Rollingstone list of all-time greatest singers/guitarist

[Butters]

A couple of years ago Rollingstone magazine listed the greatest singers and greatest guitarist of all time. Axl was like 67 for singers , but Slash did even make it on the 100 guitairist of all-time.

I would put Axl top ten frontman for any genre of music , but as far as guitarist go I do not know where I would rank Slash.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Butters

[ashysdad]

A couple of years ago Rollingstone magazine listed the greatest singers and greatest guitarist of all time. Axl was like 67 for singers , but Slash did even make it on the 100 guitairist of all-time.

I would put Axl top ten frontman for any genre of music , but as far as guitarist go I do not know where I would rank Slash.

cool story bro

[duff_rose]

[Butters]

Thanks. I thought it was a cool story too, bro

[Guest gunns5]

theres lots of brothers in this thread

[Powerage5]

Thanks. I thought it was a cool story too, bro

[Daedalus]

You mean this list? :

Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time

1. Aretha Franklin

2. Ray Charles

3. Elvis Presley

4. Sam Cooke

5. John Lennon

6. Marvin Gaye

7. Bob Dylan

8. Otis Redding

9. Stevie Wonder

10. James Brown

11. Paul McCartney

12. Little Richard

13. Roy Orbison

14. Al Green

15. Robert Plant

16. Mick Jagger

17. Tina Turner

18. Freddie Mercury

19. Bob Marley

20. Smokey Robinson

21. Johnny Cash

22. Etta James

23. David Bowie

24. Van Morrison

25. Michael Jackson

26. Jackie Wilson

27. Hank Williams

28. Janis Joplin

29. Nina Simone

30. Prince

31. Howlin' Wolf

32. Bono

33. Steve Winwood

34. Whitney Houston

35. Dusty Springfield

36. Bruce Springsteen

37. Neil Young

38. Elton John

39. Jeff Buckley

40. Curtis Mayfield

41. Chuck Berry

42. Joni Mitchell

43. George Jones

44. Bobby 'Blue' Bland

45. Kurt Cobain

46. Patsy Cline

47. Jim Morrison

48. Buddy Holly

49. Donny Hathaway

50. Bonnie Raitt

51. Gladys Knight

52. Brian Wilson

53. Muddy Waters

54. Luther Vandross

55. Paul Rodgers

56. Mavis Staples

57. Eric Burdon

58. Christina Aguilera

59. Rod Stewart

60. Bjork

61. Roger Daltrey

62. Lou Reed

63. Dion

64. Axl Rose

65. David Ruffin

66. Thom Yorke

67. Jerry Lee Lewis

68. Wilson Pickett

69. Ronnie Spector

70. Gregg Allman

71. Toots Hibbert

72. John Fogerty

73. Dolly Parton

74. James Taylor

75. Iggy Pop

76. Steve Perry

77. Merle Haggard

78. Sly Stone

79. Mariah Carey

80. Frankie Valli

81. John Lee Hooker

82. Tom Waits

83. Patti Smith

84. Darlene Love

85. Sam Moore

86. Art Garfunkel

87. Don Henley

88. Willie Nelson

89. Solomon Burke

90. The Everly Brothers

91. Levon Helm

92. Morrissey

93. Annie Lennox

94. Karen Carpenter

95. Patti LaBelle

96. B.B. King

97. Joe Cocker

98. Stevie Nicks

99. Steven Tyler

100. Mary J. Blige

[Chinese Destruction]

Axl is certainly a lot better than Bono. Having said that, although Axl is probably my favourite vocalist of all time, I wouldn't have the tenacity to suggest he's the greatest ever (in terms of generally).

[moreblack]

they printed an apology later for that

[Goose!]

How the fuck can you have Freddie Mercury at 18 ? And,yeah, the top 100 guitarist lists is a joke; Cobain at 16 or whatever, Eddie Van Halen in the 70's, Rhoads' in the 80's, and most importantly - no Slash!

[phaeryen]

Axl is certainly a lot better than Bono. Having said that, although Axl is probably my favourite vocalist of all time, I wouldn't have the tenacity to suggest he's the greatest ever (in terms of generally).

Bono was pretty good in the eighties and early nineties. And the top U2 records are easily as legendary and important as the guns and roses discs are.

Check out Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, Rattle and hum.... he was a really charismatic frontman at the time. But the late nineties and 2000's havent been that good for him. I don't understand why im defending bono to you. but he used to such an awesome force behind a microphone its not even funny.

2010 Bono vs Axl... its Axl all the way though.

[GivenToFly]

Rolling Stones make notoriously bad lists. Let it go.

And from what I've noticed, they like punk way too much.

[Chinese Destruction]

Bono was pretty good in the eighties and early nineties. And the top U2 records are easily as legendary and important as the guns and roses discs are.

Did I say Bono wasn't any good in the eighties or early nineties? “Appetite” is leaps and bounds more legendary and “important” than anything in U2's discographical history. But aside from that fact, are U2's records reflective of Bono alone? Not really considering they've been a collective effort. Lyrically, historically, and indeed in a live environment Axl Rose absolutely surpasses Bono. Let's be honest, the only thing Bono has really outdone Axl in is charity work.

[LA_0013]

Lyrically, historically, and indeed in a live environment Axl Rose absolutely surpasses Bono.

No he doesn't....

Lyrically, both have done some pretty great lyircis (did Axl Rose himself not say the first time he heard U2's One it reduced him to tears?..)

Historically? - Bono everytime. If anything, Axl is ridiculed when people look back on his legacy in music. Bono, while slowly becoming a parady of himself, is always taken seriously as one of the best frontmen ever.

Live - Zoo TV, Popmart, 360 Tour, and countless others like the Joshua Tree tour. I wouldn't say Bono is too shabby live either.

To use your own words, in my opinion, the only thing Axl 'absolutely surpasses' Bono in, would be attitude.

LA

Edited December 12, 2010 by LA_0013

[Kickingthehabit]

“Appetite” is leaps and bounds more legendary and “important” than anything in U2's discographical history.

Appetite is a great record, but how exactly is it important? Musically, Guns didn't break ground. There wasn't any genre busting or instrumental innovations going on. It was just a batch of nicely written songs. I'd argue The Joshua Tree or perhaps Achtung Baby are much more important. The Edge's work on those albums is pretty much the default mode for guitarists today. You hear it everywhere..

-Kickingthehabit

[Chinese Destruction]

Lyrically, both have done some pretty great lyircis (did Axl Rose himself not say the first time he heard U2's One it reduced him to tears?..)

Historically? - Bono everytime. If anything, Axl is ridiculed when people look back on his legacy in music. Bono, while slowly becoming a parady of himself, is always taken seriously as one of the best frontmen ever.

Live - Zoo TV, Popmart, 360 Tour, and countless others like the Joshua Tree tour. I wouldn't say Bono is too shabby live either.

Both “Estranged” and “November Rain” are lyrically stronger than “One” (in my opinion). “One” has an extremely powerful message (yes) but “November Rain” and “Estranged” are just phenomenal (wasn't it argued that “Estranged” even entailed hints of esoteric philosophy?)

The late/eighties early nineties Axl Rose is iconic. Sure the edition of history we're familiar with looks upon him unfavourably (because of the disintegration of “old” Guns N' Roses and his alleged “role” in the whole thing) but the guy just encapsulated hard rock. His image, his attitude, that scream and even the prima donna antics just exuded rock n' roll.

Am I denying that Bono is a good live act? No. I'm merely highlighting the notion that any U2 tour couldn't have lived up to performances by the late eighties edition of GN'R (“baddest” band on the planet, most distinguished scream in hard rock , most “volatile” front man etc.)

[HOOSIER GUNZ]

What do ya say we try to boil it down to this:

I don't recall seeing members of GnR showing up at U2 video shoots back in the late eighties...edgie.

[LA_0013]

Both “Estranged” and “November Rain” are lyrically stronger than “One” (in my opinion). “One” has an extremely powerful message (yes) but “November Rain” and “Estranged” are just phenomenal (wasn't it argued that “Estranged” even entailed hints of esoteric philosophy?)

Yeah, but some of Axl's lyrics are pretty piss poor as well. Anyway, if everyone thought the lyrics of November Rain were so groundbreaking, why will that song forever be known for its overbloated and OTT video?...

The late/eighties early nineties Axl Rose is iconic. Sure the edition of history we're familiar with looks upon him unfavourably (because of the disintegration of “old” Guns N' Roses and his alleged “role” in the whole thing) but the guy just encapsulated hard rock. His image, his attitude, that scream and even the prima donna antics just exuded rock n' roll.

Am I denying that Bono is a good live act? No. I'm merely highlighting the notion that any U2 tour couldn't have lived up to performances by the late eighties edition of GN'R (“baddest” band on the planet, most distinguished scream in hard rock , most “volatile” front man etc.)

I suggest you look at the poll again. Its the '100 greatest singers of all time', male and female, any genre. What your saying is all very well if the poll was 'greatest frontman in 'hard rock' history', coz that's all your points seem to be based on (see above..).

Does 'prima donna antics,' 'being volatile' or having a 'distinguished scream' count for much in a rock frontman poll? Sure. In a general '100 greatest singers of all time' poll? Not really.

And for the record, while Axl's voice is one of the most distinctive in his genre of music, I would say Bono 'generally' has a better, stronger, and more consistent singing voice than Axl. Which holds more weight in a singing poll than turning up late on stage and 'exuding rock n roll.'

LA

[Use Your Delusion 1]

so no slash on the 100 guitarist ever?

no credibility then

[moreblack]

just by being Rolling Stone it has no credibility

[ITW 2012]

“Appetite” is leaps and bounds more legendary and “important” than anything in U2's discographical history.

Appetite is a great record, but how exactly is it important? Musically, Guns didn't break ground. There wasn't any genre busting or instrumental innovations going on. It was just a batch of nicely written songs. I'd argue The Joshua Tree or perhaps Achtung Baby are much more important. The Edge's work on those albums is pretty much the default mode for guitarists today. You hear it everywhere..

-Kickingthehabit

I'd argue that it's easier to break new ground like The Edge than come up with the kind of guitar solos that Slash played while in GNR. The Edge has no solos that you could put up against Page, Clapton, Slash or Hendrix's best stuff.

Edited December 13, 2010 by ITW 2012

[dalsh327]

I think the names on the list are fair although I would've replaced 20 names, and in a "greatest of all time" list, Rolling Stone is going to focus heavily on rock era, and some of the names mentioned were not great singers in their own right, but when they harmonized, it worked.

Lists like this change every time someone dies, some award is won, or some documentary comes out.

But to me a "great vocalist" list is different from a "great frontman" list.

[dario27]

“Appetite” is leaps and bounds more legendary and “important” than anything in U2's discographical history.

Appetite is a great record, but how exactly is it important? Musically, Guns didn't break ground. There wasn't any genre busting or instrumental innovations going on. It was just a batch of nicely written songs. I'd argue The Joshua Tree or perhaps Achtung Baby are much more important. The Edge's work on those albums is pretty much the default mode for guitarists today. You hear it everywhere..

-Kickingthehabit

I'd argue that it's easier to break new ground like The Edge than come up with the kind of guitar solos that Slash played while in GNR. The Edge has no solos that you could put up against Page, Clapton, Slash or Hendrix's best stuff.

Are you saying that it's easier to write a solo than to write a song? I'm not a U2 fan but I know how influential Edge is and it's because of his ability to create great guitar parts. Solo's aren't his thing...

And for the record, as a Guitarist I think that's WAAAAY easier to write a solo than to write a song with distinct guitar parts (which in turn aids in writing the solo)...

So ya, I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree...

but it depends what type of guitarrist you are... yes solos are theorically just a bunch of scales, but it depends, what if you don't write the solos but feel them depending on what type of song you're playing?, and then you have to make it work for that song that could've easily started with a simple riff or mumming or bass line

not taking anything away from The Edge, i dig the guy but is hard to write a song but just as hard to write a solo, a good one of course....

[LA_0013]

Lengthy guitar solos are not really what the Edge is about. He's done them at various points in time (The Fly, Bullet the Blue Sky live etc), but he mainly seems himself as just a piece of the song puzzle. He pretty much pioneered the sound of orchestrating songs with his guitar parts, a lot of the time with an echo/delay to create a fuller sound over the bass and drums.

LA

Edited December 13, 2010 by LA_0013

[evergreen_layne]

“Appetite” is leaps and bounds more legendary and “important” than anything in U2's discographical history.

The Edge's work on those albums is pretty much the default mode for guitarists today. You hear it everywhere..

-Kickingthehabit

That doesn't make it right.