The Top 100 Singers of All Time

Singers: Top 100

This list has been updated several times, most recently in 2026 after the Consequence.net ranking of the top 100 vocalists 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 Britannica.com 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. David Bowie 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. Ella Fitzgerald 13. Ray Charles 14. Mariah Carey 15. John Lennon 16. Paul McCartney 17. Prince 18. Mick Jagger 19. Billie Holiday 20. Sam Cooke 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. Bono 22. Jim Morrison 23. Elton John 24. James Brown 25. Otis Redding 26. Axl Rose 27. Tina Turner 28. Céline Dion 29. Bob Dylan 30. Roy Orbison Divas like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Christina Aguilera show they deserve a place on this rock-heavy list. 31. Kurt Cobain 32. Nat “King” Cole 33. Stevie Nicks 34. Louis Armstrong 35. Johnny Cash 36. Roger Daltrey 37. Karen Carpenter 38. Bruce Springsteen 39. Smokey Robinson 40. Patsy Cline 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. Nina Simone 42. Little Richard 43. Al Green 44. Etta James 45. Steven Tyler 46. Luther Vandross 47. Christina Aguilera 48. Steve Perry 49. Dolly Parton 50. Barbra Streisand R&B legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke make the list. Image from johannasvisions.com. 51. Beyoncé 52. Joni Mitchell 53. Thom Yorke 54. Iggy Pop 55. Björk 56. Chris Cornell 57. Bing Crosby 58. Morrissey 59. Jeff Buckley 60. Neil Young 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. Bob Marley 62. Van Morrison 63. Adele 64. Tony Bennett 65. Ozzy Osbourne 66. Gladys Knight 67. Dusty Springfield 68. Amy Winehouse 69. Madonna 70. Eddie Vedder 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. Dean Martin 72. Ann Wilson 73. Jimi Hendrix 74. Rod Stewart 75. George Michael 76. Maria Callas 77. Perry Como 78. Diana Ross 79. Hank Williams 80. Michael Stipe 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. Patti Smith 82. Jon Bon Jovi 83. Debbie Harry 84. Ronnie James Dio 85. Joe Strummer 86. Bon Scott 87. Luciano Pavarotti 88. Bruce Dickinson 89. Lou Reed 90. George Jones 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 Waits 92. Mary J. Blige 93. Judy Garland 94. Jackie Wilson 95. Tom Jones 96. Curtis Mayfield 97. Mel Tormé 98. Edith Piaf 99. Chuck Berry 100. Brian Wilson Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories First posted 7/17/2012; last updated 4/28/2026.

The Doors: Top 20 Songs

The Doors Top 20 Songs

Rock group formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California. The group was comprised of Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards), Robby Krieger (guitar), and John Densmore (drums). They got their name from Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception, which was a reference to a William Blake quotation. The band released six studio albums in five years. They were the first American band to have eight consecutive gold albums. They have sold over 100 million records worldwide. In 1971, Morrison died at age 27 from uncertain cirmstances, although it is generally speculated that it was drug/alcohol related. The other members continued as a trio until 1973. “Light My Fire” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999. The band’s self-titled debut album is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time. Both are available on Amazon. Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for The Doors Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists”

Awards:

Top 20 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. DMDB Top 1%: 1. Light My Fire (1967) DMDB Top 2%: 2. Riders on the Storm (1971) 3. The End (1967) DMDB Top 5%: 4. Hello I Love You (1968) 5. Break on Through (1967) 6. People Are Strange (1967) 7. Roadhouse Blues (1970) 8. L.A. Woman (1971) 9. Touch Me (1968) 10. Love Her Madly (1971) DMDB Top 10%: 11. Love Me Two Times (1967) 12. When the Music’s Over (1967) DMDB Top 20%: 13. Strange Days (1967) 14. The Crystal Ship (1967) 15. The Unknown Soldier (1968) 16. Gloria (live, 1969) 17. Runnin’ Blue (1969) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 18. Waiting for the Sun (1970) 19. Wishful Sinful (1969) 20. Tell All the People (1969) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for The Doors Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 12/6/2023.

 

Today in Music (1968): The Doors “Hello, I Love You” hit #1

Hello I Love You The Doors

Writer(s): John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison (see lyrics here) Released: June 11, 1968 First Charted: June 21, 1968 Peak: 12 BB, 11 CB, 11 GR, 11 HR, 1 CL, 15 UK, 11 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 28.9 video, 90.53 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: In 1968, the Doors were falling victim to what guitarist Robbie Krieger called “the third album syndrome” in which a group have exhausted the repertoire they started with as a band and are then “they go on tour and they don’t have time to write any more stuff. By the third album you find yourself trying to write stuff in the studio and it shows.” FB In an effort to find material for their third album, Waiting for the Sun, the Doors went through some old poems written by lead singer Jim Morrison the summer after he graduated from UCLA film school. He wrote it in Venice one afternoon when he and keyboardist Ray Manzarek saw a young black girl walking down the beach. FB Morrison, Manzarek, and drummer John Densmore actually first recorded the song in 1965 when they were members of Rick & the Ravens. WK By the end of that year, they joined forces with Krieger to form The Doors. The latter band’s recording finds them “riding a riff that the early Kinks could have conjured, the Doors rock like a garage band.” DT Krieger created the effect by running his guitar through a fuzz box, which created a distorted effect similar to what Cream had done with “Sunshine of Your Love.” RC Krieger would also state that the song’s drum beat was taken from “Sunshine of Your Love” while denying that the song’s overall musical structure was taken from the Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night.” WK According to the Kinks’ lead singer Ray Davies, Morrison admitted that the Doors had used the riff from “All Day and All of the Night.” WK Resources: FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 244. RC Rod Couch (2015). The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era: 1955-2015. Page 493. DT Dave Thompson (2011). 1000 Songs That Rock Your World. Krause Publications: Iola, WI. Page 297. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 4/26/2024.

Today in Music (1967): The Doors hit #1 with “Light My Fire”

Light My Fire The Doors

Writer(s): John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison (see lyrics here) Released: April 1967 First Charted: May 27, 1967 Peak: 13 US, 11 CB, 11 HR, 1 CL, 7 UK, 2 CN, 16 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 71.65 video, 305.65 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The song that “positively dripped with sexual desire” TC was a fitting launch for the Doors and, with “Jim Morrison’s beauty, akin to that of Michelangelo’s David,” TB established the band’s frontman as one of rock’s most legendary sex symbols. Morrison was the band’s chief songwriter, but “Light My Fire” emerged after he challenged the rest of the band to come up with material. SS According to keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Jim said at a band rehearsal, “Everyone go home this weekend and write at least one song.” MM Guitarist Robby Krieger responded with the first song he ever wrote. He said the melody was inspired by “Hey Joe” by the Leaves and the idea of writing about fire came from the Rolling Stones’ “Play with Fire.” MM Krieger also got help from the band in writing the song. He explained, “Ray had the idea for the opening part, which was the real hook. Jim helped me out on some of the lyrics...and the beat was John [Densmore]’s idea.” FB The song had more than just sex. Its blatant reference to drug use with the line “We couldn’t get much higher” got the band in trouble with the Ed Sullivan Show. The band had promised to replace the word “higher” when performing the song on a live television broadcast, but sang it anyway, getting them permanently banned from the show. AMG The group wasn’t thinking of the song as a single when they created the version that runs near seven minutes on LP. FB The Doors knew how to “extend songs to satisfy LSD-fueled crowds on the dance floor.” MM It is “the only one a sane person would play.” RC However, it was whittled down to less than three minutes for radio consumption – a move which meant stripping it of “all of the instrumental breaks which are the heart of the song.” RC “Manzarek’s manic organ runs particularly prominent” TB and Larry Knechtel, who played the opening chords on the legendary “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds, played bass. SS After the song hit #1, though, many radio stations opted for the longer version, which today remains mainstay of album rock radio. FB Proving its power beyond the psychedelic and sexual revolutions of the sixties with which the song became synonymous, AMG the song also garnered José Feliciano a Grammy in 1969 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance of his flamenco version of the song. More than two decades later, when Oliver Stone’s 1991 film biopic The Doors WK rekindled interest in the band, the song trounced its original #49 peak on the UK charts by landing all the way up at #7. The UK also gave Amii Stewart a #5 hit with the song in 1979 and Will Young took it to #1 in 2002. Resources: AMG All Music Guide review by Lindsay Planer FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 227. RC Rod Couch (2015). The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era: 1955-2015. Page 32. TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 848. MM Marc Myers (2016). Anatomy of a Song. Grove Press: New York, NY. Pages 81-5. RS500 Rolling Stone (4/7/2011). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” SS Steve Sullivan (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings (Volumes I & II). Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland. Pages 484-5. TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 90. WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 4/28/2024.