Vote For The 50 Greatest Voices

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Vote For The 50 Greatest Voices

In January 2010, NPR will launch a year-long exploration of 50 great voices in recorded history. The series isn't an attempt to catalog the so-called "greatest" singers. Instead, NPR hopes to discover and re-discover awe-inspiring vocalists from around the world and across time.

NPR asked you to nominate artists for the series and they received thousands of options. NPR and a panel of experts are in the process of whittling them down to about 100 singers — a mix of familiar names and surprising discoveries.
Explore some of the nominated voices below, choose five favorites you think should be included in the final 50 and tell us why.

Source: NPR / Updated: Nov 3, 2009

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pasa-ryu (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 7, 2009report abuse

IT has to be Elvis!-even artists such as Paul Mcartney said when he used to feel 'sad' he would play an "Elvis record" and feel happy-and many,many other famous people and artist would say the same thing too,..Bob Dylan famously said:"when i first heard heartbreak hotel it was like busting out of jail";John Lennon also said:"Before elvis there was nothing"/Roy Orbison said:"i hope that nobody will forget how he influenced us all-he isn't just a historical phenomen but rather something very lasting"/Jim morrison said:Elvis was the best,the most unique,he started the ball rolling,he deserves the recoginition"/Elton John said:"He completely changed the way i felt about music,he combined everything that a star needs,looks,charisma,talent, and originality"/i think all the above statements prove that it has to be our man Elvis who has the "voice".

dgirl (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 7, 2009report abuse

Now THAT would be an interesting poll. Cant listen to Joel at all. He gets my vote also.

theoldscudder (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 6, 2009report abuse

Hope they have a worst singers/songwriters list. Billy Joel would be the #1 stinker in Rock history.

Jerome-the-third (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 6, 2009report abuse

Scott Walker recorded some great stuff like Love Her, walking in the rain, light of cincinnatti, make it easy on yourself, no regrets, i never dreamed you d leave in summer, lines etc. of course not only solo but with the 'brothers' as well..

theoldscudder (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 6, 2009report abuse

How about Fabian, Steve V's guilty pleasure

Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 6, 2009report abuse

The Walker Brothers had one of the greatest singles of the 60's with The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore. That's the kind of material that Elvis should have been receiving. A perfect song for him.

Jerome-the-third (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 6, 2009report abuse

just voted for Charlie Hodge..

Even_B (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 6, 2009report abuse

Where's Jim Reeves? Dean Martin? Merle Haggard? Vikki Carr? Ivan Rebroff? Saori Yuki?(Japanese songstress) Akiko Wada? (Japanese songstress) Why is Eddy Arnold on the list? A bit surprised to find one of my all time favourites on the list, namely Connie Smith. This list is once again a bit too commercial I'd say. In response to another post: Scott Walker was one of The Walker Brothers. He released a few solo albums in the late 1960's and in the 1970's.

Emiel Maier (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 5, 2009report abuse

Just voted! Elvis Presley, Jackie Wilson, Roy Orbison, Maria Callas, Freddie Mercury.

dgirl (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 5, 2009report abuse

Johnny Cash a great voice? Well yes depending. On a song like Folson Prison Blues, I think noone (including Elvis) could convey that song's message as well as Johnny. He lived it. So it really depends on the song. Also a great voice is also a voice that is undeniably distinguished. When a Cash song starts, you know its him instantly. Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Mahalia Jackson are all great voices as well. Dont like Bing at all but would not deny him as one of the great voices either.

tuscanresident (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 5, 2009report abuse

All selections are subjective to who is listing them. For example missing are: Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Hank Williams, and Jimmie Rigers all of whom were huge stars in their day. In the end it will be down to the ones picked by whoever chooses the list. Still there's only one number one.....

elvistruth (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 4, 2009report abuse

Alphabetically Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley,Frank Sinatra of course are the best three male voices of Popular Music ever, no serious doubt about that and absolutely convinced. After these 3 icons, are IMHO and personally more subjective in this case are Marty Robbins, Helmut Lotti,Engelbert Humperdinck, George Strait, George Jones, Nino Bravo and Charles Aznavour.

theoldscudder (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 4, 2009report abuse

Scott Walker? Who is Kareem Garcia, who is Scott Walker?

SuziB (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 4, 2009report abuse

Johnny Cash - a great voice??? Well, I suppose if you low off key and out of tune singing.//Great voices are of course more than range, centre of gravity and timbre, on all counts which Johnny Cash fails on, but the ability to move and communicate, ah he fails on that as well. Roy Orbison defintely, Scott Walker even more so and of course Elvis ...Johnny Cash, never.

burninglove92 (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 4, 2009report abuse

i picked 1.Elvis 2.Roy Orbison 3.Freddie Mercury 4.Johnny Cash 5.Ray Charles.

I am Buffalo-Horn! (profile/ contact) wrote on Nov 4, 2009report abuse

Basically, you pick Elvis, then 4 more you've never heard of!!