ToonGuns Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 (edited) This is not a new article but I don't recall it being discussed before (apologies if it has). I was reading a National Geographic article on Arethra Franklin boasting about her incredible vocal range so did a bit of digging and stumbled on this list and was amazed to see Axl at number one. This site have measured the vocal range of various vocal artists by comparing the lowest and highest notes of their studio recordings (don't think live has been included which obviously could change things) and Axl tops the list, above even Mariah Carey etc which I must say I was surprised about even though I know Axl has a fantastic voice. https://www.concerthotels.com/worlds-greatest-vocal-ranges Cue "Mickey always did have a high voice" puns... but the truth is at his prime Axl has / had a phenomenal voice with incredible power, range, timbre and dynamics. I'm just surprised Lemmy didn't make the list... Edited May 5, 2021 by ToonGuns Spelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 This even sparked a response from Axl, you can find it here! https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/axl-rose-responds-to-list-calling-him-worlds-greatest-singer-124867/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknroll41 Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Yeah despite the small amount of studio albums, Axl has shown a lot of range (both vocally and musically) across the entire GnR catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Guapo Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 I still remember listening to AFD for the first time. I thought it was different members singing on the first two, equally brillant tracks. Very cool. Now we have angry Mickey and whiny Mickey. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Boy Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 They then 'discovered' that Mike Patton had a bigger range as I recall, but who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixtlan Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 28 minutes ago, Nice Boy said: They then 'discovered' that Mike Patton had a bigger range as I recall, but who knows. Lol. As if. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Boy Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 8 minutes ago, Ixtlan said: Lol. As if. Biggest range for shitting in cartons of orange juice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaguns1982 Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 Na I don’t believe that for a second Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixtlan Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 1 hour ago, megaguns1982 said: Na I don’t believe that for a second Did you ever see the chart the OP is referring to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonGuns Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 8 hours ago, Nice Boy said: They then 'discovered' that Mike Patton had a bigger range as I recall, but who knows. Love Mike Patton. Regardless of range his versatility is incredible. On the subject of range Phil Anselmo must be in with a shout, clearly he's lost range now, but compare his head scream in Cemetery Gates to his low growl. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhazUp Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 12 hours ago, El Guapo said: I still remember listening to AFD for the first time. I thought it was different members singing on the first two, equally brillant tracks. Very cool. Now we have angry Mickey and whiny Mickey. Lol I remember when I was younger, back with dial up internet and information and videos not being immediately accessible, looking at the back of the Appetite CD and thinking that the guy with the low voice on ISO must have been that mysterious looking dude with the black hair a.k.a. Izzy Naive kid me thought that is was Axl on the high parts and Izzy would duet with him whenever they needed a low voice ha 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vloors Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 Im shaking my head at some of the people on that list lol I like Eminem but come on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggers Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 9 hours ago, Ixtlan said: Lol. As if. Patton destroys Axl vocally. Come on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixtlan Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 1 hour ago, eggers said: Patton destroys Axl vocally. Come on. Sure. You’re correct, Mike Patton is universally recognized by his peers as one of the greatest vocalist/frontman in the history of rock music. Ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonGuns Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 1 minute ago, Ixtlan said: Sure. You’re correct, Mike Patton is universally recognized by his peers as one of the greatest vocalist/frontman in the history of rock music. Ok. Vocalist and frontman are two different things, and the argument you've made here wasn't what Eggers said. Patton is incredibly versatile and hard working. Axl "may" (other opinions are available) be the better/ bigger front man from the more famous brand / band, but it doesn't necessarily make him a better vocalist. There are tens of thousands of trained singers that could argue they are better vocalists than Axl or Mike Patton. However where Patton does excel Axl by some margin is his versatility, his musicality, his ability to reinvent himself, his amazing discography and his voice is still as strong as ever. Axl has pretty much always stuck to hard rock, and his voice isn't a patch on what it used to be. Patton performs with Faith No More, Mr Bungle, Tomahawk, Mondo Cane, Fantomas and much more... he has done everything from math rock to ambient and everything in between, has released multiple albums, and still has an excellent voice and incredible vocal control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixtlan Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 14 minutes ago, ToonGuns said: Vocalist and frontman are two different things, and the argument you've made here wasn't what Eggers said. Patton is incredibly versatile and hard working. Axl "may" (other opinions are available) be the better/ bigger front man from the more famous brand / band, but it doesn't necessarily make him a better vocalist. There are tens of thousands of trained singers that could argue they are better vocalists than Axl or Mike Patton. However where Patton does excel Axl by some margin is his versatility, his musicality, his ability to reinvent himself, his amazing discography and his voice is still as strong as ever. Axl has pretty much always stuck to hard rock, and his voice isn't a patch on what it used to be. Patton performs with Faith No More, Mr Bungle, Tomahawk, Mondo Cane, Fantomas and much more... he has done everything from math rock to ambient and everything in between, has released multiple albums, and still has an excellent voice and incredible vocal control. I appreciate the education of facts on Mike Patton. However, Axl is vastly more talented than Mike Patton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonGuns Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 39 minutes ago, Ixtlan said: I appreciate the education of facts on Mike Patton. However, Axl is vastly more talented than Mike Patton. I think it depends on your definition of "talent". Axl was (not sure whether "is" is valid anymore) one of the most talented rock singers and front men ever, but he was restricted to that narrow niche and has never pushed himself at all. Patton is the front man of multiple rock band but also sings jazz, avant garde, ambient, fusion, pop, metal... both in English and other languages, is highly respected across multiple genres, over a more extended period, while still retaining incredible vocal power, versatility and control. Popularity and talent are not the same thing. Axl is much more popular, but there is a very strong argument Patton has more talent. Singing one style of music and depreciating in quality of performance over time v singing multiple different challenging styles of music with a consistent quality of performance over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratam Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 I don't knew if largest vocal range, but Axl's versatile vocal was impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlon_brando Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 7 hours ago, Ixtlan said: I appreciate the education of facts on Mike Patton. However, Axl is vastly more talented than Mike Patton. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powderfinger Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 I’d have thought Bruce Dickinson would have been in there. Axl’s range live would interest me more than in the studio. Some of the notes he hit on the illusions tour were insane. Especially while having that grit to his vocal. As for the OPs comment on Lemmy, I love Motorhead caught them live 10-12 times over 25+ years, but Lemmys range was between Jack Daniels and Marlboros. It was a growl mostly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lame ass security Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 I love Axl's low register, it is pretty earth shaking. A lot of people can match him in the upper register but not the lower. As Elvis sang, "Way down like a tidal wave." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweersa Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 32 minutes ago, lame ass security said: I love Axl's low register, it is pretty earth shaking. A lot of people can match him in the upper register but not the lower. As Elvis sang, "Way down like a tidal wave." His lower, natural voice on Chinese Democracy (the song, and on some other parts of the album) was very good. He sounds a bit like that on the studio Silkworms leaks too. I wonder if we will hear more of that on CD2/the next album. I also like his higher clean vocals, like on Catcher and Atlas. And of course his CD-era "rasp" like on parts of Hardschool, Scraped, Sorry, etc. A buddy I introduced CD to in 2008 (he loved the album) asked me if the band had two lead singers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixtlan Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 6 hours ago, marlon_brando said: Why? For me Axl’s stage performance during the UYI tour is one reason. Axl live during his prime is untouchable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay410 Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 This list pops up every now and again, and if I recall it was just a ranking of the vocal ranges of the 100 singers on Rolling Stones’ top 100 singers list. The RS list wasn’t based just on vocal ability, it included all the other intangible qualities of being a performer and a star. That is the reason why excellent vocalists with similar quality ranges are not listed, because they weren’t on the RS list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vloors Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 1 hour ago, TeeJay410 said: This list pops up every now and again, and if I recall it was just a ranking of the vocal ranges of the 100 singers on Rolling Stones’ top 100 singers list. The RS list wasn’t based just on vocal ability, it included all the other intangible qualities of being a performer and a star. That is the reason why excellent vocalists with similar quality ranges are not listed, because they weren’t on the RS list. This makes sense because Im sure alot more opera singers and the such would of been ranked higher then eminem lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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