FG Jukebox

I've been cracking this nut the past month, it's been interesting...

Deleted User wrote: »

Whitney Houston or Freddie Mercury gretaest ever singer?

Or someone else who i am forgetting

I'd definitely have Freddie as possibly the greatest, and I'm not even a Queen freak. Take away his songwriting ability, his musicianship, his stage presence and there was still that voice.

Whitney could sing anything, but only a minority of her songs really show off the potential of her vocal IMO. Yes, take her version of 'I Will Always Love You' and you certainly have one of the best recorded pop vocals of all time. But then take something like 'My Love Is Your Love' or 'It's Not Right But It's Ok' from her early 00s album, as an artist her sound adapted but these songs didn't primarily show off her voice.

I just feel Freddie was more consistent throughout his career with the challenges he gave himself and his voice over someone like Whitney...who of course was still amazing. Towards the very end of his life and career, during some very dark days, Freddie was recording 'Barcelona' and putting down some amazing vocals on Queen's 'Made In Heaven' album, all while he was days from death.

I'd have Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush up there too, and they even did a serious duet together...



Other shouts: Aretha, Sinatra, Elvis, Cornell, Plant, Jackson, George Michael, Karen Carpenter, Annie Lennox, Ella Fitzgerald. Personally, I'd commit genocide for Norah Jones. Also, 80s Bono was a force of nature. Never mind U2, listen to his collaboration with Clannad 'In a Lifetime' for a good example.

It is a subjective thing, but maybe not as subjective as something like 'best songwriter' or 'best performer'. Of course the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young belong in the same sentence as Freddie Mercury when we're talking about the great songwriters and their influence, but in terms of technical singing ability, there's no comparison.