When Rolling Stones magazine started to publish the list of greatest singers, the public could only deny or accept the given list. With updates from time to time, Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest singers is one of the most authentic sources to get our hands on. Recently on January 1, Rolling Stones magazine published ‘The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time’ which included singers from all genres.
The updated version of the list has a fair amount of rock and metal artists too. This particular list is a longer edition than their usual which featured only 100 artists. According to Rolling Stones, the new list encompasses 100 years of pop music as an ongoing global conversation. The magazine has also talked about how the list is the list of the greatest singers and not the greatest voice.
They also made sure what mattered was the originality, influence, depth of an artist’s catalog, and breadth of their musical legacy. This allows rock and metal singers to receive recognition for their distinctive vocal styles. There are also many changes to the original Rolling Stone 2008 List of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. But something that surprised everyone was, Aretha Franklin. She still has the same spot she earned 15 years ago which is No.1.
Some Notable Rock and Metal Artists Who Did Not Appear on the 2023 List
Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
No. 99 on 2008 list
Don Henley (The Eagles)
No. 87 on 2008 list
Sly Stone (Sly and the Family Stone)
No. 78 on 2008 list
Greg Allman (The Allman Brothers Band)
No. 70 on 2008 list
Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free)
No. 55 on 2008 list
Jim Morrison (The Doors)
No. 47 on 2008 list
Neil Young (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
No. 37 on 2008 list
Every Rock + Metal Artist on Rolling Stone‘s 2023 List of 200 Best Singers
No. 12 – John Lennon (The Beatles)
No. 5 on 2008 list
No. 14 – Freddie Mercury (Queen)
No. 18 on 2008 list
No. 26 – Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
No. 11 on 2008 list
No. 32 – David Bowie
No. 23 on 2008 list
No. 34 – Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
No. 36 – Kurt Cobain
No. 45 on 2008 list
No. 52 – Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones)
No. 16 on 2008 list
No. 63 – Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
No. 15 on 2008 list
No. 77 – Bruce Springsteen
No. 36 on 2008 list
No. 78 – Janis Joplin
No. 28 on 2008 list
No. 80 – Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave)
No. 82 – Steve Perry (Journey)
No. 66 on 2008 list
No. 93 – Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac)
No. 96 – Chuck Berry
No. 41 on 2008 list
No. 105 – Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)
No. 107 – Lou Reed (Velvet Underground)
No. 62 on 2008 list
No. 109 – Roger Daltrey (The Who)
No. 61 on 2008 list
No. 112 – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)
No. 114 – Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders)
No. 117 – Patti Smith
No. 83 on 2008 list
No. 118 – John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
No. 72 on 2008 list
No. 125 – Joe Strummer (The Clash)
No. 129 – Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
No. 130 – Courtney Love (Hole)
No. 134 – Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses)
No. 64 on 2008 list
No. 140 – Bono (U2) originally No. 32 on 2008 list
No. 157 – Robert Smith (The Cure)
No. 165 – Ronnie James Dio (Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio)
No. 166 – Morrissey (The Smiths)
No. 92 on 2008 list
No. 168 – Debbie Harry (Blondie)
No. 176 – Iggy Pop (The Stooges)
No. 75 on 2008 list
No. 181 – Bob Seger
No. 199 – Glenn Danzig (Misfits, Samhain, Danzig)
Here is The Top 20 artists on the list
- Aretha Franklin
- Whitney Houston
- Sam Cooke
- Billie Holiday
- Mariah Carey
- Ray Charles
- Stevie Wonder
- Beyonce
- Otis Redding
- Al Green
- Little Richard
- John Lennon
- Patsy Cline
- Freddie Mercury
- Bob Dylan
- Prince
- Elvis Presley
- Celia Cruz
- Frank Sinatra
- Marvin Gaye
