Best ever male vocalist.

[dougcollins]

I've seen a lot of live singers.

Paul Rogers was the best. Effortless.

[KateR]

Interesting choice for an operatic baritone, and probably not known to the majority on here, but I'm a little surprised that you put Nucci above many of his contemporaries in that field.

I am no expert in Opera or baritones and there are so many great ones I would be hard pushed to say which is actually the best but I felt his longevity and being able to still perform at the age of 77 is worth singling him out plus many of his fellow performers also praise him.

[Lord Rothbury]

Steve Marriott by a long way

[corporal jones]

sam cooke

[Clarets4me]

Where do you start ... ?

The purity of Sam Cooke, the vocal range of the " Big O ", Elvis could sing anything from Rock to Ballads, Country, Blues and Gospel, a genius ..
Front-men .... Elvis at his best would take some beating, Feddie Mercury, Bruce Springsteen ...

You pays your money and you take your choice ...

[colner]

Levi Stubbs has gotta be up there

[durhamclaret]

1 - Elvis
2 - Levi Stubbs
3 - Roy Orbison

[IanMcL]

Depends what type of singing, surely.

[KateR]

so we clearly have a consensus

[RingoMcCartney]

Bob Marley

[Enty1974]

Royston Vasey

[Wile E Coyote]

joe dolce

[Better Call Saul]

David Ruffin get my vote.
Origin lead singer of the Temptations and brother of Jimmy Ruffin (What becomes of the Broken Hearted).

[Stayingup]

Either Gary Glitter or Caruso

[redwasp]

P J Proby can out sing any of that lot.

[Rubstuds]

Jacques Brel. For those who have never heard or seen him, look him up on YouTube.

[Holtyclaret]

Frankie Valli, Smokey Robinson, Bruce Dickinson and Michael Hutchence for me but it’d change everyday as there’s so many to choose from.

[Tricky Trevor]

To many genres to cover them all but as a ballad singer Billy Fury takes some beating.

[THEWELLERNUT70]

Many of the greats have already been mentioned.

So I've just a couple to add. Scott Walker and John Martyn

[CharlieinNewMexico]

You're limiting yourselves because you're just picking the English language (apart from opera)
Serge Gainsbourg, Brel, Geoffrey Oryemi, Cheb Khaled, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Wazimbo, Aznavour, Caetano Veloso tons of foreign language singers in with a shout

[Safron]

Thought someone would have listed Mick hucknall

[depechedingle]

Paul Carrack

[diamondpocket]

Pavarotti pisses on Bocelli any day of the week. Nessun Dorma by Pavarotti makes me cry every time.

[exilecanada]

Jacques Brel. For those who have never heard or seen him, look him up on YouTube.

Personally I wouldn't put Brel high on the best vocalist list, however, as a musician.....top shelf. Scott Walker covered many Brel songs back in the day. 'Jackie' was my favourite, link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKtZf62BQzM


My all time favourite Brel song is 'If you go away', translation/adaptation by Rob McKuen. A song done by many artists over the decades, in my mind, Julio Iglesias version is the finest. Link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j4MRFNegJs

[Conroy92]

Suppose it depends on my mood and what I want.

I will add David Gray, Neil Finn (crowded house) and Michael Hutchence (INXS)

[ClaretLoup]

Roy Orbison by a mile for me.

I’ve even been to see the tribute act fronted by Barry Steele who does more than a passable job as the Big O. His backing band includes keyboard player “Boogie Williams “ who does a spectacular impression of Jerry Lee Lewis. To my joy and surprise at the last show he informed the audience that he wasn’t from the USA but in fact was a Burnley lad and a Clarets fan.

I met him after the show and he told me his real name which I have now forgotten plus that he studied at the Leeds School of Music. A really nice lad and an absolutely terrific piano player.

Anyone on here know him?

[boatshed bill]

Freddie Mercury for me.
I thought Paul Robeson was pretty good too.

[claret2018]

Michael Jackson in the late 70s - early 80s had an incredible voice

[karatekid]

Tom Jones
Frank Sinatra
Tony Bennet
Roger Whittaker
Freddie

[dougcollins]

In terms of Freddie Mercury, are people confused between 'best vocalist' and 'best frontman'?

Freddie was a decent singer, but come on!

[ŽižkovClaret]

Boy George deserves a mention.

Also, as much as he can come across as a bellend, Mick Hucknall has some pipes

[RalphCoatesComb]

Nat King Cole - end of

For me too

[Tricky Trevor]

My all time favourite Brel song is 'If you go away', translation/adaptation by Rob McKuen. A song done by many artists over the decades, in my mind, Julio Iglesias version is the finest. Link below.

Scott Walker a fabulous singer and he has an excellent cover of “If You Go Away” also.

[KateR]

I remember well when playing music at home on a turntable my parents, shouting turn it down, what's that racket supposed to be, however:

My mother liked Jackie Wilson Higher and Higher and would often tell me to play that when I was playing numerous songs.

My father once said after playing Meatloaf I'd do anything for Love, now that lad can sing, enjoyed that, made my day.

So I'm going for Meatloaf as my final choice

[ralphdpomeroy]

Steve Marriott

Van Morrison