone is instantly recognizable, and he can sing different types of music. For example, Rock/Heavy Metal (Crazy Train), clean rock/soul (Dreamer), and even pop rock (Changes). Ozzy has played with some of the greatest musicians of all time, such as Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, and Tony Iommi.
Ozzy also frontlined Black Sabbath, one of the most famous bands of all time. He can still sing at the age of 65, after all the abuse he has thrown at his body through drugs and alcohol, and he still performs live many times each year. Ozzy is not named the Prince of Darkness for nothing. He should definitely be number 1.
Ann Dustin Wilson (born June 19, 1950) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the hard rock band Heart. Ann is in the Rock Hall of Fame with Heart, and is listed as one of the best metal singers of all time by Hit Parader. She is widely viewed as one of, if not the... read more It's such a shame how people can't put aside that she is a female. Ann Wilson has the greatest rock voice that will ever come to our ears.
Ann is my all-time favorite female rock singer. High octave range. Flawless!
Go listen to a Heart album, that is all - incredible vocalist.
Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona; July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter and musician. He fronted and/or founded numerous groups including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture... read more The top of the hill for metal singers. If you did not vote for Dio, it means you never really listened to Dio (especially his Sabbath and Rainbow years).
Number 20? Are you people nuts? Do you really think that Chester Bennington, Jared Leto, and M. Shadows are better singers than Dio?
Dio was one of the most influential and talented singers in history. Shame on you, voters!
There was and there is no better singer. No one can reach him. He is the king of Rock and Roll. It's a shame to put him behind Ozzy, Ian Gillan, or Bon Jovi.
Amy Lynn Hartzler, known professionally as Amy Lee, is an American singer-songwriter, classically trained pianist and composer. She is also the lead singer to the Arkansas band Evanescence. I love her so much. I'm addicted to her. Her songs are amazing. I get into great feelings when I listen to her gorgeous voice. God, what a beautiful singer. Her style is amazing too. I just hope that people see right through the perspective I looked through a long time ago and live in the world that she made for us. Hope to see her once in my life.
Simply the best singer. She should be the most important role model for all female rockstars. She should be in the top ten, just after Freddie Mercury.
So amazing, the feeling I get when I listen to her gorgeous voice and performance. Her style is so cool. Keep it up, Amy Lee!
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. He was born in Forfar and lived in Kirriemuir, Scotland, for 5 years before moving to Melbourne, Australia,... read more Bon represents something that is sadly lacking from many bands today: humor. He knew that it was all a game. His lyrics are playful, original, and perfectly balanced. A huge talent without whom we may never even have heard of AC/DC.
He was the personification of the ultimate Rocker, and every AC/DC album he was on is a pure classic. Scott had the charisma that no modern-day frontman has.
Cheers,
old rocker
Slander, he should be in the top 15 at least. His lyrics are genius, and he could be poetic and reflective. His voice is extremely iconic and instantly recognizable. Two seconds into any 70's AC/DC song, and you know it's the band, and that's Bon. Plus, on stage, he dressed up, danced with Angus, and matched his energy perfectly.
Adam Wade Gontier is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for both Saint Asonia and Three Days Grace. Gontier initially left Three Days Grace in January 2013 but rejoined the band in October 2024. He is known for his distinctive gritty vocal... read more I saw him live. His voice is so unique on record. I had no idea he could sound the exact same live. I was blown away. No one on Earth sounds like him, and I love his voice.
No! Adam has changed my life with his lyrics and vocals. He deserves to be higher.
How can somebody have such power and emotion in one voice?
John Francis Bongiovi, Jr., better known by his stage name Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, philanthropist, and actor, best known as the founder and frontman of the hair band Bon Jovi from, which was founded by Jon and his pianist, David Bryan, in 1983. He is famous for... read more His voice in his prime was really something special, people forget that because he lost that amazing voice apparently too soon.
But he didn't lose it that young. He was in his mid-50s or early 50s. Probably quite young, but he still gave us a long time with that beautiful voice.
I don't know what the problems are with Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. I mean, they both should be in the top 5 in the best singers and guitarists lists. Jon has passion in himself. See the 1995 live concert in Wembley, and you will know how he is.
Arguably, he should be in the top 5.
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... read more Seriously, Daltrey is the original rock god. Plant and anyone else were trailing in his footsteps, and none could match his power and charisma. Always and forever the best.
Roger is amazing. He is my second favorite singer, behind Geddy Lee. Pete is good too, but not Roger Daltrey good. Roger Daltrey is amazing!
Really! John Lennon should not even be on this list, let alone ahead of Roger Daltrey. He has a powerful voice. Listen to We Won't Get Fooled Again.