For whatever reason all my favorite vocalists, that come to mind, are females. Neko Case is probably number one right now. I also really like:
* Mimi Parker (Low)
* Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney)

Maybe Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers) for a male vocalist....

Also, props to "St. Ides Heaven" for mentioning "I Found A Reason". One of my favorite songs...

Wow Machols! I thought that the Lovage album was great, but then I enjoy Dan the Automator, Elysian Fields and Mike Patton. The Dillinger Escape Plan are horrible everywhere else but on the album with Patton! Their other singer(don't know the new one)was awful. They are like the Mars Volta, great musicianship, horrid vocals! I wouldn't call Patton a goober at all and I think he has a lot of soul, it is quite evident on Mr.Bungle's California album. Also, his Ipecac label is the best label out there right now. He has helped put out awesome albums by Kaada, J.G. Thirwell(Foetus, Steroid Maximus), Kid 606, Melvins, Dalek, Isis, The Lucky Stars, Tomahawk, Sensational, Pink Anvil, Skeleton Key, Ruins, the Young Gods, Yoshimi and Yuka, and tons more! Why care how old he is? Does age matter with David Bowie? Of course not, he is still capable of singing well and writing excellent songs, and so is Mike Patton! Try singing along to Adult Themes For Voice, have fun...

opinions opinions opinions...beware

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Machols,

I'll agree with the poster who listed Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Rock-wise:

Todd Rundgren. His A Cappella is one of the most astonishing performances I've ever heard; even though a lot of the background vocals are Emulated, the lead vocals and sung background vocals (all by Rundgren) are mind-blowing, and range from hard rock ("Blue Orpheus," "Lockjaw") to Philly soul ("Lost Horizon," "Pretending to Care") to gospel ("Mighty Love," "Hodja") and the great Appalachian hymn "Honest Work," whose harmonies will make the hair on your neck stand up. If you're a fan of rock vocals, you must have this disc.

Others:

Roger Daltrey
Chris Cornell
Roy Orbison
Bob Seger
Greg X. Volz (!)
Art Garfunkel

Female vocalists:

One stands out from the pack for me: Lisa Gerrard. From "Cantara," "The Host of Seraphim," and "Song of the Sybil" (as 1/2 of Dead Can Dance) to "Sanvean" (solo), no other singer has the ability to give me the chills like Gerrard. I'd consider her the standard by which I judge all female vocalists, but that would be unfair.

If you have the chance (or the $70), give a listen to "Niyati," a 40-minute concert outtake included on Remember Shakti's boxed set. Shankar Mahadevan gives a performance I can only describe as scat-singing an Eddie Van Halen guitar solo; it's a spectacular piece of vocal gymnastics.

And don't forget any Pavarotti rendition of "nessun dorma".

When reports started appearing that Bjork's new album The Lake Experience would feature no instruments, but rather beats and music created exclusively through vocal work, I immediately thought of Rundgren's A Capella, Albireo.

At the time, I wished he had used fewer effects and just stuck to multitracking his wonderful voice as he did on "Mighty Love" and "Honest Work," but I've come to appreciate that would have made for a far more homogeneous and far less interesting album. I don't know that the final product worked consistently as a whole, but when it does, you're right, it will raise the hair on the back of your neck.

Now Playing: "I Believe To My Soul" Donny Hathaway Everything Is Everything (Atlantic)

I just heard the Bjork album the other night and I thought it was lovely ... of course I love Bjork. It was definitely different, but not THAT different from her previous work to throw you for a loop. It seemed like a very natural progression to me.

I can't really do it much more justice than that after only one listen and numerous glasses of wine ...

Good vocalist in crappy mainstream "metal" band--- Amy Lee of Evanessence. I wish she did solo work.

EDIT: Thanks Monheim for catching that

This message has been edited. Last edited by: EccentricSam,

quote:

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Originally posted by Eccentro:
Good vocalist in crappy mainstream "punk" band--- Amy Lee of Evanessence. I wish she did solo work.

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Nu-metal. Not pop-punk. It's nu-metal. I mean, they both suck, but they suck in a different way than pop-punk. (And I personally hate Amy Lee, because she wants to kill me and I vie for her failure.)

Favourite vocalists are:

Armstrong from Green Day
Keenan from Tool
Grohl from the Foo Fighters is alright
Hetfield from Metallica was good back in the 80s and early 90s.

Mike Patton from Faith No More/Fantomas/Mr. Bungle/Tomahawk...

The guy has the best range on earth.

1) Tori Amos

2) Alanis Morissette

3) Tracy Thorn

4) Dido

5) Dot Allison

6) Sarah Mclachlan

7) Martina Topley-Bird

8) Skye Edwards of Morcheeba

9) Elizabeth Fraser

10) Beth Gibbons

11) Sheryl Crow

12) Fiona Apple

13) Louise Richards

14) Jonatha Brooke

15) Louise Richards

first name that comes to my mind is sarah mclachlan of course she was hugely influenced by sinead o' conner

quote:

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Originally posted by curefreak:
first name that comes to my mind is sarah mclachlan of course she was hugely influenced by sinead o' conner

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I hear a whole lot of Kate Bush in her, as well...

A few that come to my mind from my recent listening jags...

Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley)
Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood (from Fountains of Wayne)
Miles Hunt (of the Wonder Stuff)
Andy Partridge

eric have you ever listened to milla she sounds a lot like kate bush to me almost uncannily and when i visited her website she named her as one of her favorite artists, since im on the lillith fair type singers fiona apple has an amazingly sexxy voice especially for how young she was at the time i hear a lot of jazzyness in her voice and piano playing

i honestly have to say my favorite singer of all time has to be bono hands down its almost hard to believe hes white hes got so much soul in him

im so gonna get shot for this but ive always loved kenny rogers voice its so deep and mellow on the other side of the coin ive started really getting into merle haggerd and that man is probably the best pure country singer hands down i have this album of his and theres some background vocalists and i just wish it was just him

quote:

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Originally posted by curefreak:
eric have you ever listened to milla she sounds a lot like kate bush to me almost uncannily and when i visited her website she named her as one of her favorite artists, since im on the lillith fair type singers fiona apple has an amazingly sexxy voice especially for how young she was at the time i hear a lot of jazzyness in her voice and piano playing

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Is that Milla Jovavitch, the model/actress/singer? If so, I haven't heard her on record but I saw her live once (she was OK) and hung out with her at a Halloween party. I didn't know who she was until after the party was almost over, but she was pretty cool.

Oddly enough, I met Jeff Buckley at the same person's Halloween party a few years later.

i finally found her record over the summer i couldnt stop playing it

i should hang out with you man you know all the rad peoplez