Microphone Check: 1, 2, what is this?

This past week I've been thinking a lot about great rock singers. Who are the best of all time? How do I assess the vocalists to create a "best of" list... subjectively (my favourites) or objectively (general world-wide consensus), or maybe a blend of both? What are the criteria?

To be brutally objective, I'd have to leave off my list singers like Ozzy, Dave Mustaine, and Udo (of Accept), who are good, but may not have tremendous vocal talent. They each have a distinctive sound that fits perfectly within their band and genre, and have marked their places in rock history. Even ol' Lemmy Kilminster of Motorhead and Neil Young, far from great singers, have staked their claims in the pantheon based on their attitude and passion, respectively.

Mr. Gramm of Foreigner gets a serious nod from this music fan

Ozzy, Mustaine, Udo, and many others would also rank as all-around top-notch frontmen (and women), not necessarily the best singers, but they are the total package of showmanship, personality, and charisma, all so vital to the rock'n'roll arena. Think Robert Plant, Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Brian Johnson, David Lee Roth, Axl Rose, Bon Scott, Roger Daltry, and Layne Staley. And Chris Cornell and Bruce Dickinson boast some of the most powerful pipes in rock. These vocalists work within their limitations to produce something special. Just my opinion... I'm sure there are those who'd violently oppose that statement. It might seem criminal to leave these names off my list, but since I want to boil this down to my absolute certainties, this is how it goes.

So in compiling my personal list, I'm trying to recognize truly exceptional vocalists, with talent far beyond the norm. As objectively as possible. Somebody might argue my choices, but again, at least some subjectivity creeps into my decision-making process.

Here's my list of top rock singers all time, in no particular order (now that would be really hard):

Robin Zander
Rob Halford
Ronnie James Dio
Burton Cummings
Lou Gramm
Michael Sadler
Freddie Mercury
Elvis Presley
David Bowie

Steve Perry - My personal Number One, an easy decision


Honourable mentions: Geddy Lee, Don Henley, Brian Wilson, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, David Byrne, Elton John, Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson, Paul Rodgers, Bono, Jim Morrison, Dennis DeYoung

Crushing Freddie and Elvis