Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal and Hard Rock Singers

Please, if you're going to add to or vote on this list, try to know what you're talking about.

The Top Ten

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

One of the most skilled and consistent singers, his vocal range is amazing. He basically invented the light opera singing style in heavy metal and is still unmatched. If you want to understand his greatness, you need to listen to some examples of his skill: The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (amazing vibrato), Chemical Wedding (overall amazing vocal performance), Darkest Hour (shows that he is still very great in what he is doing), Hallowed Be Thy Name (no explanation necessary), and of course, Big Brother (the scream is unbelievable).

Simply because no one else on the list can sing anywhere near as well as him. Yet at the same time, he could cover most other bands and make their songs better than they are, including most bands in the top 10. No one even comes close to him.
At 55, he still runs around the stage for the full 2 hours and can still sing better live than anyone on the planet. Every member of Iron Maiden is number 1 in their given instruments.
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

He has always been number 2 on my list of the 5 best singers ever, right after Robert Plant, but I must admit I love them both. Recently, my parents have been doing a little redecoration of the house and called me to take my old cassettes because they knew how dear they used to be to me. Now, I can listen to "Heaven and Hell" or "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" in my car, which makes me pretty excited, although it makes my husband a bit nervous. Dio is one of a kind with his powerful voice.
His treatment and his funeral made me truly sad, but I liked the joke about Dio and the devil who wanted to seat him at his right hand. Dio replied, "Satan, get out of my throne." That one cheered me up after his death. Dio still rules!
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

Rob Halford maintains the same vocal range in the studio and on stage, whereas there are two Bruce Dickinsons: one in the studio who sings the highest notes in one-shot performances and the Bruce on stage who often sings the highest notes lower to spare his voice or simply because he can't. This was even true in live shows in 1982, but he is still a great singer. So, to me, it's 1-Rob Halford, 2-Ronnie James Dio, and 3-Bruce Dickinson.

Judas Priest is the bedrock of Heavy Metal, and Halford is the Metal God. NO ONE can say he doesn't have the Firepower to do his job. He uses his unique wide-ranging voice to the best of his ability. Even at his advanced age, his pipes are still impressive. My personal favorite, but ALL the contenders have their merits.
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

Not even close to the best singers! But like many best of lists, if greatest means a vocalist who is best for his band and the type of music they play, then he's there. His voice is no less than PERFECT for this band. I even think that his vocals actually shape a lot of their music.
Also, just like all-star lists in sports, if you do what you do for one of the BEST teams (or bands in this case), it adds extra qualifiers to the considerations.

I grew up on metal thanks to my older brother, and we would listen to Metallica, Sabbath, Maiden, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax. Then came some great nu metal bands such as Korn, Slipknot, Disturbed, Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold, Five Finger Death Punch, Machine Head. So personally, I vote for James (YEAH) because Metallica is my favorite band of all time.
But my point is, just look at all these killer metal bands, and I think we can agree that they are all amazing frontmen.
Robert Plant

Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the lead singer and lyricist of Led Zeppelin. He's celebrated for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and charismatic stage presence. After Zeppelin's dissolution, Plant released numerous solo albums... read more

Robert Plant is unbeatable. He has an amazing range, a great variety of styles, and was the father of hard rock singing, the first real top-of-your-soul screecher.
But he could also sing with emotion. His dynamic vocal interplay with the rest of the band's instruments has never been beaten, live or in the studio.

Are you joking?! Robert Plant is the father of rock singing! All the rock vocalists have been influenced by the style of Plant's singing. And the most important thing is, he did sing hard, but there was a mixture of 'heart and lungs'...
Robert Plant clearly sang to the top of his soul, not his lungs. Plant planted rock in his soul. That's why he is so soulful even after being the lead vocalist of the greatest rock band ever. So! It's just pure injustice! Robert Plant CANNOT be at no. 4! NEVER! HE MUST TOP THIS CHART!
Ozzy Osbourne

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (December 3, 1948 - July 22 2025) was an English singer, songwriter, and television personality, often nicknamed "The Prince of Darkness." He rose to fame in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath.... read more

Come on, I love Ozzy Osbourne, and he is just the best. I'm not just saying this because my name is Ozzy, but you've got to give him credit. No one is better than him. You've got to hear him play "War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Paranoid," and "Fairies Wear Boots." He rocks! How could you say the best heavy metal singer is the 9th best in the world? I mean, come on, he's better than Bruce Dickinson, by the way. You've got to hear Ozzy sing. He is the most awesome, coolest, and legendary singer ever. He rocks the place off!
Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was a Zanzibari‑born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. He achieved fame for his flamboyant stage persona and remarkable four-octave vocal range.... read more

Queen has hard rock songs too: Hammer to Fall, I Want It All, Stone Cold Crazy, Tie Your Mother Down... and Freddie was great in any genre.

Freddie Mercury is the best voice of all time. I think he should be removed from this list because his voice was incomparable.

Best vocalist of all time! And Queen, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, and a few others could be classified as hard rock/metal.
Axl Rose

William Bruce Rose Jr., better known as Axl Rose, is an American singer born on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana. He is the founding member and lead vocalist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which rose to international fame with their debut album Appetite for Destruction (1987). Known for... read more

This list is ridiculous. All of you need to check yourselves. There are definitely problems. Who is here? It's Axl Rose! The bad boy from the '80s, who is the lead singer of the greatest band in the world. No one can sing like him ever. He was the only person who had amazing voices and was a talented star in the world. Bet you don't know much about him. Kick Bruce Dickinson out of the top spot. If you know what you are voting for, think twice. There are two aspects you should consider:
1. What is the ability or something special about the singer?
2. What kind of singer are you voting for? (Heavy metal!)
That's how you rock on the stage, kids. Hit the lights and blow the fans away.
Perhaps put Robert Plant higher on this list. Don't be a thoughtless person now, man.
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

Corey Taylor, in my opinion, is one of the greatest male vocalists of all time. He has an insane vocal range, many vocal styles, and can sing anything. On top of that, he's an amazing person in general. He's intelligent, witty, humble, down to earth, passionate, well-spoken, caring, extremely funny, and incredibly handsome (the last one is subjective, but the rest are right on).
Seeing him on this list among legends like James Hetfield, Ozzy Osbourne, Freddie Mercury, Ronnie James Dio, Robert Plant, Rob Halford, Axl Rose, Brian Johnson, Ian Gillan, Steven Tyler, and Chris Cornell makes me really, really happy.

He is one of the best songwriters and has a great stage presence. No one has the crowd under control like him. He has one of the best voices in the world. His screams are brutal and sound extremely evil, and his voice for emotional songs is epic. No one puts so much feeling into his songs like he does. He has been screaming for over 10 years, and his voice is still amazing. He can sing every style of music and make the songs he covers his own.
Chester Bennington

Chester Charles Bennington (March 20, 1976 to July 20, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the lead vocalist of Linkin Park.
Before he became known for his work with Linkin Park, Bennington was the lead singer of the post-grunge band Grey Daze, which was... read more

What? Corey is higher than Chester? Chester is better! Chester has the ability to scream, sing, and growl in different kinds of tunes. No one could ever beat his legendary 18 seconds of scream!
No one, I said, NO ONE, could ever beat him! Chester deserves to be the Top 1 of the list. Linkin Park is the best! Case closed.

Everyone switches to a death growl when going to high pitch, but Chester can hold his melodic voice instead of switching to a death growl. His death growls, grunts, are also smoother than other singers.
So technically, he's the best. Those of you who think Dickinson is best, you're wrong...

The Newcomers

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Graham Bonnet

Graham Bonnet is an English rock singer and songwriter. He has performed as a solo artist and as a member of several notable hard rock and heavy metal bands. These include Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.

This singer is so underrated that he isn't even on this list. If you listen to Rainbow Live at Donington 1980 LP, you will possibly realize how underrated Bonnet is. I certainly did.
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Jack Russell

The Contenders

M. Shadows

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. He is recognized for his versatile vocal range and for helping to shape the... read more

A7X is good, but I highly doubt any of their members are top ten in their field, not even top 20. But Shadows truly deserves to be on this list, thanks to his awesome vocal.
He can sing and scream equally great. A future face of the hard rock/metal world.

The best vocalist of all time! M. Shadows has a great voice range, and he is the best. Even in the early metalcore times, his screaming was so great. But now, he is even better. Can't wait for the new Avenged Sevenfold album. M. Shadows and A7X forever!

What the hell? Matt Shadows is at number 9? He should be in the top three! He is the best vocalist of this time. How can he be in this position? I totally disagree with this list. Haven't you guys heard the songs of A7X?
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

I haven't missed a tour in 16 years. Great range like most vocalists on here. What really makes Anselmo unique is he has multiple successful bands. Unlike most singers, his other bands all sound different. Different styles of music AND different styles of vocals. See Cowboys from Hell, Stone the Crow, and F*** Your Enemy.

Listen to Cemetery Gates, people. This guy's range is unbelievable. From the high notes he can hold to the heaviness he can deliver on the mic and his great lyrical work, this guy should no doubt be in the top 5.
Bon Scott

Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. He was born in Forfar, Scotland, and lived in Kirriemuir for five years before moving to Melbourne, Australia, in 1952 at... read more

If it weren't for Ronald Belford Scott, you would've never heard of Brian Johnson or even AC/DC as a whole. He was one of the best songwriters and showmen ever. It almost seems that everyone who has cast a vote on this list is still driving around with Back in Black stuck in their tape deck. No, no, wait a minute, I don't have time to explain that one. So, go ask your mother what a tape deck is.

Bon Scott was the incarnation of Rock'n Roll. His wild voice still sounds as rough as an animal's scream. He lived like a true rockin' man.
His personality and charisma will never be forgotten. He died as he lived, savage and fast. God bless you, Bon.
Ian Gillan

Ian Gillan is an English singer and songwriter. He first gained fame as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple, contributing to iconic songs such as Smoke on the Water. Gillan also performed the role of Jesus in the original 1970 rock‑opera concept album Jesus Christ Superstar, composed by Andrew... read more

I truly believe his best vocal performance is an aria from Jesus Christ Superstar: "Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)". It's available on YouTube, and it's mind-blowing. Just make sure it's his version because this song has many covers. But Gillan was the original performer of this epic piece. He was the original Jesus Christ. Gillan is the most underrated rock/metal singer of all time.

In his prime, Gillan had a bona fide 3-octave voice. Nobody before, or since, could have ever replicated his incredible 3-tiered screams on Child in Time. For those who have not experienced that awesome performance from DP's In Rock album (also live on Made in Japan), check it out. I guarantee it will blow you away. Cheers.
Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the Australian rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 as a member of the band. As of April 2016, he was unable to participate in the remainder of the Rock or Bust World... read more

Brian Johnson should be number one. He has helped take AC/DC, a really good group, into one of the top five bands in history. He sacrifices his voice for his band and all of the fans who love this band. His vocals on Hells Bells and For Those About To Rock are untouchable. Best Hard Rock Vocalist of all time, Brian Johnson!
My top 10:
1. Brian Johnson. 2. Axl Rose. 3. Tom Keifer (Cinderella). 4. Robert Plant. 5. Bruce Dickinson. 6. Rob Halford. 7. Rik Emmet (Triumph singer). 8. Roger Daltrey. 9. Ronnie James Dio. 10. Bon Scott

"For Those About To Rock." Need I say more? That song alone is light years beyond anybody's vocal ability, even Brian Johnson's. In all seriousness, the best gritty, hard rock vocalist of all time.
Dave Mustaine

David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor, and author. He was the original lead guitarist of Metallica before being dismissed in 1983. Afterward, he formed the band Megadeth, where he became the lead vocalist and primary creative force.... read more

The fact that Dave Mustaine wanted Diamond Head's lead singer to be Megadeth's frontman is completely nuts. He is the third-best singer of all time, just after Robert Plant and John Lennon.

At first, I didn't like him. But he's the perfect singer for Megadeth. Even Cornell couldn't replace him in Megadeth.

Just listen to his growls on Holy Wars... The Punishment Due or on Mechanix.
Chris Cornell

Christopher John "Chris" Cornell (July 20, 1964 to May 18, 2017) was an American rock musician and singer-songwriter. He was best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the frontman of Audioslave. Renowned for his powerful voice, he possessed a wide... read more

Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, and Freddie Mercury should all be in the top ten. Kick out Chester Bennington, M Shadows, and Corey Taylor. If we're going to talk about pure vocal power and awesomeness, then you have to go with Chris. He has a four-octave range, screams, clean tones, and the ability to sing tons of different types of music, ranging from metal to moody rock (Like a Stone). In addition, he does this all while playing guitar.
Myles Kennedy shares the same attributes and he's one of my favorites as well. Both of them should be in the top ten.

Chris has the unique ability to whip and caress the listener at the same time, to project the whole range of emotions to the listener while playing a steady rhythm guitar at the same time. He is music, and not confined to one style or expression only. Spanning a full four octaves is impressive, but a stupid measurement for voice quality, actually. It's the amount of soul in the voice, and the singer's ability to reach out and touch his or her audience that really defines a great vocalist.
Serj Tankian

Serj Tankian (Armenian: Սերժ Թանգյան. Born August 21, 1967) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, poet, and political activist.
He is best known as the lead vocalist of the Armenian-American rock band System of a Down. After the... read more

This guy's all about opinion. Personally, I think he's got the best range and repertoire of all the modern metal singers, but I don't think enough people like him enough to consider him to be one of the top ten metal vocalists.
I'd like him to be higher, but it probably won't happen.

His range is much wider than almost all the others on this list. He can go faster than most rappers, with a vocabulary that you just don't see many people practice.
In my opinion, he would have to be much higher. I guess he isn't because many don't know him.
Layne Staley

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.... read more

Number 30 is very high for this extremely talented singer. His ability to make you feel, not just hear, the music was amazing. I can only imagine the music he would have created if he was still with us.
Thankfully, we still have a piece of him to remind us how great he truly was. Rest in Peace, Layne Thomas... We will always remember you.

The man. The genius. He could fit right in every type of composition, possessing such a wide range. From blues, hard rock/heavy metal, sludgy doom metal to country-laden acoustic tunes, he could pull them all off with ease.
Lemmy Kilmister

Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer, and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. He was a bassist and a singer known for his raspy voice and aggressive playing style. He died in 2015 from prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure... read more

The most original voice coming from the first heavy metal band. Inspirational for every single singer on this list.

Not the best ever, but should be way higher. Lemmy carried Motörhead for nearly forty years and is an icon of everything metal stands for. Metal forever.
Maynard James Keenan

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

Ok. This guy is up there with all the grunge singers. He's better than Brian Johnson for sure. In terms of uniqueness, this guy takes the cake. He is instantly recognizable and has awesome range.
In addition, he is one of the few singers I know who actually sounds better when he sings louder. He should be in the top ten.

His lyrics, vocals, and emotions are just phenomenal. Hetfield used to be my favorite, but after I discovered the almighty MAYNARD, I never looked back. No one will ever be as godly as him.
Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler is an American singer-songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith. He also plays harmonica and occasionally keyboard and percussion. Tyler served as a judge on American Idol during its 10th season (2011), among other television... read more

I'm a 70s person. The albums Aerosmith made in that period, culminating in the Live Bootleg double album, show Steven Tyler at his best. Top songs include Back in the Saddle, Draw the Line, and Dream On.

Are you kidding me? Top five, at least.
Michael Poulsen

Michael Schøn Poulsen is a Danish vocalist and guitarist. He's currently the lead singer and primary songwriter of the band Volbeat, which blends rock, metal, and rockabilly influences. Before forming Volbeat, Poulsen was the vocalist for the death metal band Dominus.

He's simply awesome! If you don't know who he is, he's the vocalist of Volbeat!

Unbelievable singer. Unique voice and superb range.
Jonathan Davis

Jonathan Howsmon Davis (born January 18, 1971), also known as JD and JDevil, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of the nu metal band Korn, which is considered a pioneering act of the nu metal genre.... read more

Why is Jonathan Davis of KoRn ranked at 22 now? I don't get it. KoRn is one of the most successful Nu-metal bands alongside Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. The thing is, KoRn invented Nu-Metal. I love KoRn and their music and effort. Head is back. David is not, but I don't really care because I understand some KoRn fans say, "David had more funky beats in his drums," which is pretty true. However, let's give Ray some credit, respect, and love. There is nothing wrong with Ray Luzier, who's been in KoRn since 2007.
Not only that, but Jonathan said in an interview that he had a "normal hell childhood"... "Normal childhood?" No. His childhood and teen years weren't normal at all. He was treated badly by his dad, step-mom, cheerleaders, classmates, teachers, and the principal in high school. I also heard he was molested before high school. Yes, all of this came from a teen KoRn fan. I've been listening to KoRn like crazy since I was 12 years old and will soon be 16. Call me potty mouth for my foul language, but Jonathan Davis deserves a better ranking than 22. I am just really saying this out loud on TheTopTens. I mean it.
Tom Araya

Tomás Enrique "Tom" Araya Díaz is a Chilean-American musician best known as the bassist and vocalist of the American thrash metal band Slayer. He joined Slayer in 1981 and remained with the band until their retirement in 2019. Araya is recognized for his powerful vocal delivery and stage presence.

No one can match his screams. Araya has a true metal voice. Listen to Angel of Death, and you can feel the power he brings. Slayer!

Slayer's voice, Tom Araya, is a powerful thrash metal voice in metal.

Tom has been doing it for over thirty years.