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Billboard's writers have compiled "The 50 Greatest Rock Lead Singers of All Time" (to front a band) and Mick Jagger comes out on top.
The reason? "No one has moves like Jagger — nor the voice, the image, the fashion sense, or the remarkably enduring charisma of the frontman for the 'Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World.' ... Mick Jagger continues to personify not only The Rolling Stones but rock’n’roll itself– powerfully sexual, threatening, liberating and joyous, all at once."
He's followed in the Top 10 by:
- 2) Stevie Nicks - Fleetwood Mac
- 3) Freddie Mercury - Queen
- 4) Robert Plant - Led Zeppelin
- 5) Kurt Cobain - Nirvana
- 6) David Byrne - Talking Heads
- 7) Debbie Harry - Blondie
- 8) George Clinton - Parliament/Funkadelic
- 9) Bono - U2
- 10) Axl Rose - Guns n' Roses
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And the rest:
- 11) Robert Smith - The Cure
- 12) Roger Daltrey - The Who
- 13) Hayley Williams - Paramore
- 14) Steven Tyler - Aerosmith
- 15) Chrissie Hynde - The Pretenders
- 16) Michael Stipe - R.E.M.
- 17) Chris Cornell - Soundgarden
- 18) Jack White - The White Stripes
- 19) Kathleen Hanna - Bikini Kill
- 20) David Lee Roth - Van Halen
- 21) Jim Morrison – The Doors
- 22) Eddie Vedder - Pearl Jam
- 23) Karen O - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- 24) Rob Halford - Judas Priest
- 25) Janis Joplin - Big Brother and the Holding Company
- 26) Thom Yorke - Radiohead
- 27) Lou Reed - The Velvet Underground
- 28) Anthony Kiedis - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 29) Ann Wilson - Heart
- 30) Steve Perry - Journey
- 31) Laura Jane Grace - Against Me!
- 32) Ozzy Osbourne - Black Sabbath
- 33) Gustavo Cerati - Soda Stereo
- 34) Chester Bennington - Linkin Park
- 35) Grace Slick - Jefferson Airplane
- 36) Joe Strummer - The Clash
- 37) Gwen Stefani - No Doubt
- 38) Iggy Pop - The Stooges
- 39) Paul McCartney - The Beatles
- 40) Brittany Howard - Alabama Shakes
- 41) Liam Gallagher - Oasis
- 42) Serj Tankian - System of a Down
- 43) Courtney Love - Hole
- 44) Jerry Garcia - The Grateful Dead
- 45) Corey Glover - Living Colour
- 46) Poly Styrene - X-Ray Spex
- 47) Paul Westerberg - The Replacements
- 48) Dave Grohl – Foo Fighters
- 49) Rubén Albarrán - Café Tacvba
- 50) Zack de la Rocha - Rage Against the Machine
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So you think Mick Jagger should be number one?
All these lists are subjective and open to debate, so let the debating begin.
There are definitely many people who I was surprised didn't make the list including:
Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Paul Rodgers (Bad Company), Levon Helm (The Band), Ronnie James Dio (DIO, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell), Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band), Ronnie Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), John Lennon (The Beatles), Brad Delp (Boston), Dennis DeYoung (Styx), Mike Love (The Beach Boys), Steve Winwood (Traffic), Don Henley and Glenn Frey (Eagles), Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), Sting (The Police), Lou Gramm (Foreigner), and Jon Anderson (Yes)
Source: Billboard and Premiere
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