There have been many great rock vocalists throughout the decades. Some have incredible voices, while others are just really iconic. In this list I’ll be listing the 10 best rock vocalists of all time.
10. Axl Rose – Axl Rose is the lead vocalist for Guns N’ Roses. His voice sounds incredibly weird, but is surprisingly good. In the past decade, he has lost the ability to sing the way he used to, which knocks him slightly down.
9. Steven Tyler – Steven Tyler was the lead vocalist for Aerosmith. His voice is great, but the thing that really stands out about him is how he was still singing well at the age of 76, up until about a year ago when he received a vocal cord injury. This very injury caused the band to cancel the remainder of their farewell tour, so it would appear that Steven has retired from music for good.
8. Mark Knopfler – Mark Knopfler is probably the least recognizable on this list, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t fantastic. Mark was the original singer, and lead guitarist, for Dire Straits. He has a unique, but incredible voice that almost sounds like a character from a western movie. After the band disbanded in 1995, Mark went on to have a fairly successful solo career.
7. James Hetfield – James Hetfield is the lead singer, and rhythm guitarist, for Metallica, and his voice has changed drastically over the decades. His singing is instantly recognizable and fits very well with the band’s music.
6. John Lennon – John Lennon is perhaps the most recognizable figure in the music industry. He was the lead singer for the Beatles, and has written many hits. Even if his voice was terrible, which it isn’t, he would still be on this list for recognizably.
5. Eddie Vedder- Eddie Vedder is the singer for the grunge band Pearl Jam, and he has a voice that you either love or hate. The major problem with Vedder’s singing is that you can’t understand him half the time.
4. Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzy is a very successful vocalist, starting as the singer for Black Sabbath, and going on to have an incredible solo career. He has written a long list of hits, and has been an important part of the industry since the ’70s.
3. David Lee Roth – David Lee Roth was the first of three different vocalists for Van Halen. His iconic voice, and Eddie Van Halen’s legendary guitar playing, made Van Halen a household name.
2. Bon Scott – Bon Scott was the original singer for AC/DC. He is a huge contributor to the band’s early success, and sang some of the band’s biggest hits. Scott’s voice is also significantly better than his predecessor, Brian Johnson.
1. Layne Staley – Layne Staley was the singer for Alice in Chains. There have been many great grunge singers, but Layne was by far the best. He was able to hit incredibly high notes, and his singing was consistent between the studio recordings and the MTV unplugged sets.
