Top 5 Heavy Metal Singers

[MaxRazor]

Lets see your list. I based my selections on the following criteria:

1. Vocal Range
2. Clarity
3. Volume
4. Sounds as good live as on cd
5. On stage presence

I came up with the following:

1. Rob Halford - Gets tops in all categories
2. Bruce Dickinson - Great clarity; awesome volume; live voice just as good as on cd; awesome on stage presence; range is good but not that good.
3. Geoff Tate - Great clarity; outstanding range; volume good but not as good as the prior 2; live and cd voice good; on stage presence extremely lacking.
4. Ronnie James Dio - Clarity is ok; range is awesome; volume is outstanding; sounds as good live as on cd; stage presence is mediocre.
5. David Lee Roth - Great clarity; decent range; good volume; sounds as good live as on cd; presence . . . DIAMOND DAVE!

 

[SmoovD]

Good list. I would replace DLR with John Bush.

Other favs:
Udo (Accept, U.D.O)
Doug Pinnick (King's X)
Warrel Dane (Sanctuary, Nevermore)
Janne (Grand Magus)
and
Lemmy, of course.

 

[redwing]

james hetfield

'nuff said

 

[patrisVII]

Not exactly sure how you define heavy metal, but I would add Roger Daltry and Paul Rogers.

 

[gaseousclay]

*EDIT*

1. James Hetfield
2. Phil Anselmo
3. Bruce Dickinson
4. Page Hamilton
5. King Diamond

6. Layne Staley (RIP)

 

[Sir Ronald]

1. Chris Cornell
2. Paul Stanley
3. Bruce Dickinson
4. Ozzy Osbourne
5. King Diamond

I realize Chris Cornell/Soundgarden aren't strictly heavy metal - but he's got the most powerful voice and highest range I've ever heard. it doesn't get any better than this. It's a shame Robert Plants voice was shot by 1972 - prior to that Japan tour he was an amazing singer.

how can people be mentioning James Hetfield in a thread were the number one priority is vocal range?

 

[Stubblefield]

Udo Dirkschneider (Accept).

Till Lindemann (Rammstein).

 

[Ceri]

Sean Harris - from Diamond Head, superb voice - best in the NWOBHM by far
Ronnie James Dio - peerless - all metal would be different but for him
Sammy Hagar - still walks the walk
Don Dokken - best voice in hair metal
Dave Meniketti - one of the really distinctive metal voices

met Rob Halford in a venue bar pre-gig and chatted for a few minutes - my mates reckoned he was trying to pick me up

 

[Desdinova]

based on the criteria in the first post,

definitely Geoff Tate and Bruce Dickinson.

Not heavy metal, but I'd add Ann Wilson. She can belt it out better than most.


I remember seeing Queensryche years back. We missed the first minute of the performance because we were still on the concourse getting beer.

We all thought they were using keyboards or a synth to open the first song.


Nope.It was Geoff holding the opening scream on Queen of the Reich like I've never heard anyone hold a note before. The volume he carried it at and length of time was inhuman.

 

[Desdinova]

1. Chris Cornell
2. Paul Stanley
3. Bruce Dickinson
4. Ozzy Osbourne
5. King Diamond

I realize Chris Cornell/Soundgarden aren't strictly heavy metal - but he's got the most powerful voice and highest range I've ever heard. it doesn't get any better than this. It's a shame Robert Plants voice was shot by 1972 - prior to that Japan tour he was an amazing singer.

how can people be mentioning James Hetfield in a thread were the number one priority is vocal range?

Huh? You mention vocal range and yet you include Ozzy who has got to be one of the most untalented singers of all time. He is all image and nothing else


And Paul Stanley? what the ...?

 

[Danuhoh]

Freddie Mercury
Steven Tyler
David Lee Roth
Bon Scott
Bruce Dickinson

 

[Rughi]

Since half of the nominees so far aren't actually metal, I nominate

Ian Anderson
The first Grammy winner in Heavy Metal!

Roger

 

[ouch]

So what score do you give Ozzy for clarity? He's as clear as Bob Dylan or James Brown.

 

[Nemesis]

1: Dio. The gold standard for heavy metal frontmen. Incredible voice. Sounded just as good live as he did in a studio. A gifted vocalist, one of the best of any genre. Simply the best there ever was.
2: Geoff Tate. Incredible range. Sounded superb live. I'm going to have to disagree about his lack of stage presence. I saw him on the tour for Operation Mindcrime and he was active, engaging, really played off the crowd well.
3: Paul Di'anno (during his time with Maiden). Oustanding voice, could shift very well from a harsher punk sound to a more pure vocal style. Very good in concert. Not so great with stage presence.
4: Bruce Dickinson. Solid performer. Doesn't sound as good live as in the studio, but makes up for it with energy and getting the crowd into the show.
5: Eric Adams (Manowar). A very gifted vocalist. I think he sang a few operatic songs at one point. Sounds almost perfect live.

 

[bruno1]

My top 5:
Bon Scott (RIP I know, but for AC/DC fans a legend that must be mentioned)
Axl Rose
James Hetfield
Bruce Dickenson
Kurt Cobain.

 

[taffy]

In no particular order, dio, dave lee roth, bob catley (magnum), ian gillan, freddie mercury.

 

[urr-lord]

no order
dio
geoff tate
glen danzig(when not drugged out of his mind)
bruce dickinson(when not screaming)
not strictly metal but powerful rock--meatloaf.

 

[Space]

maynard james keenan

He is just in a league of his own. His lyrics are great. he's touched on so many subjects from so many perspectives. His voice is as good as it gets. and at 46 he seems to get better with age.

 

[rebelson]

james hetfield

'nuff said

Agreed!

I'm a HUGE Metallica fan!

 

[jlanger]

Michael Matijevic, from SteelHeart, did the vocals for Rockstar too, man's got some significant range! presence and sounds good.

Geoff Tate is great on CD, not so good live, but lyric wise and CD he's pretty impressive.

Too many frankly to list IMO so many good ones especially from back in the day.