Listmania! (split from Radiohead thread)

[danny316]

As you grow more accustomed to music and learn to appreciate it for what it is, instead of just for the gimmicks, it starts to become easier to see through artist who put the gimmicks ahead of the actual music, and that's where a lot of CCM falls apart (more so in those days than now; our problem now is that we're repeating each other's "modern worship" albums to the point whre I'd be happy to hear an artist with a lot of gimmicks, just for a change of pace).

No, you're wrong about that last part. One word (erm, odd sequence of letters and numbers): KJ-52.

[murlough23]

No, you're wrong about that last part. One word (erm, odd sequence of letters and numbers): KJ-52.

Point taken. I stand corrected.

[Josh]

Okay, let's try this from a different angle.

Here's a list of my ten favorite singer-singwriters; and, for the points of this exercise, I'm only including "solo artists"-- ie, not people like Bono, who may sing and write songs, but who do so are members of a band.

My faves:
1. Joe Henry
2. Bob Dylan
3. Sam Phillips
4. Elvis Costello
5. Tom Waits
6. Van Morrison
7. Ron Sexsmith
8. Andrew Bird
9. Nick Cave
10. Sufjan Stevens

[dgp11776]

What about some favorite vocalists?

Jazz vocalists
1.  Tony Bennett
2.  Ella Fitzgerald
3.  Frank Sinatra
4.  Louis Armstrong
5.  Billie Holiday
6.  Dinah Washington
7.  Harry Connick, Jr.
8.  Sarah Vaughan
9.  Michael Buble
10.  Nat King Cole

Solo/vocal group vocalists (modern day)
1.  Michael English (but only in his prime)
2.  Guy Penrod
3.  Rachael Lampa
4.  David Phelps
5.  Placido Domingo
6.  Luciano Pavarotti
7.  Mat Kearney
8.  Janna Long (Avalon)
9.  Kevin Max
10.  Steven Curtis Chapman 

Band vocalists (also modern day)
1.  Marc Martel (downhere)
2.  Steven Christian (Anberlin)
3.  Karen Bergquist (Over the Rhine)
4.  Bart Millard (MercyMe)
5.  Nic Gonzalez (Salvador)
6.  Amy Lee (Evanescence)
7.  Nathan Barlowe (Luna Halo)
8.  Mac Powell (Third Day)
9.  Matt Hammitt (Sanctus Real)
10.  Michael Tait (Tait/dcTalk)

[danny316]

What about some favorite vocalists?
Band vocalists (also modern day)
1.  Marc Martel (downhere)
2.  Steven Christian (Anberlin)
3.  Karen Bergquist (Over the Rhine)
4.  Bart Millard (MercyMe)
5.  Nic Gonzalez (Salvador)
6.  Amy Lee (Evanescence)
7.  Nathan Barlowe (Luna Halo)
8.  Mac Powell (Third Day)
9.  Matt Hammitt (Sanctus Real)
10.  Michael Tait (Tait/dcTalk)

Hmm...you seem to be more into unique vocalists than I am. I like an interesting voice sometimes, because they can give a band character, but I generally tend to think of great vocals in terms of range and such, instead of just how well the vocals are used. That said, I'd agree with your 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 10 as unique vocalists that I respect. My list is a bit more meager because of how I think of these things:
1. Karin Bergquist (Over the Rhine)
2. Fleming McWilliams (Fleming & John)
...
3. Bono (U2 - particularly during the late 80's / early 90's)

...and that's it. I'm one of those rare people who's actually not that excited about most of their favorite bands' vocalists (Leigh Nash can be a bit grating, the Jar boys can be a bit generic there, Thom Yorke can be a bit whiny, Jyro Xhan can't sing well at all, Win Butler tends to yelp a bit...)

[bloop]

Hmm...you seem to be more into unique vocalists than I am. I like an interesting voice sometimes, because they can give a band character, but I generally tend to think of great vocals in terms of range and such, instead of just how well the vocals are used.

I don't think it's such a great idea to rate vocals any other way.  Really, "range and such" is just one particular way to reach an artist's goals.  A different vocal character (or "how well the vocals are used") really matter more to the song itself.  Call Thom Yorke whiny, or whatever, but who really wants to hear Pavarotti on "Fake Plastic Trees"?

Oh, and love that Win Butler yelp.

[murlough23]

[bloop]

[danny316]

I don't think it's such a great idea to rate vocals any other way.  Really, "range and such" is just one particular way to reach an artist's goals.  A different vocal character (or "how well the vocals are used") really matter more to the song itself.  Call Thom Yorke whiny, or whatever, but who really wants to hear Pavarotti on "Fake Plastic Trees"?

That seems like a more fair attitude. Not everybody can sing well anyway, and that doesn't stop them from making good music.

I think I'd be interested by a Pavarotti cover of "Fake Plastic Trees".

[bloop]

I think it could possibly be amusing, but it wouldn't really fit.  The man works in a completely different sphere, though, so I doubt it would ever happen. 

I can say that I absolutely do not want to hear Thom Yorke try on Pavarotti's kind of music.

[Brenden]

Favorite Solo Songwriters (In no order):
1. Jeffrey Foucault
2. Bob Dylan
3. Sam Beam
4. Steven Delopoulos
5. Tom Waits
6. Andrew Bird
7. Sufjan Stevens

Solo/vocal group vocalists (modern day)
1.  Michael Tait
2.  Kevin Max
3.  Jeffrey Foucault
4.  KT Tunstall
5.  Steven Delopoulos
6.  Bono
7.  Mark Salomon
8.  Adam LaClave
9.  Joseph Arthur
10. Bob Dylan