Mike Patton Is the Greatest Singer of All Time Based on Vocal Range, Not Axl Rose, Experts Insist

[ThinkAboutYou]

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/entertainment/mike_patton_is_the_greatest_singer_of_all_time_based_on_vocal_range_not_axl_rose_experts_insist.html

As a recently published list crowning Axl Rose as the greatest singer of all time stirred up the web, a more thorough analysis has surfaced, stressing that GN'R frontman is in fact not No. 1.

As Vintage Vinyl News points out, the initial list took into consideration only singers who made Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers list.

Broadening up horizons a bit based on the Range Place info, the Top 100 was expanded and updated, placing Mike Patton of Faith No More on No. 1 spot with a stunning vocal range of over six octaves.

So without further ado, check out the updated list below.

The Greatest Singer Ever List:

1) Mike Patton (Eb1 to E7) - 6 octaves, 1/2 note

2) Diamanda Galás (F2 to C#8) - 5 octaves, 4-1/2 notes

3) David Lee Roth (E1 to A6) - 5 octaves, 3 notes

4) Axl Rose (F1 to Bb6) - 5 octaves, 2-1/2 notes

5) Nina Hagen (G#1 to Bb6) - 5 octaves, 1 note

6) Ville Valo (C1 to C#6) - 5 octaves, 1/2 notes

7) Roger Waters (B1 to Bb6), Mariah Carey (G#2 to G7) - 4 octaves, 6-1/2 notes

8) Devin Townsend (C2 to Bb6) - 4 octaves, 5-1/2 notes

9) Paul McCartney (A1 to F6), Phil Anselmo (C#1 to Bb5) - 4 octaves, 5 notes

10) Prince (E2 to B6) - 4 octaves, 4 notes

11) Jon Bon Jovi (E2 to G#6), Chino Moreno (F#2 to B6) - 4 octaves, 2-1/2 notes

12) King Diamond (A1 to C6), Minnie Ripperton (Eb3 to F#7) - 4 octaves, 2 notes

13) Elvis Presley (G1 to A5), Warrel Dane (G#1 to Bb5), Jim Gillette (C2 to D6), Burton Cummings (C2 to D6), Steven Tyler (D2 to E6), Serj Tankian (D2 to E6) - 4 octaves, 1 note

14) David Bowie (G1 to G#5), Peter Gabriel (G1 to G#5), Rob Halford (C2 to C#6), Marvin Gaye (D2 to Eb6), James Brown (Eb2 to E6), Christina Aguilera (C3 to C#7) - 4 octaves, 1/2 note

15) Geoff Tate (A1 to A5), Captain Beefheart (A1 to A5), Maynard James Keenan (G1 to G5), Tom Araya (C#2 to C#6), Ian Gillan (D2 to D6), Glenn Hughes (D2 to D6), Freddie Mercury (F2 to F6) - 4 octaves

16) Daniel Gildenlow (B1 to A5), John Lennon (C2 to B5), Eric Adams (C2 to B5), Elton John (E2 to D6), Jeff Buckley (F2 to E6), Luis Miguel (G2 to F6) (note: still being analyzed) - 3 octaves, 6 notes

17) Nick Cave (B1 to G#5), Bobby McFerrin (B1 to G#5), Russell Allen (G#1 to F5), Bruce Springsteen (Eb2 to B5), Robert Plant (E2 to C#6) - 3 octaves, 5-1/2 notes

18) Roger Daltrey (B1 to G5), Lou Gramm (B1 to G5), Chris Isaak (B1 to G5), Barry White (F#1 to Eb5), Siouxsie Sioux (A2 to F6), Tina Turner (B2 to G6), Stevie Wonder (E2 to C6) - 3 octaves, 5 notes

19) Tom Waits (Bb1 to F5), Burton C. Bell (B1 to F#5), Karen O (B2 to F#6), Bono (C2 to G#5), Eddie Vedder (C2 to G#5), David Gilmour (C#2 to A5), Morten Harket (C2 to G#5), James LaBrie (D2 to Bb5), Ronnie James Dio (Eb2 to B5), Tim "Ripper" Owens (Eb2 to B5). Miljenko Matijevic (Eb2 to B5), Philip Bailey (G2 to Eb6) - 3 octaves, 4-1/2 notes

20) Damon Albarn (B1 to F5), Beyonce (A2 to E6), Kate Bush (B2 to F6), M. Shadows (C#2 to G#5), Chris Cornell (D2 to A5), Brian Johnson (D2 to A5), Richard Page (D2 to A5), Layne Staley (Eb2 to Bb5), Bruce Dickinson (E2 to B5), Geddy Lee (E2 to B5), Mark Boals (F2 to C6), Michael Jackson (F#2 to C#6), Sarah Vaughan (G2 to D6), Cedric Bixler-Zavala (G2 to D6), Cyndi Lauper (Eb3 to Bb6) - 3 octaves, 4 notes

21) Jim Morrison (E2 to Bb5), Stu Block (E2 to Bb5), Myles Kennedy (F#2 to C6) - 3 octaves, 3-1/2 notes

22) Brandon Boyd (B1 to E5), Iggy Pop (B1 to E5), Justin Hawkins (B2 to E6), Miley Cyrus (B2 to E6), Mick Jagger (E2 to A5), Nina Simone (E2 to A5), Tommy Giles Rogers (E2 to A5), Tim Buckley (F2 to B5) - 3 octaves, 3 notes

23) Norah Jones (A2 to C#6), Bob Dylan (C#2 to F5), Kurt Cobain (C#2 to F5), Buddy Holly (D2 to F#5), Chris Martin (Eb2 to G5), Paul Rodgers (E2 to G#5), Robin Thicke (F2 to Bb5), Justin Timberlake (F#2 to B5), Jared Leto (G#2 to C6), Kelly Clarkson (Eb3 to G6) - 3 octaves, 2-1/2 notes

24) Alanis Morissette (B2 to D6), Grace Slick (B2 to D6), Peter Steele (Eb1 to F#5), Ivan Rebroff (F1 to A5), Michael Bolton (A2 to C6), Jackie Wilson (A2 to C6), Todd Smith (C2 to E5), Lou Reed (D2 to F5), Eminem (D2 to F5), Thom Yorke (E2 to G5), Mika (F2 to A5), Aretha Franklin (G2 to B5), Annie Lennox (G2 to B5), Floor Jansen (D3 to F6), Cher (D3 to F6) - 3 octaves, 2 notes

25) Rihanna (B2 to C#6), Simon LeBon (E2 to F#5), Barry Gibb (F2 to G#5), Sebastian Bach (F#2 to A5), Lisa Gerrard (F#2 to A5), Steve Perry (F#2 to A5), Matt Tuck (F#2 to A5), Joey Belladonna (G2 to Bb5), Ella Fitzgerald (G#2 to B5) - 3 octaves, 1-1/2 notes

26) Dave Gahan (B1 to C5), Till Lindemann (G1 to A4), Bob Marley (A2 to B5), Steve Winwood (A2 to B5), Neil Young (E2 to F5), Brian Wilson (F2 to G5), David Byron (G2 to A5), Ray Charles (G#2 to Bb5), Ann Wilson (C3 to D6) - 3 octaves, 1 note

27) Lady Gaga (Bb2 to B5) - 3 octaves, 1/2 note

28) Janis Joplin (B2 to B5), Roy Orbison (E2 to E5), Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage) (E2 to E5), Lorde (G#2 to G#5) - 3 octaves

29) Sinead O'Connor (A2 to G#5), Bruno Mars (Bb2 to A5), Sting (G2 to F#5), John Fogerty (G2 to F#5), Rod Stewart (G#3 to C6) - 2 octaves, 6-1/2 notes

30) Julee Cruise (A2 to G5), John Lydon (A2 to G5) (analysis in progress), Joe Cocker (B2 to A5), Brent Smith (E2 to D5), Robin Gibb (G2 to F5), Adele (C3 to B5), Dolly Parton (E3 to D6), Bjork (E3 to D6) - 2 octaves, 6 notes

31) Johnny Cash (B1 to G#4), Little Richard (F2 to Eb5) - 2 octaves, 5-1/2 notes

32) Alicia Keys (Bb2 to F#5), David Coverdale (C2 to A5), David Ruffin (E2 to C5), Van Morrison (E2 to C5), Chuck Berry (E2 to C5), Art Garfunkel (G2 to E5) - 2 octaves, 5 notes

33) Damian Wilson (B2 to F#5), Joni Mitchell (C#3 to A5), Dusty Springfield (D3 to Bb5), Katy Perry (D3 to Bb5) - 2 octaves, 4-1/2 notes

34) Otis Redding (B2 to F5), Stevie Nicks (B2 to F5), Smokey Robinson (C3 to G5), Whitney Houston (C#3 to G#5) - 2 octaves, 4 notes

35) Jerry Lee Lewis (G#2 to C5) - 2 octaves, 2-1/2 notes

36) Sam Cooke (A2 to C5), Matt Bellamy (G2 to B5), Karen Carpenter (D3 to F5) - 2 octaves, 2 notes

37) Taylor Swift (E3 to F#5) - 2 octaves, 1-1/2 notes

38) Skin (Deborah Dyer) (B3 to B5) - 2 octaves

39) Avi Kaplan (A2 to D4) (analysis in progress) - 1 octave, 3 notes

[Johnny Drama]

Loses all credibility when DLR is number 3. Although I'd agree with the Patton thing.

[luciusfunk]

hmm

[highvoltage]

DLR doesn't even sing! He just talks!

[Thin White Duke]

JUMP!!!

[SoulMonster]

Loses all credibility when DLR is number 3. Although I'd agree with the Patton thing.

http://therangeplace.forummotions.com/t45-david-lee-roth?highlight=david+lee+roth

Looking forward to hearing you refute the data here.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Conclusion: Range alone means fuck all.

[SoulMonster]

Yep.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Sam Cooke is a better singer than just about anybody on that list...except Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye...and Sam Cooke

[SoulMonster]

A wide range gives a good singer a lot of possibilities.

[DR DOOM]

I've been to more Patton gigs than I can count/remember, the dude is a fucking legend.

I gave him a cigarette when he asked for one onstage once and after he smoked it he ashed it out on his tongue and swallowed the butt during the performance.

[Lithium]

36) Sam Cooke

No.

[TeeJay410]

I can believe Mike Patton, but David Lee Roth? No way.

[Johnny Drama]

Conclusion: Range alone means fuck all.

This.

[Ace Nova]

Meh...6 octaves on only 1/2 a note....

I'd rather have 5 on at least 2-3 notes....

Edited May 29, 2014 by Kasanova King

[Georgy Zhukov]

Wrong section?

[Broskirose]

If you base the "greatest singers" on how many octaves they hit in the studio, your ears should be cut off.

[wasted]

Mickey takes Axl to the top.

[dalsh327]

Loses all credibility when DLR is number 3. Although I'd agree with the Patton thing.

http://therangeplace.forummotions.com/t45-david-lee-roth?highlight=david+lee+roth

Looking forward to hearing you refute the data here.

They were just doing the frontmen, they didn't even take Michael Anthony into account.

[Teroz]

No Paul Staney - shit list. Ok not anymore, but in his prime he should have been pretty high up that list.

But agreed, Mike Patton is the best.

[Bruno P.]

Of fkn course Patton has a 6 octave vocal range and DLR has over 5 octaves. What's next? Jon Bon Jovi has a bigger range than Freddie?

This list is worse than the first one. Just because a singer hit a note once in a studio doesnt mean his vocal range is that big. Any decent producer can make a singer sound much better due to studio tricks. No, I dont believe for a sec that all of sudden they discovered several singers that can reach 4 octaves, 5 and even 6 (!).

I'll whistle some notes in a studio and speak low/fry a few notes so they can include me in that 4 octave wonder list.

It's not insanely hard to whistle notes, but just a few can control it and use properly. That's why I call bullshit on most of those high notes. Axl never even attempted those live so no, his vocal range is not that huge. That goes for a lot of those singers.

[AxlisOld]

Of fkn course Patton has a 6 octave vocal range and DLR has over 5 octaves. What's next? Jon Bon Jovi has a bigger range than Freddie?

This list is worse than the first one. Just because a singer hit a note once in a studio doesnt mean his vocal range is that big. Any decent producer can make a singer sound much better due to studio tricks. No, I dont believe for a sec that all of sudden they discovered several singers that can reach 4 octaves, 5 and even 6 (!).

I'll whistle some notes in a studio and speak low/fry a few notes so they can include me in that 4 octave wonder list.

It's not insanely hard to whistle notes, but just a few can control it and use properly. That's why I call bullshit on most of those high notes. Axl never even attempted those live so no, his vocal range is not that huge. That goes for a lot of those singers.

Axl also only used inhaled whistles from what I've heard, and those hardly count. Mike Patton has an insane control of all of his registers, whistle included, and that shit is tough. Dave's highest note was in Hot For Teacher, and I'm willing to bet it wasn't on purpose.

[DR DOOM]

Patton can do shit that only dogs can hear.

[CheapJon]

Is this something that's important to you guys? Do you pride yourself with being a fan of some singer who has a wide vocal range? Or is it just that what's right should be right?

Somebody cares about this and I just wanna know why?

[sweetness]

Eh, I bet Johnny Whitney from The Blood Brothers has a wider range than Patton