Best Singer of All Time is...

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

What's your vote for the best singer or vocalist of all time, and why? One male, one female.

 

It could be from any time or any genre. Doesn't have to be an audiophile quality recording.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

3 hours ago, joelha said:

I can't believe I'm going to offer this up as an answer since I don't even like opera, but Luciano Pavarotti.

 

Second place would go to Ray Charles.

 

Joel

 

Hi Joel, you are hitting on what I was loosely getting at in my question and what others have commented on indirectly.

 

Specifically you have pointed out that your vote "for best" doesn't have to coincide with your favourite singer and it raises the question what criteria are used to determine "the best" which in and of itself, at its heart, is still a subjective assessment .

 

I anticipated that people would rightly point out that it may be impossible to declare who was the best singer if implying a consensus between many assessors or even for any one assessor comparing such different singing talents.

 

It's interesting therefore how people might choose "the best" if "forced". It does not necessarily imply ones favourite, popularity, commercial success, genre, voice characteristics, technique, training, emotional engagement or whatever. I probably should have explained myself better in the opening post by making some analogy to singing contests.

 

If all the great singers in the world and throughout history would turn up at a singing contest who would the judges pick, and is you were one of the judges what would be your vote? Impossible as it is, a "winner" is chosen. I actually thought about doing this but then figured why not just try and keep it simple (as some would then start debating the validity of singing contests). Some people have answered "impossible to answer", but then again that's an answer of sorts.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

My vote is probably Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey.

 

Like many others it's impossible to know for sure. I don't particularly listen to either one very much. I think both of them had incredible voices and incredible tone. They were both masters of their craft (whether you liked it or not). Both have impeccable timing and phrasing. Both are very popular and had commercial success. And importantly both are one-off originals and in terms of at least Frank Sinatra many have tried to copy. Shirley Bassey has one other distinction. She is singularly the only female singer with enough power in her voice to "belt" that it doesn't sound like a" belt" (maybe Judy Garland came close), or even worse sound like a  strangled cat. A provocative comment I know and others will disagree

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

Something else that I think this thread has sparked, is that there has been some interesting nominations. People I wouldn't have necessarily thought of and so I will have a closer listen.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

Johnny Hartman? A great baritone voice. Compared to Frank, not even in the same league!

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

54 minutes ago, GregWormald said:

Voices are important, but rhythm, use of the voice, and delivery of the emotional content of the music are more important to me. I want to feel connected to the artists' intent, whether it is sad, happy, or ...

So many singers with excellent voices seem to have almost no emotional resonance to the song—all songs are sung with the same techniques, tone, etc.; and when they do sing challenging areas they can try too hard and some notes become 'hard' and even harsh.

 

Totally agree! But all those things can be incorporated into one's vote for best singer. So, it's not just about technique or things like a gifted range. On the other hand, I would say for me that there is a minimum requirement for what should be considered a good singer and I think that should include being able to sing in key. I'm not talking about the occasional bum note or at times losing it with emotion. There was a year on American Idol that I swear the top 10 could not sing in tune. I thought it was something of a feat that the judges were able to identify these individuals among tens of thousands of people that could hold a note😂. As cynical as that sounds I remember laughing out loud when David Letterman quipped on his Tonight Show something like "is it just me, or can none of the final contestants sing in tune"

 

 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

1 hour ago, GregWormald said:

At the moment I'm following the performances of Diana Ankudinova with chills and goosebumps often.

Wow yes she is amazing. Thanks

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

25 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

Wow yes she is amazing. Thanks

Diana Ankudinova, shades of Cher but unique. Only 17

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

16 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

This one is even better than Diana Ankudinova.

 

 

 

...and what a happy chappy he is

 

But for true vocal talent I give you Michael Winslow's cover of Led Zeppelin😁

 

 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

12 hours ago, audiobomber said:

the other thing I love about Hartman is that he is mostly backed by small jazz groups, not a Nelson Riddle-type Big Band with excessive horn shots. The "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman" album is one of the greatest in jazz.

 

Yes that is absolutely true IMO

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

11 hours ago, GregWormald said:

what was special about Frank was the rhythm and timing, which was still evident even after his voice was almost completely gone. 

 

Yeah rhythm timing and phrasing. Absolutely, he was a master and I dare say while it can be honed it can't be learnt.

 

His tone was also very special and probably that's what attracts me initially to any singer. Something about the timbre in their voice or tone colour and an originality that is not copying someone else. For example, Adele seemed to spawn a whole lot of vocalists emulating her style and quirky little vocal mannerisms. Michael Buble is listenable and as nice as he appears to be, he vocally appears to sound like an amalgamation of all the crooners. He freely admits to mimicking all the greats when he was developing his craft. It is probably a bit unfair but I would rather listen to Frank or Mel Torme or Perry Como or Andy Williams or Johnny Mathis..... Rather than a synthesised version of all of them

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

11 hours ago, audiobomber said:

I see similarities:

- Cher was 19 when I Got You Babe hit #1

- Both are pretty

- Restricted vocal range, no high notes

 

I was thinking more of tone. There are not a lot of females that have that particular style of deeper voice like Cher.

 

Diana does indeed have high notes in her range. I saw this on one or two of her videos where she goes way up into her head voice.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

Here is one with some high notes. This girl has a God-given gift. It certainly may not be everyone's cup of tea but at age 17 I think she is outstanding and cannot wait to see were she develops "as an artist" when she either writes or is given her own music.

 

(take on me)

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

11 minutes ago, PYP said:

 

extraordinary talent and so well-developed at 17.  Look at how she moves to and from the microphone for maximum effect.  

 

Yes in my opinion spot on. Apart from the fact that she never screams (she has no need to) the microphone technique seems to be a lost art where the vocalist would for example just back off a little bit physically from the microphone when hitting big notes. Frank was a master but these days you tend to see people moving in to the microphone when they hit "big" notes which over drives things into clipping, or at least that's what it sounds like. Where she learnt this I don't know, it appears to be intuitive.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

 

I may end up in the minority here but what I hear when I listen to her is a ton of processing (auto tune perhaps???) to the point where I am not sure what her voice actually sounds like.

 

There are several Youtube videos across a range of venues including the singing contest in Russia and various guest appearances. I doubt if they could all be auto tuned processed but certainly the ones recorded in what looks like her home could be.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

5 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I listened to 5 videos or so of her and they all were self recorded and had the same processed sound.

 

 He was one that could not be self recorded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KgD666fRtY&feature=youtu.be

 

The link could not be embedded

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

https://youtu.be/7jv-DQnf2UY

the link could not be embedded

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

5 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

 He was one that could not be self recorded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KgD666fRtY&feature=youtu.be

 

The link could not be embedded

damn dictation software, that should be "here is one". I am posting in between dictating reports. One day I'm going to dictate audio/music stuff  into my reports by mistake!

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

42 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

Well, Louis Armstrong did have a unique voice all right. Not sure what he did was considered “singing“, though. OTOH, it was fun to listen to him.

Yeah but for me there is more to a great singer than technical chops (not that I am implying that is your intention George). I think the basic requirement is to sing in tune but after that I go for tone and originality. It may be a bit different for opera singers but even then, there appears to be an endless amount of cookie-cutter voices or copycats in just about every genre.

 

So while I have heard it argued many times that Bob Dylan was a terrible "singer" I think he has a great original voice. That said, I really don't listen much to his music. I think there are quite a few that fit into this category and especially in pop or rock. As soon I hear James Taylor's voice I instantly like it. I wouldn't call him a great singer by any stretch. It's about the tone, the mannerisms, the phrasing and all the little quirks that go into make his voice individual and make his personality and charisma shine through. If it becomes more relatable, more personal, it becomes more emotionally convincing for me. I go full circle and this is why I think Frank was so good because he had such a great charismatic one-off voice and was a great singer, technically and otherwise.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

14 hours ago, GregWormald said:

Diana has had about 12 years of vocal/performance training.

Brief history. (Parts may be distressing to some.)

At age 3 some relatives found Diana roaming the street in eastern Russia. She had been kicked out of home by mom after attempting to drown her.  Mom is alcoholic with 11 abortions and one failed abortion—Diana. Nobody wanted Diana as it was assumed she was retarded. She was unable to speak much at all and spent much of her time crying. Investigation at the rescue home showed knife scars, cigarette burns and a broken collarbone. The masseuse at the home often brought her teenage daughter to work and the daughter said if mum didn't adopt Diana, as soon as she turned 18 she would.

After mum adopted her, Diana was sent to singing lessons to see if her speech could be improved and they discovered her talents. The family moved away from the east when Diana's mum, seeing that she was becoming famous, threatened to try and take Diana back.

Diana had won over 50 child competitions before appearing on the Russian talent show for disadvantaged/orphaned kids, You Are Super. She triumphed, winning 48% of the final vote between 8 finalists. Second place received 9%. The master of the show, Igor Krutoy, provided Diana and family with a residence in Moscow so she could continue her music training with the best teachers. The result is what you hear today. Diana was 17 on 31 May this year and is competing for entry to tertiary education at a prominent music and performance academy.

She has now had 3 or 4 songs written for her and has started arranging.

 

Poor baby! No doubt her life has turned around since those dark days and if I'm right she has a very rosy future as a pop artist (or whatever).

The music/vocal training and experience certainly does explain how she comes across so polished for a 17 year old which was otherwise a bit baffling to me. Someone is also doing some pretty nifty arrangements for her. Not taking away one little bit from her talent tho.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

22 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

The review mentioned that Dylan actually produces two musical notes; one on side A and another on side B. 🤪

 

Yes but it's what he does with those two notes that a lesser singer with a thousand 'runs' could not 😜

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

22 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

Well, technically, of course he was “singing“. And I enjoy him, but I wouldn’t want to hear him try “Nessun Dorma“.😉

 

or Frank Sinatra

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

6 hours ago, botrytis said:

People forget Bing Crosby. The man had the most amazing baritone as well as business acumen. He started Ampex and recording on tape. He brought Tequila to the US (Jose Cuervo) and he sang in almost every genre out there. You could say, he was the first multimedia star - radio, television, movies, music.

 

https://www.grunge.com/215525/the-tragic-real-life-story-of-bing-crosby/

 

 

As much as I can enjoy Bing Crosby singing and he does have a unique voice, for me personally, he wouldn't make my top 10 list. I heard rumours that he was not such a nice fellow but I am not necessarily believing them. He may have just been a complex individual. Where I absolutely adore him is in the road movies with Bob Hope. I think their chemistry and comedic timing is just sheer genius. I even like the singing! I freely admit that there is probably a larger dollop of nostalgia in that assessment. I remember as a boy doing a 'Ferris Bueller' on my parents and staying home watching Bob Hope and Bing Crosby get up to shenanigans on the road to some new exotic location!

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

4 hours ago, Bill Brown said:

5 hours ago, Albrecht said:

 

Frank Sinatra completely SUCKS when you compare him to Bono of U2. U2's worst 10 minutes of rock pretentiousness & self-indulgence is still worlds better than a "crooner."

 

Oh my.....

I second your "oh my"....😁

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

On 8/27/2020 at 12:46 AM, JoeWhip said:

Come on guys, everyone in the know knows who the best singer is! 😎

 

 

 

Ah, of course this is your son. Sorry, when I first read this I thought it was a joke, that you were trying to make out you were a young good-looking talented singer that just happened to have a similar name. I am even more stupid because you happened to mention your son in a PM to me. Anyway, congratulations and my apologies for the oversight