The Top 100 Singers of All Time

Singers: Top 100

This list has been updated several times, most recently in 2023 after the Rolling Stone list of the top 200 singers of all time. More than 70 lists – some of which focus on singers and some of which focus on greatest frontmen and women – have been aggregated to create this list. Lists which purport to be “the best of all time” are usually flawed in several ways. First of all, they tend to focus on the rock era, oblivious that there was music before the 1950s. Second, they not only lean on that era, but tend to favor rock and roll artists. Third, those artists are overwhelmingly from English-speaking countries, namely the United States and the United Kingdom. While the third circumstance is still overwhelmingly obvious on this list, I have done my best to pull lists to represent different genres and eras as much as possible. It still isn’t perfect, but it does offer more diversity and representation than you’ll typically find on a best-of list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories. Queen’s Freddie Mercury, image from immediate.co.uk 1. Freddie Mercury 2. Frank Sinatra 3. Aretha Franklin 4. Elvis Presley 5. Robert Plant 6. Janis Joplin 7. Stevie Wonder 8. Michael Jackson 9. Whitney Houston 10. Ella Fitzgerald Even though the sources behind this list heavily favor white male singers who front rock bands, the list makers still showed “Respect” to Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Image from rollingstone.com. 11. Marvin Gaye 12. David Bowie 13. Ray Charles 14. Mariah Carey 15. John Lennon 16. Paul McCartney 17. Mick Jagger 18. Prince 19. Jim Morrison 20. Billie Holiday Many of the names on this list wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for “The King of Rock and Roll.” Image from fanpop.com. 21. Sam Cooke 22. Bono 23. James Brown 24. Axl Rose 25. Elton John 26. Otis Redding 27. Céline Dion 28. Tina Turner 29. Nat “King” Cole 30. Kurt Cobain Divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Christina Aguilera show they deserve a place on this rock-heavy list. 31. Roy Orbison 32. Bob Dylan 33. Louis Armstrong 34. Roger Daltrey 35. Stevie Nicks 36. Johnny Cash 37. Karen Carpenter 38. Nina Simone 39. Bruce Springsteen 40. Smokey Robinson Even a rock-heavy list can’t hold back jazz singer icons like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James. Image from music-wallpapers.net. 41. Patsy Cline 42. Steven Tyler 43. Al Green 44. Etta James 45. Little Richard 46. Christina Aguilera 47. Steve Perry 48. Barbra Streisand 49. Luther Vandross 50. Dolly Parton R&B legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke make the list. Image from johannasvisions.com. 51. Bing Crosby 52. Beyoncé 53. Björk 54. Joni Mitchell 55. Chris Cornell 56. Thom Yorke 57. Iggy Pop 58. Tony Bennett 59. Van Morrison 60. Dusty Springfield Pre-rock era crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, and Nat “King” Cole couldn’t be denied. Image from queens-politics.com. 61. Jeff Buckley 62. Bob Marley 63. Morrissey 64. Gladys Knight 65. Dean Martin 66. Adele 67. Amy Winehouse 68. Madonna 69. Eddie Vedder 70. Ozzy Osbourne Country stars like Johnny Cash, Dolly PartonGeorge Jones, Patsy Cline, and Hank Williams made the cut even without rock and roll credentials. Image from abcnewsradioonline.com. 71. Neil Young 72. Maria Callas 73. Jimi Hendrix 74. Ann Wilson 75. George Michael 76. Rod Stewart 77. Perry Como 78. Luciano Pavarotti 79. Jon Bon Jovi 80. Bon Scott Despite the shortcomings of lists such as these, don’t let that take away from rock gods like Robert Plant, Jim Morrison, and Mick Jagger who absolutely belong on this list. Image from thehelplessdancer.wordpress.com. 81. Debbie Harry 82. Michael Stipe 83. Mel Tormé 84. Bruce Dickinson 85. George Jones 86. Hank Williams 87. Edith Piaf 88. Judy Garland 89. Ronnie James Dio 90. Diana Ross World music gets almost no love from the list makers, but at least Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley and French singer Edith Piaf make the list. Image from aarkangel.wordpress.com. 91. Tom Jones 92. Jackie Wilson 93. Joe Strummer 94. Patti Smith 95. Mary J. Blige 96. Lou Reed 97. Matt Bellamy 98. Bobby Darin 99. Johnny Mathis 100. Curtis Mayfield Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories First posted 7/17/2012; last updated 3/5/2023.