Best Female Vocalists

Kernel

OK I know that Whitney, and my personal favourite female vocalist Aretha Franklin are great, but does anyone else think that Dolly Parton is one of the great 'white' female vocalists of our time?

Mariah ain't bad either before you say it.

Karl Hungus

Angela Gossow.

jcoote

stevie nicks...fukin brilliant

gwen stefani...puts it across like no other

anastasia...powerful as feck

NoDayBut2Day

Idina Menzel - loved her in the role of Elphaba in Wicked

Rachael Lampa - for those who listen to contemporary Christian music, she has some really great songs and a powerful voice.

Barbra Streisand - my mom got me listening to her and I love her songs and her voice.

There are probably way more, but that's all I can think of right now!

Civilian_Target

Alison Krauss.

Or, at the other end of the scale, Hanin Elias

Rudolph Claus

Dido!

Mr. Presentable

Stevie Nicks
Debbie Harry
Sinead O'Connor

GrahamG

Sarah McLachlan - one of the most angelic voices!

Spacedog

Jessie Banks (www.chungking.co.uk)
Tori Amos
Alison Goldfrapp
Joni Mitchell
Joan Osborne
Tracey Thorn (EBTG)
Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
Stina Nordenstam
Shawn Colvin
Tracy Chapman
Aimee Mann
Bic Runga
Bjork
Blondie
Kim Deal
Dionne Warwick
Shirley Manson

Nightwish

Tarja Turunen
Simone Simons
Vibeke Stene

John

Debbie Harry
Diamanda Galas
Katie-Jane Garside
Nina Simone
Lisa Hannigan
Jarboe
PJ Harvey
Rose McDowall
Meret Becker

more as I think of them

cormie

John2 wrote:

Debbie Harry
Diamanda Galas
Katie-Jane Garside
Nina Simone
Lisa Hannigan
Jarboe
PJ Harvey
Rose McDowall
Meret Becker

more as I think of them

Jebus, I was getting worried, scrolling all the way down and not one mention of Nina until your post :cool:

melekalikimaka

Civilian_Target wrote:

Alison Krauss.

Or, at the other end of the scale, Hanin Elias

I was gonna say Hanin Elias

DerekD Goldfish

Tanya Donnelly
Sue Tompkins

greglo23

Maria Callas
Joni Mitchell
Eva Cassidy
Annie Lennox
and last but not least
ELLA FITZGERALD

Civilian_Target

melekalikimaka wrote:

I was gonna say Hanin Elias

Yeah - although she's definitely more a vocalist than a singer

KnifeWRENCH

for me,DEFINETLY alanis morissette.on songs like "Mary Jane" and "Forgiven" the sheer power and perfect pitch is unreal.

also brilliant:
shirley manson (not the greatest voice,but unbelievably sexy and it suits garbages muisc,which is brilliant)
gwen stefani
bjork
kim deal
joss stone (not a big fan of her music,but does have great voice)
amy lee
dolores o riordan (such a unique voice.plus i have to have someone irish)
kt tunstall

probably loads more i could think of,but id say thats enough...

ive been told karen carpenter had a brilliant voice,but i wouldnt really know it..

NoDayBut2Day

Has anyone heard the singers in Celtic Woman? I think they have great voices and I love the songs they sing.

melekalikimaka

Civilian_Target wrote:

Yeah - although she's definitely more a vocalist than a singer

her solo stuff isnt THAT bad, the ATR stuff...maybe

Zaph

Maria McKee
Liz Phair (before she went all "poppy", and admittedly a bit of an acquired taste)

John

melekalikimaka wrote:

her solo stuff isnt THAT bad, the ATR stuff...maybe

Is her solo stuff good? I only know her ATR work. I was meant to go see her in Berlin but I slept it out.

lordgoat

It's a disgrace that Kate Bush hasn't been mentioned. All of ye go home and listen to Hounds of Love from start to finish

TCamen

Chantal Kreviazuk - really pure voice.

Rachael Yamagata - I love the huskiness in her voice.

Christina Aguilera - her live version of 'At Last' has some killer held-notes.

garred

Best female voice is Mariah Carey. Whatever about her music, no-one can come near her in the voice stakes. I have yet to hear another female singer hit the ranges/notes that she can live.

TCamen

Best female voice is Mariah Carey. Whatever about her music, no-one can come near her in the voice stakes. I have yet to hear another female singer hit the ranges/notes that she can live.

I love her cover of 'Bringing on the Heartache' from Charmbracelet.

eggshapedfred

Best female voice is Mariah Carey. Whatever about her music, no-one can come near her in the voice stakes. I have yet to hear another female singer hit the ranges/notes that she can live.

Both Whitney Houston and Yma Sumac have a greater vocal range than Mariah Carey.

Tanya Donelly

seconded!

Also:

Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney)
Kristin Hersh

Tar.Aldarion

i like Tarja,Tara Blaise, Amy Lee and Alanis morisette.

*** WARNING - POSTER ABOUT TO COMMIT MASSIVE PIMPAGE!!!***


Eh, my vocalist has a absolutely great voice check out the link below in my sig...

Tar.Aldarion

what pimping is sooo wrong....now do not look towards my sig *haha they have been fooled*

Sweet Jesus! Is that you??!!!

garred

eggshapedfred wrote:

Both Whitney Houston and Yma Sumac have a greater vocal range than Mariah Carey.

Afraid not. Carey actually holds world records for the largest vocal range...she can hit a note as low as A2 and is renowned for her eight octave vocal range - two octaves higher than a normal . In fairness I never heard of the other one but she is way above Whitney Houston.

I also liked Wendy James (your one from transvision vamp). I like that grungy/raspy sound from a female singer.

Niall123

Marey Carey? Far too sqeaky.

Lisa Hannigan prob my favorite (from Ireland at least)

KnifeWRENCH

Civilian_Target wrote:

Yeah - although she's definitely more a vocalist than a singer

okay dis is probably the stupidest question ever asked,but whats the difference between a vocalist and a singer?
sorry if im coming across as thick:im not,i swear.......

also,pj harvey,courtney love sheryl crow,natalie imbruglia,mariah carey and agnetha wotsername from abba....great voices i forgot to mention earlier.(not an abba or mariah fan,though.....natalies music is okay,the others i like)

It's a disgrace that Kate Bush hasn't been mentioned. All of ye go home and listen to Hounds of Love from start to finish

i only know "Wuthering Heights" and that bugs the hell out of me...sorry...

Creamy Goodness

rachel haden
petra haden

both have done vocal work for weezer, the rentals, ozma, jimmy eat world.

John

square_igloo wrote:

okay dis is probably the stupidest question ever asked,but whats the difference between a vocalist and a singer?

I'm not sure if there's any technical difference but generally people who can actually sing in tune properly would be a singer and people who make noises with their voice that's not actually singing (such as screaming, panting, clucking noises, etc) would be a vocalist.

Oh and a word of advice, you're going to get a lot of abuse from some people if you keep posting in different colours and font styles like that. It's not that comfortable to read and it really pisses off some people.

melekalikimaka

John2 wrote:

Is her solo stuff good? I only know her ATR work. I was meant to go see her in Berlin but I slept it out.

yeah she has a few albums, its quite good, much the digital hardcore stuff like ATR. ever hear Lolita Storm? Similar again, but very...ahem vocalist singers.

Also your one with the funny name from TILT, great voice

grumpytrousers

kd lang seems to be a good singer. I don't know much of her music but any bird that can hold their own in a duet with Roy Orbison - like she did on Crying - must be doing something right....

Oh - and did anybody mention Dusty Springfield...for "Going Back", "I Just don't know what to do with myself" and "You don't have to say you love me" she's gotta be one of the best vocalists....

Nimrod's Son

I think Annie Lennox has a great voice.

eggshapedfred

Afraid not. Carey actually holds world records for the largest vocal range...she can hit a note as low as A2 and is renowned for her eight octave vocal range - two octaves higher than a normal . In fairness I never heard of the other one but she is way above Whitney Houston.

http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/carey.htm

garred

Your probably right but...

http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800019644&cf=gen

and there are plenty of other sites supporting that but also others saying she has a 5 octave range. . Still better than Whitney though

I always thought Andrea Corr had a sexy voice

KnifeWRENCH

John2 wrote:

Oh and a word of advice, you're going to get a lot of abuse from some people if you keep posting in different colours and font styles like that. It's not that comfortable to read and it really pisses off some people.

advice noted...didnt know it was that annoying..sorry.

I always thought Andrea Corr had a sexy voice

her vocal range is very limited,though.you couldnt really imagine her singing anything else apart from the corrs..at least thats what i think

John

square_igloo wrote:

her vocal range is very limited,though.you couldnt really imagine her singing anything else apart from the corrs..at least thats what i think

Personally I thought she murdered REM's "Everybody Hurts" so I agree with you. She should stick to Corrs songs and that way I know when to turn off the radio

Kernel

I'm researching all your claims while I listen to 'Islands in the Stream', 'I will always love you', 'Coat of many colours' and more from Dolly!

Oh and let's not forget Jolene, but the Stripes have done that, and done it well may I add!

To all you whippersnappers, Dollly is a great female vocalist btw.

Civilian_Target

John2 wrote:

Personally I thought she murdered REM's "Everybody Hurts" so I agree with you.

I thought it was way better than the original to be honest!

John

Civilian_Target wrote:

I thought it was way better than the original to be honest!

Each to their own

DublinWriter

In no particular order...

Kate Bush
Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays)
Yer wan from the Cocteau Twins
Gemma Hayes
Joni Mitchell

DublinWriter

TCamen wrote:

Chantal Kreviazuk - really pure voice.

She's brilliant too, I just couldn't remember how to spell her name!

Please don't say that S*nead O'Connor has been mentioned in this thread.

melekalikimaka

the two girls in dance hall crashers too

treefingers

bjork, nina simeone, pj harvey, maybe kate bush.


also, although they're not technically all that great, but i love bilinda butcher (MBV), chan marshall (cat power) and nico's voices as well.

WetDaddy

Can't believe Ella Fitzgerald has only been mentioned once! For shame, you people...

By the way, about Mariah Carey having a 7-octave vocal range: If you REALLY believe this, sit down at a piano and play two notes 7 octaves apart. Then reconsider.

For Christ's sake, having proper control of a 3 or 4 octave range is pretty damn impressive.

TCamen

DublinWriter wrote:

Gemma Hayes

Great Irish singer; I really love her voice/music.