Greatest Male Rock Vocalists of All time

Old School Hound · (This post was last modified: 12-20-2020, 03:06 AM by Old School Hound.)

For this one, I'm looking for the guy who, when he opened his mouth and belted out those classic lyrics, just made you want to crank up the volume and rock your ass off!!! What voice just made all of your senses shout out in unison, "That's Rock!" I understand that your greatest male vocalist will depend on the era you grew up as well as your personal tastes , but who would be your Top 3 Male Vocalists of all-time?

I'm going :

1. Brad Delp (Boston)

2. Paul Rodgers ( Free, Bad Company)

3. Steve Perry (Journey)

These are three guys I grew up listening to. For me, the unique sound of each of these guys formed part of the sound track of my youth. They personify that classic rock sound that I identified with my younger days. Who would make your top 3???

Let me make my case for Delp with the following short piece. It is "More Than a Feeling" with only the vocals being accentuated. The guy's vocal range was ungodly !!! Also, on Boston's monster debut album Brad sang every single vocal - lead, harmonies, overdubs, layerings... Every. Single . Note !!!

Here's a Delp(Vocals Only) doing one my favorite Boston classics, "Long Time" :

What one thing did Freddie Mercury , Ann Wilson, Robert Plant, Lou Gramm, John Mellencamp and others have in common? They all said that Paul Rodgers was one of, if not, their all-time favorite male rock vocalist. Bands like Deep Purple , Journey , and even the Doors tried to recruit Paul to front their bands at one point or another. Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor collaborated with Paul from 2004-2009 s with Paul singing lead for Queen. Freddie, being such a big fan of Paul, would surely have been pleased.

Paul ( at about 20 years old) singing a live performance with Free :

Old School Hound · (This post was last modified: 12-20-2020, 04:18 AM by Old School Hound.)

A live performance of Paul Rodgers doing one of my favorite Bad Company songs :

Paul Rodgers in a live performance with Queen:

A classic clip from The Midnight Special(Remember Wolfman Jack) . The world hadn't yet realized what was about to hit them with Perry& Journey. When Perry belts out his first licks, man .... sends chills.

One of my favorite Journey and Perry tunes. "Stone In Love" reveals as good as anything just what a treasure for the ages Perry's voice is.

Mr. Perry belting out another of my favorite '80's Journey songs . Damn. He's. Good.

One more exhibit from Delp. Again, vocals only. Delp is single every vocal , harmonies and all. Every. Single. Note.

Van Hagar · 12-20-2020, 08:33 AM

Paul Rodgers has always been my number one, I’ve said it on here before. Even now, at 70 or so, he still is an amazing vocalist, just crystal-clear with his singing.

Rod Stewart, especially from his earlier days when he was a stone cold rocker both solo and with Faces, is probably my second choice, just because I loved his unique, gravelly voice. Listen to “Gasoline Alley”, or ‘Stay With Me’ for two great examples.

My third choice is a little harder to pin down. I love Steve Perry’s singing, he’s unreal, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of all of Journey’s material. I could listen to Ronnie Van Zant all day long, he may not have had the range of a great singer, but his voice had soul and was perfect for the southern rock sound, as was Danny Joe Brown’s, a guy that gets forgotten sometimes, the original lead singer for Molly Hatchet. Bob Seger, with that deep, but still mellow, voice is someone else I can always listen to.

Old School Hound · (This post was last modified: 12-20-2020, 04:34 PM by Old School Hound.)

(12-20-2020, 08:33 AM)Van Hagar Wrote: Paul Rodgers has always been my number one, I’ve said it on here before. Even now, at 70 or so, he still is an amazing vocalist, just crystal-clear with his singing.

Rod Stewart, especially from his earlier days when he was a stone cold rocker both solo and with Faces, is probably my second choice, just because I loved his unique, gravelly voice. Listen to “Gasoline Alley”, or ‘Stay With Me’ for two great examples.

My third choice is a little harder to pin down. I love Steve Perry’s singing, he’s unreal, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of all of Journey’s material. I could listen to Ronnie Van Zant all day long, he may not have had the range of a great singer, but his voice had soul and was perfect for the southern rock sound, as was Danny Joe Brown’s, a guy that gets forgotten sometimes, the original lead singer for Molly Hatchet. Bob Seger, with that deep, but still mellow, voice is someone else I can always listen to.

More rock luminaries will list Paul Rodgers as their favorite vocalist than any other. Paul is still incredible to this day. I've always liked Stewart as well, more early Stewart than later Stewart. Seger, I like as well.

I was reading a rock site awhile back that listed the top 200 male vocalists in rock history. Delp was #34 , Rodgers #25 , and Perry #10 . Rod was #72 , Seger #84 , and RVZ #134 , Sammy Hagar #89 .

Mercury, Presley, and Plant were 1, 2, and 3 , respectively.

There are some great male vocalists going back decades but the three I listed at the top of my list are my go- to vocalists when I want my ass kicked severely by some great classic rock.

Van Hagar · 12-20-2020, 06:04 PM

You know, I’m ok with Freddy at #1, although at times he is a little too theatrical for me on tape, but was always fantastic live. Elvis, well he was in a class by himself as THE white-guy pioneer, but I think his best vocals are actually on gospel songs. Plant is probably the best of the screechers, but I don’t know....Our guys are way underrated on that list.

Old School Hound · (This post was last modified: 12-20-2020, 09:17 PM by Old School Hound.)

(12-20-2020, 06:04 PM)Van Hagar Wrote: You know, I’m ok with Freddy at #1, although at times he is a little too theatrical for me on tape, but was always fantastic live. Elvis, well he was in a class by himself as THE white-guy pioneer, but I think his best vocals are actually on gospel songs. Plant is probably the best of the screechers, but I don’t know....Our guys are way underrated on that list.

RIDICULOUSLY underrated ! Paul Rodgers at #25 on any list of the greatest rock vocalists is an absurdity. When Mercury, Plant, and Ann Wilson say Paul is their guy, that's enough for me.

Btw, Freddie was an unbelievable rock singer, incredible voice. I can see putting him up near the top of any list. But I am like you, Freddie was the guy that I think of when it came to charisma, stage presence, the ability to command an audience , a consummate performance artist, theatrics and all. But when I wanted to be kicked in the nuts and bowled over by a dude's signature rock godly voice, I would go with one of the three I mentioned.

Another guy that possessed the charisma, stage presence, and was a very theatrical performance artist in his own right was Meatloaf. I'm certain that Meat was influenced by Mercury.

***Westside*** · 12-22-2020, 02:18 AM

I like a couple Queen songs, but I dislike a lot of their songs as well. My favorite lead vocalist may be All Rose. I think Steven Tyler is good as well. I will give this some thought and see if I can think of anyone else I really like.

Old School Hound · 12-22-2020, 02:40 AM

(12-22-2020, 02:18 AM)Westside Wrote: I like a couple Queen songs, but I dislike a lot of their songs as well. My favorite lead vocalist may be All Rose. I think Steven Tyler is good as well. I will give this some thought and see if I can think of anyone else I really like.

Thanks. I appreciate your input. Btw, the list I saw awhile back had Axl at #32 and Steven Tyler at #101 .

Van Hagar · 12-22-2020, 08:27 AM

I love Axl as well, as well as Bon Scott, AC/DC's original singer. They may not be classical style vocalists, but they were perfect for the bands they were with.

Old School Hound · 12-22-2020, 12:46 PM

I was going to mention Bon Scott as well. Bon had a very distinctive rock voice. I was not at all a fan of AC/DC in HS or college but became a fan much later on in life. Kinda weird, huh? Bon was #124 on the list I saw and Brian Johnson was #130.

***Westside*** · 12-22-2020, 06:38 PM

(12-22-2020, 02:40 AM)Old School Hound Wrote:
(12-22-2020, 02:18 AM)Westside Wrote: I like a couple Queen songs, but I dislike a lot of their songs as well. My favorite lead vocalist may be All Rose. I think Steven Tyler is good as well. I will give this some thought and see if I can think of anyone else I really like.

Thanks. I appreciate your input. Btw, the list I saw awhile back had Axl at #32 and Steven Tyler at #101 .

I am a Steve Perry btw.