One week into 2023 and there is a large portion of the country that is ready to burn this thing to the ground and start over. No, I’m not referencing all of the back and forth in Washington in attempt to name Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House. Hell, I’m not even making reference to the embarrassment that has become Southwest Airlines.
None of that truly matters in the grand scheme of things compared to the travesty we all woke up to on New Years Day. Of course, I am talking about Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. No one asked for this list and I do not believe any of us wanted to start the new year off by choosing violence, but yet, the magazine’s staff, along with some ‘key contributors,’ forced our hand.
Don’t get me wrong – I love a good list, especially end of the year ‘best of’ ones which usually sparks a fun debate amongst friends, but this poorly crafted and executed piece of feces angered the entire music listening world. The greatest omission of them all has already been run in to the ground, but honestly, how in the hell does Celine Dion not make this list? It is absolutely mind blowing. Just on her omission alone the staff and so called contributors should all be deported.
As I scrolled through the list on the 1st, I kept wondering where Prince was gonna land among the 200 and was not mad at all when he popped up at 16. I do however question how one believes Bob Dylan is a better singer than his Minnesota counterpart. I also would come across names that had me yelling ‘how in the hell are they listed this low/high?’
Right off the bat, I was enraged to see Ms. American Idol herself Kelly Clarkson ranking at a very insulting #194. At first glance, I am thinking there is no way in hell there are 193 better singers than Clarkson because there are not. Then, I go back and look at what the credentials were for when Rolling Stone was compiling the list. In their own words “this is the Greatest Singers list, not the Greatest Voices List.” What mattered most to them was the originality, influence, depth of catalog and size of their musical legacy. Outside of the artist vocal sound being original, nothing about a singer’s voice seemed to matter in making the list. Even with all of that said, there are still not 193 singers better than Kelly Clarkson.
A lot can be said about some entrants not having a deep catalog, whether it’s because of how new their career is or if they were lost at a young age, and that will return throughout this piece as I discuss some things that bothered me with the rankings.
There are quite a few singers listed that I am not at all familiar with due to the fact I really haven’t deep-dived certain genres and countries popular music, and I do not count them in my disgust with the list because of my ignorance. I am taking the time to learn about them by spending time at the Listening Lab in Memphis. The Listening Lab is a curated collection of music and music history. The collection which was donated by John King, co-founder of Ardent Records, consist of 30,000 45rpm singles, 10,000 LPs, 20,000 CDs, and over 1,000 unique pieces of musical history. If you are ever in Memphis, I can not recommend visiting the Lab enough.
I centered in on one name that just angered me so much that this person was thought of high enough to be listed amongst so many great singers, and even though I think there are worse singers on the list, the inclusion of Courtney Love just angers me so much. The Hole lead singer clocked in at #130 above Lauryn Hill, Barbra Streisand, Debbie Harry, and Bonnie Raitt to name a few. In all honesty, Thom Yorke at #34 is a bigger travesty, but this one is personal.
After having some time to digest the list, I went back and looked at everyone that was listed above Courtney Love and then I went deeper and started to compile my own list of singers who were not included at all. Celine Dion is, as many have mentioned, the obvious exclusion but there are so many left out where it can be seen as criminal. My list starts with Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors. Morrison has one of the most captivating voices in rock music history. He checks off everything that was important to the magazine. So many singers over the decades have tried to replicate his voice, his legacy lives on to this day, and the band released six studio albums before his tragic death in 1971. I am baffled he is not on the list at all and I would place him in my Top 50.
Someone explain to me where Long Island’s favorite son Billy Joel is. I mean seriously…the Piano Man not being on the list is incomprehensible. His 13 studio albums alone speak for his catalog and legacy. If you are going to use South Korean singer IU selling out Seoul’s Olympic Stadium twice in five minutes, then you have to take into consideration the countless sold-out concerts at Madison Square Garden. He is listed as a MSG franchise along side the New York Knicks and Rangers. If something were to happen to those involved in compiling this ‘list,’ just remember ‘we didn’t start the fire’ – they did.
Singers like Amy Winehouse and Aaliyah are all included in the list despite not having a deep catalog due to their abrupt loss of life. Both were extremely talented singers and continue to influence other singers to this day, but their inclusion over singers such as Sarah McLachlan, Frankie Vali, Joe Cocker and Pink does not add up to me.
Ariana Grande at #43 some 43 spots higher than the King of Pop Michael Jackson is down right wrong. If we are talking about a singer’s originality, then how is Miley Cyrus not listed here? I would honestly put her above Grande, but neither would be anywhere near MJ. Thank you, next.
Patsy Cline checks in at #13 as the highest ranked country artist. I have no issues with that at all or the addition of Dolly Parton, George Strait, and Loretta Lynn among other country singers, but what appears to be a complete mental breakdown by the contributors is the leaving out of Mr. Country Music himself Garth Brooks. You can not walk down Broadway in Nashville or attend any wedding reception without hearing “Friends In Love Places” at some point in the evening. The man left the music business at the height of his popularity to go home and raise his kids. Once he became an empty nester, he dusted the boots off and hit the road and has continued to play sold-out stadium after stadium.
There are so many others that I believe I would have included before Courtney Love and others including Reba McEntire, Sheryl Crow, Robbie Williams, Justin Timberlake, Fats Domino, BB King, Chris Martin, Jimi Hendrix, David Lee Roth, and Michael Hutchence of INXS.
But one omission has me angered above all others and that’s the master of blue-eyed soul, Darryl Hall. I have encountered a number of people that for some time thought the singer of “She’s Gone” and “Sara Smile” was black. I was one of those people. The Philly native has, along with John Oates, sustained a career that has lasted over five decades. Between 1974 and 1991, 29 of their 33 singles landed on Billboard’s Top 40 including six to hit number one. The duo has released 18 studio albums and Darryl has eight solo albums of his own. Darryl Hall checks off the important things listed by the magazine more so than most included.
I could spend another 1,000 or so words discussing the position of those included but I’ll save that for another time. I will say that the one positive thing that Rolling Stone’s list of The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time has done is open my eyes and ears to singers that I have no to little knowledge of and if that was their intention than mission accomplished. If Rolling Stone decides to revisit this or any other list, just know that my DMs are open.
Steven McCash is the Lead Music Writer and Utility Man for SoBros Network. Steven is the host of the ‘Drinking With…’ podcast, and the pioneer of New Music Friday, highlighting each week’s new releases in the world of music in addition to the occasional live show review. He also pitches in as a Nashville lifestyle writer and football analyst (hence the ‘Utility Man’ title). Follow on Twitter: @MC_Cash75
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